At least a few people will apply for every decent job offer. They are your competitors in an interview. Will the employer hire You, or one of them at the end of the day? Obviously, everything you say and do in a meeting with the employer has at least some impact on the outcome of the job interviews. But some hiring managers and recruiters (mostly inexperienced managers) use a more direct approach to find out whether they should hire you, or somebody else: they directly ask you why they should.

In this article we will check good sample answers to this question – for a variety of positions, and we will also analyze the question in detail.

 

Sample answers for various positions (from call center to management)

Managerial position

  • You should hire me, because I posses a rare ability to uncover and develop the strengths of other people. Management is my passion, and I just love to help the others to achieve their goals, to enjoy their job, and to mutually help the company grow.

* Check also: Interview questions for managers.

Marketing position

  • I know how to touch the hearts and minds of the prospects, and how to turn them to customers. I really enjoy  marketing, and I can’t wait to design some successful campaigns for your clients. (* Check also Marketing Specialist interview questions)

Sales position

  • I really like the product of your company, that is the first reason why you should hire me. You can sell something well only when you truly like the product. Secondly, I am really passionate about selling, and enjoy pitching the customers. I know how to deal with different personalities, and I have guts to go and talk to anyone.

* Check also: Sales interview questions.

Entry level jobs

  • I am aware that I have no experience.  But I am willing to learn, motivated to work hard, and I will do my best every day to help you to achieve your goals. (* Check also Why should we hire you wit no experience?

Customer service

  • I love to talk with the others and to help them. Communication makes me happy, not only in my job. I will do my best to create a smile on the faces of your customers, so they can come back and make another purchase. * Check Customer service – Why should we hire you for 7 sample answers to this question.

People working on the phone (call center, telemarketing and similar positions)

  • I like to talk on the phone, and negative responses never discourage me.  I have an ability to swallow virtually everything, and I believe this ability is crucial if one wants to be good at this job. * You can have a look at more sample answers for call center here: Why should we hire you – retail interview,

Special Tip: “Why should we hire you?” is just one of the dozens of difficult questions you may dace in your job interview. If you want to streamline your interview preparation, get access to up to 10 premium answers to basically every difficult question you may face while trying to get the job, have a look at our Interview Success Package. In three hours from now, you can be ready to impress the hiring managers, outclass the other job candidates, and get the job of your choice. Thank you for checking it out!

A lady answers why should we hire you question in her restaurant interview. We can see a cup of coffee on the table, and people in the background.

HR positions

  • I can see the good, and the bad in people. I work professionally and never let my emotions to get the better of me, and influence my decisions in work.

* Check also: HR Generalist interview questions

Programmers and coders

  • My computer is my best friend. If I work on the project, I am able to focus on my tasks and nothing will distract me. I give interesting insights on every project, and I work hard to keep my coding skills up to date. I try to learn something new every day. (* Check IT and programming interview questions to learn how to answer all other questions you will face…)

Teachers

  • My job is my mission. I believe that teachers shape the future, by shaping their students. Therefore I approach my job responsibly, and I try my best to be a good role model for the students.

* Check also: Teaching interview questions.

Administrative workers and office managers

  • I am organized and I keep a good track of everything. I can work quickly and do not mind routine tasks. In fact, I prefer routine jobs I am always positive in work, and help to create a good atmosphere in the office. These are the main reasons why you should hire me.

* Check also Administrative Assistant interview questions.

Special Tip: Download the sample answers in a one page long PDF, and practice your own interview answer anytime later:

why should we hire you answers, PDF

Deeper analysis of the question: What do the interviewers want to hear from you?

  • They want to hear that you could help their company prosper, and they want to hear that you actually care about their business and success.
  • They desire to know your motivation to work hard.
  • They try to understand the value you can bring to their team.

Now wait a second. Shouldn’t the interviewers figure it out on their own? Aren’t they paid for their ability to recognize your potential, your motivation, and your weaknesses?

They are paid for that ability, but they will still often ask the question, from one of the following reasons:

  • To see that you can assess your own skills and strengths realistically, which helps them to determine your level of self confidence, and other important things.
  • They simply use the question because everyone else does the same thing. (Not all recruiters are skilled, or professional. Especially in small companies that do not run their own HR department, you can talk to people who just downloaded the list of common interview questions and ask the candidates this question without really knowing why they do so, and what they want to hear from a good candidate for the job.)
  • They use it as your last chance to tell them the reason for hiring you, because they could not identify the reason on their own.

 

What you should NOT answer

Many job seekers use general interview answers–which is indeed a bad strategy. Maybe you have also used one of the following answers in your past interviews:

Why should we hire you?

  • Because I am the best candidate for this job. How can you tell without meeting other applicants?
  • Because I want this job so badly. Your concerns and desires don’t interest the interviewers…
  • I meet the requirements for the job. Too general. You need to list the exact requirements you meet.
  • I have no idea. If you have no idea why it makes sense to hire you, how can we figure it out?

Job candidates sit next to each other, waiting for the screening interview to begin.

Guide on composing a great answer

You need to come up with a specific reason. Do not make the same mistake as many people do. Try to tell them what they want to hear . You can use the following guide to compose your perfect answer:

  1. Write down all abilities and skills that matter for the job. (You can find them on the job description, or you can figure it out on your own, considering the duties and responsibilities.)
  2. Think whether you posses at least some of those skills.
  3. Use them for your interview answer, and add some motivation and enthusiasm to the mix.

Note: Do not forget that your answer should correspond with your interview presence. If you looked bored, yawned, and employer did not see any enthusiasm in your eyes, they would not trust your claims of motivation and enthusiasm.

 

Conclusion, next steps

Anyone can use our samples, but you should always add a little twist, mentioning one of the following:

  • Relevant experience
  • Special skills relevant for the job
  • Relevant education
  • Positive feelings and thoughts when it comes to the working environment, vision and goals of your new employer.

You should be able to answer “Why should we hire you?” now. But what about “Why shouldn’t we hire you?” and many other, tricky interview questions, such as “Tell us one thing about yourself you wouldn’t want us to know?”, or “Tell us about an obstacle you overcame?”

You will find premium answers to all 100+ questions in our Interview Success Package. Check out the product page for some excellent answers, get rid of interview headaches, and never look back…

Matthew Chulaw, Your personal job interview coach

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