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Topic 9 Why do you want to work here? & Why should we hire you?

English for Interviews

Topic 9 Why do you want to work here? & Why should we hire you?

A. Discuss

1. What is the diffence between Why do you want this job? and Why should we hire you?
2. What are some terrible answers to the questions above? Why?
3. What do you think the companies want to hear when you answer those questions?
4. What companies do you want to work for? Why?
5. What kind of job do you want? Why?
6. Why should those companies (from Q.2) give you the job you want? Why is it good for them?

B. Why do you want to work for us? or What interests you about this job

I. Read the article and answer the questions


The hiring manager wants to know about how your career goals fit with the company; if you are
sincerely interested in the job; if you actually know about the company, industry and position (if you
did the research); and which aspects of the company and/or job are appealing to you and why. A
good answer will show knowledge about the company and industry and will tell them specific reasons
for wanting to work for them. These reasons could include: the companys reputation, products,
success, philosophy, values, practices or market position and even recent news. For example, Well,
JP Morgans reputation is a factor. I would be proud to work for a company with such a long history
of leadership in the industry. Also, a friend in the corporate finance department told me that the
culture supports learning and development on the job and really rewards hard work.
( Modified from an article at biginterview.com)
According to the article above:

1. What do you have to do before the interview to answer this question?


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2. What aspects of the company might you mention as reasons for wanting to work there?
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II. Some answers you might give

Researching the company before the interview is important .


Be honest about specific things youve learned about the company, not just things
everybody knows about them

1) I want to work for this company because you have a really strong/outstanding/excellent
reputation.
2) Im impressed by your great / innovative / popular products.
3) I think working for you would be very enjoyable / challenging / fulfilling because.

Why do you want to


work for Apple?

Because.Apple is
AWESOME!
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Topic 9 Why do you want to work here? & Why should we hire you? English for Interviews

III. Write some ideas about how you could answer Why do you want to work for us? for one
of the companies you most want to work for.

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C. Why should we hire you?

I. Read the article and answer the questions

With this question, as well as questions like Why are you the best candidate for the job or
What would you bring to the position, your interviewer is asking you to sell him that you are the
best person for the position. Try to convince him that:
You can do the work and deliver exceptional results
You will fit in beautifully and be a great addition to the team
You possess a combination of skills and experience that make you stand out from the crowd

Your answer should be limited to 1 or 2 minutes and summarize the


top three or four best reasons to hire you. Give your biggest strengths
and/or describe your most memorable selling points related to the top
requirements in the job description. These could include: industry
experience, experience in performing certain tasks or duties, technical
skills, soft skills, accomplishments, awards, or education and training.
Dont talk too much, be too general or be too modest.

Example:
I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant position. I have almost
two years of television production experience I interned for 2 summers at The Ellen Show,
where I was exposed to all aspects of TV production and worked so hard the first summer that
they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities.

During my senior year at UC San Diego, I have been working part-time for a production
company, where I have served in an assistant role but also have had the chance to help edit
several episodes. I have a reputation for getting things done and with a smile on my face.
Thats because I love working in the television industry and am excited to learn and get
experience in every way possible.
( Modified from an article at biginterview.com)

1. How long should your answer be?


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2. How many selling points should you give?
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3. What kind of selling points should you give?
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Topic 9 Why do you want to work here? & Why should we hire you? English for Interviews

II. One way to answer


Give an introductory sentence, then give your 3 or 4 best selling points (best if they relate to the
specific requirements of the job)

Introductory Sentence:
1) I have all the skills and experience you are looking for.
2) Honestly, I have the characteristics you are looking for and the motivation and skills to
excel in this position.
3) Well, I have the skills and attitude to be a superstar in this senior researcher position.

Completed experience:
4) During my time studying at SCH University from 2008 to 2010, I was
5) As a human resources assistant at Lotte for 6 years, I developed
6) While working as an English teacher at YBM, I received
7) I have more than 3 years of experience working at KIA where I was exposed to
8) As part of a team in the 2013 Venture Competition, our entry won second prize.

Current Position (started in the past and continue to work there now):
9) During my time at KT Oleh, I have developed a reputation for
10) I have been working in the R&D department at Samsung Electronics for 6 years (since
2008) where I have been promoted 3 times.
11) As a senior analyst at Goldman Sax, I supervise 36 people.

Results and Performance:


1) One of my designs was awarded a prize for Design of the Year.
2) I started as an assistant and was promoted to branch manager in less than 2 years.
3) I was in charge of a team of 35 people.
4) I organized an event that successfully raised 30,000,000 won for charity .

IV. Make a point form outline to answer Why should we hire you?:

Job Opening: Acme Inc. (a very big company that everyone wants to work for) lists the
following preferences for a middle management position:
Excellent leadership skills
5 years management experience
Great communication skills
Great interpersonal skills
An MBA
Demonstrated great organizational skills

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Topic 9 Why do you want to work here? & Why should we hire you? English for Interviews

Review - Interview Questions and Answers so far

1. Why do you want to work for us? What interests you about this job?
2. Why should we hire you? What qualifies you for the job?
3. What is your greatest strength?
4. What is your biggest weakness? What do people often criticize you about?
5. What adjective would you use to describe yourself? How would you describe yourself?
6. Tell me about your education. Tell me about your educational background? What are your
educational qualifications?
7. What are your hobbies? How do you spend your free time? What do you like to do in your free
time?
8. What gets you up in the morning? What motivates you? What makes you want to work hard?
Others
9. Tell me about your educational background. Why did you choose your college major? What skills
did you develop at University?
10. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
(Competency Based Questions)
11. Tell me about a time when you showed strong leadership skills.
12. Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
13. Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it.

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