6 Dos and Donts for Answering Why Should I Hire You

6 Dos and Donts for Answering Why Should I Hire YouIn an interview, few questions can throw off a candidates poise like the simple, Why should I hire you? After all, it seems redundant. What have you been talking about this entire time, if notlage the reasons why the company should hire you? But while it may seem like a filler question, its one you should definitely pay close attention to answering. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Here are 6 things to keep in mind as you prep for your interview.DONT panicThe question isnt a trap designed to trip you up and take you down. Its a legitimate question that asks you to demonstrate why this job, specifically, is a great fit for you. Take a deep breath if you need to, and make sure you keep up the same tone youve been using throughout the interview.DO understand why the question is askedThe interviewer isnt being lazy, or outsourcing the hiring decision to you she or he is trying to find out if you can answer well and coherently after the conversational balance shifts a bit. After all, youve likely been fielding questions about yourself. This question asks you to jump perspectives and see yourself from someone elses view.DONT take too long to answerHemming and hawing makes you look indecisiveor worse, like youre scrambling for reasons the company should hire you. You may merely be trying to phrase the answer in a sophisticated way, but any gap between question and answer looks bad. Have an answer ready to go before you even set foot in the interview. Itll make you look confident and able to think on your feettwo qualities tested by this kind of question.DO research ahead of timeWhat does this position/company need? And how can you fill that need? Articulating that is the key to answering this question. Ahead of time, familiarize yourself with the job descriptionbut dont stop there. Look up the company in general, particularly their mission statement. Its a win if you can c asually answer the question with something along the lines of, I know that ABC Widgets is looking for someone to take their marketing in new directions that fit with ABCs commitment to sustainable widgeting, and my 8 years of hands-on widget experience show that I have the connections and creativity to get this done.DONT rehash the entire interview up to this pointThis is not a question where you need to go into a detailed list of your education, your previous jobs, and your 4thgrade award for neatest desk and how it foreshadowed your awesome organizational skills. The interviewer was there. (Well, not in 4th grade, but for the earlier part of the interview.) He or she doesnt need a recap, but rather a reassurance. Think highlights, not blow-by-blow focus on one or two points that make you especially well-suited to the position.DO be confidentLike every other interview question, the interviewer wants to see that you feel comfortable fielding questions about your qualifications and y our vision for the job.You know they should hire younow its time to make sure they know why.