How To Answer Explain Why Your Background And Experience Would Be A Good Fit For This Job

Every interview question is an attempt for a hiring manager to gather as much information about your skills, knowledge, and previous experience equally possible. All of this data will help them better understand if you lot are the person they are looking for.

Many hiring managers will give y'all an opportunity to sell yourself by request one of these questions:

Why should we rent you (or a variant like "why should I hire y'all")?
Why would you exist a good fit for this position?
What makes you unique?
Why are you the all-time person for this job?
Explain why your background and experience would exist a expert fit for this job.

To shut the bargain on a job offer, y'all MUST be prepared with a curtailed summary of the superlative reasons to choose you lot. Even if your interviewer doesn't ask ane of these questions in so many words, you should be prepared to tell them well-nigh yourself and communicate your top reasons for why y'all are the all-time person for this job.

Why Practice Hiring Managers Enquire This Question?

The interviewer's chore is to hire the best person for the position. Almost of the candidates that make it to the interview stage are qualified for the job. So merely having the qualifications won't be enough to separate you from the crowd. Once you've been invited to the interview, it mostly comes downward to a battle of who can sell themselves amend.

Recollect, every rent is a risk for the company. Your interviewer volition also be taking a personal career risk in recommending a item candidate to rent. If the candidate performs well, Mr. Interviewer looks brilliant and gets a pat on the back (and maybe a bigger annual bonus).

If the candidate turns out to be a dud (doesn't perform well, doesn't get along with the team, leaves the job prematurely, etc.), the interviewer looks like a dummy and his professional reputation suffers.

This is why "why should we hire you" is 1 of their favorite questions. With this question, your interviewer is asking you to sell him on you and your status every bit the best person for the position.

Your job is to convince him that:

You lot tin exercise the piece of work and deliver exceptional results to the company
You lot will fit in beautifully and be a slap-up addition to the team
Yous possess a combination of skills and experience that make you stand out
Hiring You volition brand him look smart and make his life easier

The better you are at convincing (or selling yourself), the greater the chances that yous volition be the one to become the job. So, let's get you packed upwardly with proven "why should we hire yous" answers.

Crafting the Perfect "Why Should Nosotros Hire You" Reply

This is your take chances to "wow" them with your highlight reel. So let'due south start from the beginning.

When preparing the ultimate answer for the "Why should we hire you" question your answer should summarize the meridian three (or 4) best reasons to hire y'all.

Our Big Interview tool can help you prepare you for not only why should we hire you question but many other as well

Our total video curriculum inside Big Interview has full lessons on answering "why should nosotros hire you lot?" and many other questions!

Take a notepad and write down your almost impressive strengths. Write 3-4 bullet points that include any combination of the following:

Manufacture experience – this refers to the years you lot've spent in your industry, non the specific jobs you've held. For instance, the total corporeality of experience you've had in Education, Finance, Customer Service, or whatever your field is.

Feel in performing sure tasks or duties – these could be tasks that normally wouldn't autumn in your part, but you have experience with. For instance, if you are a graphic designer, but also a trained photographer, you can offer your future employer custom photography as well equally custom blueprint, and that puts y'all above the contest.

Technical skills – these are the "on-the-chore" skills that are needed to be successful in your role. For instance, understanding how to diagnose an engine trouble or using QuickBooks for bookkeeping.

Soft skills – soft skills are things like organization, conflict resolution, or communication skills. Be ready to give examples of how you've displayed these competencies in past jobs.

Cardinal accomplishments – big projects, new clients, creating systems, or but thorough, daily efficiency all count as accomplishments. What you've achieved in your past roles are the types of things that will help you stand out, so mention them.

Awards/accolades – being awarded for your outstanding performance is a good indicator to future employers that y'all go in a higher place and beyond and do dandy work. You can build whatever special recognition you've received into your respond.

Education/training – make note of any impressive didactics or training accomplishments, especially if you lot've made extra efforts to go along up on your industry-related skills and certifications.

Accomplishments and success stories are always good bets, specially if you can depict how a key accomplishment(a successful marketing entrada, for case) demonstrates a desired competency (creativity, results-orientation).

TIP: If this is your start chore, you might find this question hard to answer, especially since you are expected to build your case on previous work experience. Check out this commodity that nosotros wrote just for you lot.

The best approach to this question is to focus on a combination of skills(southward) and experience that you possess. If you can call back of the skills that yous have and your interview contest may be lacking, you might win the instance pretty quickly.

For example, if you are applying for an IT function, you are probably enlightened that your competition will have a whole gear up of programming skills, only they often lack project management or team leadership skills. If yous happen to accept programming experience and these other skills, that is your gold mine. Write these skills down and make a powerful answer based on your consummate set of competencies.

Or, if you are applying for a teacher position, you can put your focus on creative thinking and classroom innovation rather than but mentioning that y'all piece of work well with children. (This is expected and obvious, after all, or yous wouldn't be in your profession.)

If yous nonetheless need some actress assistance coming up with the best "why should nosotros hire you" answer, continue reading. We will guide you through the whole process, stride by step.

