10 Best Answers to “Why Should We Hire You?” Interview Question

During a job interview, you know some common interview questions will pop up no matter the position you’re applying for or the field you’re working in.

One of these inquiries revolves around why you’d be a candidate for the job and giving your best answer during the interview process is paramount, or the perfect opportunity may escape you. The interviewer may outright ask you why they should hire you, why you are a good match, or be a bit sneaky about it with something like “what sets you apart from other candidates?” or “what can you bring to the table?”. So far, your job search has consisted of buttoning up your resume and applying to the job posting, but now, interview preparation is key to showing you’re the ideal candidate and best fit for the company.

Today, we’re discussing the 10 best answers to “why should we hire you?”, tips to prepare the ideal answer, and the mistakes job seekers should avoid in their response.

Top 10 Best Example Answers When a Hiring Manager Asks “Why Should We Hire You?”

To help you learn from the examples we’ll showcase in this section, approach each one with the intended goal, so you understand the message you’re conveying with each type of response. Qualified candidates that do thorough company research and review the job description closely before practicing the examples below, can make the most of a great opportunity.

Answer Example #1: Show you did your homework and reference qualifications from the job description

The goal here is to demonstrate how well you researched the company or business requirements before the interview, then tie your findings with impressive results you achieved in similar settings.

Say you’re applying for a position in sales or marketing management, your answer should be along the lines of:

“Based on my research, I know you need people with strong leadership, communication, and time management skills as you’re quickly expanding in the industry. I believe I can deliver what you’re looking for thanks to my previous experience in managing sales teams and motivating them to fulfill and even go beyond our quarterly goals, which also brought me great pride.”

Other examples may include specific technical skills, your leadership experience, construction project manager experience, or the introduction of new products.

Answer Example #2: Highlight your years of work experience from your current and previous job

The goal here is to give the interviewer an idea about how experienced you are to assure them you’re the best person for the role. Your answer has a more profound effect the longer your years of experience. Don’t forget to mention a couple of your significant achievements as a subtle indication that you can do the same for their company.

Say you’re applying for a position in accounting or finance management, here’s what your answer should look like:

“I believe my extensive experience in the field can be a valuable asset for this company. I was directly responsible for teams of over a dozen employees for seven years, so I’ve developed team-building and analytical skills. I developed innovative financing strategies that got me awarded manager of the year three times. If you hire me, I’ll spare no effort to bring these abilities to your organization and improve them for better gain.”

Answer Example #3: Prove you’ve been listening to the interviewer

Interviewers love it when you’re paying attention to what they’re saying and often like to check that this is the case by giving you information that you could use in your answers throughout the interview. Sometimes they’ll even ask specific questions that they’ve already asked just to see if you’ve picked up on it.

Here, the goal is to show you’re sharp and prove you’ve been listening closely to the interviewer. Here, your response should be similar to the following:

“Well, you mentioned earlier that you’re trying a new hiring approach where you focus on recruiting younger talents. I believe I can provide a fresh outlook to the position, especially since I’m also passionate about keeping up with modern strategies. I like to always stay up to date and help my teammates get on board with current directions as quickly as possible while incorporating guidance from senior calibers.”

Answer Example #4: Establish your eagerness to evolve

Another thing that any interviewer would be glad to hear is how you look forward to improvement and how dedicated you can be to proving yourself and learning new roles. When you show determination for development, you’re telling the company you won’t just settle for your current skill level but rather constantly work on achieving better results.

Remember, the goal here is to establish your eagerness for more knowledge and show you deserve to be where you are, even if you’re new to the game. Here’s what your answer should entail:

“I’m always on the lookout for ways to establish and improve my skills, so working for a renowned company such as this one is a tremendous opportunity for me to do both. You’ll provide me with a platform where I can show how well I can work, and I’ll contribute my full potential to the growth and success of this organization”.

Answer Example #5: Express confidence

Confidence is an attractive trait to demonstrate when getting into something new, such as meeting new people or applying for a new job. Providing a confident answer doesn’t just give the interview the impression that you know what you’re doing, but it vouches for your leadership, communication, and persuasion skills.

It’s important to note that you don’t want to be overconfident to avoid coming across as smug — that’s a huge no-no. You should simply stick to the facts about why you are the best candidate and right person for the job. More importantly, you should keep your tone proactive and your voice clear as you say something along the lines of:

“I believe I possess all the necessary experience and skills you’ve mentioned you need for this position. I’m positive that I’m one of the best candidates you’ve interviewed, and I aspire to be the best worker if hired. Multiple previous bosses have praised my people skills and my self-motivation, so you can rest assured I’ll not only meet your expectations, but I’ll also aim to exceed them. My past projects gave me a lot of experience related to the position, but I’m also a fast learner who loves overcoming challenges. I’m determined, resourceful, and analytical, which are all qualities I’m sure will benefit this great brand.”

Answer Example #6: Appeal to the deadline culture

Deadlines are likely to be a crucial part of the position you’re applying for, so interviewers tend to respond well to candidates addressing the concept.

