October 29, 2025 • 23 mins
Hiring is slowing down — but opportunities still exist for candidates who know how to stand out. In this episode, Josh breaks down the one question that can win (or lose) your next job offer: “Why should I hire you?”
In the Interview Intel segment, Josh explores what recent hiring trends mean for job seekers and why companies are being more selective than ever. In The Playbook segment, he shares a simple 4-step framework to confidently answer “Why should I hire you?” so you can prove your value, build trust, and make yourself the obvious choice.
You’ll walk away knowing exactly how to position yourself — even when the market is tight.
Don’t spend any more time searching through articles, lists, or websites.
Check out Equipped Essentials for your all-in-one, 35-page digital book that offers examples, tips, memory hooks, and easy to follow advice.
Don’t spend any more time searching through articles, lists, or websites.
Check out Equipped Essentials for your all-in-one, 35-page digital book that offers examples, tips, memory hooks, and easy to follow advice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker (00:13):
Welcome to the Equipped Interview Podcast, where we
turn confusion into confidence.
I'm your host, Josh.
The best candidates don't justprepare, they prepare the right
way.
I'm all about helping you doexactly that.
Let's get you equipped.
Hey everyone.
Well, it's been a little whilesince our last episode, but I'm
really excited to be back.
(00:34):
Over the last few months, I'vebeen refining what equipped
interview is all about.
Practical, simple ways to helpyou build confidence and stand
out in your next job interview.
And starting today, you'llnotice a few small updates to
the show, such as breakingthings down into a couple
specific segments each episode,things like that.
But the goal is still the same,to make you more confident and
(00:54):
better prepared than ever.
Today's episode is built aroundtwo segments.
First, in interview intel,we'll look at how companies are
slowing down hiring even thoughjob postings are up.
And then in the playbook, I'llbreak down exactly how to answer
the question, why should wehire you?
And how to do that withconfidence and clarity.
So let's kick things off withthat segment I call Interview
(01:15):
Intel, where we talk aboutwhat's happening right now in
hiring and job interviews.
So think about this.
Have you noticed the interviewprocess taking longer lately?
Well, if you are, you're notimagining it.
Apparently a recent job searchtrends report found that the
average time between your finalinterview and your first offer
has jumped 22% this year.
That means the waiting game,those anxious, fun-filled days,
(01:36):
refreshing your inbox, waitingfor the phone to ress now
stretching into weeks.
So why is this?
Companies are slowing down.
I mean budgets are tighter,hiring teams are smaller, and
every offer goes through morelayers of approval.
But here's what I want you tohear through all that.
This slowdown doesn't meanyou're doing something wrong, at
least not specifically.
It means the rules of the gameare potentially shifting, and
(01:58):
those who know how to stand outduring the quiet in-between
time, they're the ones who win.
And that's what I want you tobe.
So think about it.
Most candidates maybe just waitand they vanish after the
interview.
They send one thank you email,possibly, and then disappear.
But most top candidates,they'll try to stay visible.
They follow up thoughtfully,reinforce their fit, they
(02:20):
continue to show the hiringmanager that choosing them isn't
a risk, it's a relief.
So if you're stuck in thewaiting game right now, don't
sit still.
Use the window to re-engage,clarify your value, and remind
them why you're the obviouschoice.
In other words, be intentional,something we talk about a lot
at equipment interview.
But, so that's all after,right?
(02:41):
That's all after the interviewis is done.
But better yet, prepare theright way to stand out even
before you get into this waitinggame next time.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about exactly how to do
that part.
How to be proactive in yourprep, proactive in your
interview, and how to keep yourconfidence steady throughout.
And now a quick pause.
(03:01):
Remember, confidence isn'tluck, it's preparation.
If you want a shortcut toprepare smarter, grab my
Equipped Essentials ebook atequippedinterview.com forward
slash books.
Alright, let's jump back in.
Alright, now it's time for ourplaybook segment, where we will
dive deep into how to answer thequestion, why should I hire
you?
And how to do it withconfidence, like we talked about
(03:22):
before, and why prepping for itis good for every other answer
you give during the interview.
So let's get into it.
When hiring slows down,competition intensifies, right?
It's just math.
Fewer openings mean everyinterview counts even more than
before.
In a tight job market, you needto articulate your value more
clearly than ever.
And it's important even in agreat job market.
(03:44):
And even when hiring might beslowing, that just means
managers are being moreselective.
Here's how to convince themthat you are the one worth
choosing.
Let's shift gears a little bit.
When you do get an interview,you can't afford to show up
average.
You can't sound like everyoneelse, right?
You need to make it crystalclear why you're the best person
for that job.
(04:04):
And I always teach you to dothis in a way that makes you
stand out from everyone else.
And that brings us to the mostimportant and largely most
understood interview questionout there.
Why should I hire you?
Now, if you're lucky, and ifyou've been listening to me for
a long time, you've heard me saythis before, if you're lucky,
the interviewer might ask thisquestion outright.
Because I think it's a greatopportunity.
It's a golden opportunity foryou to sell yourself, be 100%
(04:27):
explicitly clear as to whyyou're the right person for the
job, and you get the chance totell them.
That may not always happen.
But if it does, I want you tobe expertly prepared for it and
intentionally prepared for it.
But even if they don't ask it,they're thinking it.
Trust me.
They're thinking about it insome way, shape, or form in the
back of their head, the front oftheir head, out loud or
silently, they're thinking aboutwhy should I hire this person
(04:48):
in front of me, virtually orsitting across the table?
Every hiring manager, everyrecruiter, every business owner
sitting across from you issilently asking, why them?
Or why you?
Why not the other 50 people whoapplied?
Why not the person with maybemore experience than you, or a
degree from a different, better,bigger school than you?
