Learn how to Reply ‘What Makes You Distinctive?’ & Stand Out in Your Subsequent Interview

Every 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 proper alternative to elucidate why I’m one of the best particular person for the position.

And I wish to get particular. I’ve discovered that interviewers reply positively after I skip the generics and tie my solutions again to what I’ve to supply based mostly on my particular person background.

Your reply may finally make or break your interview, so it’s vital to essentially nail it. I’ll stroll you thru find out how to reply this query the fitting 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 a number of the frequent questions which can 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 convey to this position that’s totally different from different candidates?
What makes you a beneficial candidate for this position?
Why are you one of the best candidate for this position?
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 position you’re interviewing for.

For instance, let’s say I’m making an attempt to land a social media position, and I discover that the corporate may very well 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 it’s at present lively (e.g., TikTok).
Spotlight related expertise — I’ve a number of years of expertise managing and rising TikTok accounts, so I’ll remember to point out that.
Present a light-weight advice — I’ll share how my expertise and expertise permit me to establish and implement that advice.

Give it some thought like this: In case you can present the interviewer which you could assist the corporate meet its objectives (and that what its objectives are within the first place), that’s one nice strategy 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 should you can present particular examples associated to the position.

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

My colleague Jamie Juviler, managing editor of our esteemed Web site Weblog, just lately employed a brand new author on his workforce. Right here’s his recommendation for answering ‘What makes you distinctive?’:

“I might say don’t stress about offering a extremely distinctive reply or one thing that no different candidate has mentioned, since that’s unlikely,” says Juviler.

“As an alternative, use this as one other alternative to spotlight a talent or attribute that you could be not have had the possibility to share but. I see it as a wild card the place the candidate can share the rest they’re happy with and solidify what makes you stand out.”

Listed here are 5 different tricks to contemplate.

1. Point out the talents listed within the job description.

This is without doubt 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 precisely which expertise 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 position’s expectations.

2. Present particular examples out of your background.

That is one other sensible 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: Give attention to examples that tie again to the talents required for the place, and all the time quantify success the place attainable.

Utilizing our social media instance, saying ‘I ran a social media marketing campaign which resulted in a 120% enhance 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 which means each candidate is probably going being requested this query.

Make your reply compelling. As an alternative of claiming you are a ‘laborious employee,’ give particular examples of the laborious work you’ve achieved associated to the position.

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 most likely contemplate your self “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 character traits that can can help you ship outcomes.

Another person might need comparable expertise as you, however your character is one in every of a form.

Being ‘social media savvy’ is one factor. However should you’re social media savvy and a tenacious one who is ready to suppose rapidly in your toes, that’s an asset.

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

My advice: You need to know one in every of my favourite methods to persuade interviewers that I can ship the outcomes they’re searching for? Inform them how I’ve discovered comparable success up to now and the way my individuality supported that.

5. Inform the interviewer how your distinctive expertise will assist the corporate succeed.

This carefully 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 initiatives you’ve labored on.

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

My advice: You might not know the corporate’s inside objectives, however it is best to all the time attempt to join your expertise to their mission and values when attainable.

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

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

Take into account mentioning a character trait you are feeling could be a superb match for the enterprise. After studying the job description, make a listing of attributes that would make you an distinctive candidate.

Moreover, together with a character trait in your reply lets you show how you are a good match for a task through which you’ve got little prior expertise.

For example, should you‘re making use of for a place as a workforce chief, it’s essential that you just display robust communication expertise and a capability to attach with a various group of individuals.

In case you inform the interviewer, “I’m an excellent communicator and discover it simple for me to narrate to different folks,” you may match your character to the parts of a profitable chief.

Why this works: Efficient communication is a essential trait to emphasise in interviews. In case you contemplate how 86% of workers cite lack of collaboration as a fundamental element of office failures, you may start to understand why.

2. “I actually get pleasure from studying new issues and am continually searching for out new studying alternatives.”

By mentioning your ardour for studying new issues, you‘re demonstrating you’re growth-focused and unafraid of challenges.

Moreover, answering the query on this means lets you remind the interviewer why you are uniquely certified for the position.

Why this works: Whereas different candidates might need extra prior expertise within the trade, you are proving your want to exceed expectations of the job rapidly.

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

If in case you have prior expertise in a task vastly totally different from the one for which you are making use of, you may use this as a possibility to elucidate how your background uniquely qualifies you.

It’s important, nevertheless, that you just present particular examples of how your prior expertise has given you sure transferable expertise.

For example, you may say the next:

“My prior expertise in customer support supplied me with an intensive data 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 vital to spotlight that earlier job expertise has declined in significance when recruiters consider candidates. In truth, over the previous few years, that quantity has dropped from 92% to 62%.

So it‘s okay should you really feel your prior work expertise doesn’t completely align with the position for which you are making use of — so long as you may clarify how your expertise will enable you succeed.

Why this works: A solution like this one alleviates considerations the interviewer might need about your lack of expertise within the subject.

4. “Working at a startup gave me a possibility to grasp the ins and outs of the trade, and to tackle duties I may not have at a bigger firm. I feel this expertise provides me a slight edge over different candidates.”

Just like the reply above, this reply is an effective one should you’re making an attempt to change industries.

Take into account how your background has allowed you to achieve distinctive expertise that others, who adopted a extra linear profession trajectory, may not have.

For example, should 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 position.

Why this works: In case you suppose your prior expertise may deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally certified, that is an optimum likelihood to show them incorrect.

