Congratulations!  You're about to set yourself up for success. 

This worksheet contains 4 steps to help you be fully ready if asked the question "Why Should I Hire You?" in your next job interview. 

Once you're finished, you will:

 1. Have clarity in your own mind why you're a good fit for the role and what you     specifically bring to the figurative table​,

​ 2. ​Have clarity on what skills you offer, and 

 3.Have clarity on why you want (or don't want) the job.

To make sure you get the most out of this worksheet, make sure you complete all 4 steps and apply what you've learned. 

Ready? Go!

While this first one may seem obvious, don't overlook it. A hiring manager wants to know two things here. First, do you know what skills and competencies are required for the role? And second, do you have them? 

Be intentional to do your research and make sure to share these skills when answering the question.​

What skills are the hiring manager/interviewer looking for?​

Of these skills, which ones do I offer?

What are my unique strengths?*

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*Here's something unique to try. Have you taken the StrengthsFinder Assessment yet? If so, make sure you reference these strengths when answering the interviewer. This backs up what you're saying and gives credibility to claim that you possess a certain strength. If you haven't taken it, check out this book and assessment​.

Describe what people should write in the box below​

The hiring manager wants to know that you actually want this job. As a hiring manager myself, I can tell you it is critical I hire someone excited to come to work.

My advice to you? Make sure you know why you're excited and share that in the interview - especially if asked why you should be hired! Putting it in writing forces you to think about how you really feel. 

Why do I want this job? What is it about this specific role, organization, or industry that attracted me to apply? Be specific here.

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WHY does it excite me? What really fires me up about this opportunity?

If you want to catch the attention of the hiring manager, you need to give him or her a compelling reason to hire you. Part of your response needs to:

1. Include something unique about what you offer.
2. Show that you understand the needs of the hiring manager. 

An example of a hiring manager's needs could be a personality fit that the team needs. Or it could be a particular type of experience unique to this team and this time. Ask someone in the organization, re-read the job description, etc. But find out something here​​.

What specific needs does the hiring manager have?

This could be a unique combination of experience and skill you bring to the table. It could be a connection or network you bring to the role or organization. Maybe this is your second career and you bring a wealth of knowledge from a separate, but related industry.​​ Choose something that all or most other candidates won't have.​

What specific skills do I uniquely offer?

You may not realize it, but the hiring manager has risk, too​​. They want to make the right decision. 

Make their decision easier. Remove some of the common risks and hesitations on their mind.​

Here are three suggestions​ for how to do this effectively in your interview:

1. Share why you will learn quickly, making it up the learning curve  faster than other candidates.

2. Explain how your unique background means they don't have to train you on a particular system (which can be costly) or software program.

​3. Share how you transitioned seamlessly into a previous role, making things easier on your former manager.

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What are the 1-2 reasons why I will make it easier on the hiring manager if they choose me for the job?

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Now that you have responses to each of the steps above, put it all together in a single statement. Write and re-write until you craft a simple response to the question "Why should I hire you?" ​

Combine all of your answers to craft one response here. Keep trying until you have the combination you're most comfortable with.