How to Answer "What Can You Bring to the Company?" (With Sample Answers)

by Robert Tyler

Published at: April 12, 2024

When you're sitting across from a hiring manager, "What can you bring to the company?" is one of the most significant questions you'll face during a job interview. It's your opportunity to articulate how your skills, experiences, and attributes align with the needs and values of the organization.

Preparing for this question involves reflecting on your unique qualities and how they can contribute to the team's success. Your answer not only showcases your confidence but also demonstrates your deep understanding of the company's goals and how you can be an asset to their ongoing endeavors.

Why Employers Ask This?

Employers ask "What can you bring to the company?" because they are seeking to uncover your value and how it aligns with their organization. When you're asked this interview question, the interviewer is giving you the opportunity to demonstrate how your skills, values, and achievements will benefit their company culture and mission.

Think of this question as a chance to showcase how your qualifications, including both hard skills and soft skills, fit into the bigger picture of what the employer is looking for. It's an invitation for you to highlight your past successes and how these could translate into future successes within their organization.

• Research: Before the interview, review the company website and LinkedIn page. Understanding their mission statement and recent developments gives you insight into what the company values.
• Skills & Experiences: Clearly articulate which of your skills and experiences are particularly relevant to the job and how they address the company's needs.
• Culture: Explain how you would embrace and enhance the company culture. Your ability to blend in and foster a positive work environment is as crucial as your job-related skills.

How to Answer This Question?

When preparing to articulate what you can contribute to a company, focus on how your unique skills and experiences align with the job role and the company's culture. It's essential to communicate your ability to add value with confidence and clarity.

Utilizing the STAR Method

Employ the STAR method to structure your response. Start by describing a Situation that required your attention. Follow by defining the Task you needed to accomplish. Proceed to discuss the Action you took to address the situation. Finally, close with the Result of your actions, emphasizing how those results demonstrate your capability to add value in a similar context.

Demonstrating Relevant Skills and Experiences

Identify and emphasize relevant skills and experiences that directly benefit the potential job role. Match aspects of your work history and responsibilities to the job description. This shows hiring managers that you've done your research and understand how you can contribute meaningfully to the company.

Conveying Your Fit Within the Company Culture

Understand and align your answer with the company culture. Communicate how your personal values and work style resonate with the firm's core values. A fitting candidate is one who can not only add value to the work culture but also thrive within it.

Examples of Strong Responses

Prepare specific examples that showcase how you've successfully handled similar responsibilities in the past. For instance, if teamwork is crucial to the role, detail a scenario where your collaboration skills led to a positive outcome. Convey these anecdotes with confidence to demonstrate your suitability for the role, reassuring the hiring managers of your potential to bring value and contribute effectively.

Sample Answers

When you're asked "What can you bring to the company?" in an interview, your answer should highlight your unique skills and experiences. Here are some examples to guide you:

Good Sample Answers:

1. Adaptability: "I thrive in dynamic environments, often adapting to changes quickly. For example, at my last job, I successfully led a project amidst a major shift in market trends by pivoting our strategy, which resulted in a 15% increase in customer engagement."
2. Collaboration and Leadership: "My previous roles have equipped me with strong leadership and teamwork skills. I've led a cross-departmental team to meet tight deadlines, enhancing productivity by 20%, and fostering a collaborative team environment."
3. Innovation: "With a passion for innovation, I have a track record of implementing process improvements that have saved time and cut costs. At my current job, I developed a new inventory system that reduced waste by 10%."

Bad Sample Answers:

1. Vague Claim: "I'm a hard worker and I get along with everyone." This doesn't give the interviewer any measurable achievements or specific qualities.
2. Irrelevant Skills: "I can eat 50 hotdogs in one sitting." While impressive in a different context, this does not relate to the job at hand.
3. Negative Tone: "Unlike my current lazy coworkers, I actually do my job." Speaking negatively about your current or past employers is a big no-no.

Remember to tailor your answers to the job description and company culture. This is your chance to demonstrate how you would be a valuable addition to their team.

Conclusion

Your response should be a concise reflection of your understanding of the company's needs and how you're equipped to meet them.

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