(05:09):
And your answer, or yourinability to answer, will tell
them everything.
This question gets right to thepoint.
It's your chance to close thedeal, and maybe that's how you
should think of it.
Think of it like the finalround of a sales pitch.
Except the product you'reselling, obviously, is you, your
capabilities, your value thatyou bring to the team.
So before we get into thisframework, I want to walk
(05:29):
through, before we get into someof that strategy, here's a
mindset I want you to hold on toand think about.
This isn't about arrogance,it's not about bragging, it's
about clarity and confidence.
Because if you can't clearlyexplain why, to someone else why
they should hire you, you can'texpect them to figure it out
all on their own on your behalf.
(05:50):
And that's why so manycandidates go wrong.
They they prepare for questionsand answers, but not for the
question behind the question.
Really think about why are theyasking me this question?
What problem is this persontrying to solve by asking me
this question?
What are they trying to dohere?
So today I want to walk youthrough a four-step framework to
nail this every single time.
And it's simple, it'srepeatable, and it works across
(06:13):
all industries, but it'ssomething that it's really
important for you to think aboutand do and practice, yes, if
you get the question.
However, I want you to keepthis second part in mind too, as
you as we walk through thisframework.
And that second part is even ifyou're not asked the question
directly, why should I hire you?
Going through this exercise andgetting clarity in your own
(06:34):
mind around what it is that youbring to the table and all the
things I'm going to talk aboutin a moment, if you get clarity
in your own mind around whatthose answers are, that's going
to help you answer all the otherquestions that you get asked
during the interview.
It's going to help with all ofyour other prep.
It's going to help you come upwith the narrative that's
important as to why are you theright person for this job, helps
you think through your ownstrengths, your own background,
(06:54):
what's unique about you, thingslike that.
Every single other answer youmay get asked, or every other
answer that you're going toprepare for, the story that you
plan to tell, all of it comesfrom this type of framework
around why you want the job, whyyou're a good fit for the job.
So if nothing else, walk awayfrom this episode today with the
(07:16):
realization that even if youdon't get asked the question,
why should I hire you?
Prepping for it, and preppingfor it the right way is the way
to prepare for almost everyother answer.
Alright, so let's dive intothis framework here.
Step one, focus on your skills.
So start here, always, alwaysstart here.
Ask yourself, what specificskills does this job require?
(07:38):
And which ones do I bring tothe table?
I mean, it's all it's obvious,right?
But don't just repeat what's inthe job description.
Dig into what they're reallyhiring for.
Like what specific behavior,skill, it could even be a
specific experience.
What is it they're reallyhiring for?
And there could be a lot ofthem, right?
There could be laundry list.
You've you've read jobdescriptions, sometimes they're
(08:00):
short, sometimes super long.
You need to extract, what doyou think are the most important
ones of this of this job thatthat you can really highlight if
it if you're given 10 seconds,30 seconds to highlight your
skills.
So if it's a let's sayleadership role, they they
probably want someone who caninfluence, communicate, execute
on results, develop others,things like that.
Extract those out.
(08:20):
Make sure that you're veryclear on, hey, if you're going
for a leadership role and you'reasked, why should I hire you?
Start with what you bring tothe table of those key skills.
If it's a, I don't know, acouple of different examples,
um, an analyst role, they needsomeone who can translate data
into insights, make decisions,influence others, similar to
leadership.
If it's if it's a customerfacing, client facing role
(08:41):
they're looking for for empathy,relationship management,
composure under pressure, youname it, you're hopefully know
some of the skills, the topskills that that hiring manager
is likely looking for.
And once you know those, great.
Just connect them directly toexamples from your experience if
you want to call it out.
But you also don't have to callout example after example after
example in a question likethis.
(09:02):
But as you're prepping for theinterview, you're thinking
through, okay, if I'm asked,what are why should I hire you?
Start with skills.
Think about what are those toptwo, three skills that you bring
to the table that are justnon-negotiables.
And you have to start with thatif you get this question.
But it also, like I keepsaying, and I keep drilling this
in, will help you prepare forother questions like, hey, what
are your strengths?
Give me an example of a timewhen behavioral type questions
(09:26):
start with skills.
It could even be something likethis.
All right, why should you hireme?
Well, you're looking forsomeone who can bring structure
to ambiguity.
That's been my specialty.
In my last role, I led aproject where we had no roadmap
and tight deadlines, but by weekfour, we had a working process
and measurable results because Icommunicated strongly and I
(09:47):
influenced the people around meto move forward at the right
pace.
That's how you bridge whatyou've done to what they need.
So that's a starting point,right?
That's just one.
Step one, focus on your skills.
We're not done.
We have four.
Four steps that we have tothink through in a very
condensed time frame if you doneed to answer this question
directly.
So step two, focus on your ownpassion and excitement.
(10:09):
Hiring managers want someonewho can do the job, obviously,
but they also want someone whoactually wants the job.
This part is where you showyour genuine enthusiasm.
I mean, let's be real, energysells.
If you're calm, confident, yetgenuinely excited, it's
contagious.
They'll picture you bringingthat energy into the team.
You could say something like,What really excites me about
(10:31):
this opportunity is how closelyit aligns with the kind of work
I love doing, coaching people,solving complex problems, seeing
progress every day.
And here's the trick (10:39):
your tone matters just as much as your
words, right?
I mean, you could say thosethings, but you could say them
with a lot of apathy.
It could come across reallystrongly that you just have
super low energy, you're notreally interested in being
there, and and that's the thing,you don't need to fake
enthusiasm.
You do need to show it.
Hiring managers can tell thedifference between someone
(11:01):
reading off a script that theymight have in front of them
during the virtual interview andsomeone who truly wants to be
there.
Absolutely comes across.
