Whenever I get asked ‘What makes you unique?’ or ‘What makes you stand out from other candidates?’ in an interview, I use it as the perfect opportunity to explain why I’m the best person for the role.
And I like to get specific. I’ve found that interviewers respond positively when I skip the generics and tie my answers back to what I have to offer based on my individual background.
Your answer could ultimately make or break your interview, so it’s important to really nail it. I’ll walk you through how to answer this question the right way.
Table of Contents
Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask ‘What makes you unique?’
Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’
How to Answer ‘What makes you unique?’
7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work
Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’
Subtle Ways Interviewers Ask ‘What makes you unique?’
There are many ways that interviewers try to tease out what makes you a stand-out candidate.
Here are some of the common questions that are actually ‘What makes you unique?’ in disguise:
What makes you stand out from other candidates?
What sets you apart from other candidates?
What can you bring to this role that’s different from other candidates?
What makes you a valuable candidate for this role?
Why are you the best candidate for this role?
Why should I choose you over other candidates?
No matter how this question manifests itself during your interview, the overarching goal remains the same.
Why do interviewers ask ‘What sets you apart from other candidates?’
The interviewer is asking you this question to give you an opportunity to showcase your value.
They want to see that you’ve done thorough research about the company and the position. And they want you to connect your skills and experience back to the role you’re interviewing for.
For example, let’s say I’m trying to land a social media role, and I notice that the company could be doing a better job on TikTok.
I can use this as an opportunity to:
Show that I’ve done my homework — I’m already familiar with the company’s social media presence and the platforms where it’s currently active (e.g., TikTok).
Highlight relevant skills — I have several years of experience managing and growing TikTok accounts, so I’ll be sure to mention that.
Provide a light recommendation — I’ll share how my skills and experience allow me to identify and implement that recommendation.
Think about it like this: If you can show the interviewer that you can help the company meet its goals (and that you know what its goals are in the first place), that’s one great way to set yourself apart from the rest.
Plus, it becomes clear to the interviewer that you’ve taken the time to prepare if you can provide specific examples related to the role.
These are all reasons why this is such a popular interview question — so come ready, and don’t be afraid to humble brag about yourself a little.
My colleague Jamie Juviler, managing editor of our esteemed Website Blog, recently hired a new writer on his team. Here’s his advice for answering ‘What makes you unique?’:
“I would say don’t stress about providing a highly unique answer or something that no other candidate has said, since that’s unlikely,” says Juviler.
“Instead, use this as another opportunity to highlight a skill or attribute that you may not have had the chance to share yet. I see it as a wild card where the candidate can share anything else they’re proud of and solidify what makes you stand out.”
Here are five other tips to consider.
1. Mention the skills listed in the job description.
This is one of the best ways to show the interviewer that you’ve done your research. Also, the job description is basically like your cheat sheet. Use it as a guide so you know exactly which skills to highlight throughout the interview.
My recommendation: Refer back to the job description but don’t recite it word for word. Use it in context to explain how your skillset aligns with the role’s expectations.
2. Provide specific examples from your background.
This is another smart way you can use the job description to your advantage. Reference prior accomplishments or results from past roles that relate to the position you’re interviewing for.
My recommendation: Focus on examples that tie back to the skills required for the position, and always quantify success where possible.
Using our social media example, saying ‘I ran a social media campaign which resulted in a 120% increase in traffic to our website’ is a lot more impactful than ‘I have experience running social media campaigns.’
3. Avoid generic phrases like “I’m a hard worker.”
Remember, this is a very standard interview question, so that means every candidate is likely being asked this question.
Make your answer compelling. Instead of saying you’re a ‘hard worker,’ give specific examples of the hard work you’ve accomplished related to the role.
My recommendation: Try to avoid the common buzzwords and instead replace those with real descriptions of your past work.
For example, you and every other candidate for a social media position probably consider yourself “social media savvy.”
Instead, make the case to prove that you are actually savvier than the competition based on your unique background.
4. Include key personality traits that will allow you to deliver results.
Someone else might have similar skills as you, but your personality is one of a kind.
Being ‘social media savvy’ is one thing. But if you’re social media savvy and a tenacious person who is able to think quickly on your feet, that’s an asset.
Highlight the traits that have proven value in helping you grow as a professional.
My recommendation: You want to know one of my favorite ways to convince interviewers that I can deliver the results they’re looking for? Tell them how I’ve found similar success in the past and how my individuality supported that.
