“Why should we hire you?” 

That’s a classic interview technique. You have a good chance of being asked precisely that. 

It’s also an excellent question. How do you respond?

Giving an authentic, compelling, and persuasive answer takes some preparation. You need to spend some time on it. After all, your future job may depend on it.

I’ll walk you through the steps and then explain how to formulate your response. We’ll also cover some practice tips.

Included here is a sample response. It is not a template. It is just one variation on the theme of “Why should we hire you” answers. But it does follow the tips and suggestions I provide. I hope you get some guidance and inspiration from it.

Let’s get ready for your interview. You’ve got a story to tell. 

Research the Company

Everything you say in the interview should reflect how your goals, experience, and skills align with the company’s needs and the job description’s requirements. This is particularly true of the question we’re answering today.

Perform thorough research into the company. You may have done this already when preparing your application. 

Either way, look into the company’s values, culture, industry, technology, and vision. Be familiar with company history so you don’t sound like an outsider.

Carefully study the job description and learn what the position’s priorities are—skills, requirements, education, the whole thing. 

This information is your backstory. It’s history that explains what’s behind the story you will tell.

Be able to speak confidently about this part of your research if you’re asked about it during the interview. In this way, you’ll also be ready to prepare your story.

Creating Your Story

We’re now going to talk about telling your professional story.

A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. That’s three parts. 

We’ll use this universal story structure to plan your response. 

People like stories. They’ll like yours if you prepare it properly.

It helps to write a rough draft or outline of the story you want to tell. This helps you organize your thoughts into the three parts of the structure. 

Here’s what goes into each part of the story:

The Beginning

The beginning of most stories deals with where the hero was before the middle of the story happens. In this story, you’re the hero. 

List some notable times and experiences in your younger days that motivated you to pursue this professional path. 

The overused question, “What’s your passion?” is relevant here. This is what the beginning is all about.

Example: The Beginning

“Ever since I was young, I’ve been amazed by the magic of technology and its power to improve lives. It feels like what you’re doing at this company is right in line with my own goals – developing technology that genuinely makes a difference. This shared passion for meaningful innovation makes me quite interested in the possibility of working together.”

See? That’s not so hard.

The Middle

The middle of a story tells about your struggles to overcome problems. 

This is crucial to your professional narrative because problem-solving is part of every job description. Problem-solving skills are high on any employer’s must-have list for job applicants.

Recall an anecdote about one specific project or experience directly related to the job you’re applying for. Outline what happened, how it all (successfully) turned out, and what lessons you learned from it. 

Example: The Middle

“I’ve had professional challenges in my life, and I’ve learned a lot from them. In one memorable project, I led the overhaul of a database system for a local non-profit, facing initial resistance due to the organization's limited tech familiarity. However, I developed a user-friendly interface and trained the staff on its benefits. We not only enhanced operational efficiency by 40% but also significantly extended the non-profit's outreach capabilities. This experience solidified my belief in technology as a tool for empowerment and underscored the importance of adaptability and user-centric design in my work.”

The End

The end of the story shows your vision of the future after the middle section’s lessons were learned. 

You will explain why the position you’re applying for is the perfect next step in your career and that you’re excited about the possibilities. You’ll point out that you see good things coming from a collaboration with this company because you and the job are such a good fit. 

Finally, you’ll end with what’s known as a CTA (Call to Action). You’ll invite the interviewers to share your vision, including the advantages of having you—and only you—be the chosen applicant.

Example: The End

“Joining your team represents a unique opportunity to blend my technical expertise with my commitment to making a meaningful impact through technology development. I'm eager to contribute to your innovative projects, leveraging my skills to help us achieve new milestones together. The prospect of working in an environment that not only values but drives innovation is incredibly motivating. I look forward to applying my tech development experience and problem-solving capabilities to support our shared objectives. Let’s work together to create solutions that are not only advanced but also make a significant difference in the industry.”

Telling Your Story

After it’s written or outlined, don’t memorize your story word-for-word. When you’re in the interview, you'll want to talk spontaneously, confidently, and knowingly. 

Remember: You’re answering a question, not reading a speech. 

It’s fine if you want to write a rough draft of your story. Writing the story down helps you remember the essential points. Reinforce those points by reading the story aloud. This gives you practice talking about the answer to the question.

It’s equally reasonable to only outline the points you wish to discuss. Whatever makes you more comfortable talking about your background is your best choice. 

Before you get to the interview, practice answering the question aloud by using your story as a guide.

Practice, practice, practice. 

The Interview

The time comes. You hear the question:

“Why should we hire you?”

Take a deep breath, relax, and you’re ready.

Tell your story.

Looking Forward

You’re in an interview because you engaged in a job search and filled out an application kit. They liked what they saw and wanted to know more. Congratulations, and good luck!

If you’re applying for more than one job—perhaps several—you know how time-consuming and tedious it is to tailor every résumé and cover letter to the specific job description.

This error-prone necessity is something that we at aiapply.com can do for you. 

Our powerful AI job application platform automates the repetitive tasks in searching for a job. We tailor your résumé and cover letter to the job description you provide. We even write a next-day follow-up letter. 

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