How to answer the interview question: “Why should I hire you?”

Ultimately, your entire interview boils down to this question - Why should an employer hire you?

This question could take many forms: 

- “Why should I hire you?”

- “What can you offer to our company?” or

- “Why are you the best candidate for the position?”

This question gives you an opportunity to market yourself, and it is important to be prepared with a clear and concise response.

This question gives you the opportunity to sell yourself. By the time this question is asked, you likely will have already discussed the variety of skills you possess.

This question gives you the opportunity to highlight the few skills that you feel are most important. Your answer to this question will reveal to the employer your understanding of the job. It also shows your understanding of which characteristics and skills are required to effectively meet the demands of the position. 

For example, if the job relies heavily on leadership skills and your answer to this question is about your programming skills, it will send a clear signal to your employer that you don’t understand the demands of the position and will not be a good fit for it.

By the time you reach this stage of the interview with an employer, you should have a clear understanding of the company’s vision and mission, the job description, and the specific skills required for the position.

Focus your answer on the skills you have in these areas. An effective way to explain your skills is to highlight your accomplishments. Employers see past behaviors as an indicator of future success. For example, don’t just talk about your leadership skills, share a real-life example of a time you used your leadership skills.

This question is deceiving. It sounds like it is about you, but it’s actually about the value you add to the employer.

Don’t focus too much on yourself. Instead, focus on the value you can add to the company.