Step 1: Begin

To get started, review the job clarification and write down every single skill you have that matches the skills asked for in the chore description.

Once yous are washed with task description analysis, focus on your resume and enquire yourself these questions:

What are the most important qualifications for this position from the visitor's perspective? Highlight these skills specifically.
In which of these areas do I really shine?
Showtime, get through the highlighted listing and circle the ones that are your strongest skills. And then review the rest of the list, and circle the strengths that you are very good at, only aren't on the highlighted list of company preferred skills. These are your clandestine weapon strengths that you can apply to split up you lot from the other candidates.
What are my virtually impressive accomplishments?
Focus on your near impressive accomplishments, instances where you showcased the skills that are highlighted and circled on your list.
What makes me different from the typical candidate?
This is your opportunity to outshine your competition. What are your skills that are non mentioned in the job clarification but will highly benefit the employer?

Brainstorm and jot downward everything that comes to listen. This will be the cadre of your perfect answer to the "why should we hire you" question, and so be thorough and accept your fourth dimension.

Footstep two: Structure Your Sales Pitch

Now that you accept the core for your perfect respond, it is time to give it a body and make it beautiful.

Next, choose the 3-4 bullet points that make the strongest argument for you. Use those bullet points to structure your sales pitch.

You don't want to write a script to memorize — just capture the bullet points that you desire to convey. Each bullet will describe the selling point with a brief explanation and/or example for context.

TIP: Keep it curtailed — you still desire to keep your respond in the 1-2 minute range so you won't be able to rattle off every skill and achievement on your resume.

This is your chance to demonstrate to them what you will bring to the position. However, you have to really think about what sets you autonomously from the competition and explain why your background and feel would be a good fit for this task.

Step three: Do

One time you feel pretty good most the points you want to make, it'south time to practise. Again, it's non a good thought to memorize a script — you can cease upwards sounding like a robot or feel more nervous considering of force per unit area to think specific wording.

The amend arroyo is to capture your bullet points, study them, and so do until you feel comfortable talking about them off the gage. Your answer should come out a little bit different each fourth dimension, but it should e'er encompass the points that you lot want to make.

Remember: It'due south also very important to come up across as confident and enthusiastic when you lot deliver your pitch. Make them believe in you — your abilities and your commitment.

If you project confidence (even if you have to fake it a lilliputian), y'all're more probable to make a potent impression. Equally for enthusiasm, keep in mind that truthful passion for the work required is a pretty compelling selling point.

Yep, experience and qualifications are important, but the right attitude can definitely give you an edge over those with similar professional backgrounds.

After many years of experience in recruiting and hiring, I'd rather rent someone who has a piffling less experience, simply who is driven and motivated to learn and succeed.

You tin practise in forepart of the mirror (or in front of a family member or a friend if you lot feel comfortable doing so), or you tin use the interactive practise tool within Big Interview to help y'all prepare.

With dozens of scenarios (and industries) covered, you can easily prepare for whatsoever potential atmosphere before going to your job interview.

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Make your exercise easier!

Prepare with Big Interview and our interactive practice tool! Choose from dozens of Practise Sets that set you up for success every time!
Commencement Practicing

Nevertheless non sure if your reply is a good sales pitch? Don't worry! Nosotros prepared a couple of case answers to help you nail it. Just keep reading.

"Why Should We Hire Y'all?" Answer Examples

Here are a couple of answers you lot can use and adjust to your state of affairs and specific job description:

Why should Nosotros Rent You Example #one: Project Director

"Well, I take all of the skills and experience that you're looking for and I'1000 confident that I would exist a superstar in this project management role. It's non just my groundwork leading successful projects for top companies — or my people skills, which have helped me develop not bad relationships with developers, vendors, and senior managers akin. But I'chiliad likewise passionate almost this industry and I'm driven to deliver loftier-quality work."

Why We Like It:

She has a lot of confidence and is able to concisely sum up how she meets the position's top requirements (projection management experience, relationship and squad skills). This answer is a footling fleck general and could perhaps be further strengthened with examples (describing a successful project, naming 1 of those peak companies, offering bear witness of those bully relationships).

However, assuming that the candidate has already discussed some specifics of her past roles, this answer does a expert job of reiterating and emphasizing. She doesn't brand the interviewer put all of the pieces together on his ain.

She does it for him and naturally does it with a very positive spin. We also actually similar the last line: What's not to love most passion, drive, and loftier-quality piece of work?

Why should We Hire Y'all Example #2: Programmer / Developer

"Honestly, I near experience like the task description was written with me in heed. I take the 6 years of programming experience you're looking for, a track record of successful projects, and proven expertise in agile development processes. At the aforementioned time, I have developed my communication skills from working directly with senior managers, which means I am well prepared to work on high-profile, cross-department projects. I accept the experience to start contributing from mean solar day one and I am truly excited about the prospect of getting started."

Why We Like It:

This is some other good approach to summing up primal qualifications and demonstrating a great fit with the position requirements. In particular, this candidate is probable to win points with "the experience to outset contributing from day one." She won't need much training or manus-belongings and that'due south bonny to any employer.