I interview um a ton ofcandidates that just have really
low energy when they come intothe interview.
It can hit you like a ton ofbricks.
It can come across as thecandidates just not really
caring to be there.
I mean, even if it's not true,right?
(11:22):
Like so if you have the reallylow energy and you know that
about yourself, you you gottapractice and change and get
input along the way.
If you're doing a mockinterview or just getting a
trusted friend, somebody to giveyou input as they they observe
you in action.
Because even if it's not truethat you have no desire to join
the team, it can come acrossthat way.
If if you're very laid back,too reserved in an interview,
(11:43):
you'd I need to see excitementif I'm interviewing someone.
Because again, the theperception comes across as
you're you're just not reallyinterested in the job.
That instead you're moreinterested in simply leaving
whatever job you have now, moreso than what you're looking
forward to in the job you'reinterviewing for.
So if you actually are excitedabout this role, great.
You need to make it show onyour face.
(12:04):
Tell your face, make it showup.
Um it needs to show up in yourvoice, in your body language,
everywhere.
Energy is key and it has to betrue.
Like I said before, you can'tfake it, but you need to show
and actually say out loud yourexcitement, your passion, bring
up the energy.
And in a question like, whyshould I hire you?
You start with your skills,great, but then you're gonna
tell them you're so excited touse those skills, right?
(12:26):
So that's how this all gets puttogether.
All right, step three.
You need to focus on what'sunique.
This is where you stand out.
I mean, ask yourself, what do Ibring that most people don't?
Maybe for you it's um it's ablend of experience.
Maybe it's your yourbackground, your maybe even your
personality for the type ofrole that you're going for.
I don't know, but the sideprojects you've done, something
(12:47):
that something that gives you anedge.
Maybe it's a specializedcredential or certification in
your industry.
Maybe it's a title you've heldthat very few candidates would
likely to have had also.
I don't know.
But yeah, for example, it couldbe something like this.
I spent time on both the clientand the internal side of the
business.
That gives me a 360-degree viewof how decisions are made and
(13:10):
how they impact real people.
That's helped me build betterprocesses and stronger teams by
having that unique perspective,and I'm excited to bring that to
you and your team.
Okay, hey, maybe that'ssomething unique.
Something unique that yourcompetition may not be bringing.
In the type of role that you'recoming from, coming into,
you've had two differentperspectives, right?
Internal, external, differentsides of the business.
(13:31):
Great, that's one example.
I'm sure there's plenty ofthings you can think of, but you
gotta focus on the unique.
What is, what do I bring?
And spend time thinking aboutthis.
There's a difference therebetween just saying a skill you
have, but then also something aunique skill, experience, title,
background, something.
And that's the word I want youto take away from this.
Step three is unique.
Focus on the unique.
(13:52):
And you're not just listingcredentials, you're you're not
you're not just listing things,you're connecting them into a
story, and it's your story,something unique about you, and
stories stick.
They'll remember you, right?
You want your story to stickwith that hiring manager.
So step four, and the finalstep, make their decision easy.
So it's an interesting finalpiece here.
This one separates goodcandidates from great ones, and
(14:14):
it's the it's really a gamechanger.
Remember, the hiring managerhas risk too.
They have risk too, not justyou.
You your risk is obviously,hey, I'm not gonna get the
offer.
Their risk is they hire someonethat wasn't the right fit.
They don't they don't know.
That's why they're asking allthese questions to try to
uncover who's going to be theright person for this job and
are they gonna do a good job forme?
Every new hire, it's a bet,hopefully a good one, but
(14:36):
they're wondering, if I choosethis person, am I making the
right call?
Will they perform in real lifelike they they are saying,
telling me in the interview?
Are they saying the things thatare true?
Will I be back here after threemonths trying to find someone
again?
So that's all the internalnarrative they're thinking
about, right?
And they may not be saying itor thinking it actively while
they're interviewing, but that'sthat's the reality.
(14:58):
There's risk there.
So your job in the interview isthis make their decision
easier.
Help them lower that risk intheir mind about you.
Tell them something that lowerstheir hesitation, something
that gives them the confidencethat you're less of a risk than
your competition.
Could sound like something likethis.
Um, yeah, I I know youmentioned training, new hires,
(15:19):
takes a few months.
Well, in my last role, Icreated a self-paced onboarding
tracker that cut that time inhalf.
I'd love to bring that approachhere.
And I think I could do it foryou if you hire me into this
role.
All right, so now you're notjust qualified, you're solving,
hopefully, hopefully solvingtheir problem before you even
have the job.
And you're acknowledging it, itshows self-awareness, it shows
(15:41):
general awareness around thesituation, and you put the
thought in your head, in in thehiring manager's head rather,
that you're a quick learner andyou can get up to speed quickly.
It's not going to save you ifyou give terrible answers the
rest of the interview, but itcouldn't give you that edge, and
that's my job is to help youstand out from how you would
otherwise and from everyoneelse.
And that's powerful.
So that's step four.
(16:01):
So a quick recap of those foursteps.
You get quest you get asked thequestion, why should I hire
you?
Well, you first you focus onyour skills.
Second, you focus on yourpassion and excitement.
It's gotta be real, but yougotta do it.
Third, focus on what's uniqueabout you.
How do you stand out in thatway?
And then fourth, make theirdecision easier, lower their
risk.
(16:21):
Think about ways that you canhelp them feel relief when
you've given them an answerthere.
So let's put it all together.
Here's what a couple differentversions of what this could
sound like.
Here's what a full why should Ihire you answer might sound
like when you weave all foursteps together.
This is just an example, andthen I'm gonna give a slightly
different version.
All right, well, that's a greatquestion.
(16:41):
Thanks for asking.
You you should hire me becauseI bring the mix of skills and
mindset you're looking for.
