Long gone are days when getting a job in retail was super easy. Many people struggle with money nowadays. They have to work two or three jobs, just to manage their bills. It is sad but it is how it is, and it means just one thing for you as a job applicant: stronger competition and trickier interviews in retail stores. Luckily you are one of those who try to prepare in advance, checking our website, and now I will show you how to answer one of the most dreaded interview questions: Why should we hire you?

Before we look at 7 sample answers, I’d like to point out two important things. First, you should try to stay job-relevant in your answer. Regardless of whether you talk about your skills, experience, education, or attitude, it should be relevant for retail and the job you try to get with their store. And secondly, humility is a highly sought-after quality in today’s job market. Praising other candidates or focusing on things you still want to improve as an employee in retail can help you stand out and say something nobody else will say.

Let’s have a look at sample answers. I tried to come up with some variety, including both typical and unconventional answers. I hope at least one of them will resonate with you and with the message you try to convey to the store manager (or whoever leads your interview).

 

7 sample answers to “Why should we hire you?” interview question in retail interviews

  1. I believe to have relevant experience, and right attitude to work. I’ve worked in a cosmetics store for two years and when I was a student I worked at Walmart. I never minded repetitive jobs, and my main goal was to achieve good level of customer satisfaction. I honestly believe that I can benefit a lot from all I’ve learned up to this point in a job with you, which I consider my next career step in retail.
  2. You should hire me because I meet the job requirements. I am hard-working, do not mind repetitive work, can work on weekends, and believe to be able to take care of all duties from the job description. What’s more, I really like your brand, I wear the clothes you sell here and can appreciate both design and quality. I believe I can transfer my passion to the customers, which should help with achieving better sales numbers each month.
  3. This is just my dream place of work. I’ve been buying video games from you for past five years, and I like everything from the organization of the store to the level of customer service I get here. When I was deciding about my first job, you were my first choice. Of course, I lack the experience, and I know some candidates may bring a better resume. But I believe that with my attitude and enthusiasm for what you do here, I will quickly learn how to handle the work, and will do a great job.
  4. Honestly speaking, I cannot say whether you should hire me or one of the other candidates. Sure, I love your retail store and have my strengths, but I believe other candidates also have their dreams and qualities. I haven’t met them in person, so I cannot tell whether they are better than me. What’s more, only you know your existing team, what kind of colleague will fit well into it, and what exactly you are looking for in the new employee. I hope to convince you with my interview answers that it is worth hiring me, but at the end of the day you have to make a final call, and pick the best fit for the job and everything. No doubt it won’t be an easy task…
  5. References from my previous employers may convince you to hire me. Please have a look at them. As you can see, I always take initiative at work, motivate colleagues, try to help out, do not mind staying overtime when workload is heavy–what happens in retail. I’ve done a good job in previous places, and see no reason why it would be any different in your furniture store.
  6. Honestly speaking, you should hire me because you won’t get anyone else with this offer. The job is hard, and one can find much easier jobs for the same or better salary in this area. But since I’ve been unemployed for almost two years, and am far behind my prime years, I will be grateful for any opportunity, and will try my very best in any job I can get.
  7. I believe to stand out with my sales skills, and an ability to uncover and fulfill the needs and desires of every customer. At least my experience from the previous place proves that. But I left, because we all got the same salary, even though I sold twice as many kitchen appliances as the other guys. I know it works differently here, and you pay your people based on the number of sales they make each month. That’s exactly the model I am looking for.

 

Your tone of voice also matters

Remember that hiring managers in retail stores watch a lot of things. How long are you thinking about your answers? Do you talk in a clear and sensible way, so customers will understand you? Do you look pumped for the opportunity, or do you look like you are in the room just because you cannot get any better job at the moment, and simply need money to live?

Try to talk with some enthusiasm. Sure, almost everybody would prefer working as a manager, or actor, or engineer, rather than working in a retail store. But we should be realistic about our skills, and the jobs we can get at the moment. They should get an impression that you want to work for their retail store, and not merely need a job. How you conduct yourself, and whether you speak with enthusiasm, will determine how they perceive your application.

Combine confidence with humility in a perfect answer

We have a tendency to praise our skills and abilities when an employer asks us why they should hire us. And it is fine to do so, because unless you believe you can do a good job in their retail store, they have no reason to believe it either. It makes sense coming up with your strengths, attitude, experience, etc as a reason why they should hire you (instead of one of the other candidates for the retail job).

Having said that, the best employees in retail never cease to work on their skills. They are aware of both their strengths and weaknesses, and can appreciate other people (including their competitors in the interviews). Do not hesitate to say that while you excel in X (and they should hire you for it), you can definitely improve on Y, and you will try your best to do so in your job with their retail store…

Ready to answer this one? I hope so! Do not forget to check also 7 sample answers to other tricky questions you may get in your retail interview:

Matthew Chulaw
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