How Do You Answer To “What Makes You Unique? “
The idea of uniqueness is a little weird. According to the formal definition, something is unique if it is the only case of its kind, thus lacking a comparable. Consequently, when the recruiting manager inquires, “What makes you unique?” It’s normal to experience some difficulty.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be the only example of something to provide a good answer. Here’s how to start answering the question “what makes you unique” if you’re unsure where to start.
Why Are You Being Asked to “Tell Us What Makes You Unique?”
So why do employers inquire about your unique qualities? Is it to jar you a little? Well, perhaps a little. There is, however, more to it than that.
Their first takeaway from your answer is what you value in yourself. The qualities or skills you choose to highlight can provide readers with insightful hints about your personality and ability since you are essentially talking about why you believe you are unique.
They also want to see how you handle pressure. They want to know if you can take the challenge of talking about yourself in such an uncomfortable way.
Finally, the recruiting manager is looking to determine if you possess a skill or trait that wasn’t explicitly requested but might assist the team, the organisation, and you succeed in unexpected ways.
The hiring manager is seeking “something above and beyond what the other candidates give, suggesting that you’ll be a solid addition to the firm,” as the geniuses at the Balance put it. They’re after that little something extra, which may help the organisation reach new heights.
What Makes You Unique? : How to Answer
Think about all the solutions that come to mind for a moment. Are they unique qualities that distinguish you from your family and friends? Do you have any strange habits you’ve had since you were a kid that no one else seems to have? Have you always wanted to demonstrate a talent on late-night television but couldn’t do so?
Let’s try asking that question again, but I’ll put it through the “What the interviewer is asking” filter this time. Have you prepared? This is it:
“What about you makes you the best applicant for this position?”
Consider the value you bring to the firm instead of focusing on what makes you distinct. Your list might include helpful items like “I appreciate working with a team to complete a project” and “A challenge strongly drives me.”
This inquiry aims to ascertain what makes you essential as a person and in the job and why those distinctions make you stand out from the competition. Remember that finding the most outstanding candidate for the position you’re applying for is an interviewer’s top priority, and you must convince them of this.
Remember that the recruiting manager may ask you more questions during the interview. To help you prepare for your upcoming interview, we have produced a fantastic free cheat sheet that provides exact word-for-word responses to some of the trickiest interview questions.
How to answer the “What Makes You Unique?” on a job application
During the application process for a job, you can come across this interview question for the first time. Companies frequently ask applicants, “In 150 characters or less, describe what makes you unique.”
There’s no need to give this too much thought. All of the information above is still valid. Make sure you utilise the available characters wisely to ensure that your response has the possible impact.
The recruiting managers initially imposed the character limit because they wanted applicants to write in clear, short sentences. Rephrasing the question in any way is thus a crucial thing to avoid. Additionally, you want to omit filler words and don’t improve the response.
The most crucial thing to remember is to concentrate on the distinctive abilities you possess that are most pertinent to the position you are interviewing for. To further assist you in developing your response, use the following advice.
Top 5 Tips for Understanding “What Makes You Unique”
1. Do Your Homework
Start with the actual job description. Examine the necessary talents and compare them to the ones you already have. Be careful to incorporate those skills into the discourse through examples when you answer the question.
2. Self-Assess
After reviewing the job description and your relevant experience, take some time to consider what makes you stand out from the competition. Then, make a note of your responses. Come up with a list of abilities or attributes that you think are unique to you – and make you a worthwhile addition to the firm – that wasn’t featured in the job offer.
3. Reference the Past
To support your claims, provide concrete instances from your professional background. Make sure your stories are brief, to the point, and concluding on a happy note. Inform the hiring manager not only of your distinctive qualities but also of the productive ways in which you have made use of them.
4. It’s Not All About You
Although you are being interviewed, the focus should be on the firm and how you can support them. Beforehand, do some study about the business to help you come up with logical applications for your unique abilities. Sure, getting the job would benefit you, but in the end, it’s all about them.
5. Be Unique
Yes, the focus of this inquiry is on your distinctive qualities. Still, it’s too simple to give less than initial responses that your interviewer has already heard a gazillion times.
Use “I’m driven to accomplish a task, no matter how difficult” instead of “I’m a hard worker,” “I’m a fast learner,” or “I always go above and beyond,” and instead of “I’m a hard worker,” say “I like learning new things and find that it’s easy for me to pick up required abilities.” I look forward to tasks that will allow me to develop.
Next, prepare beforehand. Your answers will then sound professional and assured.
Also Read: Hobbies in Resume
How NOT to Answer This Situation
After showing the most acceptable methods for answering the “What makes you unique” interview question, we thought we’d review some things you should avoid doing.
1. Oversharing
Yes, the recruiting manager is interested in your unique qualities, but only insofar as they relate to the position. Be discreet with your sensitive information. Remember, they’re interested in how your unique talents will benefit the business, not that you spend your weekends dressing your dog in period attire and acting out pivotal historical conflicts.
2. Being Generic
This has already been mentioned, but it merits repeating. Please don’t resort to generic, uninteresting responses without any examples of follow-ups, even though it may be tempting to skip over this question because it is difficult to answer.
3. Being Negative
It would help if you didn’t use this chance to disparage the other job applicants who also compete for the post. Don’t take this as an opportunity to expound on your qualifications to the hiring manager compared to the other job seekers in the waiting area. You won’t gain any favour and come across as shallow and petty.
4. Don’t Get “Lost”
Keep your answer short, relevant, and focused. Use specific language to highlight your abilities, then give a particular example to back it up. Avoid droning on about commands unrelated to the position or the business you are interviewing for.
5. Don’t Lie
This is something we emphasise throughout these blogs since it’s so important. Be truthful! Don’t invent a unique ability or quality that you don’t genuinely possess only to increase your chances of being recruited. Nothing is worse than being asked to use a skill you don’t have or getting employed for a job you can’t genuinely perform. Be truthful!
How to Find the Best Traits by Using the Job Description
You most likely know how to respond to the interview question “what makes you distinctive” at this point. But it seems sensible to go a little bit further.
While talking about your unique qualities, in general, is OK, relevance should be the goal. You should think about “What makes me unique the hiring manager would value? By doing that, you can discover unique qualities that strengthen your candidate’s position.
The job description is a great resource for customising your responses for the position. You need to learn more about the individual they’re looking for. To do it, one must look beyond the essential hard talents. Instead, it would help if you thought about your unique qualities that let you use those technical skills more effectively.
Similarly, you could emphasise special skills that make you adept at managing a workplace like the hiring manager’s business. Once more, this makes you a far better candidate.
Don’t only talk about what you bring to the table when it comes time to discuss your distinctive qualities. Instead, reflect on your previous employment and other experiences, such as your hobbies, educational interests, and volunteer work. Then, since demonstrating is always more potent than explaining, look for examples that highlight your distinctive qualities.
