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Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

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Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#81

Post by tqkxzugoaupvwqr »

dpark wrote: post #31
rl3 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I wouldn't ask this question because it's pointless, but I would expect the best candidates to answer the question reasonably. Indignation is not a mature attitude to demonstrate in an interview.

The question is an insult to the interviewee. The interviewee can stammer around and say something about great fit, being a team player or whatever … basically re-iterating the requirements of the job and state how well he fulfils those. What is the honest answer? It all boils down to “I fulfil the requirements, and then some!”

In my eyes, the question shows hostility towards the interviewee.

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#82

Post by bsvalley »

ashark wrote: post #45
bsvalley wrote: post #26

It' a non-technical way to see if it's a great fit or not. Before an interview, you should always prepare the following 3 key points: - My XXX will help your company succeed. - Your YYY will help me grow - I believe in your ZZZ XXX: skills, experience, etc. YYY: technology, project, product, etc. ZZZ: vision, culture, values.

Bearing in mind (this part's tough to come to terms with for anyone raised to value honesty) that zero of those things need to be true—they just need to be what will get you the job, and they need to be said convincingly-enough for the person interviewing to accept what you've said (depending on the situation they may not even need to believe you —interviews are weird ). It's not that they have to be false, but in th…

I'm %100 on your side. This is how the whole hiring process works though, on both sides. The employers make it sound like a dream job and they know it's not. So... it's a complete joke and that's why the process is very subjective anyway

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#83

Post by [deleted] »

djkrudy wrote: post #75
Humdeee wrote: post #44

I'm a game-changer that can think outside the box. I bring forth a synergy that will leverage my ability to hit the ground running and go that extra mile. Pushing the envelope and reinforcing the company vision statement is what I'm all about. Goal setting and going after the low-hanging fruit is paramount to setting us up as a thought-leader and to pivot in a ruthless, competitive market. I understand that achieving…

As a hiring manager, I would never believe this response, because as an interviewee there isn't a company on the planet I could say all these things about AFTER working there for 30 years, much less before working there. I'd just laugh because anybody who says something like this has no idea how mucked up a simple task can get in the real world. Jeez, are you a second semester business administration UG student?

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#84

Post by rb808 »

kohanz wrote: post #30
rpeden wrote: post #6

Assuming 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…

Your reasoning makes perfect sense, but the answer is a bit dry and, I don't know how to describe it, robotic? As someone who has sat in the hiring chair, if I heard "You'll make more money from my work than I'll cost in salary and benefits.", I'd get the impression of that person someone who maybe views themselves as a profit-generating widget in the grand scheme of the company. I'd wonder a bit what enjoyment/passi…

Agreed, it sounds scripted.

When interviewing I look for people that just don't sit back and do what they're told. Someone proactive who can think of different ways of doing things. I would like to hear an answer like "Compared to other developers I've worked with in the past, I make more of an effort to talk with end users and try to target the system to make it more usable rather than just getting the functionality done." That shows something that might appeal more than the last guy we just interviewed.

I know other people like predictable developers who can crank out code from a big Jira list. Maybe they would like an answer about productivity over costs.

As you can tell it depends on the people, there is no right answer. :)

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#85

Post by kevinwang »

mlmlmasd wrote: post #80
neurobot wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, there are a multiple candidate, 8 peoples including me. I'm the only one from my country that apply for this position (how do I know? they tell me). This interview process, is not the first process. before the interview, there is a "skills assessment" session, that I am passed.

The fact that they tell you how many other candidates there are for the same position is a bad sign about their hiring process to be honest.

Why is that?

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#86

Post by neurobot »

mlmlmasd wrote: post #80
neurobot wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, there are a multiple candidate, 8 peoples including me. I'm the only one from my country that apply for this position (how do I know? they tell me). This interview process, is not the first process. before the interview, there is a "skills assessment" session, that I am passed.

The fact that they tell you how many other candidates there are for the same position is a bad sign about their hiring process to be honest.

I don't see this is a bad sign, they told me, because I ask.

I have to know how many candidate left. Sometimes that can motivate you (for me of course).

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#87

Post by tps5 »

This question exists because it's hard.

One reason it's hard because the true answer is always: "because you believe that I will complete more work and therefore generate more profits than the other 8 people you interviewed, and because you like me more than them based on the 40 minute conversation we just had." That is not a valid answer in most interviews I can imagine taking place.

Another reason this question is hard is that questions which ask you to boast about yourself are always awkward to answer. I find it always comes off better to be humble in interviews, and this question seems like it's almost begging you to talk yourself up.

Given this, I would approach this question by ignoring it (more or less) and answering a different question: "Why do you want to work here?"

"This area genuinely interests me and I'm excited about this work."

"This is the work I want to be doing. I prefer the work that goes on here to the work that goes on in the 3 other places I interviewed at last week."

I think you can leave out the "...so therefore I will work very hard" bit, because that's a given. Convince them you actually want the job. If you succeed, that's a valid, though roundabout, way of giving them a reason to hire you.

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#88

Post by Humdeee »

djkrudy wrote: post #75
Humdeee wrote: post #44

I'm a game-changer that can think outside the box. I bring forth a synergy that will leverage my ability to hit the ground running and go that extra mile. Pushing the envelope and reinforcing the company vision statement is what I'm all about. Goal setting and going after the low-hanging fruit is paramount to setting us up as a thought-leader and to pivot in a ruthless, competitive market. I understand that achieving…

As a hiring manager, I would never believe this response, because as an interviewee there isn't a company on the planet I could say all these things about AFTER working there for 30 years, much less before working there. I'd just laugh because anybody who says something like this has no idea how mucked up a simple task can get in the real world. Jeez, are you a second semester business administration UG student?

"So, did I get the position?"

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#89

Post by rpeden »

ryandrake wrote: post #68
awfgylbcxhrey wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd wonder a bit what enjoyment/passion that person gets from their work. Why can't someone just be a professional who generates value?

Thank you. What's with this expectation that unless we have sweet passionate love for web portals or accounting app middleware, or whatever the product is, we won't be competent professionals?

Are you saying that you don't dream of Express middleware, and that that you don't sing songs about the joy of promises and generators?

Have you not accepted Babel into your heart?

  To transpile or not to transpile, that is the question:
  Whether 'tis nobler in the open-plan office to suffer
  The slings and arrows of EcmaScript 5
  Or to take Arms against a Sea of callbacks,
  And by asyncing, end them
Just kidding, I'm with you. I think that enthusiasm and passion are most useful when layered on top of competent professionalism.

Re: Ask HN: How to answer properly “Why we should hire you” question?

#90

Post by zardo »

kohanz wrote: post #30
rpeden wrote: post #6

Assuming 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…

Your reasoning makes perfect sense, but the answer is a bit dry and, I don't know how to describe it, robotic? As someone who has sat in the hiring chair, if I heard "You'll make more money from my work than I'll cost in salary and benefits.", I'd get the impression of that person someone who maybe views themselves as a profit-generating widget in the grand scheme of the company. I'd wonder a bit what enjoyment/passi…

>Your reasoning makes perfect sense, but the answer is a bit dry and, I don't know how to describe it, robotic?

A good answer to a bullshit question just demonstrates your skill at bullshitting. If that's what the company is looking for, hopefully you can find employment elsewhere.

My advice, when you get asked a stupid interview question, tell them why you think it's a stupid question. You'll either blow the interview, or find a place that values your opinion.

Second piece of advice, don't follow the advice of random idiots on the internet.

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