Interview question: “Why should we hire you?” - plunges many into a stupor. Even if you edited the answer to this question a thousand times, it is quite difficult to answer. This question is asked to the applicant in order not only to get an answer to the question, but also to check the applicant’s reaction.
Let's tell you a secret: if your answer satisfies the HR or employer, It is likely that you may be offered a more interesting position. Now let’s look at the standard answer options depending on the position you want to get.
Also, before continuing reading, watch a short video on the topic.
How to answer the question at an interview: why should we hire you?
A position related to sales requires activity and communication skills of a specialist. Therefore, to the question “Why should we hire you?” you need to answer brightly, emotionally, and, if possible, professionally. For example: “Because I can convey the necessary idea to the buyer or visitors. I will be able to sell a product or service, as well as interest the audience in using our services in the future.”
To the question: why did you choose our company - answers at the interview are adjusted depending on what position you are applying for. If you are a sales consultant, mention that you are sociable and can easily find a common language with people, know how to convince and prove that you are right.
Essentially, all you have to do is speak confidently and honestly. Indicate all your advantages that relate to this position, indicate all your strengths.
When is it asked?
The question about your need and importance for the company is usually asked at the end of the interview. They often try to ask it at the most unexpected moment in order to test your reaction and ability to react quickly in unpredictable situations. But sometimes employers surprise you with such a question at the very beginning of the conversation.
This way, they save time: if you don’t answer in a way that the employer likes, the interview will be interrupted and you won’t get the position. In any case, be prepared for surprises at any time; each employer or HR manager has its own methods of “identifying” employees who are ideally suited for the job.
What should not be said?
You know, it’s only in books that everyone loves things that are too bright and showy. This may impress an employer if you are going into certain positions that involve public speaking or management.
In all other cases, you must show that you have the skills, but at the same time you are flexible and willing to constantly learn. Therefore, the ideal answers, regardless of your future position, would be the following phrases:
“I have some experience that will help me do my job at the highest level.”
“Because I am willing to work and improve the quality of my work every day.”
“This job is perfect for me: I have all the necessary personal and professional qualities to do it well.”
In no case should you list all your qualities, hold a talent parade and try to stand out with jokes or a witty but empty answer. Also, never say that you consider the position to be yours, especially if you do not answer such a question with confidence.
It will be even worse if you directly say during the interview that the company’s competitors have offered you a similar position, but with a higher salary.
Candidate assessment
We recommend that employers pay attention to three important things:
- Response speed.
- Originality of the answer.
- Adequacy of the answer.
The faster the applicant answers your question, the better. This means, that even in an unusual situation this person will be able to react quickly.
It is also important what the candidate for the position answers. The answer should be as non-stereotypical as possible, without boasting and with a sound assessment of the situation. The applicant must be confident in himself as a specialist, but not overconfident. It is arrogant employees who undermine the already established team and do not allow the young team to unite.
Well, for applicants you need to be prepared for non-standard solutions. Be calm and confident that you are right. Remember that you are a specialist, you were called for an interview, which means that you have already attracted the employer’s interest, and you have every chance of getting this position.
Not only are you chosen, but you also choose. But at the same time, we should not forget that there are no ideal people, and you need to be tolerant. Therefore, speak only on professional topics, answer as rationally and competently as possible.
You can think through the answer to this and similar unusual questions, you can think through all the tactics of behavior during an interview, but no one is immune from the fact that something goes wrong. Therefore, get ready, but do not forget that you are first and foremost a specialist and will communicate with the employer only on work-related issues. Less unnecessary thoughts, more professionalism, and then the question “why should we hire you” will definitely not be asked during the interview, and if you are asked it, you will know what to answer.
American scientists have selected and systematized more than 400 questions that an applicant could theoretically hear during an interview. However, in practice, an interview most often comes down to 10-15 standard questions and several additional ones, depending on the specifics of a particular vacancy. “Forewarned is forearmed,” says popular wisdom. So in this article, we want to warn about those difficult questions that recruiters often like to ask potential job applicants.
"To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science."
