Why Your Future Employers Should Hire You

Updated August 23, 20242.4k

“Why should we hire you?” is a common question in a job interview. How can you showcase you’re the best candidate and answer it in the best way possible?

Why Should We Hire You

There are many, many interview questions that an interviewer may ask you when you come in for a job interview. Part of showcasing why you’re the best candidate for the job is using your communication skills to answer these job interview questions effectively. One of the most common of these questions is, “Why should I hire you?” If you get this question, here’s how you can turn it into a potential job offer.

Why Do Interviewers Ask, “Why Should We Hire You?”

Most of the time, a recruiter will ask this because they want to hear you describe your years of experience yourself. They’ve read your resume and cover letter, they know you meet the requirements for the job posting, but they want to hear you argue the point yourself. Sometimes, your argument for why you’re the best person for the job says more than your resume will. It can help the interviewer see if you’re a good match for the job and whether your sales pitch for yourself is actually good.

How To Create a Response to “Why Should We Hire You?”

A hiring manager is always going to be looking for a specific element when they ask this question. Interview tips can make it easier for you to create this response. Here’s how.

Include skills and experience

First of all, you should include your skill set and past experience in your answer. Of course, your years of work experience and great skills provide a track record that make a recruiter more likely to look twice at your resume. That’s why they called you in for follow-up questions in the first place. Reference your skills and experience to show why you’ll be a hard worker.
Mention the company culture

Showing that you know the company culture in your answer to this question shows the recruiter that you’ve done your research, you know how you can fit in, and that you’ll be a team player in this new job. You need to showcase that you’ll fit right in, not just that you fulfill the requirements in the job description. After all, they’ve already seen these qualifications on your resume.
Focus on your specific benefits

Next, you need to emphasize why you’re better than other job seekers. Many candidates who get called in for a job interview have great qualifications, excel at their job, and do high-quality work. However, the interview process is your chance to show the interviewer that your particular people skills and expertise will benefit the company. Highlight particular achievements and abilities you have that translate directly to the job.
Showcase your enthusiasm for the job

It’s also good to talk about your enthusiasm for this job. Enthusiasm is something that’s not easy to fake, and it’s a good starting point for your job search. When you’re enthusiastic about a job, you’re more likely to do high-quality work and stay with the company for a long time.
Be direct and honest

Lastly, be honest about all your qualifications and previous experiences. A hiring manager will typically drop a candidate immediately if they find out that the candidate was lying during an interview.

Example Answers for “Why Should We Hire You?”

Your response to this question needs to be tailored to the specific job that you’re applying to. However, some examples can help you create your own. Here are a few sample answers to draw from.

I am a great career coach because I know how to get to a client’s greatest weakness. I know [Company Name] is all about helping clients uncover their problems before helping them solve those problems, and this is one of my best skills. I love working with a wide variety of clients, and I’m really excited to put my skills and knowledge toward helping your clients.

Social media has always been one of the areas I’m most interested in, and I spend a lot of my free time using it. I know Facebook and Instagram like the back of my hand. By incorporating my knowledge of social media with my project management background, I believe I could help your company with outreach in ways you haven’t been able to accomplish so far.

Use these example answers to create a great answer for your own needs.

FAQ: Why Should We Hire You

How else might a company ask, “Why should we hire you?”

The question “Why should we hire you?” won’t pop up in every interview, but there are many common questions that are essentially asking the same thing. Here are a few other ways a company might ask this question:

What makes you unique?
What makes you the best candidate for this job?
How do your key qualifications make you right for this job?
What makes you more qualified than other job seekers?

All of these questions are asking you to highlight your skills, achievements, uniqueness, and how you can benefit the company.

Should I avoid anything when answering this question?

Don’t downplay your achievements or try to bring up anything negative about yourself here. This is your chance to shine, and you should take it. The takeaway should be that you’re an incredible fit for this job and the hiring manager should choose you over anyone else. Only mention benefits, not drawbacks.

Is it a good idea to memorize my answer to this question?

Not usually. It’s typically not advised to memorize your answer to any interview questions. Instead, think of general talking points that you can come back to. You should know the broad outlines of your answer to this interview question, so you can then adapt the details of the answer as you talk to the hiring manager and go through the interview.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.