Popular How To Answer The "What Makes You Unique?" Interview Question Peggy McKeeKelly KuehnJenna ArcandJune 18, 2024 Bigstock

The job interview question, "What makes you unique?" can stop you in your tracks. You know you have the qualifications and the skills to do the job, but how are you supposed to know how you're different from anyone else?

The answer is: you don't have to know. And you don't have to be Superman to deliver a job-winning answer to this question.

Here are three surefire ways to answer the "What makes you unique?" interview question that will impress your interviewer.

How NOT To Answer This Challenging Question

Before you can come up with a great answer to this interview question, first you need to know how notto answer. The hiring manager absolutely does not want to know that you play in a band on the weekends, you can solve a Rubik's Cube in 30 seconds, or that you have a pet rat.

When interviewers ask, "What makes you unique?" the real question is, "Why should I hire you? Why should I choose you over the other people I'm interviewing?" That's what you should answer.

A personal answer may be interesting, but it won't help to convince them to hire you. All of your job interview answers should focus on telling them what they need to know in order to say, "You're hired!"

Think about what makes you valuable to have in this role and why it's valuable. Those are the qualities you want to draw attention to, and now is the time to brag about them. Ultimately, employers want to know how you will save or make the company money. Prove your value, prove you have a track record of saving or making companies money by being successful in past positions, and they'll absolutely want to hire you.

Here are a couple of great ways to answer the uniqueness question based on things employers really care about—your background, your experiences, and your personality or soft skills (that pertain to the job).

Explaining Your Career Background

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Here's a sample answer of what you might say when responding to this question:

"My background is a little different from others in the field, which gives me a unique perspective that has allowed me to see solutions that are creative and resourceful. For example, I came up with X solution [say what it was] to solve Y problem, and it worked out beautifully." [Use evidence in the form of numbers, dollars, or percentages that really highlight the success of your solution.]

Sharing Your Previous Experiences

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Here's an example of what you might say when responding to this question:

"I believe that my education in X [name your degree or classes here] combined with my work experience in Y give me an especially great advantage when approaching [a typical or critical problem this job addresses]. I draw on both to solve everyday issues and special challenges. For example, in [name a situation], I took [name the action you took] and got [name the results you got—again, in the form of numbers, dollars, or percentages if you can]."

Selling Your Skills Sets/Personality

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If the job description or things the interviewer has said so far let you know that soft skills like communication or organization are important for the job, you can say something like:

"I believe I have exceptional organizational skills. In my last job, I created a new system for task assignments that streamlined our productivity and improved it by 20%."

This little bit at the end—"by 20%"—transforms what would be a good answer ("I streamlined our productivity") into a standout answer. It grabs attention and tells them exactly how much you matter. Remember: In the job search, it's all about quantifying your work experience on your resume and in your job interviews.

Overall Strategy In Your Career

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If you have any experience or skills that would make you valuable in the role, now is the time to mention it. Worry less about "uniqueness" and focus on value. Add impressiveness to your answer and make them remember you by incorporating proof of how what you have is valuable, and describe it in terms of numbers, dollars, or percentages.

Next time you have a big job interview, try using these tips to answer what makes you unique. That second phone call could be coming faster than you think!

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job interview Partner Boost 11 Ways To Enjoy Summer When You’re Working A Full-Time Job Ariella CoombsJenna ArcandJune 13, 2024 Bigstock

There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.

When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals, as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!

Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.

1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs

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Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.

2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car​

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Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities. Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.

3. Plan An Office Outing

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Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!

4. Organize Group Walks

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Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

5. Eat Lunch At The Park

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When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.

6. Organize Office Sports

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Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.

7. Join A Professional Group

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During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.

8. Have An Office BBQ

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Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.

9. Wake Up Early

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Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!

10. Strategically Use Your Time Off

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Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time. Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.

11. Bike To Work

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If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!

There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

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