The ingredients for making the best impression and demonstrating why a company should hire you. 

So, you’ve applied for a great job opportunity. You’re excited and envision yourself in this role. It’s like the Mac to the Cheese or the PB to the J! Keep the enthusiasm; it may be what sets you apart from the competition and only one candidate will be selected. Besides, you already know that enthusiasm brings positive vibes to an interview.

Is it going to be you? Most certainly and if you’re in it to win it, you’ll want to make sure that you’re prepared to answer the question, "Why should we hire you?" At this later phase of the interview, responding to this question may be your last chance to make a winner-winner chicken-dinner impression. Now let’s set out the ingredients for making the best impression and demonstrating, Why you!

The Ingredients and Pairing

Do you remember the “Tell me about yourself” article? You will be using a similar response that includes your ingredients (skillsets, experience, applicable project examples, and a dash of enthusiasm). Like that of a PB&J or Mac-n-Cheese, you’ll want to convince the hiring manager how together, your ingredients and those of the position complement each other. Take this opportunity to sell yourself and sell what they are buying using the following:

1. Focus on the needs of the position. Aside from what you read in the job description, use what you’ve learned during the interview to become a superhero. What do I mean by superhero? For instance, did the hiring manager mention any pain points that your skillsets can resolve? What do you have to offer that makes you desirable? Are there added job details and responsibilities that require the skill sets you have? You won’t know unless you ask. Don’t fret from inquiring about the position, team you’ll be working with, pertinent tools used, environment you’ll be working in, etc. What you learn is going to help you in the next two steps, where you explain how you staged your ladder (skillsets/experience) and saved the cat stuck in the tree (resolved issue). There’s that superhero!

2. Highlight your qualifications and why you. You proactively engaged in discussion: asked pertinent questions, understand what the hiring manager envisions for this position, what the firm is trying to achieve, and you even caught onto some of their pain points. Turn it into your selling point by matching it up with what you have to offer. Communicate how your qualifications and/or experience help with achieving their goals.

How it helps address any pain points. Think value add, timeliness, quality, delivery, and if applicable, cost savings. What skillsets relate and how much or what in your experience contributes to the position?

3. The proof is in the pudding! Clearly, taking it out for a test run isn’t feasible here, nor is it like Costco where you can sample before you throw it in the shopping cart. However, you can provide relevant project examples and accomplishments. Demonstrate the positive impact and apply it to the position. Show your value add. Do you have any good project examples? Like good manners show at the table, so do project examples at an interview.

4. Are you missing part of an ingredient? So, you didn’t have enough salt, the job description listed senior level experience with a tool, and you’re considered junior. Don’t frown and don’t rule yourself out because there’s a skills shortage trend in the workforce. The why: Currently the unemployment rate is at a near-historic low amongst other factors (excess of retirees combined with natural economic growth equals market with a huge demand and needed workforce to support it). The solution: Service and solutions firms, such as Apex Systems, sanctioned to upskill/reskill talent. That’s right, the current and incoming workforce will more than likely have to go through training, development, reskilling, or upskilling in order to meet today’s job market and workforce demand. I thought that would draw you back in. You can learn more about training and professional development by reaching out to your Apex point of contact. You can also start by visiting and registering for free access to upcoming and previously recorded webinars and workshops. Are you a veteran, transitioning service member, or military spouse? If so, click here to access more information about available programs and resources. 

There you have it, you’re on your way to standing out as a suitable match, the Why you that increases your chances of getting a job offer. You’ve presented your superhero, a great listener, asks questions pertinent to the position, is proactive and willing to take on new challenges, has a means for addressing missing ingredients and has shown their match, enthusiasm, and interest for the position. Now, instead of a dropping the mic, I’m sounding the cowbell, because I think you’re ready to make a winner-winner chicken-dinner, impression!