Answering “What Sets You Apart From Other Candidates?” In An Interview (2022)

This is a question that will be heard in almost every interview for any industry or position: “What sets you apart from other candidates?”

This can be difficult to answer. On the one hand, you probably don’t want to be too cocky or too confident in your answer. On the other hand, you don’t want to sell yourself short and appear unfamiliar with your assets. How do you stand out as a candidate?

In this guide, we’ll cover how to answer this age-old interview question, how to avoid an ineffective answer, and some examples of how you should answer. Let’s start by examining why hiring managers ask this question.

Why do interviewers ask “What makes you different from other candidates?”

When you hear this question, remember that the hiring manager isn’t trying to get you to insult other prospects or point out their flaws.

Pro tip: TalentNow reports that 42% of employers fear they won’t be able to find the talent they need. And 72.8% have difficulty finding relevant candidates. This is good news for job seekers and an important reason why relevant CVs, cover letters and interview responses are key to your future employment.

What they’re trying to do is get some insight into what strengths and experiences you believe are valuable and how they would benefit the company as a whole. It’s simply an opportunity to let your hiring manager or interviewer know why you belong at this company.

Avoid a bad answer by following these guidelines

There are a few things to keep in mind when answering this question:

• Do not badmouth or insult the other candidates in your answer, either personally or judging by their appearance, age, race, gender, etc. (this should be obvious).
• Don’t sell yourself short for being modest.
• Don’t brag or go on and on about how amazing you are, even if you are overqualified for the job.
• Don’t make the answer super short. Go into the details, but don’t fret for ages. Please get to the point and stick to it.
• Don’t point out “flaws” in the company that you believe your expertise can fix. It may seem okay to do in some situations, but humility is key more often than not.

If you must, think about how you can point out a current problem with the prospect and how your skills combined with the skills of your team can help improve that issue.

• Don’t dismiss the question with something like, “I’m pretty modest and don’t feel it’s good practice to put myself above others.”
• Avoid listing skills, attributes or other things that are not relevant to the potential role. For example, if you’re applying for a finance job, don’t bring up your excellent art skills as something that makes you different. It doesn’t flow well and will make it seem like you can’t think of a skill that matches the job description.

What should be in your answer?

When adjusting and revising your answer, consider these key things you should implement in your answer:

• Always stay on topic and don’t get carried away.
• Prepare examples of past work and projects, including evidence of volunteer work and academic achievements relative to what the current company would want from someone in your potential role.
• Research the job requirements as much as possible and connect with them.
• In your answer, include a description of the project for which you will be hired. If you can relate your answer to something the hiring manager is trying to solve, your answer will be more coherent.
• List your qualifications and select the most valuable assets you should include.
• Brainstorm how you can “outdo” the other prospects in your answer without sounding them.
• Really think about what makes you unique, and if that unique trait is something the company might find valuable in.
• believe in yourself. You really have to believe that you are the best person for the job. If you can’t summon that kind of trust, either you really aren’t right for the job, or your hiring manager will recognize your lack of trust and see it as a liability to the company.

Now that we know what not to say and what to say, let’s look at some sample answers to get your creative juices flowing!

10 sample answers to “What sets you apart from other candidates?”

1. I think my positive attitude is one of my greatest assets, especially in a professional setting. In this industry, I have seen many people in my and other roles become burned out and less likely to make sales or work well with the general customer base. When I go to work, I go into a completely different frame of mind. I know I’m setting an example for society every hour I’m in this building. I take care of my mental and physical health outside of work so that when I’m here, I’m 100%.

2. I am very good at self-management and self-discipline. This is a high tension industry, and I think that in the end it becomes too easy to stop trying, as he can be the best in this position. I know it can be easy to stop being organized or good at management after a while. I strive to avoid this frame of mind and make organizing my work and managing my team a priority.

3. Communication is key to this role. I believe that my communication skills, as demonstrated in this interview, are on point. Being an excellent communicator, I am also quite good at dealing positively with co-worker conflicts and communicating the product manufacturing needs with the appropriate teams. I never leave anything to chance, so my past projects have been relatively error-free and launched quickly.

