Interview questions are some of the hardest mysteries to solve in the world. It makes sense after all, as they will decide what you’ll have for your next meals. An example would be “Tell me about yourself”, a simple but difficult question for job seekers to present their Elevator Pitch.
However, that question pales in comparison to “Why should we hire you?”. It is one of the most nerve-wracking questions. How do you answer it without seeming too cocky? Or do you just be honest and say “I’m desperate, please hire me”?
This question usually comes near the end of an interview and it is almost inevitable. As a fresh graduate, you’ll need to proceed carefully as you have not attended many interviews.
Why Is It So Common?
Before tackling “Why should we hire you”, we need to understand its purpose. Don’t jump to the conclusion that hiring managers are making your life difficult. Instead, turn this intimidating challenge into an opportunity. Here’s how.
Understand that this question is useful for hiring managers to decide if you are the perfect candidate for the job. How? Your answers will prove to them that you have all the qualifications, skills and qualities that they require for the job position.
If you wish to stand out among hundreds of applicants and ace the “Why should we hire you” question, you’re at the right place.
How to Confidently Answer “Why Should We Hire You”
1. Prepare A Structure In Mind
No matter how awesome your answer is, memorising the entire text isn’t the solution. Instead, prepare a “frame” that you can easily remember and customise your answer in your mind based on the job position and situation.
Your answer to “Why should we hire you” should not be lengthy. Keep it to about 2 minutes and prepare 3 to 4 best reasons on why they should hire you. Remember that quality is better than quantity, so pick the best reasons, then provide descriptions and useful examples to support your claims.
Your structure can contain academic qualifications, industry experience (internship), hard skills and interpersonal skills, impressive accomplishments/awards, special training, etc.
Fresh graduates’ structure usually starts with their academic qualifications, then skills and lastly their awards. Don’t worry, we will demonstrate it to you later.
2. Highlight Your Assets
In the final section of the interview, answering “Why should we hire you” provides a good opportunity for you to humbly re-emphasise your qualifications and qualities.
As a fresh graduate, highlight your most recent academic qualification such as your Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. Mention the various technical and interpersonal skills you possess that will be useful for the job position and the company.
Remember to relate your marketable qualifications and skills to the specific role that you are applying for. As usual, provide necessary examples and results you’ve brought to yourself or even the organisations that you’ve previously been in.
3. Mix & Match
Here’s a tip to synergise your skills and experience while preparing your answer – research and personalise.
Before attending the interview, you’ll need to do thorough research on the company and job description. After understanding their requirements, try to address these questions in your answer to “Why should we hire you?”.
- What value(s) can you bring to the company?
- How are you different compared to the other candidates?
- How can you enhance company culture and branding?
- How will you improve work productivity and solve problems in the company?
In terms of solving existing issues, you may find out that the company is still using traditional and manual ways to manage its HR processes. You may then highlight ways for them to digitalise and automate their HR operations to boost work productivity.
4. Know When To Stop
It is normal for job seekers to over-elaborate when answering “Why should we hire you”, thinking that their credibility will increase the more they try to talk.
However, babbling too much will only cause more harm than good. It is more likely that hiring managers will lose interest over time. The solution? Keep it simple and concise. Avoid over-elaborating, convey what you need and move on.
Again, keep your answer to about 2 minutes. Instead of copy-pasting your entire resume, only highlight the best items that are most relevant to what the hiring managers need to hear.
5. Practice, Practice and Practice
In order to instil confidence in the hiring managers, the general rule of thumb is to research, personalise and practice. Memorising your “Why should we hire you” answer script will not work all the time. You may sound like a robot or experience a mental breakdown if you miss out on a few words.
Instead, research and prepare your own structure, study them and keep practising. Once you are comfortable with your own structure, you can customise your answer and apply it confidently in every interview that you attend.
You don’t have to practice alone. Find your friends or family members and practice presenting your answer to them in person. They may be able to spot awkward sentences, grammatical and spelling errors that you’ve missed.
Pulling It All Together
Here’s a sample to demonstrate all 5 pieces of advice in one go. “So, why should we hire you?”
“For a start, I possess excellent academic records in Human Resource Management from one of the top Universities in the world. My academic background has also exposed me to collaborating with highly intellectual people from around the world with various cultural backgrounds. I’m confident in my ability to not just fit in nicely, but also inspire others.
Being the President of the Business Club and Sports Club, my active participation in extracurricular activities honed my personality of being resourceful, strong-willed and organised. I believe that these qualities will benefit any organisation in creating an efficient workforce.
Thirdly, I’m highly proficient in all the technical skills that you’re looking for, such as Microsoft Office skills, navigating database software and email systems. My past internship experience has also advanced my knowledge of employment law.
Unlike most fresh graduates, I take pride in my rich knowledge of the latest HR practices and technology. I am a strong advocate for modernisation and automation, which when implemented at your organisation, provides tremendous support and growth to achieve organisational goals.”
We hope that this article is useful in your interview preparation to answer “Why should we hire you”. It’s time for you to confidently overcome this question and secure your dream job. Need more samples? Head over here today.
Read the Chinese version here: 我们为什么应该录用你？- 5条为毕业生提供的最佳建议
