How To Answer ‘Why Should We Hire You’ + 10 Powerful Examples

About the author: Ilam’s career in Technology and Financial Services spans more than two decades, characterized by leadership roles and vast international experience. He has managed large global teams, worked across five countries, and engaged with colleagues from over 100 nationalities. Through this blog covering executive interview questions, Ilam shares his diverse experiences and insights, aiming to contribute to and enrich the community.

Job interview process can be intimidating and nerve-wracking experiences for many of us. One of the most common and tricky job interview question that hiring managers asks during an interview is “Why should we hire you?” This question can catch even the most prepared candidate off guard, but it’s a great opportunity to showcase your strengths and convince the hiring manager that you’re the best person for the job.

In this blog, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about answering this crucial interview question and how to present yourself as the top candidate for the position. We’ll cover essential topics like researching the company and job description, highlighting relevant skills and experience, demonstrating passion for the job, showcasing interpersonal and communication skills, providing sample answers, and avoiding common mistakes.

By the end of this blog, you should feel more confident in your ability to answer this question and land your dream job.

Here are some helpful job interview related blogs

• Tackling the final interview round
• How to answer ‘tell me about yourself’
• What are your career aspirations
• Why do you want this job
• Why should we hire you
• Why are you leaving your job
• What are you passionate about
• Strengths and Weaknesses In Interview
• Interview questions for managers
• What is your management style
• Interview questions for freshers
• Tips to succeed in a job interview
• Types of interview questions
• Interview questions to ask candidates
• Behavioural interview questions
• Walk me through your resume
• What makes you unique
• What are your goals
• How do you handle stress and pressure
• Are you a team player
• How did you hear about this position
• Where do you see yourself in five years
• How do you handle stakeholders

Please use the example answer in this blog for your inspiration only. I’m a hiring manager and can easily sense when a someone just googled and gives a canned or copied and pasted response. Hire a coach if you need help – being authentic is more important than sounding sophisticated.

5 Reasons for Asking the Question “Why Should We Hire You?”

Why do the hiring managers often ask the question “Why should we hire you?” to determine if you’re the best candidate for this position. There are several reasons why this question is asked.

Assessing Qualifications and Skills

One of the primary reasons for asking this question is to evaluate your qualifications and all the skills needed to succeed in the job. Hiring managers want to know if you have the experience, education, and abilities to perform the job at a high level. They want to see how your skills align with the job requirements and whether you have the technical expertise to do the job.

Evaluating Fit with Company Culture

Another reason for asking this question is to evaluate your fit with the company culture. Hiring managers want to see if you share the same values, work ethic, and communication style as the team. They want to ensure that you’re a good fit for the team and will contribute positively to the company’s culture and environment.

Determining Motivation and Passion

By asking this question, hiring managers want to know what motivates you and how passionate you are about the job. They want to see if you’re excited about the position and are committed to helping the company achieve its goals.

Differentiating Yourself from Other Candidates

This question gives you an opportunity to showcase your unique value proposition and why you’re the best candidate for the job. It’s a chance to highlight your strengths, accomplishments, and relevant experience. By doing so, you can differentiate yourself from other candidates and increase your chances of getting the job.

Testing Communication Skills

Answering this question effectively requires good communication skills. By asking this question, hiring managers can evaluate how well you can articulate your thoughts and present yourself in a clear and concise manner. Your interpersonal skills will matter as much as the actual content of your answer.

Research the Company and Job Description

Conducting thorough research before a job interview is crucial to ensure that you’re well-prepared to answer questions effectively. One of the first steps in your research process should be to learn as much as possible about the company and the job requirements. Here are some reasons why researching the company and job description is important and tips on how to conduct research effectively:

Importance of Researching the Company and Job Requirements

1. Helps you understand the company culture: Conducting research on the company can help you understand its mission, values, and culture. This information is essential for answering questions about your fit for the company and demonstrating your interest in the organization.
2. Demonstrates your commitment to the job: By researching the job requirements, you can show the hiring manager that you’ve taken the time to learn about the position and are committed to it.
3. Helps you tailor your answers: Understanding the job requirements and the company culture can help you tailor your answers to specific needs and demonstrate how you can add value to the organization.

