#Answering the interview question: Why should we hire you?

You’re nearly at the last leg of a great interview and feel that the job is about to be yours. But then your recruiter ends the interview with the clincher: “Why should we hire you?”

Well this question has derailed even the finest of jobseekers typically because of the lack of groundwork which comes across as a lack of self-confidence or the failure to communicate your selling points. Even if these precise words are not spoken, it’s certainly what the interviewer probably thinks during the interview.

The reality is, the “Why should we hire you?” question is mostly like a concluding question in almost all interviews. Basically, it’s your last opportunity to persuade your prospective employer that you the perfect fit for the job and competent enough to become their future employee. The idea is to sell yourself and capture the attention and interest of the employer.

Since you will most probably be asked this question, it’s best to be prepared. Let’s see how to go about it:

Create your elevator pitch:

An elevator pitch is a terse summary of your most appealing qualifications that can be delivered to a prospective employer in less than a minute. While crafting your elevator pitch, be sure to lay stress on how you will be a value addition to the company by giving explicit details that demonstrate your skills and success.

Sell yourself:

Interviews, as you know, are the employers’ opportunity to intermingle with you in person, discover your personality and see how well you perform under pressure. So basically it’s an opportunity for you to sell yourself to the employer. So grab the moment and demonstrate what all you can do for the company and what you bring to the table. But do not talk big! The fastest way to kill an interview is with cockiness. Never answer this question with “Because I’m the best candidate for this job. You might appear arrogant and rude! So, instead of simply saying that you are the best person for the job, show it by convincingly summarizing your significant accomplishments. Talk numbers; past experiences that directly relate to the job you are interviewing for. In a relatively smaller company, you may want to put across your eagerness to “get your hands dirty” or “pitch in wherever required”. And in a bigger organisation, you may want to discuss how task-oriented and focused you are. You can also talk about the company and its culture and stress on why you’d be the perfect fit. Chances are, while selling yourself your fierce aggressive streak might compel you to put down the other players and profess yourself as the best of the lot. But don’t do it! This can easily work against you and make you look negative. Avoid talking about how much superior you are than the other candidates and let only your talents and strengths do the talking for you.

Don’t sound rehearsed:

Although it’s good to rehearse possible answers before an interview, it’s not such a great idea to sound like you’ve really been practicing. Cliché as it might sound; being yourself is actually the best strategy. So even though you know what you’ll eventually say, don’t make it sound like a prepared version. Answer with poise and honesty and avoid delivering a rehearsed answer.

While it’s not an absolute rule, this kind of question normally crops up towards the end of the interview. If, during the interview, you feel that you’ve missed out on addressing a specific and significant topic and know that you need to communicate more, then improvising on this subject is a good initiative. Give more emphasis by explicitly mentioning the subject and wrap up your response in a way that is certain, to the point, and enthusiastic. While you don’t want to go completely overboard, do make it sound impressive.

Investing time to craft a good response to the “Why Should We Hire You?” question can swiftly alter your perception of this question. And instead of fearing it, you might find yourself looking forward to the key selling prospect that this question actually provides.