I've spent the last five yearsdeveloping people and driving
team performance, which means Ican hit the ground running.
What really excites me aboutthis role is how it aligns with
my passion for helping othersgrow.
I've been excited about thatsince day one, and on top of
that, I bring a really uniquebackground in both analytics and
(17:03):
leadership, and I know you needboth.
So I can connect data withpeople strategy, which I I know
is is not everyone's strongsuit, and I really enjoy doing
that.
And on top of all that, I'llmake your decision an easier
one.
I'm committed to learning fastand making an impact from day
one.
I have a track record ofcutting the training time in
half each role that I've goneinto in the past.
(17:24):
Alright, so that's that's ait's a more clear, it's a
structured, confident, andbelievable.
You gotta put it in your ownwords, but that's just a version
put together after the exampleswe just used a few minutes ago.
But it tells them who you are,what you bring, and how you'll
make their life easier.
Now, here's some bonus pointsfor you that you can make this
even stronger if you list it outfirst, and by list it out I
(17:47):
mean a numbers list.
So how do you do that?
What you do is you kick it offwith a numbered list.
And here's what it could soundlike.
Alright, so why should I hireyou?
Love it.
Thanks for asking.
I've actually put a lot ofthought into that question, and
there are four reasons youshould bring me on board.
First, I bring the mix ofskills and mindset you're
looking for.
Second, I'm just gonna pausethere.
(18:09):
You heard me say the for theversion four, but here I'm
numbering it.
And then you go on to numbereach of the remaining points.
So the answer's the same, butif you number them out ahead of
time by saying, hey, you know,there I've thought about this,
put thought into it.
There are four reasons I thinkyou should hire me.
Ready?
One, and then you go into it.
Two, go into it, three, go intoit, and then the fourth and
(18:30):
final reason is I'll let youmake your life easier, etc.
So what does that do?
Why why would you number itout?
Why did what difference doesthat make?
Uh given that all the theanswers are really just the
same.
What it does is it shows you'veput thought into the answer.
You already know why theyshould hire you, and you're not
just making it all up as you go,as you answer the question.
(18:51):
There's thought, intent,strategy, and it just comes
across as a much strongeranswer, I can tell you.
It's the same information.
But if I ask any almost anyquestion, and this is tangent
for a minute, if you get a anyquestion that you know is going
to be a little bit longer thanyour answer, do use the same
strategy.
And if you work with me andcoach with me, you know I've
told you to do this.
(19:11):
And that is think real quicklyabout how many rough number of
points you're going to make.
Is it two?
Is it three?
Is it five?
Great.
Think about that for a secondand say, okay, you know what?
That's a really great question.
And there are three main pointsthat I use in this situation.
Whether that's a leadershiprole again, where you get asked
the question something like,walk us through how do you
(19:33):
develop people?
You could give the answer,right, in this numbered format.
Say, you know what, Iabsolutely have learned over the
years the way that it worksbest for me and how I move
people from A to B when Idevelop people.
I've come up with a four-stepprocess of how I do that.
Let me go into those four stepsfor you.
That is a much stronger answerthan saying, okay, yeah, so you
(19:53):
know, when I develop people, Ido this and then, you know, XYZ,
and then I also do this.
It can come across as you'rejust thinking about what you do
along the way as you answer itrather than knowing ahead of
time.
And why is it important?
It's because it comes across asyou already have done this
repeatedly over and over again.
And it's not just you mightaccidentally have gotten it
(20:14):
right a couple times, but youknow what you do, you know what
works, and you can replicate itif I hire you.
Same thing on this why should Ihire you?
Why should I hire you answer?
And that's if you give out thebullet points, it clearly shows
that you've put thought andintentional uh time into the
answer.
So those are the bonus points.
Little tangent, sidebar, but animportant one.
All right, now our finalthoughts for today.
(20:36):
I know if hiring can feel slow,it can get discouraging, but
you don't have to feeldiscouraged.
Let it sharpen you, let itforce you to stand out so that
you don't have to wait as longas everyone else by following
these frameworks and thesestrategies that we talk about.
Because in a slow market,clarity is gonna win out.
And that's what I want you todo is demonstrate clarity.
(20:58):
Clarity turns into confidencefor you.
I don't know, all theseeverything starts with C today,
apparently.
So clarity, confidence, we'rewe're gonna get out of the
confusion state, I guess.
Because the person who canclearly communicate, well, there
are more C's.
Okay, clearly I just there's acoming to me.
Clearly communicate their valueis the person who gets hired.
And that's what I want you tobe.
So don't wait for the question.
Prepare for that answer now.
(21:19):
Like the qu the answer to whyshould I hire you?
You may not get it ever.
You may have answered it beforeonce out of every three
interviews, 10 interviews, Idon't know.
But if you do, great, you'reprepared.
But if you don't even get thequestion and you prepare for it,
all the other answers are goingto feel much more confident.
And here's the thing I want youto do is practice it out loud.
Time yourself, refine it untilit feels natural.
(21:40):
And that's a big key.
If you're saying some of thesewords for the first time out
loud in the interview, you'renot going to feel as confident.
So practice those out loud.
Because then when the momentcomes and the hiring manager
looks you in the eye and says,Hey, why should I hire you?
You can just think back to thisepisode, you know, smile, take
a breath, and then own it.
That's the difference betweenbeing prepared and being
equipped.
Hey, before you head out, ifthis episode gave you a few
(22:02):
ideas or a boost of confidence,share it with someone who's
getting ready for their nextinterview.
And I'm sure you have coworkersor people who ask you maybe if
you're the one who is better,better at interviews.
And if you want to go deeper,check out my ebook equipped
essentials atequippedinterview.com.
It's full of the samestrategies we talk about here,
but a lot more, plus a bonusprep sheet you can start using
right away.