Why should We Hire You Case #three: New Higher Grad / Fresher

"I take the experience and the attitude to excel in this product assistant position. I have almost two years of goggle box production experience — including two summers interning at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all aspects of TV product and worked so difficult the first summer that they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities. During my senior year at UC San Diego, I have been working part-time for a product visitor, where I have served in an assistant role but besides recently had the chance to help edit several episodes. I have a reputation for getting things done — and with a smile on my face.

That's because I love working in the telly industry and am excited to learn and get feel in every mode possible."

Why We Like It:

This candidate has some dainty internship and part-time experience, but he's a new higher grad and doesn't have whatsoever full-fourth dimension positions to talk about.

This answer highlights the experience that he does have (and the fact that he performed well — he was invited back to his internship and was given an opportunity to edit at his office-time job).

He also expresses his enthusiasm for the job and his strong piece of work ethic. These qualities are important for an entry-level hire, who will likely be doing quite a bit of grunt work at first. Overall, information technology's a smashing respond to the "why should we hire you lot?" interview question.

Common mistakes when answering the "Why Should We Rent You?" question

Enquire any salesperson. It'due south tough to close a deal in a buyer's market. It's the aforementioned thing in interviews – many candidates sabotage themselves with avoidable mistakes.

Answering Mistake #i: Lack of grooming

Don't try to wing it. You should take the fourth dimension to prepare your 3-4 bullet points and look for opportunities to customize for any new opportunity. Then, you must Do delivering your sales pitch until it feels comfortable.

This is best washed out loud, either in front of a mirror or in front of someone yous trust who won't hesitate to point out areas y'all could better.

And of course, Big Interview is specifically designed to quiz you on practice questions and give you lot the opportunity to record yourself answering every bit many times as you'd like.

You can even transport your recordings to others for review to requite yous helpful feedback on your interview performance.

Answering Mistake #2: Modesty

This is not the fourth dimension to be modest or cocky-deprecating. You lot must know how to answer what makes you lot unique. This will require some practice if you are naturally a bit minor.

Y'all don't have to be super-confident like the candidate in the video example above. You can use your ain style. If you lot're not comfortable making value statements about yourself (i.e. "I am the perfect candidate."), yous tin stick to facts("I have x years of experience, got promoted, bankrupt the sales tape, won the accolade, delivered on time and on budget, received kudos from my manager/client, etc.")

Some other way to "sell" yourself with facts is to quote other people'southward opinions. Quote your manger, "My manager told me that he's never seen anyone with more advanced Excel skills." Y'all can also reference your general reputation: "I take a reputation for always closing the deal" or "I accept a history of always completing my projects ahead of schedule."

Answering Mistake #3: Being too general

Do your best to add some personality to your answer. Don't simply rattle off the bullet points listed in the job clarification. Really retrieve about what makes you unique and limited information technology in your own voice.

Answering Mistake #4: Talking too much

Recall the law of answering interview questions: Yous should limit each answer to 1-2 minutes in length (not counting whatsoever follow-up questions or requests for additional detail).

If y'all try to walk through your unabridged resume when answering this question, the interviewer is likely to tune out.

Focus on your nigh compelling selling points. Continue in mind that you lot'll be more believable if you focus on a few strengths and don't endeavor to claim that you lot are a primary of every business organisation skill imaginable.

What If They Don't Enquire Me?

"Why should we rent you lot" is a very effective interview question, but non every hiring director realizes that. What if yous prepare a cute pitch and they never inquire yous why you lot're the best candidate?

You may have to wait for an opportunity to share your thoughts on the subject area. At a minimum, the process of preparing the respond will aid to inform your response to other questions including:

Tell me about yourself
What are your strengths?
Why do you desire to work here?
Tell us almost your concluding task
What are your greatest accomplishments?

Big Interview question library screenshot

Our full Big Interview training organisation also has a complete library of interviews and questions for your industry and experience level.

Likewise, remember that a adept salesperson always finds a way to deliver his pitch. One arroyo is to wait for an opening at the end of the interview — maybe later yous take asked your questions and the interviewer asks if there is anything else on your mind. You could lead in with a transition like: "I but want to say that I'm very interested in the position and I remember I would be a great nugget in the office because…"

Conclusion

Before we shut the topic, let'due south quickly become over the most important takeaways from the article.

To really ace the "why should we hire y'all" question, yous should ever prepare in advance by focusing on your strongest skills and how they can benefit the company.

You tin do this by:

Researching the company. Understanding the company and their struggles can help you showcase how your skills can help them overcome the challenges they take.
Evaluating the chore description. The better you empathise what the office is about, the better you lot will know how your skills fit.
Write down your strengths (and weaknesses). Evaluate how your strengths tin help them reach their goals and be prepared to speak about your weaknesses in a way that does non raise any red flags.
Practicing your answer. Practice is the only thing that will build your confidence and make you better at interviewing, so don't skip this footstep!

You lot take everything y'all demand to build a powerful answer to the "why should we hire you" question and ace your interview. Good luck and start practicing!