— Albert Einstein
Your career at a particular place of work will depend on your first meeting with the employer. You need to be sure that your appearance, language and behavior are good, and you should be prepared for the questions that always arise when applying for a position. Some of them are considered standard and have long been memorized by both employers and job seekers themselves.
There are two main goals to pursue. Firstly, give the interviewer the information that really interests him, because he is conducting an interview for a reason and questions are asked for a reason. Secondly, you need to strive to provide information about yourself that will help you get a position.
"Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers."
— Tony Robbins
No matter what pitfalls you encounter, remember your main goal is to demonstrate the qualifications and personality traits that match the position being offered. As you observe the interviewer, be prepared to make adjustments to your behavior if necessary. Stay calm, collected, and don't forget your sense of humor. Humor is the best way out of almost any situation.
Often, challenging interview questions are blatant misrepresentations of what you said. They are used to confuse and disorient the candidate. For example, an interviewer, conducting an interview, formulates the question like this: “Tell me about yourself,” and after your story states: “Why did you come for the interview? After all, you are not suitable for this position! Correctly refuting such statements will significantly increase your chances of success. There is no need to resort to lengthy arguments - just say that what the interviewer said is not true and you are ready to prove this with specific examples. At the same time, show restraint and do not rush to present your arguments. If evidence is needed, the interviewer himself asks clarifying questions.
You should also not give negative feedback about your previous place of work, bosses and colleagues, since your interlocutor may regard this as a potential threat to his own company or person. It is better to name a neutral reason for dismissal: irregularity of cash payments, lack of growth prospects, remoteness from the place of residence, inconvenient work schedule, etc.
And most importantly, remember that the employer will immediately see that you are nervous or afraid of the interview. The only question is whether he will understand your condition correctly. So be focused, have a clear head, and always answer honestly and thoughtfully.
"Questions are never indiscreet, answers are sometimes."
— Oscar Wilde
Interview questions:
Tell us about yourself
Correct answer. You should immediately lay out your advantages over other candidates similar to you (successful work experience, special achievements in your professional field, natural abilities, etc.), emphasizing your desire and full readiness to take this position. Speak calmly, confidently, briefly and precisely.
Error. Formal and dry presentation of biographical data, excessive excitement or emphasized indifference, confusion in simple facts, emphasis on minor details, verbosity.
What difficulties do you see in life and how do you deal with them?
Correct answer. Express yourself in a positive way: there is no life without problems, but difficulties can be overcome, a person’s fate and career are in his hands, people, for the most part, are friendly and ready to cooperate, failures mobilize strength.
Error. Gloomy perception of reality: complaints about fate, bad luck, injustice and constant insoluble problems, blaming other people and external circumstances for everything.
What attracts you to work in this position?
Correct answer. Give specific arguments in favor of the fact that this particular position will allow you to fully realize your aspirations, abilities, knowledge and experience, and the company in your person will acquire an irreplaceable employee (“I have experience in this particular market segment, great connections, a lot of experience and etc.").
Error. Standard phrases: “I am attracted by an interesting job... prospects for growth... good salary.”
Why do you consider yourself worthy of this position? What are your advantages over other candidates?
Correct answer. Without false modesty, present your “trump cards” if you have not done so yet, or supplement what was said earlier (work experience, specialized education and availability of additional, successfully completed projects, etc.).
Error. Weak arguments in your favor (“I have no work experience, but I would like to try.”), an indication of formal personal data (“Read my resume, it says everything.”).
What are your strengths?
Correct answer. Honestly identify those qualities of yours that are valued at this job in this position. Professionalism, activity, decency, goodwill towards people, truthfulness and devotion are always and everywhere valued.
Error. A cutesy, modest answer: “Let others judge that...”.
What are your weaknesses?
Correct answer. Readily name 2-3 of your shortcomings, skillfully presenting them as advantages, for example: “I always tell the truth to the face... I am too demanding of myself and others... I am often called a “workaholic”, etc. Remember: weaknesses should be a continuation of your strengths.
Error. An honest admission of shortcomings (badly familiar with this kind of work, lacks special education, lazy, hot-tempered, etc.).
