When hiring managers ask "Why should we hire you?" it can feel
impossible to craft the perfect reply. In a sense, the question urges you to
condense your case for the job into a few sentences. If you haven't thought
about your reply, you could easily resort to stammering or launch into a
long-winded answer. But if you go the other way and declare, “I’m the best
person for the job,” you could appear arrogant. Striking the right tone is a
tricky balance.
To help you prepare for the “Why should we hire you?” question, here are some possible answers.
1. Present Yourself as a Problem Solver
This response demonstrates that you are adept at tackling challenges.
“The best answer to 'Why should we hire you?' should first address the employer's primary concerns,” says Gena Cox, an organizational psychologist, executive coach and founder of Feels Human LLC, a business consultancy in Tampa, Florida.
"The applicant should address what (they) can do to help the employer solve a problem the employer has not articulated but the applicant has perceived," she says. "Then, the applicant can talk about the benefit they will derive from being hired.”
Granted, this is hard to pull off if you don’t see an obvious problem you can help solve. But if you do see something you can help the company fix, you could make a strong, positive impression.
“A response like this makes the applicant's value explicit, demonstrates thoughtfulness and suggests that the applicant is interested in the organization beyond the immediate job opportunity,” Cox says.
Example Answer
“You mentioned that your customer service is lacking. At my previous company, we had a similar problem. Here’s how I solved it.”
2. Deliver Your Elevator Pitch
In this response, you pitch yourself for the job in an impactful, succinct statement that communicates your relevant experience, talent and purpose for pursuing the role.
“A candidate should have a well-articulated, unique and structured 30- to 45-second elevator pitch with a brief introduction of self, work conducted, work desired and a selling point as to how to deliver results,” says Jennifer Preston, a human resources consultant with Flex HR, a human resources consultancy near Atlanta.
“An interview is a sales pitch," she says. "While not selling a product, a candidate needs to confidently – not arrogantly – sell themselves and how being hired will make a difference for the company and for those around them.”
Example Answer
“I think I’d be great at this job. Here’s why.” And then start your elevator pitch. If you've already offered up your professional bio, list some of the skills that would make you effective in this position.
3. Tell a Story
This response shows the interviewer your value through examples.
“A strong response should include an example of a past performance situation, as this often predicts future performance,” Preston says.
She suggests citing a specific example or two of prior work along with results to demonstrate what you can do for your future employer.
Example Answer
“I think you should hire me because I’ve been searching for this job for as long as I can remember. I have an interesting story about that, in fact …” And then launch into an insightful story that communicates why you'd be a good fit for this position.
4. Get Specific
According to Travis Lindemoen, founder of jobs marketplace Enjoy Mondays and managing director at staffing agency Nexus IT Group, here are a few areas where you can dive into specific examples that illustrate why you should be hired.
- Expertise. Thoroughly research the company before your interview so you can explain how your background aligns with its mission, values and goals. "You should also be able to name specific areas of expertise that would enable you to succeed in the role,” Lindemoen says.
- Unique skills. Highlight any experiences or skills that will help you stand out from other job candidates, such as fluency in another language or technical skills related to the job duties, he says. "It's OK if these skills aren't strictly job-related. Any advantage that sets you apart is something employers will take into consideration,” Lindemoen says.
- Accomplishments. Provide examples of past successes that demonstrate your understanding of what it takes for a business to progress efficiently, Lindemoen says. For instance, if you can say that you reduced costs in your department by 15% or improved customer satisfaction ratings by 20%, you should highlight that, Lindemoen says.
Example Answer
“I have a strong track record of doing well at my job, and I think I can bring the same success to this position. In my current position …” Then you could offer specifics similar to Lindemoen's suggestions that demonstrate your track record.
5. Show Enthusiasm
Don’t discount old-fashioned enthusiasm. “Companies want their candidates to want their job,” says Kathleen Quinn Votaw, CEO of TalenTrust, a staffing solutions and recruitment agency in Golden, Colorado.
However you communicate your enthusiasm, "make it memorable and personal," Votaw says. For instance, she says, you could say something like: “I have dreamed of working in (this specific industry).”
If you position this job as your dream job (assuming it is), your employer will know you have the enthusiasm to take on the role. Your resume and background should also show that you also have the skills.
Example Answer
Votaw suggests saying something like this: “You should hire me because I want to make a difference in your company. I have the necessary skills to be successful. I want to learn and grow with this company, and your job is the one that fits me best.”
6. Play It Cool
Enthusiasm aside, try not to seem overeager, says Tom Dowd, a career coach in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
“Overstressing their interest in the role, field or organization – this is one of the top mistakes,” Dowd says. “Of course, employers want someone who is interested in the job, but they care most about someone who has the skills and experience needed to be successful.”
If you're brimming with nervous excitement, aim to project a calm, collected demeanor and emphasize your qualifications.
Example Answer
“I think I’d be really good at this job because …” Then tout your skills and talents, as opposed to saying, “This is my dream job, and I’ll do anything to impress you.”
“It’s OK to highlight your passion,” Dowd says. “But don’t make it your key message or selling point. If mentioned, it should be secondary.”
7. Emphasize Your Helpfulness
This is a strategy similar to the “problem solver” approach. But with the “I am here to help” message, you’re making it clear that you’re interested in what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.
“Talk about how this can make an impact for them,” Dowd says.
He says when you talk about why you should be hired, “end the answer by turning the focus on them, the employer, and paint a distinct picture of how your background that you just highlighted will make you, and ultimately them, successful.”
Example Answer
“I believe in this business, and I want to do everything I can to make this company successful. Here’s how I hope to do that …”
Dowd suggests offering details about how you will help the company, and "the more specific, the better," he says.
8. Be Humble
A small dose of humility can work wonders, says Justin Marcus, CEO of Gratus Staffing and co-founder and CEO of Big 4 Talent, a platform specializing in connecting talent with employers in the accounting and finance sector.
If the question “Why should we hire you?” comes up early in the interview, Marcus suggests it may be best to turn the question back on the interviews, asking them for more information about the role.
Marcus adds that you’ll probably come off as authentic to your interviewers. “It likely will also catch them off guard and show the interviewers that you are not desperate for your next role,” he says.
Example Answer
"I am not sure you should hire me. Do you mind sharing a bit more about the job so I can make sure I am the best person for the role?"
Only try this if the question comes near the beginning of the interview and before there has been much discussion about the job duties.
9. Be the Missing Puzzle Piece
One of the most important things you leave an interviewer with is the idea that you belong with this company.
You want to “succinctly show where there's commonality” between the business’s needs and how you work, suggests Bill Catlette, a Memphis, Tennessee-based partner at Contented Cow Partners, a leadership and employee engagement consultancy.
Example Answer
Catlette says you might respond with something like, “My impression is that you've got a very labor-dependent business that requires high reliability. That's very much in sync with how I approach my job."
In other words, look for a quality that the business needs, whether it's
creativity or engineering skills, and make it clear that you’ve got that
quality.
10. Bring Souvenirs
Even if you answer the “Why should we hire you” question with the best oratory flourishes, a hiring manager’s memory might be short if a lot of people are interviewing for the job.
In your answer, you could mention that you brought a parting gift for the interviewer that they can look over long after you've left.
Example Answer
Catlette suggests saying something like: “I've brought along copies of my last three performance reviews. Among other things, they speak to my affinity for teamwork. I'm happy to leave them with you.”
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