Can’t get a job without experience, can’t get experience without a job.
An inevitable question of a typical job interview is “Why should we hire you?” The most effective way to answer this question probably feels like highlighting your past work experience.
A version of, “Hire me because I’ve done this before and done a good job,” would be the ideal answer to this question, but that kind of answer is not always possible in many scenarios.
Whether shifting careers or recently graduating from high school or college, we all have to start somewhere and face this daunting question. Yet, fear not! There are plenty of ways to relay the skill and qualities you have in order to prove that you are capable of successfully carrying out the responsibilities of the job for which you are interviewing.
10 Answers to “Why Should We Hire You?”
Here are some ways to effectively answer the question “Why should we hire you?” to show off your skills even without necessarily having experience in the field.
1. “You should hire me because I bring a fresh perspective to the organization.”
A fresh perspective is always a valuable quality. A lot of time at the same place doing the same thing can make you blind to some of the inefficiencies of the systems and styles of work in the environment. A new pair of eyes can bring to light these subpar conditions.
A new team member asking questions about the systems and suggesting new ideas for how things should work can make the office environment more productive and enjoyable for the existing team as well. Highlight this aspect of what you can contribute to the office. Even without experience in a similar position, it is an important quality to always have a fresh perspective on the team to rework things and find more effective flows of work.
2. “You should hire me because I am a quick learner.”
What else matters if you do not have experience if you are a quick learner?! This is an important quality to note in any interview, but especially crucial in one in which you do not have experience in a role or field of similar circumstances.
Every job requires a little readjustment and familiarization to the particularities of the office space, the team’s working style, and the specific tools and software used at the organization for which you at interviewing.
3. “You should hire me because I just graduated and have learned all the latest theories and methods of the field.”
Fields, methods, and theories are always evolving as experts learn more with advancements in knowledge and technology. It is important to be up to date on this. Often, people who have been in their roles and out of school for an extended amount of time take time off to pursue courses or take graduate courses in their fields at night to refresh themselves on these evolving techniques.
It plays to the company’s advantage and therefore yours if you are freshly out of school and well versed in the latest developments in the field, even if that means less professional experience on your resume. Show off this knowledge in your interview in response to the question “Why should we hire you?”
4. “You should hire me because I am a team player.”
Not everyone is a team player. In fact, it is surprisingly hard to find team players in any setting, including the professional world.
Sometimes people want more credit for a project than they deserve. Sometimes they want things their way even if it is not the best way.
Sometimes people just do not listen to the needs of the rest of the people on their team. It creates for an unproductive and uncooperative work environment that is needlessly stressful and toxic and will lead to good workers leaving for better environments.
Whether or not you have prior experience working in a professional setting, it is important to stress that by hiring you, they know they are hiring someone that will bring the team together and elevate good ideas rather than just their own ideas.
5. “You should hire me because I know how to work in a professional environment.”
You might not have past experience in the particular position or field you are interviewing for, but when an interviewer asks you the question, “Why should we hire you?” you should definitely note your professionalism.
It may just be from mowing lawns or babysitting as a teenager, or working an odd job in college, or running an extracurricular activity. But the fact that you know how to communicate well, in a polite and courteous manner, how to work with people harmoniously, and how to dress and behave in a professional setting is a huge plus point.
6. “You should hire me because I am a great leader.”
This is key for both a managerial role and an entry-level one. Employers want to know you are willing to take initiative, take ownership of projects, and complete them well.
Employers want to know you will get involved in the office community without being dragged to social events. They do not want someone in the office who makes the office more miserable or unproductive because they cannot communicate with the rest of the team or handle any projects of their own.
They also want to know they are investing in someone who has interest in growing at the organization and taking on more responsibility and higher level positions. Highlight this aspect of your personality by relaying an anecdote in which you can show off your entrepreneurial skills or demonstrate a time you took initiative. Maybe you spearheaded an event on campus. Maybe you had a lawn mowing business you launched and ran in high school. Tell them about it.
7. “You should hire me because I am passionate about this field.”
No one wants to work with someone who they can tell is dragging their feet into work everyday day. It is demoralizing and ensures that the work they produce will not be the most quality and innovative work possible. Demonstrate your passion about the work you are applying to do.
That might be through the fact that you are switching careers to work in this new field. That is a huge risk that demonstrates passion. Otherwise, you can also demonstrate your knowledge in the field.
Talk about books you have read in the subject. Sometimes passion is more valuable than experience and better answers the question, “Why should we hire you?”
8. “You should hire me because I am eager for challenging work.”
Employers do not want to hire someone who will shirk from a challenging project, refuse to take the lead on new projects, or venture out of their comfort zone. Demonstrate you are willing to do things that are unfamiliar and may be difficult.
Note your enthusiasm to grow and learn. Note your willingness to ask questions of those who may know more. Note your attention to detail, your critical thinking skills, and your ability to analyze the big picture and do what it takes to understand the project. Highlight your determination to produce quality work.
9. “You should hire me because I am a hard worker.”
A slack off is never a good coworker or employee. It puts more burden on the rest of the team and creates bitterness and tension between coworkers. You are literally applying to work there, so stress that you will fulfill that basic quality because you would be surprised by how many people will try to get away with doing nothing.
It will be appreciated in the moment and in the long run if you intend to grow at the company. Experience could mean disillusion and subsequent laziness. Conversely, an inexperienced person is probably eager to prove themselves and going into the job with wide-eyed excitement.
10. “You should hire me because I have done my research about this company and can contribute [insert specific quality, skill, or change you can bring to the organization].”
It is important to know about the place you are applying. If you impress them with your knowledge of this specific organization, it could be enough to not matter that you do not have any experience elsewhere.
Show them what you know, and what ideas you think might make the company even better. Think about new avenues of revenue that you know they are not already exploiting. Make those ideas play to your strengths, so they have to hire you specifically to implement them.
Share What You Can Contribute
Think big and offer well thought out ideas of what you can contribute to make the company better.
Be specific to the particular company you are applying to, ask further questions, and bring examples of other companies you have seen successfully implement the ideas you are suggesting as a model. The interviewer will appreciate the amount of thought you put into the interview.