“Why should I hire you?” The question every tech operator should nail in an interview

Tighten your values, tightens your pitch.

Have you ever been asked that question at an interview: “Why should I hire you?” How’d it go? Did you give a winning answer? Or did you bumble through it like most people do… sounding articulate for 30% of it and a complete mess for the other 70%?

If you were to walk into an interview and the CEO were to ask you that question… what would you say? Sell me.

One thing I really encourage people to think about when they begin to look around for a new job opportunity is to sit down for a hot minute and write out their pitch about themselves. But where do you start? How do you write something that is tight, but also encompasses all of you without leaving out some of the truly spectacular stuff?

To answer this, I want you to do this: I want you to write out what you value. And no fluff. I want this to be about YOU. Not what you think a company wants to hear.

When I ask someone what they value, more often than not it goes something like this…

80% of people list off 2–3 things. More often than not they include one or all of the following values: “I value open communication and collaboration. I value curiosity and learning. I value good work/life balance. Etc.”

The other 20% of people go beyond the basics. And more often than not, this 20% of people have values that are much closer aligned to themselves than other people. These people, by and large, are people who not only know themselves but also know how to show and sell themselves to other people. These people are the people who close on a job opportunity and get the offer.

Why? Because no matter what question an interviewer throws at them, these people will always be able to answer the question in a way that is authentic, articulate, and conveys confidence. By knowing their values and what they stand for, these people are able to convey their uniqueness, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their self-awareness. Ultimately, all of these help answer the question I asked from the start: Why should I hire you? What makes you “the one?”

My Values

When I took the time to write down my values, this is the list I came up with. All of these, ultimately, weave into a narrative for me to answer any interview question.

EMBRACE A CHAMPION MINDSET

Champions lead from the front. They are disciples of the game. They practice the fundamentals. They envision the win. And they want to take the final shot. All Operators within our organization, and all clients we represent, are expected to push themselves to become the greatest champions they can be…. to hone their craft, inspire others, and always give their best.

1. DREAM BIG & BUILD FOR THE LONG TERM

We want people who have the capacity to change the world. That requires big visions and big goals, on a long time horizon. No great accomplishment was achieved overnight. Great things take time.

2. BE A STUDENT OF THE GAME

Obsession. It’s a consistent defining characteristic all champions share. They obsess about their craft and their game. They’re always learning. Always studying. They are self-managing. Self-policing. Champions are curious thinkers, always focused on constant improvement.

3. PUT IN THE WORK. #WORKETHIC.

“Nobody will ever work as hard as I work.” — Michael Jordan. Whether it’s Jordan, Brady, Gretzky, or Magic and Larry, one commonality between all of them is their outspoken belief that their work ethic was the defining characteristic that made them champions. They worked smart yes, but they also worked hard. Put in the work.

4. FLOURISH IN ADVERSITY

If you look at the lives of people who have gone on to do great things, many of them have had to suffer. Whether it’s the day they were born, throughout their career, or the day they die. They’ve had true hardships they’ve had to overcome and push through the pain. Adversity is a great tonic for success.

5. MOVE WITH URGENCY & MAKE DECISIONS

Many a startup has died, or not lived up to its full potential, by moving too slow. Indecision kills. It kills momentum. It kills human potential. It kills companies. Energy is a powerful thing. You must create it. Move. Now. Go!

6. BE BOSTONIAN TRANSPARENT. TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

Don’t be afraid to say what others won’t, with good intentions.

7. BE A MAGNET FOR EXCEPTIONAL TALENT

They say you are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most. If you surround yourself with winners… you too will win. Surround yourself with smart, dynamic people, and other winners will follow.

8. INSPIRE INNOVATION & CREATIVITY

We are reinventing an industry; an industry that has been the same way for 50+ years. To reinvent, you will have to innovate and create new solutions to new and existing problems. You will fail. We expect you to. If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing hard enough and not taking enough risks. Create a new future.

9. GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT

We are here for the people: our customers, our partners, and our fellow employees. We are available. We are present. We are here to help all of them on their life’s journey.

10. TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY

Take care of the family at home, the family at work, the family of friends, and the family you represent. Hold yourself and others to the highest standards. Give and receive love. And provide for those you care for. At the end of the day, they are what truly matters. You have one life to live. And one life to give. Don’t waste it.

Over time, I may change these… but that’s what I got today.

I could talk about each of the above in more detail, but I’m not going to now. Plenty of time for that. Instead, I want you to write your own list of values, and I want you to think about what actually makes you special above all the rest. It’s a competitive market out there. More competitive than you realize. And at the end of the day, you have to be able to pitch yourself to get what you want.