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  • How to answer "How are you better than others applying for this job?"

    Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator

    Updated: Oct 26, 2024
    Views: 1.0K
    One of the most common and tricky interview question asked mostly by the HR folks to candidates. Another varient of this question is "Why should we select you over the others applying to the same job?"

    Let's try to answer this question by playing a game. Imagine that you're being interviewed for a position of your choice. For example, if you are a Computer engineer, assume that you're being interviewed for the post of programmer]. If you are a civil engineer, imagine that you're being interviewed for the post of junior civil engineer in the Civil Engineering arm of CrazyEngineers and so on -

    Now, you've been through the technical rounds and the HR throws the above question at you.

    Post your answers below and we'll see how can we answer this in the best possible way. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers here and our aim is to learn through each others ideas 😀
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • May 30, 2012

    I am clueless. I went for an internship in a major chemicals manufacturing company as part of my course requirement. The chairman was on some committee of a CSIR lab, where he felt I would fit. Subsequently every other job I got into was by a similar process of a senior person in the current assignment sending me on to the next. No questions are asked if you apply by their choice. The selection process over before it began.
    If it were posed to me, I would have to be honest and say that I just did not know that I was better fit than others, since I had not interviewed them. All that I could claim was that the job was of interest to me and that I would put my best into it. I did say once that I believed in giving one rupee eight anas (this was before the paisa) for every rupee I receive. I was a student then.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • May 30, 2012

    My experience in the corporate world is no match to yours; but I've gathered few bits - the rules of 'the game' change when you move to senior levels in the hierarchy.

    Being honest always works - and "I dont' know" seems to be the most honest and correct answer. When one of the top hardware/software maker I applied to had asked me that question; my answer was this -

    "Frankly speaking, I do not know whether I'm better than the other 3 candidates sitting outside. I've interacted with them only for about 5 minutes and all of them are from different domains. The main reason I applied to this job was to have a change from pure software services field to the hardware+software products field which I believe is more exciting and challenging. I'm fully prepared to put in my best efforts to learn and implement all the new things I'll learn here.."

    Basically, I veered the interview in the direction I wanted - and to make them (interviewers) talk about things I knew were more straightforward. I was picked up for the job.

    But as an Interviewer, I've seen candidates go boasting about themselves to the point it gets unreal 😁
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • May 30, 2012

    I agree with you completely that honesty always gets respected (even by those not so honest)
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  • Anoop Kumar

    Member • May 30, 2012

    I just did not know that I was better fit than others, since I had not interviewed them. All that I could claim was that the job was of interest to me and that I would put my best into it.
    Frankly speaking, I do not know whether I'm better than the other 3 candidates sitting outside. I've interacted with them only for about 5 minutes and all of them are from different domains.
    Above points will help me a lot and others noob candidates (less than 5 years of experience).👍
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  • KS5

    Member • Jun 2, 2012

    The_Big_K
    My experience in the corporate world is no match to yours; but I've gathered few bits - the rules of 'the game' change when you move to senior levels in the hierarchy.

    Being honest always works - and "I dont' know" seems to be the most honest and correct answer. When one of the top hardware/software maker I applied to had asked me that question; my answer was this -

    "Frankly speaking, I do not know whether I'm better than the other 3 candidates sitting outside. I've interacted with them only for about 5 minutes and all of them are from different domains. The main reason I applied to this job was to have a change from pure software services field to the hardware+software products field which I believe is more exciting and challenging. I'm fully prepared to put in my best efforts to learn and implement all the new things I'll learn here.."

    Basically, I veered the interview in the direction I wanted - and to make them (interviewers) talk about things I knew were more straightforward. I was picked up for the job.

    But as an Interviewer, I've seen candidates go boasting about themselves to the point it gets unreal 😁
    Sir, what to say at the time of campus placement? There, we can't say that I don't know about the skills of other guys.. In my opinion we should certainly point out about our skills, certifications, etc. Please suggest!
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  • Anoop Kumar

    Member • Jun 2, 2012

    Point is do you exactly know how you better than others, then told them otherwise no point of fooling interviewer.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 2, 2012

    Right what #-Link-Snipped-# said. The fact is, you either don't know about the other candidates OR you may know (they may be from your class, appearing for the same interview). The key is to be honest and talk about your positive points.
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  • Saandeep Sreerambatla

    Member • Jun 5, 2012

    The same question was asked to me and my answer is "How would I know" ?

    he still asked me to try and answer , I told him As far as I know I am good at *my testing tool* so I would do good. The others may or may not do good depending on their skills. and I too told that I am not here to steal someone else's position to say positives about me.

    and I was rejected 😀
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 6, 2012

    Sometimes I wonder whether these tips would really work. I've personally experienced idiot interviewers 😁
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  • Prashanth_p@cchi

    Member • Jun 6, 2012

    The same was asked to me in my interview with an addition to it "What if we reject you now?"and my answer was as below.

    "I have said all that I know and I'm clueless of the candidates waiting outside. My interests are available in this company. That will make me move along quickly. Andddd by my true sayings, If I do not fit into the needs of the company, then I'm okay with getting rejected. Else I would be happy to be in a job that I'm interested in."

    By the way the job profile was: Junior Software Engineer - Progress developer.

    I was selected😀.
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