“Why should we hire you?”

This is a common interview question, yet, many have found it challenging to come up with an appropriate answer. Generally, it always sounds like the interviewer wants you to demonstrate that your skills fit the job requirements. Surprisingly, there is always more to the interview question than what meets the eye.

So, why do most interviewers like asking this question?

Most chiefs of staff love to ask this question because it tells them more about what you intend to achieve at the institution or organization. The answer to this question also displays the person’s level of confidence and how their skills fit their role at the institution or organization. Today, it is always guaranteed that this question will come up whenever you go for a job interview, therefore, it is wise not to walk to the interview unprepared.

As much as there are multiple ways to answer this critical question, there are four strategies that will make it easy to navigate this answer.

The essence of this strategy is to identify the crossover between what’s in it for you and what’s in it for the hiring manager in case you’re hired. Therefore, your answer has to portray you as an enthusiastic employee who has the exact skill set for the position they wanted to fill. While you might be lost in describing your academic qualification, remember to talk about yourself. Focusing on only what the hiring manager will benefit from you after getting hired is not always the right thing to do. Talking about “what’s in it for you” will reveal your motivation for the job. You can mention how you intend to build your skills or work towards the next step of your career if you get hired.

This question can either come at the beginning or at the end of the interview. But what if the question comes towards the end of the interview? You’ve probably covered your experience and skills multiple times. In this case, the first strategy won’t work, perhaps you should shift your focus towards showing your dedication to the company itself. This is where you’ll have to share your comprehensive knowledge of the company and how you intend to add value to the organization. This explains why it is important to always do a background check of a company or organization before going for an interview. This will allow you to demonstrate how much you are invested and prepared for the position. Overall, being knowledgeable about the company makes you stand out as an insider who will be easier to train compared to other candidates.

Most companies or organizations will resolve to hire new people whenever they have a problem that needs to be solved. If you had conducted some background check of the company, then you may understand the reasons they intend to hire new people and the specific problem the new staff will be solving. In that case, go straight to the point and provide answers or solutions to their problems. This should be in detail and you should focus ideally on how your skill set will provide immediate relief to their particular problem. However, your information has to be up to date, so that you don’t end up dwelling on their past problem. In other words, you need to focus all your efforts on the future and try to convince the interviewer that you can address their most pressing issue and make their life easier. This will portray you as unique and a forward-thinking team player who’s ready to set the ball rolling.

You may be applying for a corporate position at a company, yet, your first summer job as a teen was at a retail department, therefore, you have a unique perspective in that field. You might also be applying for a marketing role in a pharmaceutical company and already you have a deeper understanding of the problems the company is looking to solve because you’re a neuroscience minor. The fact that you have all these qualifications means that you can do the job. If the interviewer hasn’t put all this information together, then, any extra experience or skill you have that may be relevant to the company or organization is worth mentioning.

Dos

1. Show that you intend to add value to your organization.
2. Always keep all your responses short and focused.
3. Be confident
4. You might opt to tell a short story to illustrate your skills and experience and how it benefits the company.

Don'ts

1. Making everything about you.
2. Giving memorized responses even though we’ve emphasized the importance of practicing.
3. Take too long to answer a single question

The entire interview process might be overwhelming because it is always a situation in which nerves are at an all-time high. Being asked, “Why Should We Hire You?” at the beginning of the end of the interview might make you ramble, trip over words, repeat yourself, or even forget to answer the question entirely if you are not confident. Learning how to get comfortable with answering open-ended questions is one of the sure ways of avoiding this awkward situation.

Once the “great” question pops up, remember to stay calm and confident. Understand the study description, try to relate to your role, and point out how your past work and learning have prepared you for this job. I bet you’ll have a great answer to this question. While answering the question also remember to share more details, at least this will set you apart from other candidates. Most importantly, remember to practice before the interview. Your response may not come out perfect the first time you say it, however, you’ll keep feeling comfortable and performing better as you practice. You can rehearse by recording yourself talking into your smartphone voice recorder or in the mirror. Remember, planning to answer this specific question is also part of preparing for the entire interview itself.