5. Tell the interviewer how your unique skills will help the company succeed.
This closely relates back to Tip #3.
Don’t just talk about generic skills that most candidates have — always tie your skills back to specific projects you’ve worked on.
Your background is what makes you unique. There’s no one person that has the exact experience, skills, and traits that you do. Use that to your advantage.
My recommendation: You may not know the company’s internal goals, but you should always try to connect your skills to their mission and values when possible.
7 Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?” and Why They Work
1. “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people.”
Consider mentioning a personality trait you feel would be a good fit for the business. After reading the job description, make a list of attributes that could make you an exceptional candidate.
Additionally, including a personality trait in your answer allows you to display how you’re a good fit for a role in which you have little prior experience.
For instance, if you‘re applying for a position as a team leader, it’s critical that you demonstrate strong communication skills and an ability to connect with a diverse group of people.
If you tell the interviewer, “I am a very good communicator and find it easy for me to relate to other people,” you can match your personality to the components of a successful leader.
Why this works: Effective communication is a critical trait to emphasize in interviews. If you consider how 86% of employees cite lack of collaboration as a main component of workplace failures, you can begin to appreciate why.
2. “I really enjoy learning new things and am constantly seeking out new learning opportunities.”
By mentioning your passion for learning new things, you‘re demonstrating you’re growth-focused and unafraid of challenges.
Additionally, answering the question in this way allows you to remind the interviewer why you’re uniquely qualified for the role.
Why this works: While other candidates might have more prior experience in the industry, you’re proving your desire to exceed expectations of the job quickly.
3. “My prior experience in customer service has provided me with unique technical skills that I can apply to this role.”
If you have prior experience in a role vastly different from the one for which you’re applying, you might use this as an opportunity to explain how your background uniquely qualifies you.
It’s critical, however, that you provide specific examples of how your prior experience has given you certain transferable skills.
For instance, you might say the following:
“My prior experience in customer service provided me with an extensive knowledge base for how our product works. As a marketer, I will be able to use this knowledge to ensure we’re meeting our customers’ needs.”
It’s also important to highlight that previous job experience has declined in importance when recruiters evaluate candidates. In fact, over the last few years, that number has dropped from 92% to 62%.
So it‘s okay if you feel your prior work experience doesn’t perfectly align with the role for which you’re applying — as long as you can explain how your skills will help you succeed.
Why this works: An answer like this one alleviates concerns the interviewer might have about your lack of experience in the field.
4. “Working at a startup gave me an opportunity to understand the ins and outs of the industry, and to take on tasks I might not have at a larger company. I think this experience gives me a slight edge over other applicants.”
Similar to the answer above, this answer is a good one if you’re attempting to switch industries.
Consider how your background has allowed you to gain unique skills that others, who followed a more linear career trajectory, might not have.
For instance, if you previously worked at a small startup and now you want to transfer to a large corporation, it’s important you mention how those skills will make you successful in this new role.
Why this works: If you think your prior experience could deter interviewers from seeing you as exceptionally qualified, this is an optimal chance to prove them wrong.
5. “I’m not afraid of failure. In fact, I think it is an essential part of the experimental process that gets you to success. For example … ”
This answer shows your interviewer that you’re not afraid to take risks.
Of course, you’ll only want to say this if you have a positive example to reinforce the importance of failure in the workplace.
You don‘t want to sound like you make mistakes all the time, but you’ll stand out if you mention how you turned a failure into a success.
For instance, you might say, “I‘m not afraid of failure. In my last role, we tried to streamline our SEO process and, along the way, found we’d accidentally decreased traffic to our site.
However, this initial failure allowed me to see the errors in our previous procedure. My team and I came up with a more successful strategy to avoid these mistakes in the future, and ended up increasing traffic by 20%.”
Why this works: With this answer, you‘re showing you’re capable of remaining flexible and open-minded when something doesn’t work right away, and you know how to take failures and use them as learning opportunities.
6. “When solving problems, I apply both logic and emotional aspects in equal proportion. For instance, I’m trained in SEO and understand how to use analytics to ensure a marketing campaign is successful, but I also majored in design and know how to apply creativity to a project as well.”
If you’re having trouble deciding how to demonstrate your unique qualifications, start by considering how other people approach problems at your company and how you differ.
For instance, most people are either logical and use analytics to solve problems, or emotional and use creativity. It’s rare to find someone who is both.
