Have you ever been in an interview and been asked “Why should I hire you?” If the answer is yes, you’re among a majority of working professionals. It’s a question you’ll likely hear on multiple occasions, and it’s also one you may have difficulty coming up with an answer for.

Since we’re conditioned to come across as modest “team players” in a professional setting, this question can catch you off guard if you aren’t fully prepared for it to come up during the interview. While it may seem like a jarring question to answer, there is a reason why hiring managers want to pose it in the first place. Typically, a hiring manager who poses this question is looking to gauge where a candidate’s confidence level is at or gain a true assessment as to what makes a candidate capable of performing and exceeding expectations. Ultimately, it’s one of many tools that an interviewer will use to establish who the best person for the role is going to be.

Regardless of how intimidating this question can be, it’s one that you must be prepared for if you want to land the job. Even though it’s important to speak about your accomplishments with humility, you also want to take the opportunity to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the role. If you are asked this question, it’s important to remember that the hiring manager is asking you to sell them on you and your skills. Here are several areas to touch base on when you are asked this question:

• Your capability to do the work that was outlined in the job description
• How you’ll be a great fit for your assigned team and the company at large
• Your confidence in your abilities

In order to succeed in answering this frequently asked question, you’ll want to put a significant amount of time into your interview prep. Before going to the interview, study the list of responsibilities and qualifications in the job posting and compose a brief summary that demonstrates your ability to do the job. Additionally, you’ll want to spend time researching the company in order to see how you may fit in with the company’s culture.

Even if you aren’t asked this question, it can still serve as a significant advantage toward cementing yourself as the ideal candidate. After all, the candidate who’s offered the position is the one who establishes themselves as the most qualified!