Why Should We Hire You?

Employers can ask tricky questions and your answers will determine if you are shortlisted for the job

The HR department has a tough task in choosing the right candidate, especially when qualifications and experience are largely the same across dozens of candidates. To test your intelligence and preparedness, the interviewer may ask you some tough questions. One of the questions you may come across is “Why should we hire you”. There can be multiple ways to answer this in an appropriate manner. Let us check out the details.

What the employer is expecting when they ask “Why should we hire you”

Self-assessment test – This question works as a self-assessment test. It is a way to test your ability to describe your strengths in a manner that is relevant for the job. Your answer tells the interviewer whether you are worth the job position or are you vague or seem unprepared.

Suitability for the job – Employers want to know if you fit in the organizational culture. They are expecting you to connect your skills and experience with the roles and responsibilities of the job position being offered.

What makes you stand out – When the employer asks “Why should we hire you”, they could be looking to ascertain how different you are from other candidates. If you can bring a fresh perspective in your answer, it can increase your chances of getting hired.

Good or bad salesman – Even when it may not be a salesman job, most job positions in today’s world require you to have some level of salesman skills. The question, “Why should we hire you”, is essentially a way to test your ability to sell yourself.

How to answer “Why should we hire you” correctly?

You can come up with your own unique version of “Why should we hire you”. However, if you want to play it safe, here are some time-tested options you can consider.

Focus on your achievements – This is a great way to describe your professional achievements till date. You need to describe some of the quantifiable wins, making it easier for the interviewer to understand what you really did. Describe in an easy to understand simple language, without going too much into the technical details. Use facts and figures to add more meaning to your achievements.

Focus on skills matching – In this approach, you can describe how your skills are relevant for the job position being offered. For example, you can highlight your skills like data analysis, project management, programming languages, etc.

Focus on your passion – In some jobs, you may not have the relevant experience or skills. However, you can try to convince the interviewer that you are looking for a change and are hugely passionate about the job position being offered. You can confidently state that you are a fast learner and willing to put in extra effort. This approach can work for creative or mission-oriented roles.

To ensure you can correctly answer questions like “Why should we hire you”, make sure you thoroughly research the company. Practice your answers multiple times by saying them aloud. Appear confident, maintain eye contact and use positive body language. If you are new to the job market, show an intense eagerness to learn.