The Best Person for the Job

One of the questions I have been asked during a previous interview is, “Why are you the best person for the job?”

Generally candidates have no idea who else is competing for the role, and as such, don’t know how they might be, as implied by the question, better than the next person.  Nevertheless, let’s look at the question from a different perspective and consider its true intent; “What makes you the best fit for our company, and even more importantly, our team?”

Obviously, the first impulse is to start spouting our most impressive list of skills and experience.  I say, if this question comes toward the end of the interview, take this opportunity to talk about who you are versus what you can do.  The interviewer needs to determine if you fit into their corporate culture. When they understand the team dynamic, they understand what is needed and can quickly determine if you’re the best fit based on information you’re providing both verbally and nonverbally via your body language.

This part always interests me because it’s really more about interpretation.  Depending on the role you’re interviewing for, some will look for a more serious person.  This can viewed as professional by some, but can be interpreted as stiff, intense and uptight by others.  Some hiring managers might feel the team needs relaxed, laid-back, humorous people that are fun to work with.  Typically, the desired perfect match will lie somewhere in-between.  In the end, you should always be sure to give them the best, true representation of yourself with your words and your actions.

Can you determine where my personality fits?  So you don’t have spend hours trying to guess, I am inclined to be more of the latter with leanings to the in-between but understand when I need to activate the former.  “Did you get all that,” she says with a sly grin.

“So what’s your answer then,” you ask?  Since I tend to enjoy the interview process when it’s interactive vs a test, I try to be creative and sincere when it comes to responding to all questions, so my answer to this one might sound something like this:

I’m an upbeat person by nature, and I look for roles that allow me to do the things I love to do so I can bring passion and enthusiasm to that role.  While I like money as much as the next person, on a bad day, money is little consolation.  If you love what you do, it’s easy to get excited about it and excitement, like laughter, is contagious.

It’s like in the DJ business; every good DJ has professional equipment, back up equipment, and a lot of music.  However, not all of them are excited about what they do. Some stand like stone statues behind the box. They don’t work the crowd or take requests. It’s their way or the highway.

I love music, and find it very hard to be still if the song is good, so I’m no certainly no stiff, boring, standing still statue.  If what you seek is a high energy, motivated, flexible, “let’s party and move-to-the-groove-all-night-long” DJ, then I am the best person for the job.