If you’re going on interviews, you need to be ready to explain why you think you can do well in this job.
Employers LOVE asking this question, for a few reasons. (Or you might hear them ask a variation like “why do you think you will be successful in this job?”)
Your answer to this question can be the difference between moving on to the next round and getting no response after your interview.
So let’s look at how to answer “Why do you think you can do well in this job?”, sample answers you can copy, and mistakes to avoid.
Why Do Employers Ask This Interview Question?
Employers ask questions like, “why do you think you’ll do well in this job?” for a few reasons. I’ll walk you through the reasons one by one.
First, the interviewer wants to see if there’s anything unique about you that’ll help you perform well in the job.
They want to hear your perspective on this. What do you bring to the table? What relevant experience do you have?
Always remember this is the number one thing a hiring manager wants: Evidence that you can come in and contribute immediately in the position you’re interviewing for. So that’s what you should focus on in your answer.
Don’t just share random pieces of your background. Think about what will help you to succeed most in THIS specific job you applied for. That’s what will impress the interviewer.
Next, they want to see if you sound confident.
Employers would always prefer to hire someone who seems confident in the interview.
They want to hire someone who seems confident in their skills and comfortable talking about their experience and strengths. So this isn’t the time to be shy or timid. You need to attack this question head-on.
You’ve done the right thing by coming here and preparing for this question ahead of time… because the best way to sound confident is to practice and think about your answer before the job interview. Keep reading; by the end of this article you’ll have the perfect word-for-word answer so you can sound confident and feel 100% ready when they ask, “why do you think you’ll do well in this job?”
The final thing they’re looking for is how well you understand the job.
They want to see if you did some research and found out about their company before you decided to start applying for jobs.
Employers want to hire someone who’s put in the extra effort, not the person who cuts corners and does as little as possible.
Researching the company is an EASY way to show that you’re someone who thinks ahead and prepares before a situation. This can really go a long way toward impressing an interviewer.
And if you don’t know anything about their job and company, you’re not going to be able to do a very good job of explaining why you think you can do well in their job.
Sure, you can talk about your own strengths, but you’ll have no idea if it’s relevant to what they need in their job. This is the type of generic answer most job seekers give, and it doesn’t impress employers at all!
The way to really impress them is to study their job description and point out strengths of yours that will directly help with the tasks they need you to do!
Don’t worry – it’s not as difficult as it sounds. In the next section, we’ll look at exactly how to put a full answer together. Then we’ll look at some full sample answers for why you think you can do well in their job.
How to Answer, “Why Do You Think You Can Do Well in This Job?”
Now you know the three big reasons employers ask questions about why you’ll do well or be successful in their job.
So next, let’s look at how to answer step-by-step.
1. Study the job description
As mentioned above, you cannot give a good answer to why you think you’ll succeed in their job if you don’t know what their job involves.
So the first step to answering is – you guessed it – get familiar with their job. And then begin your answer by telling them what you saw during your research.
So for example, you might start by saying, “I looked at the job description and saw that this role puts a big emphasis on ___.”
2. Point out the pieces in your background that will be most useful in this next job
Next, you want to show them the overlaps between your background and their needs. What strengths and experiences do you have that will help you succeed in their specific role?
Don’t talk in general terms; talk about their exact position and highlight specific parts of your background that prove you’ll be a success in this job.
For example, you might continue your answer by saying, “In my last job, I spent more than half my time doing ___, so I’m confident I can step into this role and start contributing immediately for you.”
3. Give an example (Optional)
Finally, if possible, give an example of a past success or how you helped a past employer succeed using similar skills.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a customer service job, you might wrap up your answer by saying, “For example, in my final month at my last job, I handled an average of 40 customer service requests per day, so I’m very comfortable in a fast-paced environment. And in that month, I achieved a customer satisfaction rating of 100%, so I never let the high volume of work distract me from making sure to deliver a great experience for each customer.”
With questions like this, you need as much PROOF as possible. And giving an example of past accomplishments and real results is the best way to prove you’ll succeed for them, too.
Think of it as a court of law. You need evidence. Don’t make wishy-washy claims like “I’m a hard worker and I learn fast.” Tell them about a time you learned something specific and how fast you did it. And relate it to the skills you’ll need for this job.
You really need to think of yourself as a lawyer and give EVIDENCE, not just baseless claims like “I’m really determined and smart and hard-working”.
That’s how to be convincing when employers ask, “why will you do well in this job?”
This is easier if you’re trying to find a job in the same field. But it’s important even if you’re changing to a new industry or new type of position. Just do your best to find similar experiences in your background, or “overlaps” between what you’ve done in the past and what this next job requires.
There’s always some overlap; just get creative. And remember that the employer liked something on your resume. Otherwise, they would not have invited you to interview. So be confident, and find the most relevant experience you can.
“Why Do You Think You Can Do Well In This Job?” Sample Answers
We looked at the three key steps for answering in the section above. Let’s pull those three pieces together now. Here’s what a full answer would look like with the pieces we covered above…
Sample Answer #1:
“I will do well in this job because I have the prerequisite skills and a proven track record of succeeding in this field. I saw in the job description that this role requires project management and daily interaction with clients. Those were key parts of my previous role and that’s why I’m confident I can do well in this position.”
If you wanted, you could elaborate on this example answer and go into even more detail by telling a story at the end of your response. Here’s how a longer version of this answer would sound…
Sample Answer #2:
“I will do well in this job because I have the prerequisite skills and a proven track record of succeeding in this field. I saw in the job description that this role requires project management and daily interaction with clients. Those were key parts of my previous role and that’s why I’m confident I can do well in this position.
As an example, in my final month at my previous job, I handled an average of 20 client emails per day, while managing 5 client projects. And in that month, I completed 100% of these projects on time to keep our clients happy.”
Now let’s look at one more sample answer for why you think you’d do well in this job. This is an example of how you can give a shorter answer and still impress the interviewer.
Sample Answer #3
“I noticed that your job description mentions direct team leadership in this position, which is one of my greatest strengths. In my last role, I managed a full-time team of 7 employees so I feel I’ll immediately be able to come in and be successful in this position, too.”
3 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Answers
Before we wrap up, there are three big mistakes to avoid when answering, “why do you think you can do well in this job?”
Make sure you’re not doing any of these three things when you give an answer.
- The biggest mistake you can make is not doing research! You absolutely cannot do a good job explaining why you’ll be valuable to them or perform well if you don’t understand their needs.
- The next mistake is making your answer all about you, and not about them. Don’t just talk about accomplishments. Always relate it to their job and their needs. How will you help them make money? Save money? Solve problems? Etc.
- The final mistake to avoid is being too modest. They’re asking because they want you to brag a bit or share the piece of your background that you feel gives you an advantage in this job. If you don’t have anything to share, you’re not going to get the job.
Practice Your Answer!
Now you know how to explain why you think you can do well in any job. Don’t forget to practice at home before your interview; nothing comes out perfect the first time!
I don’t recommend memorizing any interview answers word-for-word, though. It’ll just make you nervous in the interview and cause you to make mistakes.
Instead, practice by writing down the main points you want to include when they ask, “why do you think you’ll do well in this job?”. And then try to make it through a practice answer a few times and see if you’re able to remember each key point you wanted to hit.
(I like to write out 3-4 bullet points of what I want to say in my answer, and then try to answer without looking at the paper. Then, look back and see if you covered everything you wanted).
If you do this, your answer will sound more spontaneous in the interview, and you’ll still mention everything you wanted to say.
