Usually the question "Why should I hire you?" in a job interview is a standard question for potential employees. Unfortunately, getting this question wrong could lower your chances of getting a job. To answer this question well, you must prepare thoroughly for the interview and relate your skills and aspirations to the objectives of the company.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare to Answer the Question
Step 1. Find out about the company
You should know a little about company culture and hiring practices before entering. If possible, learn from employee examples about the type of person that is right for this company, so you can explain how well it will go with you.
- Use the internet to search for information. You will likely find former employees to chat with via digital social media. Review the company's digital media and financial reports.
- Check the company's website to find out what they value; An excellent place to look for this is in what the mission of the company indicates.
- Also, check out the latest news to find out what that company has been up to recently.
Step 2. Thoroughly analyze the job description before the interview
Several days in advance, read the job description carefully. Use another sheet of paper to divide the description into groups.
- Break it down into a list of the skills and experience the company wants. Match your skills to each one on the list. It can be difficult to decipher exactly what the company wants from an employee because it often uses unclear language. You have to learn to read between the lines. For example, "dynamic" generally means someone who can tackle problems and stand out with confidence, while "enterprising" means someone who can take the initiative when something needs to be done. A "collaborator" is someone who can work well with a wide variety of people.
- If possible, divide it into two categories of "requirements" and "would be nice to have." Focus all your attention on "it would be nice to have", because if you get the interview, you will most likely have the required skills.
Step 3. Relate your skills and experience to the needs of the company
Write in full a detailed response to each requirement that the company asks for in the job description. Remember that you must describe why you are in the solution of the company's problems.
- For example, if your job description indicates “leading a small team” as a required experience, please indicate the positions you have held and any accomplishments you have.
- Use any relevant experience, including jobs outside of the industry. For example, if you worked at a fast food restaurant in college and managed other people, that shows a relevant experience.
- You can also mention an experience where you have held a position without receiving a salary, especially if you have not had many jobs. For example, leading a group on campus or even serving as a coach for an internal sports team also counts as administrative experience.
Step 4. Pick 3 or 4 points
Once you've linked your skills to the job description, pick the top 3 or 4 to focus on when giving your answer. You don't want your answer to be scattered, so pick the points where your experience matches the most important parts of the job description.
Step 5. Practice your answer
Give your answer in front of the mirror. Then do it in front of a family member or friend. Practice a few times so that you remember the main ideas. You don't want your answer to sound rehearsed, but the main ideas should depend entirely on your memory.
Part 2 of 3: Paying Attention During the Interview
Step 1. Listen carefully
Don't think you have finished your preparation when you arrive for the interview. You should have a sheet of paper with you to take notes. Write down the keywords and identify the specific characteristics and skills the company is looking for based on what the interviewer tells you.
Step 2. Look at what you haven't had a chance to say
Maybe you haven't had the opportunity to highlight your interpersonal skills. Alternatively, maybe you haven't had a chance to talk about your computer skills. Make a note on your paper about these lapses, so you can discuss them later in an open-ended question, such as "Why should I hire you?"
Step 3. Evaluate what the interviewer thinks of you
For example, you might find that the interviewer thinks you are too qualified for the job if he constantly asks you about your years of work experience and what you would do if there are younger people in charge. Alternatively, the interviewer may think you don't have the right skills for the job, which you might have noticed if they asked you about a specific skill that you haven't developed much.
Step 4. Press for more details
If the job description wasn't very detailed, feel free to ask a few questions. This way, you will have a better idea of what the job consists of, so that you can answer a question more directly.
- Ask questions like "What goals should the person being hired immediately focus on?" or "What characteristics do you normally look for in a new employee?"
- You can also ask something like "What is a normal day like at this position?"
Part 3 of 3: Answer the question
Step 1. Start with the bigger picture
When you start answering the question, focus on how you fit in with the company as a whole. That is, talk about your years of work experience and the objective ways you can talk about how you were valued at the last company you worked for. For example, you could say that you were the youngest person in an administrative position at the last company you worked for, as that shows the company that you can fill that position.
Step 2. Talk about three qualities that make you fit the needs of the company
Three examples based on your achievements will show that you are suitable for the job. Also, this strategy will give you a response structure rather than letting you ramble on in an answer.
- Use the preparation you did before the interview to answer the questions.
- Don't be stunned. Take a deep breath and give a short but complete answer.
Step 3. You must be specific about your work experience
Don't give standard answers. Once you know why you should be hired, say it specifically, rather than generally.
- For example, omit a general answer, such as "An experienced manager will be better for employee morale and company growth."
- Instead, give an answer like, “They should hire me because I've managed a team for 10 years. During this time, I have decreased employee turnover and increased productivity by 10 percent. " This answer indicates the specific reasons why you are a good fit, related to what the company asks for in the job description.
Step 4. Focus your attention on the company
When you respond, don't focus on why you want the job or why you think the position would be good for you. Instead, focus on what you can bring to the company. That is what the interviewer wants to hear.
- For example, you might be tempted to say "It has always been my dream to work for an art gallery."
- Instead, say something to this effect: “I know a lot of people want this position, but I have tried very hard to be the best for this position. From my degree in art history to my extensive professional practices in art galleries indicate that I have the necessary skills to be useful in this company”. After that, talk about some skills that you have learned over the years.
Step 5. Use what you have learned
Take this moment to use what you have learned in the interview. Relate your skills to what the company wants. Similarly, use time to highlight aspects of your skills that the interviewer has missed.
- For example, you may have heard that the company is very focused on people. Use the time to highlight your interpersonal skills with specific examples from your previous jobs.
- You could say something like, "In my previous job, I was in charge of all the service calls and the numbers showed you that customer satisfaction was high during that time."
Step 6. Change the mind of your interviewer
If the employee believes that you are too qualified for the position, poorly qualified or that you do not have the appropriate work experience, use this time to indicate to the interviewer that you are the right person for the position.
- For example, if it is clear to the interviewer that you seem too qualified for the position, it indicates that you are trying to change your career and that you are willing to start at the bottom.
- If the interviewer thinks you are poorly qualified for the job, highlight other skills that would be relevant to the position.
- If you have not shown that you have enough experience for this position, highlight other experiences from your past that are relevant. In fact, you can make almost any experience relevant. You can say that you worked as a salesperson in a store in the past. That might not seem relevant to an office position, but it gave you the skills to work diplomatically with multiple people.
Step 7. Consider this question as an elevator pitch
An "elevator pitch" is a speech you make to sell something, even in the most limited periods of time. This question is usually asked at the end of the interview and may be your last resort to show that you are a good fit. Sell yourself as if you've been appointed to fix the company's problem.