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 exhibits your interviewer that you just’re not afraid to take dangers.

After all, you may solely need to say this you probably have a optimistic instance to strengthen the significance of failure within the office.

You don‘t need to sound such as you make errors on a regular basis, however you’ll stand out should you point out the way you turned a failure into a hit.

For example, you may say, “I‘m not afraid of failure. In my final position, we tried to streamline our web optimization course of and, alongside the best way, discovered we’d by accident decreased visitors to our website.

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 rising visitors by 20%.”

Why this works: With this reply, you‘re displaying you’re able to remaining versatile and open-minded when one thing does not work straight away, and you know the way to take failures and use them as studying alternatives.

6. “When fixing issues, I apply each logic and emotional facets in equal proportion. For example, I am skilled in web optimization and perceive find out how to use analytics to make sure a advertising marketing campaign is profitable, however I additionally majored in design and know find out how to apply creativity to a venture as nicely.”

In case you’re having bother deciding find out how to display your distinctive {qualifications}, begin by contemplating how different folks strategy issues at your organization and the way you differ.

For example, 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 concentrate on highlighting one talent per query in an interview. In case you’re capable of display that you just’re comfy combining two distinctive expertise, it is a formidable potential it is 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%.”

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 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 position for the lengthy haul.

Take into account a character trait or talent set that helped your final firm obtain outcomes. If the outcomes are quantitative, be sure you have the precise numbers to help your declare.

Nevertheless, it is also applicable to share qualitative outcomes, reminiscent of, “My organizational expertise led my supervisor to belief me with a serious venture inside the first two months in my position.”

Why this works: In the end, offering examples exhibits the interviewer you‘re results-driven, and aren’t simply saying generic phrases to reply their query.

8. I’m nimble, adaptable, and capable of pivot rapidly based mostly on the wants of the enterprise.

Adaptability is on the core of many firm cultures. (In truth, it’s the ‘A’ in HEART of our tradition code right here at HubSpot.)

Why? As a result of there are too many elements that have an effect on the best way we do enterprise. From shopper preferences to pandemics, it’s very attainable that the best way we work tomorrow will look totally different from at present.

If you find yourself utilizing a solution like this one, do not forget that an instance goes a great distance. Is there a time once you needed to change gears at work and you probably did it efficiently?

Possibly you didn’t get your anticipated price range for a venture so that you had to decide on which techniques to prioritize.

Or maybe you have been unexpectedly down a workforce member, and also you needed to step out of your consolation zone to maintain a venture on schedule.

Displaying versus telling all the time wins.

Why this works: Enterprise wants change, typically on a whim. This reply exhibits hiring managers that you just’re a dynamic worker who can bend (and never break) when methods shift and new trade traits emerge.

9. I do know when to take the lead and when to step again and provides another person the chance to take action. I’m comfy in each positions no matter tenure or hierarchy.

I discussed flexibility above, however that is one other nice strategy to emphasize that you just’re comfy sporting a number of hats. Nevertheless, this takes issues a step additional as a result of it additionally speaks to your situational consciousness and workforce collaboration expertise.

The idea of being a frontrunner manifests itself within the office in many alternative methods.

Positive, appearing as the purpose of contact for a marketing campaign or overseeing a venture counts. However being a optimistic pressure on the workforce or giving another person the chance to develop are nice qualities of a frontrunner too.

Figuring out the nuances of management and workforce dynamics is a tough talent to grasp, so it’s positively value highlighting if this query comes up in your interview.

Why this works: Corporations are searching for people who find themselves able to each main and being led, and it’s an enormous plus should you really feel empowered to do your greatest work in each instances.

10. My private background is an asset that permits me to acknowledge cultural nuances and create area for various concepts.

Our various backgrounds are invaluable, and I’m not simply speaking about your work expertise or job historical past. The identical traits that make you you additionally make you a particular addition to any workforce.

For instance, as a black girl and a marketer, I do know that I’ve confronted obstacles and gained insights that a few of my friends might not have. And I take advantage of that data on daily basis to be extra impactful in my work.

What makes you distinctive is the truth that there isn’t a one else on the market that may be you. Use that to your benefit.

Why this works: The entire level of this query is to tease out what units you aside from different candidates. Who can argue with private expertise?

For much more inspiration on find out how 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 one in every of many frequent questions that interviewers love, so it’s vital to plan accordingly.

Listed here are a number of the different prime questions you have to be ready to reply (and if you’d like extra, our free frequent interview questions information has 50+):

How would you describe your self?
What motivates you?
What ought to I find out about you that’s not in your resume?
What are you searching for in your subsequent place?
Why are you interested by working for our firm?

Professional tip: Don’t neglect to prep questions for the interviewer. In truth, Meg Prater, senior supervisor of promoting on the HubSpot Weblog workforce (and my hiring supervisor), says it’s one of many issues that helps candidates stand out probably the most.

“In case you give your questions some pre-work, and make them customized to me and/or the corporate, that goes a great distance,” says Prater.

She continues, “There‘s a time and place for the ’What do you’re keen on about working right here?‘ sort questions, however I additionally love a superb, ’I observed that you’ve a background as a copywriter. How does that affect the way you run the Weblog?’”

Stand Out within the Crowd

Primarily, ‘What makes you distinctive’ actually means, ‘What makes you an exceptionally good match for this position?’ Use our useful interview information to arrange, and also you’ll simply be capable to show that you just’re the most suitable choice within the candidate pool.

Editor’s observe: This put up was initially revealed in December 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.