Each time I get requested ‘What makes you distinctive?’ or ‘What makes you stand out from different candidates?’ in an interview, I take advantage of it as the right alternative to clarify why I’m one of the best individual for the function.
And I wish to get particular. I’ve discovered that interviewers reply positively once I skip the generics and tie my reply again to what I’ve to supply based mostly on my particular person background.
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Your reply might in the end make or break your interview, so it’s necessary to essentially nail it. I’ll stroll you thru reply this query the suitable approach.
Desk of Contents
Delicate Methods Interviewers Ask ‘What makes you distinctive?’
There are various ways in which interviewers attempt to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.
Listed here are a few of the widespread questions which might be truly ‘What makes you distinctive?’ in disguise:
- What makes you stand out from different candidates?
- What units you other than different candidates?
- What are you able to deliver to this function that’s totally different from different candidates?
- What makes you a priceless candidate for this function?
- Why are you one of the best candidate for this function?
- Why ought to I select you over different candidates?
Irrespective of how this query manifests itself throughout your interview, the overarching aim stays the identical.
Why do interviewers ask ‘What units you other than different candidates?’
The interviewer is asking you this query to offer you a chance to showcase your worth.
They wish to see that you just’ve performed thorough analysis in regards to the firm and the place. And so they need you to attach your abilities and expertise again to the function you’re interviewing for.
For instance, let’s say I’m making an attempt to land a social media function, and I discover that the corporate could possibly be doing a greater job on TikTok.
I can use this as a possibility to:
- Present that I’ve performed my homework — I’m already accustomed to the corporate’s social media presence and the platforms the place they’re at the moment lively (i.e., TikTok).
- Spotlight related abilities — I’ve a number of years of expertise managing and rising TikTok accounts, so I’ll you’ll want to point out that.
- Present a light-weight suggestion — I’ll share how my abilities and expertise permits me to establish and implement that suggestion.
Give it some thought like this: When you can present the interviewer you could assist the corporate meet their objectives (and that you already know what their objectives are within the first place), that’s one nice strategy to set your self other than the remaining.
Plus, it turns into clear to the interviewer that you just’ve taken the time to arrange in case you can present particular examples associated to the function.
These are all explanation why that is such a preferred interview query — so come prepared, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about your self a bit of.
Tips on how to Reply ‘What makes you distinctive?’
- Point out abilities listed within the job description.
- Present particular examples out of your background.
- Keep away from generic phrases like ‘I am a tough employee.’
- Embody key persona traits that may mean you can ship outcomes.
- Inform the interviewer how your distinctive abilities will assist the corporate succeed.
1. Point out abilities listed within the job description.
This is without doubt one of the greatest methods to indicate the interviewer that you just’ve performed your analysis. Additionally, the job description is principally like your cheat sheet. Use it as a information so you already know precisely which abilities to focus on all through the interview.
My suggestion: Refer again to the job description however don’t recite it phrase for phrase. Use it in context to clarify how your skillset aligns with the expectations for the function.
2. Present particular examples out of your background.
That is one other sensible approach you should use the job description to your benefit. Reference prior accomplishments or outcomes from previous roles that relate to the place you’re interviewing for.
My suggestion: Give attention to examples that tie again to the talents required for the place, and at all times quantify success the place potential.
Utilizing our social media instance, saying ‘I ran a social media marketing campaign which resulted in a 120% improve in visitors to our web site’ is much more impactful than ‘I’ve expertise working social media campaigns.’
3. Keep away from generic phrases like “I am a tough employee.”
Bear in mind, this can be a very normal interview query, so meaning each candidate is probably going being requested this query.
Make your reply compelling. As an alternative of claiming you are a ‘exhausting employee,’ give particular examples in regards to the exhausting work you’ve achieved associated to the function.
My suggestion: Attempt to keep away from the widespread buzzwords and as a substitute substitute these with actual descriptions of your previous work.
For instance, you and each different candidate for a social media place most likely contemplate yourselves to be “social media savvy.”
As an alternative, make the case to show that you’re truly savvier than the competitors based mostly in your distinctive background.
4. Embody key persona traits that may mean you can ship outcomes.
Another person might need comparable abilities as you, however your persona is considered one of a sort.
Being ‘social media savvy’ is one factor. However in case you’re social media savvy and a tenacious one that is ready to assume rapidly in your toes, that’s an asset.
Spotlight the traits which have confirmed worth in serving to you develop as knowledgeable.
My suggestion: You wish to know considered one of my favourite methods to persuade interviewers that I can ship the outcomes they’re on the lookout for? Inform them how I’ve discovered comparable success previously and the way my individuality supported that.
5. Inform the interviewer how your distinctive abilities will assist the corporate succeed.
This intently relates again to Tip #3.
Don’t simply speak about generic abilities that the majority candidates have — at all times tie your abilities again to particular initiatives you’ve labored on.
Your background is what makes you distinctive. There’s nobody person who has the precise expertise, abilities, and traits that you just do. Use that to your benefit.
My suggestion: You might not know the corporate’s inner objectives, however it is best to at all times attempt to join your abilities again to their mission and values when potential.
7 Pattern Solutions to “What Makes You Distinctive?” and Why They Work
1. “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it is simple for me to narrate to different individuals.”
Contemplate mentioning a persona trait you’re feeling can be a very good match for the enterprise. After studying the job description, make an inventory of attributes that would make you an distinctive candidate.
Moreover, together with a persona trait in your reply lets you show how you are a good match for a task wherein you might have little prior expertise.
As an example, in case you’re making use of for a place as a staff chief, it’s vital that you just reveal robust communication abilities and a capability to attach with a various group of individuals.