It is also wrong to say, “I have no shortcomings.” - this is perceived as a lack of criticism towards oneself, a tendency to blame colleagues in case of failure, or simply as a lie.
Why did you leave your previous job (decided to change jobs)?
Correct answer. Speak positively about your previous place of work, managers and employees. The reason for dismissal is the desire to fully realize their capabilities, get more complex work and a higher salary.
In extreme cases, the reasons can be given as the distance between home and office or the layoff of an entire department (not you personally).
Error. A story about a conflict with management or employees, criticism of a previous place of work and people, an admission of the ineffectiveness of one’s work.
Will your personal life interfere with work associated with additional loads?
(irregular working hours, long or long-distance business trips, etc.)
Correct answer. Answer in the sense that you are ready for additional workloads, which, however, should be discussed more specifically.
Error. Immediately agree to everything or refuse everything, explaining this by family difficulties, the presence of small children, etc.
How do you imagine your job (career) in 2 years (five, ten years)?
Correct answer. You should answer that you are planning career growth in the future, formulating the stages and goals of your personal career. It is better to moderately overestimate than to underestimate yourself.
Error. Surprise and answers: “How do I know?”, “I have no idea.”
What salary are you expecting?
Correct answer. Find out the salary range for this position and name a slightly higher figure than the one you are willing to accept.
Error. Underestimate or overestimate yourself.
“They cannot but exist,” says Grigory Cherkasov, commercial director at Citilink, “if the employer’s vacancy really interests you. While studying the company’s website, you probably couldn’t find all the information you were interested in. It would be appropriate to point this out during the interview. The job description also can't include all the details that are specific to your expertise, so asking questions that clear up the dark spots will demonstrate to the employer how well you understand what you'll be doing."
Nowadays, the employer not only asks questions, but also likes the applicant to show interest in the company for which he wants to work. The opinion of the employer’s representative who conducts the interview depends on the initiative of the applicant, on his, albeit ostentatious, but still interest. And it is in the applicant's interest to make a good impression.
Along with pre-thought-out answers to the employer’s possible questions, you need to prepare your own list of questions to ask the employer at the interview. Here are some questions, after receiving the answer to which, the applicant will understand whether he needs this place of work, whether the position that is offered is suitable.
- What will the job responsibilities be (what tasks and plans will be set for the potential employee, what exactly will he do in the company, and is it also worth asking about interchangeability)?
- What are the reasons for this vacancy?
- What is the procedure for applying for a job in a company (work book)?
- What working hours are accepted at the company (including breaks during the working day, overtime work)?
- What is the probationary period? Is mentoring developed in the company, does it provide for the introduction of a new employee into the course of company affairs, is the workload given immediately or gradually?
- What is the company's social package: is the Labor Code fully complied with, is medical insurance, food, and corporate fitness provided? Separately, it is worth clarifying about the payment of sick leave.
- What employee motivation programs have been developed in the company (bonuses, training, etc.)?
- How can you characterize the “superior-subordinate” relationship?
- What meetings/planners/meetings will you have to participate in?
- What plans does the company have in its market segment?
At the same time, it is worth showing the employer your interest in the proposed vacancy, as well as trying to make compelling arguments that the employer has exactly the person they need. It is also worth asking whether indexation of remuneration is provided, how often the salary level is reviewed, whether there are any formal procedures for this, or whether this procedure occurs automatically (for example, annually).
So, you have been invited for an interview. Do you really want to work in this position and are very afraid of not passing the selection? Then you need to gather all your willpower and prepare for the conversation: think about your clothing style and rehearse your speech, taking into account likely questions.
11 basic interview questions and smart answers to them can be found here. How to answer complex and non-standard questions to please the employer? What questions the recruiter will ask depends on what position the employee is being hired for, however, as a rule, there is a standard set of questions that are asked to all applicants, which will be discussed below.
Before conducting an interview, the employer usually asks the applicant to fill out a special questionnaire, a sample of which can be viewed.
Lately, situational questions have been very popular, when the employer describes the situation and asks the applicant to choose the correct behavior in this situation.