Oh, and if you want to tell meyour story, your your best
(22:23):
interview moments, your worstinterview moment, I'd love to
feature it in a future episodeI'm working on.
So just email me at josh atequippedinterview.com.
Well, thanks for joining me onthe Equipped Interview Podcast.
If this episode helped you,drop a review, share it with a
friend, and hit follow so younever miss an episode.
Go into your next interviewwith confidence, because you're
not just prepared, you'reequipped.
Welcome to the Equipped Interview Podcast, where we
turn confusion into confidence.
I'm your host, Josh.
The best candidates don't justprepare, they prepare the right
way.
I'm all about helping you doexactly that.
Let's get you equipped.
Hey everyone.
Well, it's been a little whilesince our last episode, but I'm
really excited to be back.
(00:34):
Over the last few months, I'vebeen refining what equipped
interview is all about.
Practical, simple ways to helpyou build confidence and stand
out in your next job interview.
And starting today, you'llnotice a few small updates to
the show, such as breakingthings down into a couple
specific segments each episode,things like that.
But the goal is still the same,to make you more confident and
(00:54):
better prepared than ever.
Today's episode is built aroundtwo segments.
First, in interview intel,we'll look at how companies are
slowing down hiring even thoughjob postings are up.
And then in the playbook, I'llbreak down exactly how to answer
the question, why should wehire you?
And how to do that withconfidence and clarity.
So let's kick things off withthat segment I call Interview
(01:15):
Intel, where we talk aboutwhat's happening right now in
hiring and job interviews.
So think about this.
Have you noticed the interviewprocess taking longer lately?
Well, if you are, you're notimagining it.
Apparently a recent job searchtrends report found that the
average time between your finalinterview and your first offer
has jumped 22% this year.
That means the waiting game,those anxious, fun-filled days,
(01:36):
refreshing your inbox, waitingfor the phone to ress now
stretching into weeks.
So why is this?
Companies are slowing down.
I mean budgets are tighter,hiring teams are smaller, and
every offer goes through morelayers of approval.
But here's what I want you tohear through all that.
This slowdown doesn't meanyou're doing something wrong, at
least not specifically.
It means the rules of the gameare potentially shifting, and
(01:58):
those who know how to stand outduring the quiet in-between
time, they're the ones who win.
And that's what I want you tobe.
So think about it.
Most candidates maybe just waitand they vanish after the
interview.
They send one thank you email,possibly, and then disappear.
But most top candidates,they'll try to stay visible.
They follow up thoughtfully,reinforce their fit, they
(02:20):
continue to show the hiringmanager that choosing them isn't
a risk, it's a relief.
So if you're stuck in thewaiting game right now, don't
sit still.
Use the window to re-engage,clarify your value, and remind
them why you're the obviouschoice.
In other words, be intentional,something we talk about a lot
at equipment interview.
But, so that's all after,right?
(02:41):
That's all after the interviewis is done.
But better yet, prepare theright way to stand out even
before you get into this waitinggame next time.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about exactly how to do
that part.
How to be proactive in yourprep, proactive in your
interview, and how to keep yourconfidence steady throughout.
And now a quick pause.
(03:01):
Remember, confidence isn'tluck, it's preparation.
If you want a shortcut toprepare smarter, grab my
Equipped Essentials ebook atequippedinterview.com forward
slash books.
Alright, let's jump back in.
Alright, now it's time for ourplaybook segment, where we will
dive deep into how to answer thequestion, why should I hire
you?
And how to do it withconfidence, like we talked about
(03:22):
before, and why prepping for itis good for every other answer
you give during the interview.
So let's get into it.
When hiring slows down,competition intensifies, right?
It's just math.
Fewer openings mean everyinterview counts even more than
before.
In a tight job market, you needto articulate your value more
clearly than ever.
And it's important even in agreat job market.
(03:44):
And even when hiring might beslowing, that just means
managers are being moreselective.
Here's how to convince themthat you are the one worth
choosing.
Let's shift gears a little bit.
When you do get an interview,you can't afford to show up
average.
You can't sound like everyoneelse, right?
You need to make it crystalclear why you're the best person
for that job.
(04:04):
And I always teach you to dothis in a way that makes you
stand out from everyone else.
And that brings us to the mostimportant and largely most
understood interview questionout there.
Why should I hire you?
Now, if you're lucky, and ifyou've been listening to me for
a long time, you've heard me saythis before, if you're lucky,
the interviewer might ask thisquestion outright.
Because I think it's a greatopportunity.
It's a golden opportunity foryou to sell yourself, be 100%
(04:27):
explicitly clear as to whyyou're the right person for the
job, and you get the chance totell them.
That may not always happen.
But if it does, I want you tobe expertly prepared for it and
intentionally prepared for it.
But even if they don't ask it,they're thinking it.
Trust me.
They're thinking about it insome way, shape, or form in the
back of their head, the front oftheir head, out loud or
silently, they're thinking aboutwhy should I hire this person
(04:48):
in front of me, virtually orsitting across the table?
Every hiring manager, everyrecruiter, every business owner
sitting across from you issilently asking, why them?
Or why you?
Why not the other 50 people whoapplied?
Why not the person with maybemore experience than you, or a
degree from a different, better,bigger school than you?
(05:09):
And your answer, or yourinability to answer, will tell
them everything.
This question gets right to thepoint.
It's your chance to close thedeal, and maybe that's how you
should think of it.
Think of it like the finalround of a sales pitch.
Except the product you'reselling, obviously, is you, your
capabilities, your value thatyou bring to the team.
So before we get into thisframework, I want to walk
(05:29):
through, before we get into someof that strategy, here's a
mindset I want you to hold on toand think about.