Why this works: Most people focus on highlighting one skill per question in an interview. If you’re able to demonstrate that you’re comfortable combining two unique skills, it’s an impressive ability you should highlight.
7. “I’m exceptionally organized, and at my last company, I was able to apply this skill to improve our process and increase ROI by 33%.”
Remember, when your interviewer asks, “What makes you unique?” they’re really wondering, “How will you help our company?”
At the end of the day, it’s critical you tie your answer back to how you will solve problems for the company.
48% of recruiters say improving ‘quality of hire’ is a top priority — so you’ll want to ensure your answer highlights how you will excel in the role for the long haul.
Consider a personality trait or skill set that helped your last company achieve results. If the results are quantitative, make sure you have the specific numbers to support your claim.
However, it’s also appropriate to share qualitative results, such as, “My organizational skills led my manager to trust me with a major project within the first two months in my role.”
Why this works: Ultimately, providing examples shows the interviewer you‘re results-driven, and aren’t just saying generic phrases to answer their question.
8. I’m nimble, adaptable, and able to pivot quickly based on the needs of the business.
Adaptability is at the core of many company cultures. (In fact, it’s the ‘A’ in HEART of our culture code here at HubSpot.)
Why? Because there are too many factors that affect the way we do business. From consumer preferences to pandemics, it’s very possible that the way we work tomorrow will look different from today.
If you end up using an answer like this one, remember that an example goes a long way. Is there a time when you had to switch gears at work and you did it successfully?
Maybe you didn’t get your anticipated budget for a project so you had to choose which tactics to prioritize.
Or perhaps you were unexpectedly down a team member, and you had to step out of your comfort zone to keep a project on schedule.
Showing versus telling always wins.
Why this works: Business needs change, sometimes on a whim. This answer shows hiring managers that you’re a dynamic employee who can bend (and not break) when strategies shift and new industry trends emerge.
9. I know when to take the lead and when to step back and give someone else the opportunity to do so. I’m comfortable in both positions regardless of tenure or hierarchy.
I mentioned flexibility above, but this is another great way to emphasize that you’re comfortable wearing multiple hats. However, this takes things a step further because it also speaks to your situational awareness and team collaboration skills.
The concept of being a leader manifests itself in the workplace in many different ways.
Sure, acting as the point of contact for a campaign or overseeing a project counts. But being a positive force on the team or giving someone else the opportunity to grow are great qualities of a leader too.
Knowing the nuances of leadership and team dynamics is a hard skill to master, so it’s definitely worth highlighting if this question comes up in your interview.
Why this works: Companies are looking for people who are capable of both leading and being led, and it’s a huge plus if you feel empowered to do your best work in both cases.
10. My personal background is an asset that allows me to recognize cultural nuances and create space for diverse ideas.
Our diverse backgrounds are invaluable, and I’m not just talking about your work experience or job history. The same characteristics that make you you also make you a special addition to any team.
For example, as a black woman and a marketer, I know that I’ve faced barriers and gained insights that some of my peers may not have. And I use that knowledge every day to be more impactful in my work.
What makes you unique is the fact that there is no one else out there that can be you. Use that to your advantage.
Why this works: The whole point of this question is to tease out what sets you apart from other candidates. Who can argue with personal experience?
For even more inspiration on how to answer this question effectively, check out the video below.
Prepare Beyond ‘What Makes You Unique?’
The age-old “What makes you stand out from other candidates” question is one of many common questions that interviewers love, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
Here are some of the other top questions you should be prepared to answer (and if you want more, our free common interview questions guide has 50+):
How would you describe yourself?
What motivates you?
What should I know about you that’s not on your resume?
What are you looking for in your next position?
Why are you interested in working for our company?
Pro tip: Don’t forget to prep questions for the interviewer. In fact, Meg Prater, senior manager of marketing on the HubSpot Blog team (and my hiring manager), says it’s one of the things that helps candidates stand out the most.
“If you give your questions some pre-work, and make them personalized to me and/or the company, that goes a long way,” says Prater.
She continues, “There‘s a time and place for the ’What do you love about working here?‘ type questions, but I also love a good, ’I noticed that you have a background as a copywriter. How does that impact how you run the Blog?’”
Stand Out in the Crowd
Essentially, ‘What makes you unique’ really means, ‘What makes you an exceptionally good fit for this role?’ Use our handy interview guide to prepare, and you’ll easily be able to prove that you’re the best option in the candidate pool.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.