Tips on How to Conduct Research Effectively

1. Check the company’s website: The company’s website is an excellent source of information about its history, mission, values, and current projects. It can also provide insights into the company’s culture and work environment.
2. Look for news articles and press releases: Search for news articles and press releases about the company to learn about recent developments, awards, and other noteworthy achievements.
3. Use LinkedIn: LinkedIn is an excellent resource for learning about the company’s employees, job postings, and company updates. You can also use it to connect with current or former employees to learn more about the company culture.
4. Review the job posting: Carefully review the job posting to understand the qualifications, skills, and responsibilities required for the position. This information will help you prepare answers that align with the job requirements.

Highlight Relevant Skills and Experience

During a job interview, it’s important to effectively highlight your relevant skills and experience to showcase why you’re the best candidate for the position. Here are some tips on how to emphasize your relevant skills and experience:

Emphasizing Relevant Skills and Experience

Highlight skills and experience from your last job: When answering questions during the interview, emphasize your key qualifications, skills and experience from your most recent job that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. This helps show the interviewer that you have experience in the area they are looking for.

Highlight transferable skills: If you don’t have direct experience in the field, highlight transferable skills that can be applied to the position. For instance, if you’re applying for a marketing role and don’t have marketing experience, you can highlight skills like communication, creativity, and problem-solving that can be applied to the job.

Highlight education: If you’ve recently graduated, emphasize the key takeaways from your education that are relevant to the position. This can include coursework, projects, or research that demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills.

Highlight past projects: If you’ve worked on relevant projects in the past, provide specific examples of how they relate to the position you’re applying for. Describe how your experience working on those projects has prepared you for the job and how that experience can be used to add value to the company.

Demonstrating Unique Perspective

Besides proving that you have all the qualifications, it’s also important to demonstrate your unique perspective and how it makes you a valuable asset to the company. Illustrate how your experience and skills set you apart from other candidates and how you can bring a fresh perspective to the role. This can include your ability to think outside the box, your unique experiences, or your different educational background.

Providing Specific Examples

When highlighting your relevant skills and experience, it’s important to provide specific examples from your past work experience, projects, or education. This helps the interviewer understand how your skills and experience can be applied to the job.

Use specific examples to demonstrate how you’ve applied your skills and how they’ve added value to previous organizations or projects. Be sure to quantify your accomplishments and results where possible.

Showcase Passion for the Job

During a job interview, it’s important to showcase your passion for the job and the company. Here are some tips on how to demonstrate your enthusiasm and interest in the position:

Expressing Enthusiasm about the Job/Company Culture

One of the best ways to showcase your passion for the job is to express enthusiasm about the role and the company culture. Explain why you are not only the best candidate for the job but also the most interested one. Share what excites you about the job and how it aligns with your long-term career goals.

Demonstrating Knowledge About the Company

To impress the interviewer with your knowledge of the company, research its website and strategy ahead of time. This will help you understand the company’s values, mission, and objectives. During the interview, demonstrate your knowledge by mentioning specific details from the website or social media that you found interesting or inspiring.

Using Previous Professional Experience To Deliver High Quality Work

Use previous professional experience as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to deliver high-quality work. Talk about how your past experience has prepared you for the current role. Highlight skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the job, such as exceeding sales goals, developing successful marketing campaigns, or streamlining operations.

Providing Specific Examples

To further showcase your passion and enthusiasm for the job, provide specific examples of how you’ve demonstrated these qualities in the past. Use real-life experiences to demonstrate your passion for the industry and the work you do. For example, if you’re interviewing for a marketing role, discuss a successful campaign you led that you’re particularly proud of.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Answering “Why Should We Hire You?”

