Your California online speech therapist job interviewer’s best question
Those of you experienced “interviewees” most surely know that many hiring managers finish the interview by asking you point blank, “Why should I hire you?” What you may not know is that If you are stumped by this question, you can kiss that California online speech therapist job goodbye!
Why do interviewers ask this question?
The interviewer’s job is to hire the best person for the position. Any candidate that makes it to the interview is probably qualified for the job–but only one of you will get it. Since every new employee is a potential risk for the company, the hiring manager is only doing his job when he selects the best candidate.
Besides concern for the business, your interviewer is putting his career at risk as well. If the candidate he chooses performs well, the hiring manager looks brilliant, gets kudos and perhaps even a bonus.
Alternatively, if the hiring manager choice flops for any reason, it reflects poorly on his judgment, damages his reputation, and may bring some financial pain as well.
The wrong approach
If your response to, “Why should we hire you?” is, “I need this job,” forget it. Remember, your interviewer asks not what the company can do you for you, but what can you do for the company! Perhaps you want to impress him by asserting that you are a hard worker. To this, he may reply, “That’s what everyone says” or “Why not go work hard somewhere else?”
The correct approach
Are you are the perfect candidate?
The bottom line is, “What can you do for this company?” Every company has a certain type of person in mind when it’s looking to fill a position. The lucky person that lands that California online speech therapy job will need some of the particular qualities that are important to the company. In other words, the interview is the filtering process to find that perfect candidate!
How do you figure out if that perfect candidate is you?
Research
Research, research, research… in other words, look for the clues! And where should you start? Begin with the job description that is readily available on the job board where you will submit your application. Read it very carefully, especially the list of “required skills and abilities” Then begin mining whatever information you can about the company, employees, competition, industry, etc.
After that check, the company’s social accounts which give you a sense of the company’s culture. It is becoming increasingly important to hiring managers to find a candidate who has more than just the requisite skills and experience. The new employee must fit into the company’s culture. LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram will reveal the kind of people they hire.
Uniqueness
Your competition for the job probably has similar skills and experience as you. So why should they hire you instead of one of them? You need to show that you are unique. By incorporating into your answer something different about you, be it a personality trait, a talent, your energy, or even something particularly appealing about your work style, you have to set yourself apart.
Pain Relief
No, not that kind of pain relief, but maybe your research has helped you uncover a need or problem that is behind the company posting the job for which you are currently interviewing. Responding to the “Why should we hire you?” question is your golden opportunity to offer a solution to a challenge or problem the company needs to solve. If you can do that, how could they resist you?
Are you prepared?
Knowing you will face this question during your job interview–be prepared and confident. Don’t memorize a script — you don’t want to sound like a robot or become anxious due to the additional pressure to remember the answer verbatim. It is better to capture your ideas on bullet points, study them, and then practice until you feel comfortable talking about them impromptu.
Aside from exuding confidence, be enthusiastic when you deliver your pitch. It is easier for the company to believe in you if you believe in you!
The enthusiasm which is borne of a passion for the work is a powerful sell to any employer. Without minimizing the importance of experience and qualifications, know that an infectious attitude can give you an edge in securing that sought after and coveted CA online speech therapy job.