This is the most critical of the 3 Why’s and you have to nail it.
Examples of how interviewers ask this question
Interviewers will rarely directly ask “why should we hire you?”. Instead they are more likely to ask questions such as:
- Tell me about yourself
- Walk me through your resume (or a specific item experience that seems relevant to the job)
They might also probe for specific skills with questions like these:
- Tell me about a time when you had to “sell” an idea to others who were initially skeptical. (communication skills)
- Give me an example of a project or task you started on your own. (initiative, impact)
- How many street lamps are there in Manhattan (analytical thinking, performance under pressure)
What you should communicate: Examples from your work, extra-curricular, or academic background that illustrate the key skills required for the job. If analytical problem solving is important for your job, be prepared with 1-2 examples of complex projects you have worked on and how you (not the team) went about tackling the problem. Complete either of these grids to identify the most salient points from your background that you want to address in the interview:
Personal story matrix (early career) or management matrix
Why this Job?
What the interviewer is looking for: How well you understand the job and industry, and is this job a logical fit given your past experiences or future goals
Examples of how interviewers ask this question
Interviewers are more likely to ask Why this Job questions if it’s not clear from your resume that you have a deep passion for this business or an obvious abundance of relevant skills. Regardless of whether you get a Why this Job question, you can answer this obvious question by addressing it directly “I know my resume doesn’t scream finance, but I have worked on a number of quantitatively intensive projects such as …. I also think my experience does reflect other skills that are important in this job such as ….”
- What skills do you think are critical to being successful in this role?
- If you were CEO, what opportunities would you be focusing on right now?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What you should communicate: You must demonstrate these things:
- A good knowledge of the industry.
- A strong understanding of the position
- A connection between your past or future goals and the job you’re interviewing for
Make sure to read
9 Things You Need to Know about the Industry & Position before EVERY Interview for more details on what you should know before you walk in the interview.
Why this Company?
What the interviewer is looking for: A knowledge of how the company differs from its competitors and whether your skill set is a good fit given the company’s profile. Read
The Obvious Interview Question Most People Screw Up to see good/bad ways to answer this question. For entry level positions, nailing this question is an excellent way to distinguish yourself from other strong candidates who have the key skills, but don’t do a great job of communicating why they want to work for the specific company. For experienced professionals, the interviewer is assessing to see how your skill set and personality “fit” with the organization.
Examples of how interviewers ask this question or how you demonstrate your knowledge
Why are you interested in leaving your current employer? This is a fair question an employer might ask an experienced professional in an interview. Often the onus is on you to demonstrate your knowledge of and passion for the company. You can do this by asking good questions that reflect a strong knowledge of the company…”The sales division has picked up 3 market share points in the mature Asian market at the expense of your primary competitor. What were the strategy or industry changes that drove the shifts in market share?
Researching the company should give you plenty of ammunition you can use for smart questions or key information snippets to incorporate into your answers.
What you should communicate:
- Knowledge of the company’s organization and operation. Generic information isn’t good enough. If you can substitute the name of one company for another and the information about the company you are still communicating is true, than you are not being specific enough.
- Logical explanation for how a job at this company is tied to your career goals
- How your skill set is a good fit for this company
Visit Gotta Mentor`s Interviewing Channel to see more tips to prepare for your interview