Nail The Interview: Answer Why Should We Hire You Like A ProgettyWe just couldnt let him get away from us. This is what we knew after interviewing one of four final candidates for a critical, and highly competitive, senior management role. He (whom well call Greg) framed his responses to all the interview questionsincluding the why should we hire you questionwith our needs in mind.Greg approached the interview questions with an its all about them perspective. And by strategically doing this, he made it so very easy for us to offer him the job. Ive observedand usedthis interview approach time after time, and it wins more job offers than any approach Ive ever seen.Scheduled interview time is valuable time. Getting in the room with decision makers for a job that you really want is, itself, a moment. It means you passed the initial screening stage. It means youve been deemed to have met the qualifications for the job. Many others were qualified for the job too, but (for one reason or another) they wont get invited to a job interview. But you did.More than using the job interview as a time to discuss information the interviewers already have access to such as your work experience, your accomplishments, your education and your credentials, youd do well to spend the time during your job interview letting interviewers know how all of those things position you to best help them.And whether you get asked directly or not, you certainly dont want to walk out of that job interview leaving any doubt about why they should make the decision to hire you.MORE FOR YOUWhy is the Why Should We Hire You Interview Question So Important?Heres the deal. There are really only two (you read that right-2) interview questions that you need to consider. Everything elseall the other possible questions and conversation pointsflows primarily from these two overarching interview questions.What have you failed at lately? andWhy should we hire you?When you prepare your thinking and mindset around these two questionsand maybe only these two questionsyou will indeed be prepared for anything else that comes your way during the job interview.But alternatively, if you try to remember too many scripted answers to too many different questions, you risk missing the mark by being too focused on youwhat youre supposed to say, what youve accomplished, your expertise and what you know instead of showing them how you think and framing your responses around their issues and their needs.How to Answer Why Should We Hire You Like a ProIts important to understand that even though the word you is in the question, every part of your answer should be about them. Think of it this way. When hiring managers and interviewers ask you why should we hire you, theyre really asking you questions that get to whats in it for them to hire you.They are digging to find out how it truly benefits them to add you to the team. So, the best thing you can doif you want to respond like a prois give them precisely what their looking for and make it all about them: their needs, their goals, their pain points, their priorities, their influence, their burdens, their security, their challenges and their struggles.Regardless of the situation, whether persuading someone to your idea, negotiating a deal or responding to job interview questions, you should be aware that the listeners are asking themselvesall along the waywhats in it for me (WIIFM) or whats in it for the organization (WIIFO).The pros know this. We know whenever were interviewing for any job or role, we have to give those with whom we are communicating the WIIFM. Neglect this communication strategy at your own peril.Before you show up to the interview, prepare your mindset and frame your thinking. Youll want to respond to the interview questionsany and all interview questionsby recognizing that the listeners (the hiring managers and/or interviewers) are listening for how your answers are focused on them.Following are ten sets of underlying (and often) unasked questions that pros weave in responses for when answering the why should we hire you question or some other version of it.The pros know that the regardless of the question actually asked, hiring decision makers are secretly thinking one of more of these questions:What makes you different? And how does this difference benefit us?Whats in it for us if we hire you (the organization/division/team)?Whats in it for me if I hire you (the direct supervisor to the role)? Will you make me look good?Can we trust you to care about us; can we trust you to have our backs? Can I trust you to care about me; can I trust you to have my back?Will we be better off if we hire you? How? Will I be better off if I hire you? How?What challenges will you lead us through? What solutions do you offer? What innovations will you help us implement?What burdens will you lighten for me? And will you offer to carry some of my load without complaining about carrying your own?Where will you create, add and demonstrate the most value?What problems are you going to help us solve? What processes will you help us streamline?What strategic priorities will you elevate? Why and how?By applying this approach and framework, youll be ready. Regardless of the interview questions youre asked, you can respond using the thinking and framing that youve already shaped from the ten sets of questions above. Just remember that no matter the question asked, your goal is to respond with answers that provide the listener the WIIFM and/or WIIFO.Remember this. Internalize this, and you wont ever come off rehearsed or scripted in your interviews. And you wont be blindsided by not having a response to a question that you didnt memorize.Most Interview Questions Contain Hidden QuestionsThere is a whole bunch being asked with this single interview question of why should we hire you. And interviewers are looking at a whole bunch of different angles with your answer(s).But thats not the only question where this happens. Most all job interview questions contain hidden questions. Dont be lulled into assuming that the questions youre being asked are as singularly focused as the actual words might suggest. You dont want to be so laser focused on any particular question that you offer up a limited response that fails to address the question(s) beneath the question.Whether in job interviews or anywhere else, contemplate whats actually being asked. Instead of practicing responses to specific questions that you can never really know will be asked, considerwhat is the why of it all? What is the point of the question? andhow you can answer in a way that helps the interviewers perceive your response(s) as adding value, elevating the conversation and demonstrating deep understanding for what they care about.For all interview questions you will ever face, ensure that your responses reflect your understanding of and appreciation for whats actually happening within the organization.Dont Ever Leave Interviewers WonderingWhy Should We Hire You?You have them right there. They are right where you need them to be to have the conversation youve wanted to have. When you have the person or people who will make or finalize the hiring decision directly in front of you, you doggone well better make sure they arent left wondering why they should hire you.Why should we hire you? When youre giving the interviewers the WIIFM, youre doing this right. By framing your responses to the interview questions on them, you expand the dialogue around their needs, their goals, their pain points, their priorities, their influence, their burdens, their security, their challenges and their struggles. This will help you win out much more often than youll ever lose.Related articles:The Most Important Question Successful People Ask In A New Job3 Things Strategic Thinkers Do To Get Hired In Senior Management PositionsHow To Gain Confidence And Get Interviewers To Offer You The Job