This question gives you an opportunity to showcase your skills, experience, and why you’re a good fit for the role. However, there are some common mistakes that candidates make when answering this question. Here are some of the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being too general: One of the biggest mistakes is providing a generic answer that doesn’t specifically address why you’re the best candidate for the role. Avoid using phrases such as “I’m a hard worker” or “I have great communication skills” without providing specific examples.

Focusing only on yourself

While it’s important to showcase your skills and experience, don’t forget to also highlight how you can contribute to the company. Avoid only talking about your own goals and achievements without tying them back to how they align with the company’s mission and objectives.

Not being prepared

Another mistake is not preparing ahead of time for this question. Make sure you research the company, the position, and the skills required for the job so that you can provide a well-prepared and specific answer.

Rambling on

Don’t ramble on when answering this question. Keep your answer concise and to the point. A long-winded answer can make it difficult for the interviewer to assess your qualifications and could potentially hurt your chances of getting the job.

How to Avoid These Mistakes

To avoid these common mistakes, follow these tips when answering the question “Why should we hire you?”:

Be specific

Provide specific examples of how your skills and experience match the job requirements and demonstrate how you can add value to the company.

Tie your answer back to the company

Demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the company’s mission, values, and objectives. Show how you can contribute to the company’s success.

Prepare ahead of time

Research the company and the position, and prepare an answer that is tailored to the job requirements.

Keep your answer concise

Stick to the point and avoid rambling on. Your answer should be clear, concise, and focused.

Tips on How to Handle Follow-Up Questions

After answering the question “Why should we hire you?,” you may encounter follow-up questions. Here are some tips on how to handle them:

Listen carefully

Make sure you listen carefully to the interviewer’s question before answering. Ask for clarification if necessary.

Stay focused

Keep your answer focused on the question at hand and tie it back to your skills and experience.

Provide specific examples

Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your qualifications and how you can add value to the company.

Be honest

Don’t try to make up an answer if you don’t know the answer. It’s okay to say that you don’t know the answer, but that you’re willing to research it and get back to them.

Sample Answers / Examples – Why Should We Hire You?

Let’s recap what we’ve covered so far,

• Highlighting your relevant skills and experience during a job interview is critical to demonstrating why you’re the best candidate for the job.
• To showcase your passion for the job and the company, express enthusiasm about the job/company culture, demonstrate knowledge about the company website and marketing strategy, and use previous professional experience to deliver high-quality work.
• Common mistakes to avoid when answering “Why should we hire you?” include providing vague answers, focusing too much on yourself, criticizing former employers, and not being specific. To avoid these mistakes, prepare ahead of time, be specific, demonstrate your interest in the company and the role, and focus on collaboration.
• Tips for handling tricky interview questions and follow-up questions include pausing before answering, asking for clarification, staying positive, being honest, and providing specific examples.

Fresher

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work in this field and am eager to learn from experienced professionals. While I may not have extensive experience, I have a strong academic background in this area and am a quick learner.

I am confident that my enthusiasm and fresh perspective can bring value to the team and the company as a whole. I am passionate about this industry and am committed to working hard and developing my skills to make a positive impact.”

Team Lead

“I have a proven track record of successfully managing teams of over a dozen employees and achieving goals in my previous job. I believe that leadership is about empowering team members to achieve their full potential and creating a culture of collaboration and innovation.

I have a strong understanding of the company’s objectives and am confident that I can use my skills and experience to help lead the team to success. I am passionate about mentoring and developing team members and am committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive and grow.”

Experienced Manager

“With over X years of experience in this industry, I have developed a deep understanding of the market and the challenges and opportunities it presents. I have managed large teams and helped drive growth and profitability for companies.

I am passionate about data-driven decision-making and have a track record of making strategic decisions that have had a positive impact on the business. I understand the importance of building strong relationships with stakeholders and am committed to working collaboratively to achieve our goals.”