This isn't about arrogance,it's not about bragging, it's
about clarity and confidence.
Because if you can't clearlyexplain why, to someone else why
they should hire you, you can'texpect them to figure it out
all on their own on your behalf.
(05:50):
And that's why so manycandidates go wrong.
They they prepare for questionsand answers, but not for the
question behind the question.
Really think about why are theyasking me this question?
What problem is this persontrying to solve by asking me
this question?
What are they trying to dohere?
So today I want to walk youthrough a four-step framework to
nail this every single time.
And it's simple, it'srepeatable, and it works across
(06:13):
all industries, but it'ssomething that it's really
important for you to think aboutand do and practice, yes, if
you get the question.
However, I want you to keepthis second part in mind too, as
you as we walk through thisframework.
And that second part is even ifyou're not asked the question
directly, why should I hire you?
Going through this exercise andgetting clarity in your own
(06:34):
mind around what it is that youbring to the table and all the
things I'm going to talk aboutin a moment, if you get clarity
in your own mind around whatthose answers are, that's going
to help you answer all the otherquestions that you get asked
during the interview.
It's going to help with all ofyour other prep.
It's going to help you come upwith the narrative that's
important as to why are you theright person for this job, helps
you think through your ownstrengths, your own background,
(06:54):
what's unique about you, thingslike that.
Every single other answer youmay get asked, or every other
answer that you're going toprepare for, the story that you
plan to tell, all of it comesfrom this type of framework
around why you want the job, whyyou're a good fit for the job.
So if nothing else, walk awayfrom this episode today with the
(07:16):
realization that even if youdon't get asked the question,
why should I hire you?
Prepping for it, and preppingfor it the right way is the way
to prepare for almost everyother answer.
Alright, so let's dive intothis framework here.
Step one, focus on your skills.
So start here, always, alwaysstart here.
Ask yourself, what specificskills does this job require?
(07:38):
And which ones do I bring tothe table?
I mean, it's all it's obvious,right?
But don't just repeat what's inthe job description.
Dig into what they're reallyhiring for.
Like what specific behavior,skill, it could even be a
specific experience.
What is it they're reallyhiring for?
And there could be a lot ofthem, right?
There could be laundry list.
You've you've read jobdescriptions, sometimes they're
(08:00):
short, sometimes super long.
You need to extract, what doyou think are the most important
ones of this of this job thatthat you can really highlight if
it if you're given 10 seconds,30 seconds to highlight your
skills.
So if it's a let's sayleadership role, they they
probably want someone who caninfluence, communicate, execute
on results, develop others,things like that.
Extract those out.
(08:20):
Make sure that you're veryclear on, hey, if you're going
for a leadership role and you'reasked, why should I hire you?
Start with what you bring tothe table of those key skills.
If it's a, I don't know, acouple of different examples,
um, an analyst role, they needsomeone who can translate data
into insights, make decisions,influence others, similar to
leadership.
If it's if it's a customerfacing, client facing role
(08:41):
they're looking for for empathy,relationship management,
composure under pressure, youname it, you're hopefully know
some of the skills, the topskills that that hiring manager
is likely looking for.
And once you know those, great.
Just connect them directly toexamples from your experience if
you want to call it out.
But you also don't have to callout example after example after
example in a question likethis.
(09:02):
But as you're prepping for theinterview, you're thinking
through, okay, if I'm asked,what are why should I hire you?
Start with skills.
Think about what are those toptwo, three skills that you bring
to the table that are justnon-negotiables.
And you have to start with thatif you get this question.
But it also, like I keepsaying, and I keep drilling this
in, will help you prepare forother questions like, hey, what
are your strengths?
Give me an example of a timewhen behavioral type questions
(09:26):
start with skills.
It could even be something likethis.
All right, why should you hireme?
Well, you're looking forsomeone who can bring structure
to ambiguity.
That's been my specialty.
In my last role, I led aproject where we had no roadmap
and tight deadlines, but by weekfour, we had a working process
and measurable results because Icommunicated strongly and I
(09:47):
influenced the people around meto move forward at the right
pace.
That's how you bridge whatyou've done to what they need.
So that's a starting point,right?
That's just one.
Step one, focus on your skills.
We're not done.
We have four.
Four steps that we have tothink through in a very
condensed time frame if you doneed to answer this question
directly.
So step two, focus on your ownpassion and excitement.
(10:09):
Hiring managers want someonewho can do the job, obviously,
but they also want someone whoactually wants the job.
This part is where you showyour genuine enthusiasm.
I mean, let's be real, energysells.
If you're calm, confident, yetgenuinely excited, it's
contagious.
They'll picture you bringingthat energy into the team.
You could say something like,What really excites me about
(10:31):
this opportunity is how closelyit aligns with the kind of work
I love doing, coaching people,solving complex problems, seeing
progress every day.
And here's the trick (10:39):
your tone matters just as much as your
words, right?
I mean, you could say thosethings, but you could say them
with a lot of apathy.
It could come across reallystrongly that you just have
super low energy, you're notreally interested in being
there, and and that's the thing,you don't need to fake
enthusiasm.
You do need to show it.
Hiring managers can tell thedifference between someone
(11:01):
reading off a script that theymight have in front of them
during the virtual interview andsomeone who truly wants to be
there.
Absolutely comes across.
I interview um a ton ofcandidates that just have really
low energy when they come intothe interview.
It can hit you like a ton ofbricks.
It can come across as thecandidates just not really
caring to be there.
I mean, even if it's not true,right?
(11:22):
Like so if you have the reallylow energy and you know that
about yourself, you you gottapractice and change and get
input along the way.
If you're doing a mockinterview or just getting a
trusted friend, somebody to giveyou input as they they observe
you in action.
Because even if it's not truethat you have no desire to join
the team, it can come acrossthat way.
