Why should we hire you?

The Grand Daddy of all interview questions!  The next few words that come out of your mouth are going to determine whether or not you are negotiating salary or sending out more resumes.

Let’s assume for a moment that up to this point in the interview you have been knocking every question they throw you out of the park. You have been precise, succinct, articulate and compelling. If you blow this question then nothing else may matter. Don’t forget that you are not the only one interviewing. The competition is fierce. Assume that they have already interviewed 10 other people with similar education and experience, and they were precise, succinct, articulate and compelling as well. It all comes down to: “Why should we hire you?”

At this point, most people begin to relist their attributes that they just spent the last 30 to 60 minutes talking about like: I’m an ethical, hard-working, team oriented, do-what-it takes, individual with an entrepreneurial spirit….blah…blah…blah. They’ve heard it. They asked you, “Why should we hire you?” They didn’t ask you to summarize everything all over again. Most people remember you by what you say or do last. This is your chance to culminate everything that is great about you into one final closing statement. It would be similar to the closing arguments in a court case. All the facts have been presented. The evidence has been thoroughly examined. Now the attorney stands and delivers his final remarks to the judge and jury, whose verdict will determine the fate of their client. This is your closing argument and the content and strength of your delivery will determine whether or not they hire you or someone else.

Personally, I live for this moment. I consider myself a closer. Not everyone is. I have used multiple closing statements in interviews, the most memorable being my Michael Jordan story, to close the deal. As I have progressed in my career and interviewed for higher level positions the expectation for this moment has increased. The Michael Jordan story was extremely effective coming from a 21 year old recent college graduate, but it may seem a little elementary coming from a seasoned professional. I have developed what has proven to be one the strongest closes that I have ever heard. This may seem biased, but the fact is I have received a job offer every time that I have used it. If it works for me it may work for you, at least in some variation. You may need to adjust it a little to fit your situation.

To find out more about the Michael Jordan close and how I answer the question: “Why Should We Hire You?” check out my book with the same title at the store page of my website: Click Here