At any time when 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 proper alternative to elucidate why I’m the most effective individual for the function.
And I wish to get particular. I’ve discovered that interviewers reply positively after 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 finally make or break your interview, so it’s essential to actually nail it. I’ll stroll you thru how you can reply this query the best approach.
Desk of Contents
Refined Methods Interviewers Ask ‘What makes you distinctive?’
There are numerous ways in which interviewers attempt to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.
Listed below are a few of the widespread questions which might be really ‘What makes you distinctive?’ in disguise:
- What makes you stand out from different candidates?
- What units you aside from different candidates?
- What are you able to carry to this function that’s totally different from different candidates?
- What makes you a helpful candidate for this function?
- Why are you the most effective 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 purpose stays the identical.
Why do interviewers ask ‘What units you aside from different candidates?’
The interviewer is asking you this query to provide you a chance to showcase your worth.
They wish to see that you just’ve achieved thorough analysis concerning 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 may very well be doing a greater job on TikTok.
I can use this as a chance to:
- Present that I’ve achieved my homework — I’m already conversant in the corporate’s social media presence and the platforms the place they’re presently lively (i.e., TikTok).
- Spotlight related abilities — I’ve a number of years of expertise managing and rising TikTok accounts, so I’ll make sure to point out that.
- Present a light-weight advice — I’ll share how my abilities and expertise permits me to determine and implement that advice.
Give it some thought like this: For those who can present the interviewer you could assist the corporate meet their targets (and that you understand what their targets are within the first place), that’s one nice method to set your self aside from 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 the explanation why that is such a well-liked interview query — so come prepared, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about your self just a little.
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.’
- Embrace 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 among the finest methods to point out the interviewer that you just’ve achieved your analysis. Additionally, the job description is mainly like your cheat sheet. Use it as a information so you understand precisely which abilities to spotlight all through the interview.
My advice: Refer again to the job description however don’t recite it phrase for phrase. Use it in context to elucidate 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 advice: Concentrate on examples that tie again to the abilities required for the place, and all the time quantify success the place potential.
Utilizing our social media instance, saying ‘I ran a social media marketing campaign which resulted in a 120% enhance in site visitors to our web site’ is much more impactful than ‘I’ve expertise operating social media campaigns.’
3. Keep away from generic phrases like “I am a tough employee.”
Keep 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 ‘arduous employee,’ give particular examples concerning the arduous work you’ve achieved associated to the function.
My advice: Attempt to keep away from the widespread buzzwords and as an alternative exchange these with actual descriptions of your previous work.
For instance, you and each different candidate for a social media place most likely think about yourselves to be “social media savvy.”
As an alternative, make the case to show that you’re really savvier than the competitors based mostly in your distinctive background.
4. Embrace key persona traits that may mean you can ship outcomes.
Another person might need comparable abilities as you, however your persona is one among a form.
Being ‘social media savvy’ is one factor. However in case you’re social media savvy and a tenacious one who is ready to suppose rapidly in your ft, that’s an asset.
Spotlight the traits which have confirmed worth in serving to you develop as knowledgeable.
My advice: You wish to know one among my favourite methods to persuade interviewers that I can ship the outcomes they’re in search of? 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 carefully relates again to Tip #3.
Don’t simply speak about generic abilities that the majority candidates have — all the time tie your abilities again to particular initiatives you’ve labored on.
Your background is what makes you distinctive. There’s nobody individual that has the precise expertise, abilities, and traits that you just do. Use that to your benefit.
My advice: Chances are you’ll not know the corporate’s inner targets, however it’s best to all the time 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.”
Think about mentioning a persona trait you are feeling could be match for the enterprise. After studying the job description, make a listing of attributes that might 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 by which you’ve got little prior expertise.
For example, in case you’re making use of for a place as a crew chief, it is important that you just exhibit sturdy communication abilities and a capability to attach with a various group of individuals.
For those who inform the interviewer, “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it is simple for me to narrate to different individuals”, you are capable of match your persona to parts of a profitable chief.
