Chalk2Cheese a Personality Development and enhancing soft skills Academy is more like a Grooming School. It helps you to become the best version of yourself.
BELIEVE YOU ARE UNIQUE
Tell me what makes you unique?
You need to know why this question gets asked and how you can totally nail your answer. Also what to do when you encounter this question in an online application.
To be unique is that you are one of a kind and no other person is exactly like you. This uniqueness comes partly from within through your actions and behavior. Every success and downfall experiences, both good and bad, the knowledge we acquire and observations we make all mold us to the person we become. We should never try to emulate others. The uniqueness does not make us odd; it makes us who we are.
Most times hiring managers are going to be looking at multiple candidates for a role and generally speaking they are probably going to have to make some hard decisions. So being able to tease out what separates the candidate is important. This is your prime opportunity to make yourself stand out from the pack. It is a simple test of your awareness and communication skills. If you provide a very strong and compelling answer it shows that the candidate has done the thought and reflection that’s needed to understand what it would take to do the role and why you are the best positioned for it. If you have no idea what makes you unique or special and cannot communicate it properly, how is the company supposed to believe you are a valuable hire?
The most important thing is when you are asked what makes you unique. Why should we hire you? What makes you stand out from the other candidates? They want to know what makes you unique in the context of the job. So, it’s important to understand the company and what the specific role the hiring manager is trying to optimize for. Firstly it is the transferable skills. Which are the competencies you gain in one job that can help you be successful in other roles such as communication skills. There is always a sense of panic when a candidate is asked this question as what makes you unique? The interviewers are not there to trip you or make you sweat but they are on a mission to find a candidate that will best serve the needs of the position. This question shows that the recruiter is trying to learn more about you beyond the page. It is your chance to bring your resume to life and show that you are more than just the sum of your past experiences. It’s really an opportunity to show why you are the best person for the job.
What really matters to the recruiter for you is to focus on the one or two important things that are most relevant to the job description, besides the many unique and wonderful traits about you. Ultimately they need somebody who can ease the pain joints both for the company itself and the client accounts. Their time is limited, so edit yourself and mention the skills and personality traits of yours that will lead to your success in this particular role.
Know the job description inside out and do a research of the company in depth. The greater your understanding of the job description and company values the better prepared you will be to select unique qualities that resonate with this employer. Review the employer website like the about us page, mission statement, press releases, social media accounts to develop a firm grasp on the key qualities they see in a candidate. The hiring manager tries to visualize how you could be successful in this job based on how you used the skills that are needed in prior jobs. It is important to be yourself. Don’t exaggerate. You don’t have to have an answer they have never heard before. Instead, focus on your unique combination of skills even if you are talking about communication, account management or business development. Sometimes having a solid grasp and track record of success with common skills is exactly what they are looking for in a candidate. It’s your unique experience in developing these common skills that matter. Beyond your title and beyond your hard skills there are different things you bring to the job. So consider what other experiences, soft skills or expertise you have beyond your direct work history that could make you a good fit for the role or organization. Any type of data point qualitative or quantitative takes your response from just okay to great. Demonstrating your persistence is powerful and you would want to explain how you have been persistent in your career and the outcome of that. Did it help to exceed goals? Attract a pool of clients? Motivate the rest of your team to increase revenue? Take what you know about the company or your role and what you know your strengths are and compare the two.
What makes you unique requires some self-reflection, brainstorming and reiterating. Writing it down, scripting it, tightening it, saying aloud and hearing how it sounds. The more you practice your response the more natural it will seem when the question comes up.
Remember monologues are for theatre not for interviewers. Wrap it up, if you feel you are rambling. Time is valuable and it’s important to practice getting to the point. Edit yourself and keep your answers short. It's fine if the interviewer asks a follow up question. Always avoid anything too personal and think how your answer will reflect your capabilities on the job. While you want to demonstrate how you are unique and let your personality shine through. You need to remember this is a professional setting. Be sure your unique quality is positive. You always want the interviewer to remember you for the right reasons and not have any doubts about your abilities or history of working well with others. The question asked what makes you unique is to differentiate you from others in a positive way. Its fine to pick a common skill like leadership but you must paint a picture with words and explain your unique experiences. The employer already has a vague notion that you can do the job or else they would not bring you for an interview. Now they need you to inspire confidence in them that will confirm their initial instincts about you were on point.
What makes you unique? It’s a great opportunity to highlight your strengths and provide supporting examples. By preparing in advance and thinking strategically about your answer, you can take this chance to shine and reinforce why you would be a great addition to this company team.
In the end, the biggest differentiator in interviews is being able to articulate your abilities. Have confidence in your past experience and your future potential!!!