One of the questions you should come to interviews prepared to answer is ‘What can you bring to this role?’ Having a clear idea in your mind as to exactly what you and your unique skill set would add to the role will put you in a great position to come up with great answers to other questions too.
This question sets you up perfectly to show off your relevant skills, experience and how they will help you in the role in question. It is also your chance to explain what you can offer that other applicants can’t.
This is a common interview question that you will be expected to answer well. Failure to prepare will make it seem as though you aren’t committed to the role. If you do prepare and are able to deliver a great answer in your interview, this could be your key to your dream job.
How to answer
Research is key
Make sure you start your preparation well in advance. The best place to start your research for this question is the job description and the company’s website. Pick out the most important skills or experience listed on the job description. Then see if you can find the company’s values on their website as this will give you some clues as to the type of person they’re looking for.
Once you have this information, cross-reference it with your own skills and experience on your CV and your own personal values. This will form the basis for your answer.
Give examples
The most convincing answers will include examples. Don’t simply state that you have the required skills, demonstrate that you have by describing a time you had to put them into practice.
Have backup
We recommend that you prepare at least three key attributes that will demonstrate what you’ll bring to the role. Each of these should be central to the role in question and you should be able to back it up with an example.
You should only need to talk about one or two of these attributes, but it’s always good to have a couple of extras up your sleeve in case you are pushed for more detail.
The following examples should help you prepare some great answers.
Ability
“Due to my previous experience in a similar role at X, I know that this role will involve meeting tight deadlines. I developed the ability to do this in my last job and am comfortable working on several projects simultaneously while still meeting deadlines.
For example, I needed to ensure that I didn’t fall behind on my administrative duties even when we had a particularly busy period making repairs. Efficiently recording the work that had been completed was central to the organisation of the whole team. In order to make this process more efficient, I would make brief notes during the day which sped up the admin tasks considerably and made sure I met deadlines.”
Why we like this answer: This candidate has identified a key attribute from their own experience. This is likely to convince interviewers that they know what they’re talking about and are aware of the challenges they will face in the role. The extra detail as to how they were proactive in getting organised reinforces this.
Teamwork
“I can see from the job description that this role will require a lot of teamwork. I love being part of a team and I think that my communication skills add a lot of value here. During my work for X, I was working with offices in different parts of the world. This meant that communication was essential when working on projects together. I set up weekly meetings via Skype which had a set agenda so we could make sure that everybody was on the same page in an efficient way. This extra communication added to the team dynamic, despite us working in different offices in different parts of the world.”
Why we like this example: This candidate has explained exactly what it is that makes them such an effective team player. Communication skills are essential in almost any job so this is a great example to go for. The example they have chosen demonstrates that they understand the essentials of good teamwork.
These examples give you an idea of how long you might want your answer to be. They are detailed, giving examples, yet they’re concise.
When you practice, make sure you aren’t tempted to script your answers word-for-word. This can make your answer sound a little robotic or unnatural and might not fit with the natural flow of the conversation. Instead, prepare your answer as bullet points as this gives you a room to manoeuvre.
