During the application process, a hiring manager will have to determine whether you are a good fit for the job. In your interview, they may ask you the question, 'why are you the best person for the job?' When you hear this question, don't panic as there are many ways to impress a hiring manager with your answer.
Before you answer, however, you need to prepare correctly and understand why an employer asks this question. Once you get a grip on this, you can then begin to build your answer. In this article, we will walk through how you can convince a hiring manager that you are the best match for the job.
Before we start working on your answer, let's switch roles and view the question from the hiring manager's perspective. First and foremost, they will ask the question to gauge your skills and qualifications to see if you are the best match for the job. They can also evaluate how confident you are in yourself and your abilities in your response.
A hiring manager can also assess what makes you unique in comparison to other candidates. If your unique traits appeal to an employer, they may be more willing to hire you as you stand out from the rest. If your unique traits aren't relevant to them, they may not use these in their hiring decision.
Lastly, the question can be quite challenging for an interviewee. From your response, an employer can determine how you handle a challenge in a high-pressure environment. If your answer impresses them, then they can see that you may be the perfect match for the job.
As with most interview questions, you must fully prepare yourself to answer this question too. To do this, there are some steps you should take. Here is what they are:
The job listing will contain all the information that you need about the job you are applying for. Understand the roles and responsibilities that you will have in the position before you go to the interview. You can also view the necessary skills and qualifications that are required for the job and match them with your own.
In your job search, you will have to tailor your application materials to the employer you are applying for. This is true for your interview as well, so it is a great idea to become knowledgeable about the organization in question. Research the company's goals and look for similarities between your values and theirs. You can use this in your interview to prove that you agree completely with the organization's mission.
Your answer shouldn't just be about the job and the organization, it should also be about yourself. Take the time to write down all your strengths and traits that will benefit you in the role. Once you have finished, narrow them down to the most relevant qualities and use them in your answer.
Once your strengths have been narrowed down, you can begin to think of how to back them up with evidence. This evidence needs to be quantifiable to prove that your strength is tangible. It would be best to link your strengths to accomplishments in previous positions to show the hiring manager how it was utilized in the context of a workplace.
Now it is time to build your answer to the question, 'why are you the best person for the job?' In your answer, you will have to sell yourself to a hiring manager. Keep in mind the job listing, organization, your strengths, and evidence you will use in your answer.
Decide which parts of your answer you will focus on the most. If you think the employer would prefer to hear about your previous achievements, then talk about your strengths using evidence. If you think they will prefer to hear about how you will fit in in the future, then quote the job listing and tell them why you will be able to fulfill the role successfully.
When answering, be conscious to not overpromise or undermine yourself. Show your worth just the right amount and only make promises that you can keep. Keep it short and to the point, however, as you don't want to begin rambling.
You now have all the tools to prove that you are the best fit for the job. The final tip to give you is that you must practice. Practice in front of the mirror until you know exactly what you will say but be careful to not become robotic.
It is a tough question, but if you put in the work beforehand, you will be successful in your interview.