Why this works: Efficient communication is a essential trait to emphasise in interviews. For those who think about how 86% of staff cite lack of collaboration as a foremost part of office failures, you possibly can start to understand why.
2. “I actually get pleasure from studying new issues and am always in search of 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.”
If 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 chance to elucidate how your background uniquely qualifies you.
It is important, nonetheless, that you just present particular examples of how your prior expertise has supplied you with sure transferable abilities.
For example, you would possibly say the next:
“My prior expertise in customer support supplied me with an in depth data base for the way our product works. As a marketer, I will use this information to make sure we’re assembly our clients’ wants.”
It is also essential to spotlight: Earlier job expertise has declined in significance on the subject of recruiters evaluating candidates. Actually, 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 possibly can clarify how your abilities will enable you succeed.
Why this works: With a solution like this one, you are capable of alleviate issues the interviewer might need together with your lack of expertise within the subject.
4. “Working at a startup gave me a chance to grasp the ins-and-outs of the business, and to tackle duties I won’t have at a bigger firm. I believe this expertise provides me a slight edge over different candidates.”
Just like the reply above, this reply is an efficient one in case you’re making an attempt to modify industries.
Think about how your background has allowed you to realize distinctive abilities that others, who adopted a extra linear profession trajectory, won’t have.
For example, in case you beforehand labored at a small startup and now you wish to switch to a big company, it is essential you point out how these abilities will make you profitable on this new function.
Why this works: For those who suppose your prior expertise might deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally certified, that is an optimum probability to show them unsuitable.
5. “I am not afraid of failure. Actually, I believe it’s a necessary a part of the experimental course of that will get you to success. For instance … “
This reply exhibits your interviewer that you just’re not afraid to take dangers.
In fact, you may solely wish to say this if in case you have a optimistic instance to bolster the significance of failure within the office.
You do not wish to sound such as you make errors on a regular basis, however you may stand out in case you point out the way you turned a failure into successful.
For example, you would possibly say, “I am not afraid of failure. In my final function, we tried to streamline our web optimization course of and, alongside the best way, discovered we might by chance decreased site visitors to our website.
Nevertheless, this preliminary failure allowed me to see the errors in our earlier process. My crew and I got here up with a extra profitable technique to keep away from these errors sooner or later, and ended up growing site 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 instantly, 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. For example, I am educated in web optimization and perceive how you can use analytics to make sure a advertising and marketing marketing campaign is profitable, however I additionally majored in design and know how you can apply creativity to a undertaking as effectively.”
For those who’re caught on deciding how you can exhibit your distinctive {qualifications}, begin by enthusiastic about how different individuals strategy issues at your organization, and the way you differ.
For example, most individuals are both logical and use analytics to unravel 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. For those who’re capable of exhibit that you just’re snug combining two distinctive abilities, it is a formidable capability it’s best to spotlight.
7. “I am exceptionally organized, and at my final firm, I used to be capable of apply this talent to enhance our course of and enhance ROI by 33%.”
Keep 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 is important you tie your reply again to how you’ll resolve issues for the corporate.
48% of recruiters say bettering high quality of rent is a prime precedence — so you may wish to guarantee your reply highlights how you’ll excel within the function for the lengthy haul.
Think about a persona trait or talent set that helped your final firm obtain outcomes. If the outcomes are quantitative, be sure to have the particular numbers to assist your declare.
Nevertheless, it is also acceptable to share qualitative outcomes, similar to, “my organizational abilities led my supervisor to trusting me with a serious undertaking throughout the first two months in my function.”
Why this works: Finally, offering examples exhibits the interviewer you are results-driven, and are not simply saying generic phrases to reply their query.
For much more inspiration on how you can reply this query successfully, try the video beneath.
Put together Past ‘What Makes You Distinctive?’
The age-old “What makes you stand out from different candidates” query is one among many widespread questions that interviewers love, so it’s essential to prep accordingly.
HubSpot’s complete interview information that can assist you deal with over 50 totally different interview questions like a professional, together with questions associated to:
- Who you might be and what abilities you carry 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 targets and desired profession trajectory
Obtain it at no cost 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 best choice within the candidate pool.
