September 1, 2022 at 12:38 pm

4 Ways You Can Answer the Question “Why Should We Hire You?”

by Matthew Gilligan

You really gotta be on top of your game during job interviews. You usually only get one shot and you better impress the folks hurling questions at you or you might miss out on a good opportunity.

Check out these 4 pieces of advice you should consider when you’re presented with the question, “why should we hire you?”

1. Be humble

Ken Coleman is known as “America’s Career Coach” and he says that it’s important to remain humble.

“The best answer to this question should include a combination of enthusiasm, confidence, and humility.

If you are applying for a job in which you can use your top talents to perform the work you love to do and produce results that matter to you, then smile big, and with enthusiasm reply, “This is what I want to do and where I want to be. I have the talent to execute this role and the passion to maximize this role for the team and the organization.”

Screen Shot 2022 08 25 at 7.31.00 PM 4 Ways You Can Answer the Question “Why Should We Hire You?”

Photo Credit: Unsplash,Tim Gouw

2. Put yourself in the interviewer’s place

It may sound kind of funny, but imagine that you’re the interviewer and go from there.

Career coach Elana Konstant says, “What does your interviewer need to hear to recognize that you are the right candidate? Rather than focusing on what you want to get across, focus on what is affecting the employer—company challenges, upcoming projects, industry changes, and so forth.”

Konstant also recommends doing as much research as possible about the company on sites such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor so you have a good idea about the culture there.

3. Have talking points ready

Preparation is everything, people…so it’s important that you’re all set up and ready to go as soon as the questions start coming your way.

Career expert Vicki Salemi offered this tip: “You need to convey you have the skills and experience to ace the role, speak with enthusiasm and passion, and then bring it back to the employer.”

Salemi also says you should “mention you know they’re looking for a detail-oriented manager who’s a great self-starter, for example, and that their initiative is green and that aligns with your values.”

Finally, she also recommends that you show you’re passionate about the job: “When I worked in corporate recruiting and candidates were nearly identical on paper, decisions boiled down to soft skills and who the hiring team liked better. I heard hiring managers say, ‘They had a hunger in their eyes,’ or ‘fire in their belly.’”

That’s good advice!

4. Brag…a little bit

While you don’t want to go over the top and seem too egotistical, it’s good to brag a little bit about yourself.

Vicki Salemi offered this advice: “You can say something like, ‘You should hire me because I’m an excellent performer and excel in the skill set required for this position. I’ve done XYZ in my current role and have valuable experiences already…,’ and then go into why you’re a fit for them. Make it easy for them to connect the dots so by the end of this answer they’re thinking, ‘This sounds pretty convincing!’”

Now go get out there and ace those interviews!

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