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How to Answer This Question - Why Should We Hire YOU?
The question of, "Why should we hire you?" can take a variety of forms such as, "Why do you think you will be successful in this position?"
This is a critical question because it will indicate your success and self-confidence, and will give you the chance to sell yourself to the employer.
In this answer you will do double-time by selling yourself and by demonstrating your knowledge of the company.
Thus, step one is doing your homework on the company before the interview. That will likely include visiting their website, Googling their name, and performing an advanced search on LinkedIn long before you ever find yourself in the interview!
Embrace that this isn’t a bad question. I have heard people asked, “What do you know about our company?” You should emphasize your value and demonstrate your knowledge as they work together.
For example, someone applying for a position as an Independent Contractor to run a resume writing office, and perform resume writing, might say:
"I can be successful in this position because of the unique background in resume writing and career development that I possess. I am a Certified Professional Resume Writer with two degrees in technical and creative writing. This has allowed me to develop the ability to effectively interview clients and research their backgrounds while creating dynamic marketing resumes.
"I have balanced this professional writing ability with six years of experience as the Director of a College Job Placement Program where I taught resume writing, interviewing, job search, and professional development, as well as performing job placement of the graduates.
"Not only did I achieve the highest levels of job placement ever recorded by the college (98% within 90 days of graduation), but I gained solid insight into what employers look for, what works and what doesn’t.
"I also believe I can be successful because I am highly entrepreneurial. I know that the success of this office will depend upon my ability to market your services, retain clients, and implement revenue streams. I have numerous ideas I would like to discuss with you, if I am selected for the position, that I feel will allow me to not only operate effectively but to also increase office sales."
Or, in a more traditional situation, here’s what you might prepare to say as a new graduate of a medical transcription training program applying for a job with a cardiology practice:
"I believe that I will be successful in this position because I have 900 hours of hands-on training in medical transcription in a classroom environment at the XYZ Institute.
(Get out your portfolio and open it to a print out of a sample of your work). "Here you can see several examples of medical records, dictation, and reports I have produced in MS Word.
"I have also excelled in my terminology courses, gaining a strong base in numerous disciplines.
"However, I have always been interested in Cardiology and made it a personal goal to focus on that area. Because of that, I read the Journal of Cardiology to stay up-to-date with changes in the field, names of new pharmaceuticals, and other innovations.
"I have an excellent basis in the discipline to transcribe the records of your Cardiologists with ease. Also, I recently joined the American Association of Medical Transcriptionists and am already taking steps to pursue certification."
When I share answers like this, most people react by saying, "That’s so good; I couldn’t do that." But, that’s not true - crafting answers like this is just getting to know yourself in advance.
You need to plan to answer questions about why you are qualified and know how to sell yourself above the other applicants. Realize that you may have the same skillset, but much of it revolves around who does the best job at communicating it in the interview!
So, spend some time doing the following:
1. Listing your skills and strengths.
2. Writing CAR stories (challenges, actions, and results) about each of your jobs.
3. Considering your accomplishments.
4. Uncovering what makes you special by reviewing letters of recommendation and/or other testimonials you may have from work, school, and volunteering.
5. Writing down concrete answers to questions like this that give a concrete example to prove you fit the bill!
Bottom Line
By making getting hired your job and putting in the time to prepare, you can successfully and confidently answer an employer when they ask, "Why should we hire you?" Go get ‘em!
© Copyright Laura DeCarlo 2011. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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About this author: Laura DeCarlo is recognized as the career industry’s "career hero" making a difference to both job seekers and career professionals as the founder of Career Directors International. She possesses 11 top-level certifications in resume writing, career coaching, and career management; 7 first place resume and job placement awards; and has written three books on interviewing and job search including Interview Pocket RX, Interviewing: The Gold Standard, and Job Search Bloopers. Follow Laura on Twitter; username: @careerhero.
