The answer to this will probably change based on where you are in your career.
Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
11–20 of 128 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#12I have two microwave-ready answers for this kind of question.
1: "I am always learning. I am not afraid to try a new technique or even an entirely new framework and programming language. All I need is time to learn and trust that I will arrive to the level of competence required of me. I may not know everything now, but I will not stop learning. Even if I know everything I need to do my job today, I will continue to learn how to do my job tomorrow."
Simple and truthful, although the second answer relates more to me as a person.
2: "I am not a math person. I can do math, but my brain is wired for language. That is why I became a programmer: I can speak to the machine just as I can speak to a customer. By hiring me, you are hiring a liaison between the technical people, the non-technical people, and the technology itself. I can understand non-technical people's technical needs and communicate my technical solutions better than most programmers. I can work with people as well as I can work with machines, and that is why I am a very effective developer."
The second answer got me the job I have now.
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#13The main thing that an interviewer is asking you when they ask you this is to essentially repeat back what you've heard them say.
The best answer to this question is, "I've heard you say that you are looking for a, b and c, and I think that I can mesh well with your team and accomplish these things."
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#14[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#15This answer is best tailored to the core company values. What questions have they been asking you? What traits and skills are they looking for? If you get this question early on, it might be difficult. But if it's later in the interview, you should have been able to pick up on a pattern or theme to the questions (flexibility, specific expertise, initiative/motivation, etc).
The question is on title I am asking about, because there is no technical question anymore, because I've pass this session on "skill assessment" that before the process interview is start.
I apply for "vulnerability analyst" or "vulnerability security" kind of.. can't remember. sorry.
btw, it's for junior (because it under 5 years experiences).
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#16> This question, has make me failed on interview process on one of antivirus company, despite, it was long a ago, sometimes I cannot move on
Stop. Hiring is sometimes stupidly arbitrary. Hirers are fallible and some of the best or most respected developers in the world have been rejected. It means nothing:
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#17I hope I'm not alone in thinking "why should we hire you" is a bit of a dumb question and a bit insulting. If I was asked that, I'd be thinking something like: We're all adults here. We know why you're trying to hire someone approximately like me, and why I'm trying to get the job. Let's be friends instead of you trying to get me to trot like a show pony. This isn't a game show. Or if you think it is, maybe I don't w…
These mirror my sentiments exactly.
Not that I'd ever ask the question myself, but I'd expect the best candidates to respond with indignation.
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#18Assuming they ask this at the end of the interview after you've shown your skills and discussed your experience: "I believe I've demonstrated that I'll deliver significantly more value with my work than I'll cost you in salary and benefits." That's pretty much the reason anyone should hire you, for any role, in any industry. Most interviews are really about demonstrating the value you'll deliver. Keep that in mind wi…
Yeah. "If you can't make considerably more money from my work for than the amount you're paying me, you have problems that I can't solve."
That said, I'd judge the audience before I phrased it like that... (and you'd have to _actually_ be good)
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#19The main thing that an interviewer is asking you when they ask you this is to essentially repeat back what you've heard them say. The best answer to this question is, "I've heard you say that you are looking for a, b and c, and I think that I can mesh well with your team and accomplish these things."
This. Tell them what they want to hear. You should know what they want to hear from the conversation preceding this question.
Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?
#20I'd hope the interview / assessment process already gives the interviewer the answer. If not I doubt the interview process. A good answer to this question will mean very little.