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How to Answer What Makes You Unique In Interview

You can transfer your skills learned from one job to another, such as your communication skills, to succeed in another position.
 
When we go off track in our careers (whether due to family responsibilities, world events, or any other reason), we often gain amazing experiences that when put together are much more than the sum of their individual components.

Find out why recruiters are interested in knowing what makes you unique

It is a common occurrence for even the most qualified candidates to feel a sense of panic when recruiters ask, "What makes you unique?". You will be pleased to know that they are not trying to throw you off balance or make you sweat, but they are on a mission to find the best candidate for the position. 

Most candidates prepare for their interviews in such a way that they deliver standardised answers. There are too many similarities between their advice and the samples they refer to.

The recruiter or hiring manager is trying to learn more about you than just what's on the page by asking this question. Make your resume stand out and show that you are more than the sum of your past experiences. A job interview is really an opportunity to prove why you are the right person for the job. 

Now that we focused on why the question is asked, let's turn to strategies you can use to make the most of this interview question.

 



How to answer ‘what makes you unique’

1 - Identify relevant skills and qualities

It's important to focus on one or two specific aspects of your skills that are most relevant to the job description even though you possess many unique and wonderful qualities. That's what matters to the recruiter. 

Finally, they need someone who can ease the pain points both in the company itself and in client accounts. The interviewer's time is limited, so you will need to edit yourself and only mention the skills or personality traits that you possess that will make you successful in this particular role.

2 - Acquire deep knowledge of the job description and company

The question 'what makes you unique' seems to be all about you, but it's about you as part of the role and company context. The better you understand the job description and company values, the easier it will be for you to select unique qualities that will resonate with the employer.

3 - Describe with examples

It is important to share your success stories in order to portray your abilities. The reason behavioural interviews are so common is because employers ask questions like describe a time when or give an example. Based on your past work history, the hiring manager is trying to understand whether you can succeed in this job based on the skills you used. 

4 - Don't be afraid to be yourself

Recruiters like to hear what the applicant wants to hear, but if you embellish, it's relatively easy for them to discover this and you lose credibility. On top of that, you will not have any successes to back up your claims. 

You don't need to exaggerate to stand out and say you speak six languages, can juggle and were a child TV star. Be authentic and do not try to be someone you're not. It is not necessary to answer something new they have never heard.

 

Focus on your unique combination of skills, no matter whether you're talking about communication (check out these tips for effective communication), account management, or business development. Having proven success with common skills is sometimes exactly what hiring managers are looking for in a candidate.

Sometimes only your unique experience in developing these common skills matters.An ability to express your experience in a way that is meaningful to the employer.

It is already clear that the employer believes you can do the job otherwise they wouldn't have invited you for an interview. They are waiting for you to inspire their confidence so that they will see that their initial impression of you is accurate.

 

Source: https://www.fingerprintforsuccess.com/blog/what-makes-you-unique