HR Executive

“As an HR professional, I understand the importance of finding the right talent for a company and creating an environment where team members can thrive. I have experience in talent acquisition, employee engagement, and performance management, and have a track record of building strong and diverse teams.

I am passionate about creating a culture of inclusivity and respect and am committed to helping the company attract and retain top talent. I believe that a strong HR strategy is critical to the success of any company and am excited about the opportunity to contribute to this.”

Sales Representative

“With a track record of exceeding sales targets and building strong relationships with customers, I am confident that I can contribute to the company’s growth and success. I have experience in various sales channels and understand the importance of building rapport and trust with customers.

I am passionate about creating value for customers and am committed to helping them achieve their goals. I believe that my communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and customer-centric approach will be an asset to the team and the company.”

Marketing Specialist

“As a marketing specialist, I have a deep understanding of various marketing channels and strategies and have successfully executed campaigns that have driven brand awareness and increased leads. I believe that marketing is about creating value for customers and building lasting relationships with them.

I am passionate about developing creative solutions and am committed to staying up-to-date on market trends and best practices. I believe that my creativity, analytical skills, and attention to detail will be an asset to the team and the company.”

Project Manager

“As an experienced project manager, I have successfully led complex projects from start to finish and have a track record of delivering them on time and within budget. I understand the importance of effective communication, risk management, and stakeholder engagement in project management.

I am passionate about creating value for customers and ensuring that projects align with the company’s objectives. I believe that my leadership skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities will be an asset to the team and the company.”

Software Developer

“As a software developer, I have a passion for coding and a strong technical background that includes expertise in various programming languages and platforms. I am committed to delivering high-quality software that meets the needs of customers and exceeds their expectations.

I have experience in various software development methodologies and understand the importance of collaboration, testing, and continuous improvement. I believe that my technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities will be an asset to the team and the company.”

Customer Service Representative

“As a customer service representative, I have a strong customer-centric approach and a track record of delivering exceptional customer service. I understand the importance of building rapport and trust with customers and am committed to providing them with timely and effective solutions to their problems.

I have experience in various customer service channels and understand the importance of active listening and empathy. I believe that my communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and customer-centric approach will be an asset to the team and the company.”

Product Manager

“As an experienced product manager, I have led product development from ideation to launch and have a strong understanding of market trends and customer needs. I am passionate about creating innovative products that solve real-world problems and exceed customer expectations.

I am committed to using data-driven decision-making and understanding customer feedback to continuously improve products. I believe that my strategic thinking, leadership skills, and ability to manage competing priorities will be an asset for the team and the company.

Here are some helpful job interview related blogs

• Tackling the final interview round
• How to answer ‘tell me about yourself’
• What are your career aspirations?
• Why do you want this job?
• Why should we hire you?
• Strengths and Weaknesses In Interview
• Interview questions for managers
• Interview questions for freshers
• Tips to succeed in a job interview
• Do you need an Career coach / Interview coach?

Here’s some helpful career/leadership related blogs

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• Career development plan
• Career growth
• Project Management
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• IT Career switch
• Software Engineering career path
• Agility, Agile Testing
• Remote leadership / Leadership traits / Agile leadership

Other Productivity / Tools posts that may interest you

• Productivity
• Book summary apps – Headway App vs Blinkist vs getAbstract
• AI Writers: / Blogging – Jasper, Writesonic, Article Forge , Copy AI, Anyword, Writecream, Copymatic, Quillbot, Peppertype, Jasper AI (pricing) &
• Work From Home tools: Jabra

About the author: Ilam’s career in Technology and Financial Services spans more than two decades, characterized by leadership roles and vast international experience. He has managed large global teams, worked across five countries, and engaged with colleagues from over 100 nationalities. Through this blog, Ilam shares his diverse experiences and insights, aiming to contribute to and enrich the community.