5 years ago
July 23, 2019

3 Tips to Cultivate the Perfect Answer for “What Can You Bring to This Role?”

All job interviews have common questions. There is certain information interviewers want to learn about you and follow up with from your resume. As a candidate, you should expect and…

Rhys Metler

All job interviews have common questions. There is certain information interviewers want to learn about you and follow up with from your resume. As a candidate, you should expect and be prepared to answer these common questions.

What Can You Bring to This Role?” is a common question you will almost certainly get asked when interviewing for a sales job interview.

On the surface, this question seems simple, but it can be challenging to come up with an effective answer. A general or standard answer to the question won’t do much to help you establish yourself as a top candidate. A well-communicated and thought-out answer can, on the other hand, help you differentiate yourself from other candidates and give the interviewer an idea of what you can do for the company.

There are countless ways you could answer this question. But you want to make an impact. Here Toronto sales headhunters outline a plan to help you strategically answer this all-important job interview question. But first, let’s address why this is a commonly asked job interview question:

Why Do Interviewers Ask “What Can You Bring to This Role?”

It’s not easy to identify who is the best candidate from the talent pool. Some candidates appear to be great fits but don’t always work out. Others seem to be dedicated to the role but later drop out of the interview process. Interviewers ask this question for a number of reasons:

  1. They want to assess your level of interest in the job.
  2. The interviewer wants to see how prepared you are and how much time you spent researching the company and job.
  3. They want to see what you can offer and how you are different from other candidates.

Sales headhunters ask interview questions

How to Prepare to Answer the Question

To answer the question effectively, you will need to research the role and company in detail. This question is as much about what you bring to the table, as it is what the company needs. Answering the question is about making it clear how you can bridge the gap between your skills and the company’s needs.

First, you need to outline what you bring to the table:

  • Your skills, experience, and qualifications
  • Qualities you think make you a strong fit for the role
  • Skills you have demonstrated in the past that are relevant to the role
  • Your professional and personal values
  • Examples of your passion for the profession, job, and company
  • How you are different from others applying for the job – something unique you bring to the table

Second, you need to understand what the company needs. Research and consider:

  • Skills and experience the hiring company is looking for
  • Company values
  • Company culture
  • How the role affects the company from both general and broad perspectives

Finally, you will need to position yourself as the ideal candidate (or best solution). Communicate how your experience and skills are relevant to the role and can help the company be successful.

1. Focus on Three Key Attributes

There is a lot you could bring to a role, but you only have a limited amount of time to answer the question. What the interviewer doesn’t want is a long list of reasons you are good for the job. They want to understand the top things you can offer. Most sales recruiting experts will agree that you should limit your list to the top 3 things you bring to the table.

Focus on the best qualities, skills, and abilities that will interest the interviewer. This may change based on the type of job you are applying for, so adjust it for each interview you go to. Review your resume and the job post carefully to identify the top three attributes to focus on based on the job requirements.

2. How to Answer the Question

Once you’ve selected the three key attributes you’ll focus on, you’ll need to:

  1. Explain the skill/attribute: Discuss the skill and why it makes you a strong candidate.
  2. Differentiate: Explain how this skill makes you unique compared to other candidates.
  3. Add value: Explain how this skill can help you add value to the role and bring something new to the job.

Do this for each one of the attributes you’ve identified as important to answer the question.

3. How NOT to Answer This Question: Mistakes to Avoid

Now that we have provided you with a good strategy to plan out your answer, it’s also important to be aware of the common mistakes candidates make in answering this question.  As we said before, it can be a challenging question to answer. Keep these potential mistakes in mind when rehearsing your answer:

  1. Keep your answer a reasonable length – avoid being too long-winded, but don’t be too brief either.
  2. Focus on what you can do, not on what others can’t.
  3. Avoid being too general – use specific examples of what you personally can bring to the job to give a unique answer.

In Summary

  • Highlight your relevant skills and experience
  • Provide examples of why you are a good fit for the job
  • Communicate why you are the best candidate and how you can help the company achieve its goals.

Learn How to Answer More Sales Job Interview Questions

While what can you bring to this role? is certainly a challenging question to answer, there are many other questions that will be just as difficult. But, don’t worry, our Toronto sales headhunters have you covered. Check out these insightful blogs about how to answer other challenging questions you will encounter during sales job interviews:

Get Stumped During Sales Interviews? Clever Ways to Answer “Teach Me Something.”

Clever Ways to Answer “Give Me an Example of When You Thought Outside the Box to Solve a Problem”

Strong Ways to Answer “What is Your Biggest Weakness” in a Sales Interview

The Best Answer for “How Would Your Colleagues Describe You?”

3 Brilliant Interview Tips to Answer ‘What Motivates You to Sell?’

“Explain something to me.” Clever Ways to Answer This BIG Question in a Sales Interview

 


SalesForce Search is a Toronto sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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