How to Answer "Why Should We Hire You?" Without Waffling
“Why should we hire you?”
One of the most common interview questions—and yet, most people absolutely fluff it.
Some start waffling about how hardworking they are. Others completely freeze and say something like, “I don’t know.”
Not exactly interview-winning material.
If you’ve got an interview coming up, here’s a simple structure that’ll help you answer this confidently, clearly, and—most importantly—in a way that actually makes the employer want to hire you.
Stick with me to the end because I’ll also share one of the most common mistakes people make when answering this question.
What They’re Really Asking
When the interviewer asks, “Why should we hire you?”, what they’re actually saying is:
“We’ve got a problem. We need someone to solve it. Convince us you’re the right person.”
That job description they posted? That’s their problem statement. The role exists because something’s not getting done or they need help doing it better.
Your job is to show that you’ve solved similar problems before—and you can do the same for them.
The 3-Step Formula That Works Every Time
Here’s how to answer it without rambling, guessing, or listing vague personality traits.
Step 1: Identify the key skills or experience they’re asking for
Read the job description and highlight the must-haves. What’s the pain point they’re hiring for?
Step 2: Share a quick example of how you’ve delivered results using those skills
Show you’ve done it before—with numbers if you’ve got them.
Step 3: Link it back to them
End by connecting your experience to their needs. Make it obvious you can help solve their problem.
Example Answer (That Actually Works)
Let’s say the job advert says:
“We’re looking for an experienced marketing manager with a background in social media to increase brand awareness and drive sales.”
Here’s how most people answer:
“I’ve got eight years of experience in social media marketing.”
Not awful, but not great. It’s all “me me me.” Now let’s improve it.
Here’s a stronger version:
“I’ve been in social media marketing for the last eight years, and in my most recent role, I designed and ran campaigns across all our channels. We grew our following by 100,000 and increased sales by 20%. Given your focus on brand awareness and sales growth, I’d love to bring that same strategy to your team.”
See the difference?
It’s not just about what you’ve done—it’s about how what you’ve done will benefit them.
What Not to Say
A couple of common mistakes that can ruin your answer:
❌ Being too generic
Saying “I’m a hard worker” or “I’m a fast learner” doesn’t mean anything. Everyone says that. It tells the employer nothing about what you actually bring to the table.
❌ Reading your CV
Please don’t just recite your work history. They’ve already read your CV. This is your chance to highlight what matters to them—the problems they need solving and how you can help.
Prepare Ahead
Before your interview, go through the job description and highlight the main challenges they’ve got. Then prep a one or two sentence answer that shows how you’ve tackled similar problems—and how you’ll do it for them.
Nail that, and you’ll never struggle with this question again.
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