You need to answer this question in an interview, even if they don’t ask it!
Whether you are in the midst of a job search that involves interviewing for multiple opportunities or suddenly get a call from a recruiter who wants to talk to you about a specific position, there is one question that you should be prepared to answer. Different people may ask it in different ways, but the core of the question is the same. Consider what employers want and need to know, particularly during the interview process. Their collective goal is to determine if you are the candidate that will deliver the most value to the organization if hired for the position. To figure that out, they will in some way, shape, or form, ask you the following question. “Why should we hire you?”
Knowing that this is coming gives you a major advantage. Why? It will save you from the potential pitfalls inherent in this question. If you are not prepared you risk panicking when submitting your response, which may lead to either a very uncomfortable silence or you rambling on in a way that makes you sound unfocused, unqualified, and lacking confidence in your abilities. If you aren’t prepared to answer the question and manage to maintain your poise, potential pitfalls include sounding cocky, desperate, or apprehensive (all of which can negatively impact your candidacy).
How can you prepare an answer that can land you the job? First of all, research the position, company, and industry. Connect with company employees, articles and publications, and content that can be obtained via respected professional associations related to the industry. Once you have done that, evaluate your skills, talents, and knowledge to determine how you fit into the organization’s mission, workplace objectives, current environment, and future goals. Your next step is to identify and then communicate how you will contribute in a positive way to help the company achieve its goals and objectives if selected for the position. The key is to tailor your answer to the position and company (remember, you did all of that research!), and explain how you will help the organization solve the inevitable challenges that they will face. Be confident, solution-oriented, and positive.
As you craft your answer, integrate your USP (unique selling proposition). Your USP highlights how you are uniquely qualified to serve in the position. It not only illustrates to a potential employer how you can be a valuable employee, but also what sets you apart from your competition. When determining your USP examine your skills (hard and soft), knowledge, and ability to anticipate how you (and the company) will need to grow in order to achieve and maintain success. In addition to integrating your USP, consider implementing the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) when answering select interview questions. The STAR Method allows you to showcase your past experience in order to illustrate how you used your skills and abilities to achieve success in the past. The STAR Method is powerful in that it allows you to tell a success story that’s related to your target position. Stories make you more memorable in that they allow others to create a visual picture of you and your actions, which is further supported by the fact that past performance is seen by many as an indicator of future success.
Are you prepared to explain to a company why they should hire you? Once you have followed the steps above, practice your answer so you can express it in a confident, clear, and relevant manner. If they don’t ask it, know that you can provide this information near the conclusion of your interview when the hiring professionals ask if you have questions or would like to provide additional information. When executed properly, it will allow you to close with your strongest selling points that showcase your knowledge, motivation, and value.