11 main interview questions with answers
1. How to answer the question - Tell us about yourself at the interview.
When answering this question and other questions from the interviewer, remain calm and speak in a confident tone. Tell us what will be important for the employer to hear: place of study and specialty, work experience, knowledge and skills, interest in this particular work and personal qualities - resistance to stress, learning ability, hard work. This point is discussed in more detail in, where an approximate story of the applicant about himself is given, as well as recommendations on how best to answer.
2. What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?
When answering the question why you left your previous job, do not talk about conflicts at your previous job and do not speak badly about your boss or colleagues. You may be suspected of conflict and inability to work in a team. It is better to remember the positive moments from past experience, and name the reason for leaving as the desire to fully realize your abilities, the desire to improve your professional level and pay.
3. How to answer the question - Why do you want to work for us?
Start with the positive aspects of the company's work - stability and a professional, well-coordinated team, interest in the field of activity, and then add what attracts you to the position and work schedule, proximity to home, decent wages.
4. Why do you think you are suitable for this position?
How to answer the question - why should we hire you? Here you must prove very clearly and convincingly that you are the best specialist in this field. Tell us about the work of the company and the industry in which you are going to work, do not hesitate to praise yourself, tell us about your achievements.
5. How should you answer a question about shortcomings at an interview?
The question of shortcomings is quite a tricky one. It’s not worth posting your disadvantages as best you can. Name such “disadvantages” that look more like advantages. For example: I’m picky about my work, I don’t know how to distance myself from work. And it’s best to say neutrally: I, like everyone else, have shortcomings, but they do not in any way affect my professional qualities.
6 secrets for a successful interview
6. What strengths do you have?
- communication skills;
- learning ability;
- punctuality;
- diligence.
These are standard examples of advantages that are included in almost every application; they do not carry any special significance for the employer, and do not distinguish the applicant from others in any way.
It is better to talk at an interview about professional advantages that will be useful and interesting to the employer:
- I have experience in negotiations at various levels;
- easily conclude important agreements and contracts;
- I can organize my work day rationally, etc.
Such answers will attract attention and stand out among other answers.
7. What salary do you expect?
The services of a good specialist cannot be cheap. There is an option - name an amount higher than the average salary, or focus on the salary you received at your previous job and inflate it by 10 -15%. Stick to the golden mean, otherwise they may think that you are either a bad specialist or too ambitious.
8. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Persistent and purposeful people set long-term goals for themselves and plan their personal and career growth. If you haven't thought about this question yet, do so before your interview. Focus on your desire to work in the same company, but during this time climb the career ladder.
Do not hide your previous place of work; be prepared to give phone numbers of former colleagues and managers. If, when answering this question, you hesitate or completely avoid answering, then the employer may believe that you want to avoid negative feedback.
10. Are you ready for professional workload?
The employer can hint at overtime in this way. In this case, ask how often they are possible: how many times a month or for how many hours. If you are ready for such conditions, then confirm your readiness for stress.
11. Do you have any additional questions?
It's time to find out the details of your future work: starting from the schedule and social networks. package, to the requirements for company employees. A person who does not ask questions after an interview shows disinterest. So there must be questions, and it is best to think through them in advance.
Examples of excellent, good and bad answers to interview questions:
Video - awkward interview questions
One of the most popular interview questions is “Why should we hire you?” Job seekers often perceive it as a call to aggressively sell themselves to the employer. However, the purpose of the question is different: first of all, to understand the candidate’s motivation.
When answering this question, you need to avoid three mistakes: too formulaic an answer, arrogance, and comparing yourself with other applicants. Natalya Valdaeva, a partner at the recruiting company Marksman, advises instead to focus the recruiter’s attention on your strengths: “Try to answer like this: “I can’t say why I’m better than others, but I’ll be happy to tell you about my strengths and qualities that set me apart from my colleagues.” "
The main thing is not to overdo it with arrogance, warns the head of the personnel department of the Biplan agency, Olga Nikitina: “When talking about the company’s problems, we must offer solutions, and not criticize working specialists.”
There are at least 5 possible answers to this question.
