People fear interviews because they are often unpredictable. You may feel your interview is going great and suddenly a question may bowl you out. "Why should we hire you?" is one such question. It’s a common interview question, which can take you on the wrong path if you’re not careful. When such a question is posed to you, it also means you get a penalty corner. Thus, you get a great opportunity to make a goal and if you are not prepared, you can end up messing up your chance in the interview.
Suppose a candidate X answers: "I am a hard worker and I really need the job." That’s fine! Your interviewer may be sympathetic to your cause, but they will be more interested in what you can do for them.
Another candidate Y says: "I have an aptitude for solving problems and possess the right skill set and experience to accomplish the task in the best possible manner.” It’s a no-brainer choice. Candidate Y will be selected without a second thought since he/she hit the ball in the right direction and made the goal.
The interviewer doesn’t want to derail you or put you off the hook; their intention will be to check whether you’re a good fit for the job and possess the right skills. Don’t try to pump up your experience or qualification to impress the interviewer. The thing is that sooner or later, the truth will come out and you will have to pay the price for making false claims.
The question provides you a perfect opportunity to pitch yourself as a potentially valuable employee and such employees do not overstate their qualification and they certainly don’t beg. By asking such a question, interviewers look for certain qualities and it is up to you to demonstrate those qualities. So, how will you know about the qualities they are looking for? You just need to roll up your sleeves, do a little research on the company that you will be going to for your interview and you can also look for certain clues. The required skills and abilities in the JD can help you find such clues.
There may be a possibility that you may have to compete with a group of candidates having similar skills and experience. Monster.Com, a well-known career portal, suggests: “Do an inventory to determine what you have to offer as a fit for those requirements. Don't underestimate personal traits that make you unique; your energy, personality type, working style and people skills are all very relevant to any job.” You can also point out a problem and offer a solution to it.
The point to remember is — you should come up with the most compelling selling points and keep in mind why hiring managers are asking this question to you. Eventually, they want to know you and what you can offer to them. And don’t forget to tailor your answer as per the requirement of the interviewer.
These mistakes may seem ordinary but employers tend to spot them quickly. This is because every day, they reject a lot of applications on these grounds. So, make sure your resume does not have these mistakes. You win half the battle if your resume is immaculately clean.