4. When I read the job description, I noticed that the company specifically stated that they were looking for someone with [insert skill] Experience. As you can see in my resume and CV, I have [number] years of experience in this field. What really sets me apart from other prospects is my ability to combine this experience and tailored skill set with team building skills. I definitely value long-term working relationships and closeness, and I always seek to build those relationships with every team member at all levels. My passion for this industry and the people that make it up are what make me a valuable addition to any team.

5. I have a great willingness to learn. I think many prospects may expect to be hired for this position and not continue to develop their skills, but it is a priority.

6. You may have noticed on my resume that most of my work history has been as a [insert position] While it is a role that has given me a great understanding of how [elements of the industry] Working. In my previous positions, I was responsible for managing teams and monitoring projects as well as overseeing business accounts and payroll. I also interacted with customer accounts and billing. I have grown a deep understanding of the current environment for [industry] and can apply my experience in this position. I am confident that my work experience will be beneficial to this company, and I am excited to begin this new timeline in my career.

7. I make quick decisions. In this industry, I think this is an irreplaceable skill. As you can see from my previous projects in my resume, I had to make tough decisions and make them quickly. Most of them turned out to be the right decisions, and for those that weren’t, I actively worked with my team to fix the problem and learn from it.

8. I don’t think many people in this position have the commercial awareness or business acumen. I have been in this industry for a very long time, and I believe that my extensive experience has given me insight into the biggest and smallest aspects of how a company in this industry operates and succeeds.

9. I am motivated. I think it can be hard to find. I am also a fast learner. Although I am new to the world of [industry], I am certainly not new to customer service. I noticed in the job description for this position that customer interaction is a key component. During my time as a volunteer for [business]I realized how much I love helping people in a professional setting and making sure that not only are customers well taken care of, but that their experience is positive.

10. Not everyone can be a person or a leader. As you can see in my resume, I have been in many successful leadership positions. I think management is what I was made for, and I’m excited to bring my leadership skills to this role.

We hope this guide was helpful for you in your upcoming interviews. Remember to practice, stay focused, be patient and good things will follow. Which of our examples was your favorite for answering this common interview question?

Frequently asked questions of job seekers

Frequently asked questions and answers to prepare for a job interview.

Should I list soft skills in this answer?

Soft skills are great to mention, but what makes you more attractive to an employer is when you mention a previous accomplishment that makes you stand out. This will be better than mentioning every unique skill you can cover. Make sure the accomplishment fits with what the employer is looking for in the position. For example, saying you have organizational skills just isn’t going to impress your potential employer. It lacks depth.

What if I say I’m right for this job?

You need something a little deeper than that. You will need to think about what your potential employer wants to see from the role. Then try to argue or support why you think you go above and beyond the simple “job requirement” type of answer. Again, achievements and benefits are a much better way to support that you are a potential employee who can perform and achieve what they need to complete.

Is there an interview question similar to this one that I should be wary of?

“What makes you special?” is another interview question that sounds similar but different.

Should I copy the examples in this article?

Try not to use these specific examples as your answers. Instead, think about the structure of the response and how you would phrase your answer. This can be more difficult for students compared to those who have been employed for a longer period of time. But students should also have benefits or projects they can mention.

Why do some people feel that bringing up a personality trait is a good way to stand out as a candidate?

They feel this is a great way to mention skills. But it’s just not as great as mentioning an achievement. You have a much greater chance of succeeding in your job search when you focus on quantitative versus qualitative metrics.

Is this a behavioral question?

No it’s not. Behavioral questions often begin with “Tell me about a certain time.”

Questions related to the interview

If you’re looking for interview-related questions, the following should be helpful:
What are your leadership examples?
Describe your leadership style
How did you hear about this job?
What do you know about our company?
what motivates you
What makes you unique/> What interests you in this position?

Preferred resources

Our favorite resources are included below.

Resources for job interviews

Resume and cover letter resources

Job search resources