Meeting a deadline could be the difference between the success or failure of a project. It could make the difference between receiving all your agreed-upon earnings or losing a chunk of it, especially in the home building and construction sector.

What’s more, meeting or failing to meet deadlines heavily affects the company’s reputation and how much business it attracts.

For all this, telling the interviewer how committed you are to getting the job done in time can give you an edge. Here’s an example of this:

“I’ve experienced first-hand the time-demanding nature of the job, so I know how important it is for you to find employees who understand what’s at stake. Over my five years of work in sales and marketing, I’ve sharpened my organizational and time-planning skills to always be ahead of schedule. I’ve also developed valuable analytical and communication skills to be able to overcome unexpected setbacks. It’s always been a priority for me to deliver effective and timely results, so I’d like the opportunity to use my approach to benefit this company.”

Answer Example #7: Stand out from the crowd

Presenting unique aspects of your skills helps show the interviewer that you have something extra to offer the company and can add more value to the job than others. So, don’t be shy about highlighting qualities or skills that you think will help you stand out from other candidates.

You could take additional courses in your free time, speak more languages than required or approach projects with a newly emerging technique. Let’s take a look at a way to portray this:

“I always aim to bring something extra and different to my work, which I believe to be crucial for an established company looking to expand like this one. In addition to my 3-year experience in marketing, I’ve completed two university-grade courses on digital marketing and dabbled into web design to get better insight into the creative side of the job. You’ve mentioned you needed someone fluent in English and Spanish; I’m also fluent in French.”

Answer Example #8: Speak with passion

Sometimes letting your passion for the job and company shine through is the best way to make a memorable impression on the interviewer, especially if you’re short on years of experience.

The critical thing to keep in mind here is not to sell yourself short. You can express your admiration of the company and your eagerness to join it and mention that you’d be an asset.

Remember, you don’t want to sound desperate, so watch the steadiness of your tone and keep your voice clear. Let’s have a look at an example:

“Honestly, I’ve always aimed to work for the best in the business, so I’ve been following this company closely as I admire the quality of work you do here and the level of professionalism. I believe you could benefit from my punctuality, determination, and quick thinking. I’m also a driven and fast learner, so I have no doubt I can make up for my relatively short time in the field.”

Answer Example #9: Get the interviewer to engage and discuss the needs of the company

In this approach, your goal is to establish a positive connection with the interviewer from the beginning of your answer. You want them to feel that you’re not just reciting a few phrases that you practiced, but instead, you’re responding with genuine wit, gratitude, and curiosity.

This approach also gives you a chance to get a clearer idea of the type of skills and qualities the interviewer is looking for. It establishes you as a candidate who got what the position demands by confirmation of the interviewer. Here’s an example:

“That’s an excellent question! I’m, of course, still learning about the company while you already know what sort of employee you want to work for you, which gives you a bit of a lead. Based on what I’ve understood so far, you need someone who can quickly and effectively resolve distribution and supply issues and deal directly with partners. Would you say that’s accurate?”

We’ll assume the interviewer says ‘Yes’. Hence, you continue: “Well, in that case, I believe to be the perfect match since I was responsible for managing my company’s external affairs and successfully expanded its supply chain by applying a series of modern strategies.”

Answer Example #10: Keep it general

Last but not least, you can always opt for the general approach, which can give an advantage depending on the position you’re applying for. Here’s one way you can put this to words:

“I believe I’m the right fit for the job because I possess all the skills and qualifications you require. Thanks to my solid background and work in previous projects, I’m confident, but I have certain analytical and people skills that’ll prove to be beneficial in tackling any task you’ll throw at me. I’m a strong team player and a self-motivated one-person unit, and I’m a fast learner and always eager to improve.”

Tips to Improve Your Answer to “Why Should We Hire You?”

• Respond with clarity and confidence that you’re a great fit
• Never undermine your lack of experience
• Always show what you feel makes you unique
• Incorporate examples from previous jobs and how they relate to the key qualifications
• Don’t be afraid to discuss soft skills that are also important
• Try to be specific to the job requirements

What Not to Say or Do When Answering “Why Should We Hire You?”

• Never attempt at memorizing the sample answers word-by-word. Make notes to get the general gist and build from there, so you sound as genuine as possible.
• Don’t stray from the point when answering a tough question
• Learn the difference between sounding confident and cocky
• It’s not enough to say you’re a hard worker, discuss the unique perspective you have
• Incorporate things that aren’t already on your resume or related to your background

Summary of How To Answer “Why Should We Hire You?” in a Job Interview

There you have it, the 10 best answers to “why should we hire you?”. There’s no one right way to respond to this question. The next time you’re asked this somewhat challenging question, give one of these strategies a try. If nothing else, you can leave a lasting impression on how positively you answered the question. That alone can make you stand out.

It’s important to remind yourself that most companies expect their new hires to be experienced at critical requirements but not all of them, and that past experience, high-quality work, and the completion of successful projects are very important. As you can tell, it depends not only on the industry you work in and the position you’re applying for but also on the approach you’re most comfortable trying.

No matter, remember always to stay confident and articulate. Keep your tone steady, voice clear, and your eyes on the interviewer.