How to Answer the All-Important Interview Questions “Why Should We Hire You?”

Questions like ‘Why should we hire you?’ and ‘why do you think you are suitable for this job?’ are open-ended by design. If you have answered these questions before, you know they do not have a specific ‘right’ answer. Most candidates hate these questions, but knowing how to answer them correctly increases your chances of landing the job.

Recruiters would often intentionally ask this question to put you in a tight spot. A conventional answer along the lines of “I possess all the skills necessary for this role…” is too predictable and often shallow. At the same time, being fatally truthful and saying something out of the box can also land you in trouble.

So how do we answer this all-important question?

Keep reading, and you’ll find out.

Interview Questions: Understand What Recruiters Want to Hear

Not all recruiters want the same answer. When you are applying for a position at a tech company, you need a particular set of skills.

Your qualifications never say it all for a company looking for creative individuals. Often they are more interested in how fast you can learn and how adaptable you are to different working conditions. When an interviewer asks ‘Why should we hire you?’, they usually want to know how perfect you are for the position.

Make sure you highlight all the skills that align with the company’s motto. Tell them what makes you a better employee for THEIR company, and not for all companies in general.

Here are some tips you can use to prepare yourself –

• Know the company

Before you sit for an interview, do your research about the company you want to work for.

Researching any company is now easier than ever. First, go to their website and see how they project themselves. Then go across job boards to see the type of people they are looking for. Next, go through their social media handles to see how they interact with customers and clients. Finally, reviewing websites will tell you what other people think of them. In short, get a good idea of the office culture, its business model, goals, achievements, and anything else you can find.

• Tailor your response depending on the company

For instance, if you are applying at an established tech company, emphasise how well you can fit in their work culture. On the other hand, if you are interviewing for a position at a startup, tell them how you can go out of your way to add value. Get an idea of what the recruiters want to hear, and answer accordingly.

Instead of saying “I have years of experience in this field” or “My skills align to your company’s needs”, say something like “XYZ(Company) values creativity and thinking out of the box. I am confident in my creative problem-solving abilities, and like to go beyond textbook solutions”.

The aim is to make recruiters feel that you will be the best match. You may not have many degrees or years of work experience, but your ability to work in tandem with a company’s office culture can help you get the job.

• Talk about your achievements

When talking about your achievements, do not make it all about you. Yet, do not miss out on mentioning the things you have done in the past. You have to strike a balance between bragging and being modest.

When we say ‘achievement’, it includes both professional and academic successes. While talking about these things, make sure you can walk the talk.

If you say you have completed a course on app development, add how you have put that knowledge into the application. If you have years of experience, follow it up with your successful projects. Give numbers and stats of what you have accomplished. Do not sound hollow while talking about your achievements.

• Do not bring up personal issues

Maybe you want the job because you know the company pays well. Perhaps you want it because their office is in your town or city. Whatever your personal reason for wanting the job, do not bring it up when the interviewer asks you, ‘Why should we hire you for this role’.

As we said earlier, make it less about you and more about them. If you have an ulterior motive that does not add value to the company, why should they hire you? Again, be truthful, but do not be naive.

• Practice

Practice in front of the mirror. Write your answers and then rewrite them. Check with someone on how confident you sound. In short, practice answering the all-important “Why should we hire you” question and over time, you will come up with better and more convincing answers.

Keep these things in mind, and you will surely ace your job interview. While you are at it, check out CodeQuotient to upskill and land your dream job in the growing tech industry.