If if you're very laid back,too reserved in an interview,
(11:43):
you'd I need to see excitementif I'm interviewing someone.
Because again, the theperception comes across as
you're you're just not reallyinterested in the job.
That instead you're moreinterested in simply leaving
whatever job you have now, moreso than what you're looking
forward to in the job you'reinterviewing for.
So if you actually are excitedabout this role, great.
You need to make it show onyour face.
(12:04):
Tell your face, make it showup.
Um it needs to show up in yourvoice, in your body language,
everywhere.
Energy is key and it has to betrue.
Like I said before, you can'tfake it, but you need to show
and actually say out loud yourexcitement, your passion, bring
up the energy.
And in a question like, whyshould I hire you?
You start with your skills,great, but then you're gonna
tell them you're so excited touse those skills, right?
(12:26):
So that's how this all gets puttogether.
All right, step three.
You need to focus on what'sunique.
This is where you stand out.
I mean, ask yourself, what do Ibring that most people don't?
Maybe for you it's um it's ablend of experience.
Maybe it's your yourbackground, your maybe even your
personality for the type ofrole that you're going for.
I don't know, but the sideprojects you've done, something
(12:47):
that something that gives you anedge.
Maybe it's a specializedcredential or certification in
your industry.
Maybe it's a title you've heldthat very few candidates would
likely to have had also.
I don't know.
But yeah, for example, it couldbe something like this.
I spent time on both the clientand the internal side of the
business.
That gives me a 360-degree viewof how decisions are made and
(13:10):
how they impact real people.
That's helped me build betterprocesses and stronger teams by
having that unique perspective,and I'm excited to bring that to
you and your team.
Okay, hey, maybe that'ssomething unique.
Something unique that yourcompetition may not be bringing.
In the type of role that you'recoming from, coming into,
you've had two differentperspectives, right?
Internal, external, differentsides of the business.
(13:31):
Great, that's one example.
I'm sure there's plenty ofthings you can think of, but you
gotta focus on the unique.
What is, what do I bring?
And spend time thinking aboutthis.
There's a difference therebetween just saying a skill you
have, but then also something aunique skill, experience, title,
background, something.
And that's the word I want youto take away from this.
Step three is unique.
Focus on the unique.
(13:52):
And you're not just listingcredentials, you're you're not
you're not just listing things,you're connecting them into a
story, and it's your story,something unique about you, and
stories stick.
They'll remember you, right?
You want your story to stickwith that hiring manager.
So step four, and the finalstep, make their decision easy.
So it's an interesting finalpiece here.
This one separates goodcandidates from great ones, and
(14:14):
it's the it's really a gamechanger.
Remember, the hiring managerhas risk too.
They have risk too, not justyou.
You your risk is obviously,hey, I'm not gonna get the
offer.
Their risk is they hire someonethat wasn't the right fit.
They don't they don't know.
That's why they're asking allthese questions to try to
uncover who's going to be theright person for this job and
are they gonna do a good job forme?
Every new hire, it's a bet,hopefully a good one, but
(14:36):
they're wondering, if I choosethis person, am I making the
right call?
Will they perform in real lifelike they they are saying,
telling me in the interview?
Are they saying the things thatare true?
Will I be back here after threemonths trying to find someone
again?
So that's all the internalnarrative they're thinking
about, right?
And they may not be saying itor thinking it actively while
they're interviewing, but that'sthat's the reality.
(14:58):
There's risk there.
So your job in the interview isthis make their decision
easier.
Help them lower that risk intheir mind about you.
Tell them something that lowerstheir hesitation, something
that gives them the confidencethat you're less of a risk than
your competition.
Could sound like something likethis.
Um, yeah, I I know youmentioned training, new hires,
(15:19):
takes a few months.
Well, in my last role, Icreated a self-paced onboarding
tracker that cut that time inhalf.
I'd love to bring that approachhere.
And I think I could do it foryou if you hire me into this
role.
All right, so now you're notjust qualified, you're solving,
hopefully, hopefully solvingtheir problem before you even
have the job.
And you're acknowledging it, itshows self-awareness, it shows
(15:41):
general awareness around thesituation, and you put the
thought in your head, in in thehiring manager's head rather,
that you're a quick learner andyou can get up to speed quickly.
It's not going to save you ifyou give terrible answers the
rest of the interview, but itcouldn't give you that edge, and
that's my job is to help youstand out from how you would
otherwise and from everyoneelse.
And that's powerful.
So that's step four.
(16:01):
So a quick recap of those foursteps.
You get quest you get asked thequestion, why should I hire
you?
Well, you first you focus onyour skills.
Second, you focus on yourpassion and excitement.
It's gotta be real, but yougotta do it.
Third, focus on what's uniqueabout you.
How do you stand out in thatway?
And then fourth, make theirdecision easier, lower their
risk.
(16:21):
Think about ways that you canhelp them feel relief when
you've given them an answerthere.
So let's put it all together.
Here's what a couple differentversions of what this could
sound like.
Here's what a full why should Ihire you answer might sound
like when you weave all foursteps together.
This is just an example, andthen I'm gonna give a slightly
different version.
All right, well, that's a greatquestion.
(16:41):
Thanks for asking.
You you should hire me becauseI bring the mix of skills and
mindset you're looking for.
I've spent the last five yearsdeveloping people and driving
team performance, which means Ican hit the ground running.
What really excites me aboutthis role is how it aligns with
my passion for helping othersgrow.
I've been excited about thatsince day one, and on top of
that, I bring a really uniquebackground in both analytics and
(17:03):
leadership, and I know you needboth.
So I can connect data withpeople strategy, which I I know
is is not everyone's strongsuit, and I really enjoy doing
that.
And on top of all that, I'llmake your decision an easier
one.
