Why should we hire you? how to answer, with six Australian examples

The best answer to "why should we hire you?"

Treat it as your 30 to 60 second pitch. Name the two or three things the job needs most, give one piece of proof for each from your own work, and add one extra the panel might not get from everyone else, such as a licence, a clearance, local knowledge or the ability to start soon. Finish by saying you want the role. Do not compare yourself with other candidates you have never met.

The Australian Public Service Commission uses the same idea for written applications. It describes a "pitch" as your chance to tell the agency "why you are the right person for the job" and sums it up, "in a nutshell", as "why they should hire you". This guide turns that into a spoken answer, with six Australian examples.

Think of it as your pitch

According to the APSC, a pitch covers four things the employer "might want to know": "why you want to work for them, why you are interested in that particular role, what you can offer, and how your skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications are applicable to the job". It also advises: "Try not to duplicate information that can already be found in your CV, but do highlight any specific examples or achievements."

That is good advice for the spoken question too. The panel already has your resume. What they want is the short version, aimed at their job, with evidence they can write down on their score sheet.

The question often comes near the end of an interview. The Queensland Government's interview tips suggest using the end of the interview to "reiterate your strengths and your enthusiasm for the job", so a well-prepared answer here does double duty.

The three-part answer

1. Their top needs. Read the job ad and the position description and pick the two or three requirements that appear first or most. If there are selection criteria, they are your list. The APSC also tells candidates to "think of your top three skills/qualities and why you have applied for the role".
2. Your proof. One short example per need: something you did and what happened. Numbers help, if they are true. "I cut our invoice backlog from three weeks to three days" is proof; "I'm a hard worker" is not.
3. Your extra. One thing that makes you easy to say yes to. See the list below.

Close with one line: "That's why I think I'd do this job well, and it's the job I want." Then stop talking.

When the job has selection criteria

Many public sector, university and hospital jobs list selection criteria, and the panel scores you against them. The APSC describes these as "the personal qualities, skills, abilities, knowledge and qualifications (if any) a person needs to perform the role effectively". That makes your answer easier to build: the criteria are their needs, written down for you.

• Pick the two or three criteria that look most important for the role, usually the first ones listed.
• Use the same words the criteria use, so the panel can tick them off as you speak.
• Choose proof you have not already used in your written response, or give it a fresh angle.

Our guide to STAR interview questions shows how APS criteria are answered in detail.

The Australian extras that tip the balance

When two candidates are close, practical things often decide it. If you have any of these and the job needs them, say so:

• Licences and tickets: a driver's licence, a forklift licence, a White Card for construction sites, RSA for hospitality, first aid.
• Checks already done: a current Working with Children Check, an NDIS worker screening check or a recent police check.
• Security clearance: for some government and defence roles, holding a clearance or being eligible for one matters.
• Local knowledge: you know the region, the clients, the industry rules or the systems they use.
• Availability: you can start soon, work the shifts they need, or relocate.
• Languages: if you serve a community where another language is common, speaking it is a real strength.

Six example answers to "why should we hire you"

1. Retail store manager, Geelong

Example (illustration): "You need someone who can lift sales, keep a casual team stable and run a tidy store. I've managed a store of a similar size for three years; we went from the bottom third to the top third of our region on sales, and I kept most of my team through two Christmases, which in retail is hard. I also live ten minutes away and I'm used to opening early. I'd love to do the same here."

Need, proof, extra, finish. Short and concrete.

2. Graduate data analyst, Melbourne

Example (illustration): "The ad asks for SQL, clear reporting and someone who can explain numbers to non-technical people. In my final year I built a dashboard for a local council's waste data as my capstone, and the council team still uses it. I tutored first-year stats for two years, so I'm used to explaining things simply. And I'm available from the start of your intake."

A graduate can use projects and tutoring as proof.

3. Aged care worker, Toowoomba

Example (illustration): "This role needs patience, reliability and someone who follows care plans carefully. I've done two years of personal care in home support, I've never missed a shift without notice, and families often ask for me by name. My NDIS worker screening and first aid are current, so I could start straight away."

The current checks are the extra that makes saying yes easy.

4. IT support officer, Adelaide

Example (illustration): "You need someone who can handle a busy service desk, fix problems the first time and keep users calm. I've worked on a help desk for a school network of about a thousand devices, and I wrote the step-by-step guides the other techs now use. I hold the Microsoft certifications listed in your ad, and I'm happy to do the on-call roster."

Mentions the exact certifications the ad asks for.

5. APS 4 service officer, Canberra

Example (illustration): "The criteria focus on customer service, accuracy and working in a team. I've spent three years in a bank contact centre, where my quality scores were consistently among the highest in my team, and I trained new starters on our complaints process. I understand that this role serves the public at stressful moments, and that is work I find worthwhile. I also hold a baseline clearance from a previous contract."

Mirrors the selection criteria and adds a clearance as the extra.

6. When you are missing one requirement

Example (illustration): "You're after project coordination, budget tracking and stakeholder work, and ideally a Prince2 certificate. I don't have the certificate yet; I'm booked to sit it next month. What I do have is two years coordinating fit-out projects for a commercial builder in Perth, tracking budgets in the same software you use, and keeping clients and trades in the loop every week."

Name the gap yourself, say what you are doing about it, then move to your strengths.

Build your own version with the free why should we hire you answer generator.

Other ways it gets asked

• "What would you bring to the team?"
• "Why are you the best person for this role?"
• "Sell yourself in 30 seconds."
• "What makes you different from the other applicants?"
• "Is there anything else you'd like the panel to know?"

All of them want the same three parts. For "different from other applicants", talk about yourself, not them: "I can't speak for the others, but here's what I bring."

Answers that fall flat

• "I really need this job." It is honest, but it is about you, not them.
• A list of adjectives. "Passionate, hard-working, team player" gives the panel nothing to score.
• Overselling. Big claims with no example sound hollow. Calm proof is more convincing.
• Repeating your resume. As the APSC says of pitches, do not duplicate what is already in your CV; pick the parts that matter for this job.
• Running long. Past a minute, the point gets lost. Practise until it fits.

Practise it and keep it handy

Write your three needs, three proofs and one extra on a card. Say the answer out loud until it takes under a minute. The free AI mock interview asks questions like this in English and gives feedback on structure and filler words.

In a video interview on your laptop, the ClapAssist AI interview assistant can show a prompt built from your resume and the job ad, so your proof is in front of you. It understands English and many other languages. Some employers do not allow AI help in interviews, so check the rules first: is ClapAssist safe?

Related: tell me about yourself and interview questions in Australia.