George Brzozowski
Finally, you found a job that is well suited to your dream opportunity. All the skills and requirements are precisely the same as your curriculum vitae. But you are not the only one applying for the job. There will be numerous interviewees struggling to get the same opportunity. There is a chance your skills and traits overlap with others applying for the role. Now, how to highlight your unique qualities from others to land the opportunity?
All interviewers have a predefined set of questions they plan to ask from you. Some of these questions are skill related, but they can also include some abstract questions to identify your problem-solving skills and personality traits. The most popular question across the board is, *Tell us what makes you unique. Try to be creative and say something that will catch our eye!*.
This question is a bit tricky and requires on the spot answers. But it also provides you with the opportunity to showcase the qualities that makes you are ideal for the position. Some tips can help you to answer this question in a job-winning way.
Why does the evaluator ask, “What makes you unique?”
1. To Know Your Best Qualities
“What makes you unique?” When the interviewer asks this question, they want to know more about your qualities and experiences ideal for that particular opportunity.
Now, this is the break where you can brag about your best qualities and tell the interviewer what differentiate your skills from other graduates.
It will be ideal if you create a list of things that can step-up your interview. Your list can consist of anything your qualification, work experience, volunteering, a project, or anything that not every candidate will have.
2. To see whether you are prepared for the job or not
Your answer to the question of what makes you different reveals a lot about your preparation. It gives the interviewer an idea of how much information you have about the job and the company. A pro tip is to provide a relevant answer. An irrelevant answer (i.e., talking about your passion for civil engineering in a software engineering interview) indicates that you don’t know much about the opportunity or the company, and therefore are not a good fit.
3. To determine your creativity level
Employers often ask this question to estimate the interviewee’s creativity level. Coming up with a unique answer indicates that you have a creative mind, think outside of the box, and bring value to the company. This unorthodox thinking is what places you at the top of other candidates.
Common Mistakes to avoid
Many interviewees underestimated this question’s tricky nature and thus fell into traps while making a unique impression. Here are a few common mistakes that you should avoid at any cost.
1. Oversharing
Now, interviewees start to brag about their irrelevant skills and qualities to make themselves unique. So keep it relevant keep it professional.
2. Too generic answers
Generic answers and answers without any specific examples to back them up will take you nowhere. You have to describe something that will make you a valuable asset to that organization. Describe something that genuinely makes you stand out.
3. Rambling
When we talked about confronting the interviewer with confidence, we never meant to go on and on. Always try to keep your answers focused to the point and brief.
4. Dishonesty and lying to the interviewer
Interviews to land on a dream opportunity can be stressful. You might be tempted to come up with something that is strictly not honest to impress the employers. It is recommended not to come up with something other than the truth because eventually, they will find out.
Thoughtful Answers To, “What Makes You Unique?”
There are a few examples to help you determine how to answer what makes you unique:
What makes you unique sample answer no: 1
My natural ability to communicate effectively makes me unique. I blend in with the audience and relate to understanding their needs. This skill helped me in my previous role as a call center agent because I was able to identify customer’s pain points and challenges. I successfully established trust and built relationships with my audience, which drove me to exceed my daily quota consistently.
What makes you unique sample answer no: 2
My 4 years’ experience in sales marketing and retail is what makes me unique. I have first-hand experience dealing with fielding questions, feedback, and complaints. This experience helped me know what customers want and what it takes to create a long-lasting and positive consumer experience through marketing.
Every individual possesses some particular traits that make them ideal for a job. By identifying your strengths and composing the main points before your interview, you can communicate why you are an excellent match for the proposed position.
