Why should the company hire you?

A lot of people have attended interviews and they seem to go blank when this question is asked. In the course of interviewing candidates, I have heard candidates give funny answers like "hire me because I need the job", "hire me because I am the right candidate and you do not have to search again".

I believe this is a blank cheque for you to sell yourself and win the heart of the interviewer. It is an open question and you need to take advantage of the opportunity.You can approach the question as follows;

1. Tell them about the professional experience you possess which matches the position they are hiring for and how you will bring the experience on board in the role. Make sure you highlight the valuable experiences you have had and your achievements that relate to the role you are being interviewed for.
2. Mention the skills you possess that the company requires for the position and how you are willing to use those skills if hired by the company.
3. How you fit into the work environment. Most times, recruiters tend to hire people that they believe will easily fit into the company's work culture and environment.You can mention team building, interpersonal relationship skills etc that you possess. This is easier where the recruiter already mentioned the soft skills required for the role while placing the job advert.
4. Your academic and professional certifications. If you have very good related academic degree, and professional certifications, mention that your strong academic background and professional certification matches their requirement and as such, you believe you have a good theoretical knowledge combined with your practical experience.

See example below for an interview for a Tax Manager role in an FMCG;

"I believe I should be hired for this role due to the following. I have a strong academic background in Accounting which has given me a good theoretical knowledge for this position. In addition, I am an Associate Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Practitioner and I have been exposed to different areas of tax and accounting while studying for my professional exams.

Previously, I have had experience working as an Accountant, a Financial Controller and most recently as a Tax Consultant with one of the big four accounting firms. While working as a Tax Consultant, I have been exposed to different aspects of tax such as Personal Income Tax, Corporate Taxes, Withholding Tax, etc. I have also had experience working with different clients in the FMCG sector and I have handled several tax audits both at the State and Federal level. I believe those experience are valuable and will be useful for me as the company's Tax Manager. I also believe I should be hired because I possess soft skills such as team spirit, leadership and interpersonal relationship which are all crucial to my success in this role.

When next you find yourself in an interview and they ask you; why should we hire you? See it as an avenue to impress the interviewer and state clear reasons why you should be hired.

Please feel free to drop your comments on other ways to approach the question and please share with your connection.