1. Talk about practical skills and results
It’s banal, but it works, Natalya Valdaeva is sure: “Once we were looking for a specialist for the position of head of the press service of a large bank, which receives dozens of journalistic requests every day. The employer chose a candidate who, in addition to the qualities required for this position (knowledge of banking, contacts in the media, ability to work with content), had experience in daily multitasking. Answering a similar question, he named specific numbers: how many comments and other texts he prepared daily. This became his key advantage.”
2. Talk about motivation
“Tell me why you want to work in this particular company, why you are interested in this particular position. Study the company’s website, read its history, so that in a conversation you don’t end up with general phrases, but argue your interest with facts,” advises Tatyana Lamekina from the Step Consulting Center. You will be remembered by the recruiter if you show your sincere interest and knowledge.
3. Demonstrate competence
If you hear a trick in a recruiter’s question, perhaps you are not confident in yourself, warns Igor Korganov, senior trainer-consultant at CBSD/Thunderbird Russia. “The problem is that uncertainty may cause great candidates to be unaware that they are a perfect fit for the job,” says Korganov. - This happens because they do not know how to correctly evaluate their experience and knowledge. Take an inventory of your achievements using the STAR scheme - this is a technique that HR managers use when recruiting personnel. The letters STAR stand for situation - task - action - result (situation - task - action - result). Believe in your abilities, then you won’t need to convince anyone: at the interview you will speak about yourself confidently and with evidence.”
4. Make a joke
Use a sense of humor to make yourself memorable to the recruiter. “I once interviewed a man who was applying for the position of chief accountant,” says Tatyana Yanina, head of the personnel department of the Hermes federal chain. - When asked why we should hire him, he answered the following: “I’m pretty sure that many employers see only women in this role. I absolutely agree with them. The advantage of women in this position is obvious. But it so happens that I am a third generation hereditary accountant, so this is fate.”
“You can start from the emotional component, focusing on positivity and the ability to energize the entire team,” reminds Olga Nikitina from Biplane. - Personally, I remember three answers to this question during interviews. A young man offered to regularly perform songs with a guitar, a girl promised to arrange furniture according to Feng Shui so that business would go well, and another candidate boasted about his football skills, although we didn’t even ask him about it. By the way, the football lover demonstrated not only his skills in working with the ball, but also extensive knowledge in the field of Internet marketing and became an excellent acquisition for the sales department.”
5. Summarize the meeting
Typically this question is asked towards the end of the interview. This means this is your chance to summarize everything you and the recruiter talked about during the interview. “The answer to this question is a kind of summary of your conversation,” says Tatyana Yanina. - You have already received enough information to understand what the employer needs. Project this onto your capabilities and the results you achieved in previous jobs. And if the employer’s expectations are still not completely clear to you, do not hesitate to ask additional questions.”
The answer can be formulated as follows: “As I understand it, these are the priority tasks that your new employee will face. I have the professional skills that will allow me to cope with these tasks” - and provide specific examples of the skills and how they benefit the company's objectives.
Have you been asked this question at an interview?
When going for an interview, prepare for possible questions from the employer. Think about what an employer might ask and how to respond. As a rule, during a job interview, a standard set of basic questions is asked, as well as additional ones that depend on the specific position. Below we provide a list of popular employer questions and answers to them. Use the answers provided as a template, edit them in accordance with the characteristics of the position for which you are applying.
You have been invited to an interview and you really want to get this position, but are you afraid of competitors, are you afraid of answering a tricky question incorrectly or just getting confused? In this case, you need to gather all your will into a fist and prepare for a responsible conversation with the employer. Be sure to think about your clothing style, hairstyle, and rehearse your speech, taking into account possible possible answers.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main questions that recruiters ask a job applicant during an interview. You will find all the correct answers in our article. How to respond to specific and non-standard tasks in order to stand out from the crowd of competitors?
Very popular in job interviews these days. situational questions, examples below (click to enlarge):
13 popular interview questions and answers to them
Question 1 Tell us a little about yourself Very popular and one of the first questions recruiters ask. How best to answer the question - tell us about yourself?
Answer. It is necessary to remain calm when answering, speech must be clear and confident. Tell what the interviewer wants to hear: where you studied, your specialty, previous jobs, interests, hobbies, hobbies. Tell us what exactly interested you in the new position and be sure to focus on your personal qualities. Among them, it is important to note resistance to stress, quick learning, hard work and discipline, pursuit of a goal, and constant work on oneself.