When you inform the interviewer, “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it is simple for me to narrate to different individuals”, you are in a position to match your persona to parts of a profitable chief.
Why this works: Efficient communication is a important trait to emphasise in interviews. When you contemplate how 86% of workers cite lack of collaboration as a foremost element of office failures, you’ll be able to start to understand why.
2. “I actually take pleasure in studying new issues and am always looking for out new studying alternatives.”
By mentioning your ardour for studying new issues, you are demonstrating you are growth-focused and unafraid of challenges.
Moreover, answering the query on this approach lets you remind the interviewer why you are uniquely certified for the function.
Why this works: Whereas different candidates might need extra prior expertise within the business, you are proving your need to exceed expectations of the job rapidly.
3. “My prior expertise in customer support has supplied me with distinctive technical abilities that I can apply to this function.”
In case you have prior expertise in a task vastly totally different from the one for which you are making use of, you would possibly use this as a possibility to clarify how your background uniquely qualifies you.
It is vital, nevertheless, that you just present particular examples of how your prior expertise has supplied you with sure transferable abilities.
As an example, you would possibly say the next:
“My prior expertise in customer support supplied me with an intensive information base for the way our product works. As a marketer, I will use this information to make sure we’re assembly our prospects’ wants.”
It is also necessary to focus on: Earlier job expertise has declined in significance in the case of recruiters evaluating candidates. In truth, over the previous few years, that quantity has dropped from 92% to 62%.
So it is okay in case you really feel your prior work expertise would not completely align with the function for which you are making use of — so long as you’ll be able to clarify how your abilities will provide help to succeed.
Why this works: With a solution like this one, you are in a position to alleviate considerations the interviewer might need together with your lack of expertise within the discipline.
4. “Working at a startup gave me a possibility to know the ins-and-outs of the business, and to tackle duties I won’t have at a bigger firm. I feel this expertise offers me a slight edge over different candidates.”
Just like the reply above, this reply is an effective one in case you’re making an attempt to change industries.
Contemplate how your background has allowed you to achieve distinctive abilities that others, who adopted a extra linear profession trajectory, won’t have.
As an example, in case you beforehand labored at a small startup and now you wish to switch to a big company, it is necessary you point out how these abilities will make you profitable on this new function.
Why this works: When you assume your prior expertise might deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally certified, that is an optimum likelihood to show them mistaken.
5. “I am not afraid of failure. In truth, I feel it’s a necessary a part of the experimental course of that will get you to success. For instance … “
This reply reveals your interviewer that you just’re not afraid to take dangers.
After all, you will solely wish to say this if in case you have a constructive instance to strengthen the significance of failure within the office.
You do not wish to sound such as you make errors on a regular basis, however you will stand out in case you point out the way you turned a failure into successful.
As an example, you would possibly say, “I am not afraid of failure. In my final function, we tried to streamline our search engine optimisation course of and, alongside the best way, discovered we might by accident decreased visitors to our website.
Nevertheless, this preliminary failure allowed me to see the errors in our earlier process. My staff and I got here up with a extra profitable technique to keep away from these errors sooner or later, and ended up rising visitors by 20%.”
Why this works: With this reply, you are displaying you are able to remaining versatile and open-minded when one thing would not work immediately, and you understand how to take failures and use them as studying alternatives.
6. “When fixing issues, I apply each logic and emotional points in equal proportion. As an example, I am skilled in search engine optimisation and perceive use analytics to make sure a advertising and marketing marketing campaign is profitable, however I additionally majored in design and know apply creativity to a mission as nicely.”
When you’re caught on deciding reveal your distinctive {qualifications}, begin by eager about how different individuals method issues at your organization, and the way you differ.
As an example, most individuals are both logical and use analytics to resolve issues, or emotional and use creativity. It is uncommon to seek out somebody who’s each.
Why this works: Most individuals deal with highlighting one talent per query in an interview. When you’re in a position to reveal that you just’re comfy combining two distinctive abilities, it is a formidable skill it is best to spotlight.
7. “I am exceptionally organized, and at my final firm, I used to be in a position to apply this talent to enhance our course of and improve ROI by 33%.”
Bear in mind, when your interviewer asks “what makes you distinctive”, they’re actually questioning “how will you assist our firm?”
On the finish of the day, it’s vital you tie your reply again to how you’ll clear up issues for the corporate.
48% of recruiters say enhancing high quality of rent is a high precedence — so you will wish to guarantee your reply highlights how you’ll excel within the function for the lengthy haul.
Contemplate a persona trait or talent set that helped your final firm obtain outcomes. If the outcomes are quantitative, ensure you have the precise numbers to assist your declare.
Nevertheless, it is also applicable to share qualitative outcomes, corresponding to, “my organizational abilities led my supervisor to trusting me with a significant mission throughout the first two months in my function.”
Why this works: In the end, offering examples reveals the interviewer you are results-driven, and are not simply saying generic phrases to reply their query.
For much more inspiration on reply this query successfully, take a look at the video beneath.
Put together Past ‘What Makes You Distinctive?’
The age-old “What makes you stand out from different candidates” query is considered one of many widespread questions that interviewers love, so it’s necessary to prep accordingly.
HubSpot’s complete interview information that can assist you sort out over 50 totally different interview questions like a professional, together with questions associated to:
- Who you might be and what abilities you deliver to the function
- The way you reply to challenges and battle
- The way you’ll match into or add to the corporate tradition
- Your skilled objectives and desired profession trajectory
Obtain it free of charge right here.
Stand Out within the Crowd
Primarily, ‘What makes you distinctive’ actually means, ‘What makes you an exceptionally good match for this function?’ Come ready, get particular, and use examples to show that you just’re the most suitable choice within the candidate pool.