I'm committed to learning fastand making an impact from day
one.
I have a track record ofcutting the training time in
half each role that I've goneinto in the past.
(17:24):
Alright, so that's that's ait's a more clear, it's a
structured, confident, andbelievable.
You gotta put it in your ownwords, but that's just a version
put together after the exampleswe just used a few minutes ago.
But it tells them who you are,what you bring, and how you'll
make their life easier.
Now, here's some bonus pointsfor you that you can make this
even stronger if you list it outfirst, and by list it out I
(17:47):
mean a numbers list.
So how do you do that?
What you do is you kick it offwith a numbered list.
And here's what it could soundlike.
Alright, so why should I hireyou?
Love it.
Thanks for asking.
I've actually put a lot ofthought into that question, and
there are four reasons youshould bring me on board.
First, I bring the mix ofskills and mindset you're
looking for.
Second, I'm just gonna pausethere.
(18:09):
You heard me say the for theversion four, but here I'm
numbering it.
And then you go on to numbereach of the remaining points.
So the answer's the same, butif you number them out ahead of
time by saying, hey, you know,there I've thought about this,
put thought into it.
There are four reasons I thinkyou should hire me.
Ready?
One, and then you go into it.
Two, go into it, three, go intoit, and then the fourth and
(18:30):
final reason is I'll let youmake your life easier, etc.
So what does that do?
Why why would you number itout?
Why did what difference doesthat make?
Uh given that all the theanswers are really just the
same.
What it does is it shows you'veput thought into the answer.
You already know why theyshould hire you, and you're not
just making it all up as you go,as you answer the question.
(18:51):
There's thought, intent,strategy, and it just comes
across as a much strongeranswer, I can tell you.
It's the same information.
But if I ask any almost anyquestion, and this is tangent
for a minute, if you get a anyquestion that you know is going
to be a little bit longer thanyour answer, do use the same
strategy.
And if you work with me andcoach with me, you know I've
told you to do this.
(19:11):
And that is think real quicklyabout how many rough number of
points you're going to make.
Is it two?
Is it three?
Is it five?
Great.
Think about that for a secondand say, okay, you know what?
That's a really great question.
And there are three main pointsthat I use in this situation.
Whether that's a leadershiprole again, where you get asked
the question something like,walk us through how do you
(19:33):
develop people?
You could give the answer,right, in this numbered format.
Say, you know what, Iabsolutely have learned over the
years the way that it worksbest for me and how I move
people from A to B when Idevelop people.
I've come up with a four-stepprocess of how I do that.
Let me go into those four stepsfor you.
That is a much stronger answerthan saying, okay, yeah, so you
(19:53):
know, when I develop people, Ido this and then, you know, XYZ,
and then I also do this.
It can come across as you'rejust thinking about what you do
along the way as you answer itrather than knowing ahead of
time.
And why is it important?
It's because it comes across asyou already have done this
repeatedly over and over again.
And it's not just you mightaccidentally have gotten it
(20:14):
right a couple times, but youknow what you do, you know what
works, and you can replicate itif I hire you.
Same thing on this why should Ihire you?
Why should I hire you answer?
And that's if you give out thebullet points, it clearly shows
that you've put thought andintentional uh time into the
answer.
So those are the bonus points.
Little tangent, sidebar, but animportant one.
All right, now our finalthoughts for today.
(20:36):
I know if hiring can feel slow,it can get discouraging, but
you don't have to feeldiscouraged.
Let it sharpen you, let itforce you to stand out so that
you don't have to wait as longas everyone else by following
these frameworks and thesestrategies that we talk about.
Because in a slow market,clarity is gonna win out.
And that's what I want you todo is demonstrate clarity.
(20:58):
Clarity turns into confidencefor you.
I don't know, all theseeverything starts with C today,
apparently.
So clarity, confidence, we'rewe're gonna get out of the
confusion state, I guess.
Because the person who canclearly communicate, well, there
are more C's.
Okay, clearly I just there's acoming to me.
Clearly communicate their valueis the person who gets hired.
And that's what I want you tobe.
So don't wait for the question.
Prepare for that answer now.
(21:19):
Like the qu the answer to whyshould I hire you?
You may not get it ever.
You may have answered it beforeonce out of every three
interviews, 10 interviews, Idon't know.
But if you do, great, you'reprepared.
But if you don't even get thequestion and you prepare for it,
all the other answers are goingto feel much more confident.
And here's the thing I want youto do is practice it out loud.
Time yourself, refine it untilit feels natural.
(21:40):
And that's a big key.
If you're saying some of thesewords for the first time out
loud in the interview, you'renot going to feel as confident.
So practice those out loud.
Because then when the momentcomes and the hiring manager
looks you in the eye and says,Hey, why should I hire you?
You can just think back to thisepisode, you know, smile, take
a breath, and then own it.
That's the difference betweenbeing prepared and being
equipped.
Hey, before you head out, ifthis episode gave you a few
(22:02):
ideas or a boost of confidence,share it with someone who's
getting ready for their nextinterview.
And I'm sure you have coworkersor people who ask you maybe if
you're the one who is better,better at interviews.
And if you want to go deeper,check out my ebook equipped
essentials atequippedinterview.com.
It's full of the samestrategies we talk about here,
but a lot more, plus a bonusprep sheet you can start using
right away.
Oh, and if you want to tell meyour story, your your best
(22:23):
interview moments, your worstinterview moment, I'd love to
feature it in a future episodeI'm working on.
So just email me at josh atequippedinterview.com.
Well, thanks for joining me onthe Equipped Interview Podcast.
If this episode helped you,drop a review, share it with a
friend, and hit follow so younever miss an episode.
Go into your next interviewwith confidence, because you're
not just prepared, you'reequipped.
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