How to Answer "What Makes You Unique?" During Interviews in 2022

by Hiration

What makes me unique?

This question might freeze you for seconds, as many people are unaware of their unique qualities.

However, recruiters love finding your uniqueness during a recruitment process. Recruiters prioritize people whose skills and qualities align with the job requirements.

Hence, we advise you to think about ‘what makes you unique?’ apart from preparing for technical questions while preparing for an interview in 2022.

Here you can get some meaningful details of personal interview questions like ‘what makes you unique?’, which will help you answer impressively.

You will get answers to the following questions in this guide:

Why do Employers ask ‘What Makes You Unique Question’?

Employers these days want to hire people with unique qualities suitable for the job profile. By asking questions like ‘what makes you unique?’, recruiters want:

  • To give you a chance to emphasize your qualities

‘What makes you unique?’, you can translate this question to ‘What qualities, skills, and experience make you a good fit for this job?’

Recruits want you to elaborate on your qualities and skills that make you stand apart from the crowd of other applicants.

  • To see if you are not in line with the job profile

The qualities and skills you choose to say for the question, ‘what makes you different?’ must align with the job description.

With this question, recruiters will also get an idea about your research for the job profile and company.

  • To check your creativity

Employers also use this question to check your mental level. In the interview process, you can impress the recruiter if you come up with a unique and exciting answer of ‘what makes you unique?'.

Also Read: Most common interview questions in 2022

What Does The Recruiter Mean by ‘What Makes You Unique?’

If the recruiter asks, ‘what makes you unique?’, it means that you need to mention the points or qualities that make you qualified for the applied position.

The recruiter can ask this question in the following ways:

  • What makes you unique?
  • What are your unique characteristics?
  • What makes you stand out from other candidates?
  • What makes you special?
  • What makes you different from other candidates?
  • Tell us something unique about yourself.
  • What makes you you?
  • What makes you who you are?
  • Tell me something interesting about yourself.
  • Tell me something about yourself.
  • What differentiates you from other candidates?
  • What sets you apart?
  • What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
  • Share something unique about yourself.
  • Why should we hire you over other candidates?

Recruiters do not want to know how different you are from these questions. Instead, they want to know how precisely you can fit the applied job role.

What Makes You Unique Interview Question Examples

Here are two sample answers for the ‘what makes you unique?’ question in a customer service job interview.

The job description emphasized a cheerful attitude with fluent communication skills.

Wrong One:

The most unique thing about me is that I’m a big-hearted guy. I understand people’s problems and try to connect with them to help lessen their pain. I try to solve my friends’ problems in every possible way to keep them happy and stress-free.

Right One:

The thing that makes me unique is my cheerful attitude.

My teachers used to say that they had not seen a cheerful kid like me during my academics. At Bellfrost Care, 90% of the customers who called me were angry like hell. I tackled their anger and listened to their issue from the start. Then I started working to solve their problems. I was not doing anything special compared to the other customer service representatives in the company. But my cheerful attitude was a great plus for me and my employers during my service.

How to Answer ‘What Makes You Unique’ Interview Questions

Now, when you know what recruiters mean by what makes you unique interview questions, you must learn the metrics to answer appropriately.

Know the Job Requirements

Firstly, you need to understand the job requirements by paying attention to the job description. The more you know about the job requirements, the better you will answer what makes you unique interview questions.

Mention Your Biggest Achievements that Aligns with the Job

Secondly, analyze your work experience and milestones you achieved in your professional journey. Try to pick some achievements from your work experience that fit the applied job profile. You can mention these achievements while answering what makes you unique interview question.

Answer What Makes You Unique and How it Helped Your Previous Company

Lastly, you can also add how your unique skills and qualities helped your previous company increase sales or customer satisfaction. Recruiters will love to know the real-time results you got with the help of your uniqueness.

Also Read: Top interview questions & answers 2022

What Should You Avoid While Answering What Makes You Unique Interview Question?

‘What makes you unique’, Interviewers ask such questions to know about your unique qualities and honesty. Your answer can be a game-changer in the recruitment process. Hence, you need to answer with a witty mind.

We advise you to avoid these things while answering what makes you unique interview question:

  • Lying to the interviewer

You do not have to lie while answering this question, as you will be in great trouble if you cannot do the things you told interviewers that you can.

Recruiters appreciate honesty, and you can be completely honest about your skills and qualities while appearing for an interview.

  • Being negative

While differentiating yourself from others, do not put negative comments on them. Instead, try to highlight your qualities.

Focus on showcasing your strengths and qualities rather than speaking negatively about other applicants.

  • Going off on a tangent

Do not pull your answer too much, and try to keep it under 1-2 lines. Concise answers revealing your qualities and uniqueness will leave a lasting impression on the recruiter.

Tips to Answer 'What Makes You Unique' During Interview

Answering 'what makes you unique?' in an interview session can be tricky and might cause you to lose the opportunity. Hence we are here with some practical tips to follow while answering the 'what makes you unique?' question in a job interview:

  • List Down Your Strengths

Make a list of your strengths and unique qualities before appearing for an interview and filter the ones matching the job requirements. Your skills and strong points aligned with the JD will make you an ideal candidate for your applied position.

  • Be Honest While Answering

Recruiters do not like candidates who bluff while answering a question. Hence, we recommend you be completely honest while answering what makes you unique in an interview.

  • Review the Job Description

Check the job description and match your skills with the requirements. You can try to mention how your unique attributes can boost the overall growth f the organization.

  • Mention Concrete Examples of Your Uniqueness

Mention the examples from your previous work to authenticate your unique skills and qualities. Your accomplishments will prove your worth for the position.

Key Takeaways

When an interviewer asks, ‘tell me what makes you unique’, most applicants get puzzled, and they end up with a common, silly, or inappropriate answer.

You can follow these steps to be prepared for questions similar to ‘what makes you stand out from other candidates’:

  • Analyze the job requirements and pick your achievements suitable for the job
  • Do not say anything negative for other applicants and try to highlight your qualities
  • Be honest about your skills, qualities, and achievements while answering this question
  • Keep your answer concise and impressive to leave a positive impression

You can check out Hiration’s 360-degree Career Service Platform to build essential documents like resumes, cover letters, and digital portfolios for your next job application. It comes with 24/7 chat support to deliver you a smooth operating experience.

Moreover, you can also leverage our experts’ career-building suggestions at support@hiration.com.