“Why should not we employ you” is a good query for inquiring candidates to think on their feet, but there are way too many ways you can answer this query poorly.

Bad Answer #1

“I’m perfect.”

No, you’re not. You’re flawed. Everyone is flawed. Do not be conceited.

Bad Answer #2

“Well, you might not need to hire me because I do not have experience with Program XYZ, and it is significant to the role…”

You do not really want to give them a reason to not to hire you. That is merely silly.

Tips to Answer

Once again, there actually is not a “Great” answer. There are 2 acceptable ways to answer, where one is more risky but could bring greater rewards, and the other is similar to the “greatest weakness” answer where the weakness is not actually that much of a weakness to start with. Let’s look at them here.

Good Answer #1 – Risky

“There are always aspects of company culture that you don’t learn until you’ve had time to adjust to the new setting. So if your company does not like tasks being completed before deadline or if your company does not amuse the building revenue via outstanding usage of its resources, then you probably should not employ me.”

This answer takes few guts, but it is pretty good. You’re essentially turning the answer into a joke, like “If your company needs to hire someone awful, then you surely shouldn’t hire me.” If the employer has no sense of humor and you have not been doing well in your interview, this answer will not fly and to be honest humor is very rarely a good concept in a job interview.

Good Answer #2 – Less Risky

“It is very significant to me that I complete tasks before deadline without mistakes. What this means, although, is that sometimes I need to call meetings to make sure that it is on the right path in case to do the work efficiently and error free. If your company frowns on impromptu meetings or the culture is such that it doesn’t suitable open communication, I might not be the person for you.”

This answer is really pretty good. It concentrates on a “flaw” (perfectionism, sort of) and expands to make it really sound like it might be a flaw, but it is not really, and you’re left with a successful and real answer to the query using a weakness that is not really a weakness.

Interview Tips

• Consider giving a risky answer by implying the company might need to hire bad workers on purpose. Remember this one is a BIG risk.
• Otherwise go with a twist on the greatest weakness answers, using a weakness that is not actually a weakness.
• Do not give them a real reason not to employ you.
• Do not claim that there is no reason.