In this episode, I show you how you can convince the interviewer to choose you over the other candidates by preparing a compelling answer to the common interview question, “Why should we hire you?”
Transcript
Hi and welcome to today’s episode, which is about answering the common interview question, “Why should we hire you?” When the interviewer asks this question, you should focus on three things. First, it is crucial that you cover the results you can deliver if you get the job, because companies employ people who they expect will create value for their business. Second, you should explain how your unique skills, experiences and qualifications will enable you to deliver these results. Finally, you should have examples ready that demonstrate how you have used them in the past to create great outcomes. Let me show you 4 steps to prepare a convincing answer covering all these aspects.
Step 1: Results and value
Imagine you get the job and everything works out perfectly. What results will you create, and why is that important for the company? A good starting point to answer these questions is the job description. It usually lists the role’s responsibilities and states what the successful candidate is expected to deliver. In one sentence, summarize the most important aspects and add how this will help the company achieve its goals. For example, if you applied as a marketing manager, you might be responsible for setting and executing marketing strategies to help the company grow its market share and increase revenue.
Step 2: Enablers
Once you have specified the value you can create, it’s time to identify what will enable you to deliver these results. As in the previous step, the job description can help you with this, since it usually includes a section describing the skills, qualifications and experiences the ideal candidate should have. List all those requirements you meet and add everything else you bring to the table that can give you an edge over the other candidates. For instance, if you are interviewing for a manager role at a company that wants to quickly open offices in a new market, your established network with recruitment companies in that country might come in handy, even if it is not mentioned in the job description. Once you have completed your list, go through it and identify those 4 to 6 enablers that create the most significant benefits for the company.
Step 3: Examples
Prepare one example for each item on your shortlist that shows how you used these skills, experiences, qualifications and other enablers in previous situations to achieve great results. Try to pick examples with measurable outcomes; for instance, if you apply for a procurement role, you could say, “I have excellent negotiation skills that helped me reduce purchase prices by an average of 10% at my current job.” Or, if you are a graduate applying for an entry-level position within finance, you might have a great academic record that makes your accounting skills more tangible.
Step 4: Your answer
Combine what you have prepared so far into a compelling answer. Don’t yet bring up the examples you identified in the previous step, but mention that you would be happy to provide some. For example, a candidate applying as a project manager in the strategy and transformation unit of a big bank might say, “I can help you expand your business and save costs by ensuring the successful delivery of critical projects. I have in-depth knowledge of the banking industry, excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management skills and a proven track record of managing merger and acquisition and cost-reduction projects. May I give you some examples of how these skills helped me achieve great results in the past?”
These were the 4 steps to answering the interview question, “Why should we hire you?” Thanks for listening, and I hope this was helpful to you.
