Why Should We Hire You? Why Do You Want To Work Here?

Job interviews are stressful even if you have gone on a lot of them and still the outcomes are unpredictable. You face a lot of tough questions about your experience and qualifications. And one of the challenging questions that you could come across is, Why should we hire you?



Yes, it  it is a favorite question among recruiters, so it's important to be well-prepared.

With this question, the interviewer is trying to find out why they should hire you over the other candidates. So, your answer could make or break your chances of getting hired. And that poses a real challenge. After all, this gives you an opportunity to sell yourself but without bragging too much and sounding like a show-off. Remember, You have to win recruiter's mind in a genuine, authentic way. So, memorizing a standard response does not serve you. You need to build your answer strategically so that you can make case for yourself and can sum up why you’re a good fit for the position.  

Now there are a number of ways in which you can face this question, such as

• Why are you a good fit for this position?
• Why do you want to work here?
• Why are you the best person for the Job?
• Why do you think you have what it takes?
• And sometimes, a hiring manager may say - You have 1 minutes to impress me.

So, the question has many forms but intention is always same i.e “Why should I hire you over everyone else?”

Now, before jumping to answer, let's try to understand the things that we should avoid while answering this question.

1. Don't answer in a generic way like 'I'm hard working, smart , talented bluh bluh'. There are many who answer in this manner. You need to be unique, authentic and genuine.

2. Just avoid talking too much, yes, this is your sales pitch but bragging too much would sound like show-off. This way you will lose the interest of the hiring manager. Keep your response short and focused. Be concise but effective.

So, now let's discuss how exactly you should cover your bases for such question. Here are 4 things you need to convey while answering this question:

1. You meet the job requirements
2. You possess the required skills and experience
3. You have the hunger and passion to learn quickly
4. And always give an example to substantiate your claim.

Before going for an interview, read the job description and requirements carefully and understand what are they looking for. This will help you in highlighting those skills that align to the job requirement. And you can add example to prove your skills.

So now let's have a few examples to help you craft your response:

1. For experienced Social Media Marketing role

I’m glad you asked. In our discussion, as I understand it, you are looking for someone who has a solid understanding of social media marketing with strong communication skills. In my current role, I have been creating marketing and social media campaigns and strategies and working actively for enhancing company social media presences. I have been providing training and guidance as well on social media implementation best practices and strategies. From day-to-day handling of all social media channels to managing to bring thousands of engaged followers, I have done extensive work in this field. In fact, one of my campaign had generated a 24% increase in awareness among target demographic.
I believe, I would be of great value to your team. I'd love to join your team and grow this business unit.

2. For freshers Software Developer role

From the discussion, I could make out that the role requires one to have strong programming skills in various technologies. Although I am not proficient in a few of them but I know most of them well. As my passion lies in programming, I have a lot of eagerness to learn new things. If you give me a chance, I will have a few months to join your company which is a sufficient time to learn things, so I will learn them in quick time. Even though I am a fresher, I have implemented different data structures and algorithms from scratch in my college project. As you know, DSA skill is crucial to design and develop efficient Software. So, my college project demonstrates my skills with Data structures and Algorithms. I have also done a couple of freelance projects for marketing agencies while in college. Given my excellent academic background, I can assure you that I will be an asset to your company if I am chosen to contribute.

3. For experienced Sales manager role

My impression based on the job description is that you need a sales manager with leadership qualities and great communication skills. In my 8 years of experience as a sales manager,  I have effectively managed teams of over 20 people. Recently my team has developed a new system for generating sales leads and that resulted in a 30% improvement in sales performance. I have trained a total of 150 sales officers and support staff members. And I will bring those leadership abilities to this position.

Bonus tips

1. Read the job description well, identify the key requirements and while answering, highlight those skills and achievements that can address the job requirements well.

2. Prepare and practice well before taking up any interview.

3. keep giving interviews until you land up a good offer letter. Don't get upset even if you are rejected in a few interviews.

4. And never tell lies while responding. The hiring managers are smart enough to catch you out on a lie. They look for honesty in a candidate.