How to Answer ‘What Makes You Unique?’ & Stand Out in Your Next Interview

At any time when I get requested ‘What makes you distinctive?’ or ‘What makes you stand out from different candidates?’ in an interview, I exploit it as the right 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 once I skip the generics and tie my reply again to what I’ve to supply based mostly on my particular person background.

Your reply might finally make or break your interview, so it’s vital to actually nail it. I’ll stroll you thru easy methods to reply this query the suitable means.

Desk of Contents

Delicate Methods Interviewers Ask ‘What makes you distinctive?’

There are lots of ways in which interviewers attempt to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.

Listed here are among the frequent questions which are 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 convey to this function that’s completely different from different candidates?
• What makes you a beneficial candidate for this function?
• Why are you the most effective candidate for this function?
• Why ought to I select you over different candidates?

Regardless 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 present you a chance to showcase your worth.

They need to see that you just’ve completed thorough analysis concerning the firm and the place. And so they need you to attach your expertise 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 completed my homework — I’m already conversant in the corporate’s social media presence and the platforms the place they’re at the moment lively (i.e., TikTok).
• Spotlight related expertise — I’ve a number of years of expertise managing and rising TikTok accounts, so I’ll be sure you point out that.
• Present a lightweight advice — I’ll share how my expertise and expertise permits me to establish and implement that advice.

Give it some thought like this: Should you can present the interviewer that you could assist the corporate meet their targets (and that you recognize what their targets are within the first place), that’s one nice approach to set your self aside from the remainder.

Plus, it turns into clear to the interviewer that you just’ve taken the time to organize when you can present particular examples associated to the function.

These are all the explanation why that is such a preferred interview query — so come prepared, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about your self somewhat.

1. Point out expertise listed within the job description.

This is likely one of the greatest methods to indicate the interviewer that you just’ve completed your analysis. Additionally, the job description is principally like your cheat sheet. Use it as a information so you recognize precisely which expertise to focus on 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 good means 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 talents required for the place, and all the time quantify success the place doable.

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 operating social media campaigns.’

3. Keep away from generic phrases like “I am a tough employee.”

Bear in mind, this can be a very commonplace interview query, so which means each candidate is probably going being requested this query.

Make your reply compelling. As a substitute 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 frequent buzzwords and as a substitute exchange these with actual descriptions of your previous work.

For instance, you and each different candidate for a social media place in all probability think about yourselves to be “social media savvy.” 

As a substitute, make the case to show that you’re really savvier than the competitors based mostly in your distinctive background.

4. Embody key persona traits that can let you ship outcomes.

Another person may need comparable expertise as you, however your persona is considered one of a sort. 

Being ‘social media savvy’ is one factor. However when you’re social media savvy and a tenacious one that is ready to suppose shortly in your ft, that’s an asset.

Spotlight the traits which have confirmed worth in serving to you develop as knowledgeable.

My advice: You need 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 expertise will assist the corporate succeed.

This intently relates again to Tip #3. 

Don’t simply speak about generic expertise that almost all candidates have — all the time tie your expertise again to particular tasks you’ve labored on.

Your background is what makes you distinctive. There’s nobody person who has the precise expertise, expertise, and traits that you just do. Use that to your benefit.

My advice: You could not know the corporate’s inner targets, however it is best to all the time attempt to join your expertise again to their mission and values when doable.

7 Pattern Solutions to “What Makes You Distinctive?” and Why They Work

1. “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it is easy for me to narrate to different folks.”

Think about 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 might make you an distinctive candidate.

Moreover, together with a persona trait in your reply means that you can show how you are a good match for a job through which you’ve gotten little prior expertise.

As an illustration, when you’re making use of for a place as a workforce chief, it’s important that you just reveal sturdy communication expertise and a capability to attach with a various group of individuals. 

Should you inform the interviewer, “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it is easy for me to narrate to different folks”, you are in a position to match your persona to elements of a profitable chief.

Why this works: Efficient communication is a important trait to emphasise in interviews. Should you think about how 86% of employees cite lack of collaboration  as a fundamental element of office failures, you possibly can start to understand why.

2. “I actually get pleasure from studying new issues and am consistently searching 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 means means that you can remind the interviewer why you are uniquely certified for the function. 

Why this works: Whereas different candidates may need extra prior expertise within the business, you are proving your need to exceed expectations of the job shortly.

3. “My prior expertise in customer support has supplied me with distinctive technical expertise that I can apply to this function.”

In case you have prior expertise in a job vastly completely different from the one for which you are making use of, you would possibly use this as a possibility to elucidate how your background uniquely qualifies you. 

It’s vital, nonetheless, that you just present particular examples of how your prior expertise has supplied you with sure transferable expertise.

As an illustration, you would possibly say the next:

“My prior expertise in customer support supplied me with an intensive data base for a way our product works. As a marketer, I can use this data to make sure we’re assembly our clients’ wants.”

It is also vital to focus on: Earlier job expertise has declined in significance on the subject of recruiters evaluating candidates. In truth, over the previous couple of years, that quantity has dropped from 92% to 62%. 

So it is okay when 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 expertise will show you how to succeed. 

Why this works: With a solution like this one, you are in a position to alleviate issues the interviewer may 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 may not have at a bigger firm. I feel this expertise provides me a slight edge over different candidates.”

Much like the reply above, this reply is an efficient one when you’re trying to modify industries. 

Think about how your background has allowed you to realize distinctive expertise that others, who adopted a extra linear profession trajectory, may not have. 

As an illustration, when you beforehand labored at a small startup and now you need to switch to a big company, it is vital you point out how these expertise will make you profitable on this new function.

Why this works: Should you suppose your prior expertise might deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally certified, that is an optimum probability 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.

In fact, you may solely need to say this when you have a optimistic instance to bolster the significance of failure within the office.

You do not need to sound such as you make errors on a regular basis, however you may stand out when you point out the way you turned a failure into a hit.

As an illustration, 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 would by accident decreased visitors to our web site. 

Nevertheless, this preliminary failure allowed me to see the errors in our earlier process. My workforce and I got here up with a extra profitable technique to keep away from these errors sooner or later, and ended up growing 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 know the way to take failures and use them as studying alternatives.

6. “When fixing issues, I apply each logic and emotional features in equal proportion. As an illustration, I am skilled in web optimization and perceive easy methods to use analytics to make sure a advertising marketing campaign is profitable, however I additionally majored in design and know easy methods to apply creativity to a venture as nicely.”

Should you’re caught on deciding easy methods to reveal your distinctive {qualifications}, begin by fascinated with how different folks strategy issues at your organization, and the way you differ.

As an illustration, most individuals are both logical and use analytics to resolve issues, or emotional and use creativity. It is uncommon to search out somebody who’s each. 

Why this works: Most individuals give attention to highlighting one talent per query in an interview. Should you’re in a position to reveal that you just’re snug combining two distinctive expertise, it is a powerful capability 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 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 need 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 precise numbers to help your declare.

Nevertheless, it is also applicable to share qualitative outcomes, corresponding to, “my organizational expertise led my supervisor to trusting me with a significant venture inside the first two months in my function.”

Why this works: Finally, 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 easy methods to 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 considered one of many frequent questions that interviewers love, so it’s vital to prep accordingly.

HubSpot’s complete interview guide that can assist you sort out over 50 completely different interview questions like a professional, together with questions associated to:

• Who you’re and what expertise you convey 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

Download it for free 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.