Interview Preparation – Why should we hire you?

This is a nerve-racking question, so make sure you're set up for success. Here are some tips that can help you do well in answering it:

Ask yourself why you think you’re qualified.

Prepare for the interview by picking three or four qualifications and experiences that help them understand why you're a fit for this job.

Tell them how you’d fit in.

Paint a picture of what you’d accomplish that gives you a leg up on the competition. Also, show them why you are a great match for this company by letting them see that you know about their mission, their vision, how they operate—and how you would fit into that really well.

Speak authentically.

How you say something is as important as what you say. So when you're sharing your successes and you're answering these questions, speak like the best version of yourself and make sure that you're doing it in a way that allows the interviewers to connect to you.

Tips

Start with the three or four best reasons you’ve got.

Cite results, credentials, and other people’s praise so you don’t seem self-absorbed.

Be concise, and invite follow-up questions at the end.

Example 1:  

As a data scientist, I’ve demonstrated my ability to answer business questions, as well as advise strategic marketing decisions by providing in-depth data analysis with various technical skills, such as SQL and R.

Part of my role has been to evaluate a $30M marketing budget and make recommendations. A recent marketing strategy that I proposed eventually drove growth of 10% for the business.

I am also proactive in learning new skills. For example, knowing that effective communication is the key to making findings convincing, I sought out and took training sessions on both data visualization and presentation. These skill sets have been critical in successfully pitching and persuading senior leadership on changes to strategy. As a result, I was quickly promoted to a senior role in just a year.

Given the growth moment that your company is poised to have, I believe that my unique experience will be an asset to your team. I’m excited to expand my expertise within a new industry and recommend key strategies and opportunities that will support and drive business.

Why this answer worked well:

The answer featured a blend of quantifiable results and personal strengths.

There was a clear awareness of the company’s trajectory and enthusiasm for the role.

Example 2:  

Having worked in strategy and sales roles across different geographies, I believe I am uniquely positioned to add a lot of value to this general managerial position.

What separates me from most is my ability to take a holistic view of the business, set the vision, and translate that into a set of strong strategic solutions. Given my experience across different functions, I also have the ability to connect and influence cross-functional partners to drive business results, which I believe will be critical in this position.

My background studying engineering and business taught me to balance logic and data with the human side of things, which will be a competitive advantage in this ambiguous and dynamic industry.

I’m motivated and excited to learn about your company’s unique business model, and from my interactions with the employees here, I can see that we share values like respect, trust, and excellence.

Overall, I believe I bring the right mix of skills, experiences, and attitude for the job and think that my varied experience can add a lot of value here.

Why this answer worked well:

The answer incorporated specific qualifications that set the candidate apart.

Strengths were framed through the lens of how they could benefit the company.