Answer examples:
The second most popular job interview question is why you left your previous job. How to respond to a recruiter?
Answer. The answer should not talk about a conflict with management, if any. You should also not speak negatively about the director and colleagues. The applicant may be suspected of being quarrelsome, inability to get along with people, or work in a team. When answering this question, talk about your former job in positive terms, remember fun and pleasant moments. The reason for leaving can be called the desire to reveal your potential, unique abilities, desire for professional growth and a higher salary.
More example answers:
How to answer the interview question - why do you want to work with us? The employer will definitely ask you this – prepare for it.
Answer. It is worth mentioning the positive characteristics of the company, among them - stability, opportunity for professional growth, well-coordinated team, interesting work, decent salary. You can also add that what attracts you is the work schedule, management policies aimed at subordinates and other important points.
To give a reasoned answer about the reason for wanting to work in a particular company, read about it, look at the website, ask what the company does, what it produces, how many years it has been on the market.
What to answer to an employer if he asks a tricky question about why they should hire you for a vacant position.
Answer. The applicant must give a clear, intelligible and reasoned answer, namely, say that he is an excellent specialist, has invaluable experience, and is constantly improving in a particular field. You need to prepare in advance to tell in detail about the company’s field of activity, about the industry in which you are going to work. There is no need to be ashamed to praise yourself, talk about your successes and talents.
Question 5 What are your weaknesses? Perhaps the most difficult thing to answer in an interview is what your shortcomings are.
Answer. It’s worth noting right away that this is a trick question. It’s not worth laying out your flaws as best you can. Try to name your positive qualities, pretending that you consider them to be your shortcomings. For example, they are too demanding of themselves, do not know how to disconnect from work, are pedantic, strict, scrupulous. You can also answer a tricky question that everyone has shortcomings, but yours do not in any way affect your professional qualities.
Examples of answers about shortcomings:
How should you answer a question about your strengths in an interview?
Answer. Let us tell you right away which aspects should not be named, because almost every applicant for a position talks about them:
- Punctuality.
- You make contact with people easily.
- Performance.
These are standard qualities, recruiters are already tired of them, so you need to be more creative. Tell us at the interview that you can easily find an approach to people, know how to inspire trust, use your working day rationally, have experience in negotiations, and conclude profitable contracts. Managers should pay attention to such answers.
How to answer the question about the desired salary level?
Answer. A good specialist must know his worth. Try to name a salary that is 10-15% higher than your previous one. A golden mean is needed here, because if the pay is too low, I will think that the person is a bad worker, and if the salary is too high, I will think that he is overly ambitious.
Usually this question ends the study of the candidate. How to answer about where you see yourself in 5-10 or more years?
Answer. A persistent person always sets high goals for himself and career advancement. During the interview, you need to emphasize that your dream is to work in this company and during this time take a leadership position.
Don’t talk about living in a luxury apartment surrounded by a crowd of children and a beautiful wife. This is not what the employer wants to hear.
Example of a good answer:
“In 5 years, I see myself as a mature specialist, perhaps a project manager (direction, division), who has significantly improved his level of professional training.”
Answer. There is a hint of overtime work here. You need to ask how often overtime occurs and understand for yourself whether you are really ready for it or whether this position is not suitable for you. If yes, then answer in the affirmative, say that you are ready to stay at work and do everything for the benefit of the company.
Answer: Be sure to say that you are hungry for new experiences and will happily complete all the assigned tasks, because you are gaining invaluable experience and skills.
Answer. This is also a tricky question; here the employer finds out whether the job is so important to the applicant. Therefore, ask in detail about the work schedule provided by the social service. package on the requirements for company employees.
Any job interview is stressful. A person is nervous and even the simplest question can confuse him. By knowing what recruiters ask most often, you can be well prepared and answer them correctly. You can answer any tricky question, the main thing is to be confident in your own abilities. Study our article and confidently go for an interview, impressing employers with your erudition and excellent professional qualities.
