Interview Question: "What Can You Bring to the Company?"

When preparing for an interview, it’s important to consider your responses to questions that hiring managers may ask. One of the most popular questions is “What can you bring to the company?” You might hear this question in other forms such as, “How would you bring value to the position?” or “Why should I hire you rather than another candidate?”

In this article, we will describe why potential employers ask this question and provide tips for a successful answer.

Key takeaways:

• Employers ask “What can you bring to the company?” to learn the skills, qualities and qualifications that make you the best fit for both the role and the employer.

• Review the job description to tailor your answer to what’s most compelling for the employer.

• Your answer should include a mix of hard and soft skills you are most frequently rewarded or complimented for.

Hiring managers want to find an employee that possesses the necessary skills to be successful in the open role, but they also often seek someone who can offer a new perspective to the business. Your answer to “What can you bring to the company?” can demonstrate the value that only you can offer to the business. In your response, explain why your skills, experience and characteristics uniquely position you to advance organizational objectives,

Related: How to Ace Your Next Interview: Tips and Examples

How to answer “What can you bring to the company?”

Consider following these steps to prepare a thorough answer that will impress hiring managers:

1. Research the company website

Most companies have a website that contains valuable information such as:

Mission statement

Learning more about the mission statement will help you understand if your career goals and core values align with the employers. After your research, consider how to frame your response in a way that speaks to these values.

Biographies

Some company websites include information about some of its most important members, such as C-level executives and upper-level management. Learning more about leading employees can give you insight into their goals and how you can contribute towards reaching them.

"About Us" page

Research the “About us” page to gain more knowledge about the company’s culture, history, products and services. You should also see if there’s any information about customers or company activities in this section of the website. Doing so can help you identify the areas in which you can make an impact on the organization.

Read more: The Complete Guide To Researching a Company

2. Review social media and professional networking accounts

Explore any social media accounts the company maintains. You can see if the business participates in any volunteer programs or if they have announced any recent successes. You can also read reviews about the organization on Company Pages where you’ll also find FAQs, salaries, company information and more.

Gather any information that might be useful when creating your response. For example, if an employee review states that there are multiple training courses to learn new skills, you can highlight how you strive to learn more about different roles to help your team.

3. Study the job description

The job description includes the duties and responsibilities associated with the position. Review the description for any requirements that correspond with your experience. Make sure to include examples of how you displayed those skills in previous positions. You can mention soft skills, such as critical thinking, or hard skills that are specific to the job. For example, if you are applying for an accounting role, you can talk about your experience with programs such as QuickBooks or Sage.

4. Make a list of your core values

Aim to connect your career goals and core values with anything similar to the company to help the interviewer understand why you are the perfect candidate for the job. To make a list of your core values, try to answer these questions:

• What qualities do I want to develop to excel in my career?

• What motivates me?

• What kind of work culture do I prefer?

• What qualities do I admire most in my role models?

Read more: Core Values: Overview and Examples

5. Practice your communication skills

By practicing your verbal and nonverbal communication skills, you improve your confidence when you deliver your answer. Be clear and concise when speaking. Remember the highlights of your response instead of memorizing all of it to sound relaxed and self-assured.

Maintain eye contact, sit upright and keep your shoulders back to show that you are focused on the interview. Keep your feet flat on the ground for an inviting posture.

6. Use the STAR interview response method

The STAR method is an effective way to structure your answer as you provide examples of experiences that speak to your skillset. STAR stands for:

• Situation: Describe the situation.

• Task: Explain your role in the situation.

• Action: Discuss the action(s) you took to resolve or improve the situation.

• Result: Describe and measure the outcome of the situation.

“What can you bring to the company?” example answers

Your response to this question will depend on your experience and the company, but you can review our example answers for ideas:

Example 1

Problem-solving skills are important in any industry. Delivering a response that demonstrates this ability will show hiring managers that you are willing to work through any challenge.

"My problem-solving abilities allow me to work extremely well under pressure, which I understand is a common occurrence in this role. In a previous position as the purchasing lead, I had to decide which supplies to order to stay within the budget, but I had a limited amount of time to make a decision. I quickly created a spreadsheet that helped me compare manufacturers’ prices and was able to order the necessary supplies on time and within our budget. I used the spreadsheet throughout the rest of my time with the company to help them save over $500,000. I will bring the same interest and motivation for making an impact here at ABC Company.”

Example 2

Most jobs require hard skills in addition to soft skills. If you can give an example of your experience with a hard skill that was listed on the job description, you can distinguish yourself from other candidates and help the hiring manager remember you.

“I believe my experience with InDesign aligns perfectly with your requirements. I worked extensively with the program as a graphic designer at Mathis Marketing. We had one client that wanted a large advertising campaign that included flyers, postcards and magazine print advertisements. I worked almost exclusively with InDesign to create most of the material. The client was so satisfied with the campaign that they continue to use Mathis Marketing today for all of their advertisement needs. My technical design skills paired with my passion for great customer service will make me successful in this role.”