What makes you unique

How To Answer “What Makes You Unique?”

10’000 Hours / Getty Images

Are you the right candidate for the job you are about to interview for? The hiring manager will ask a range of questions that will indicate who really would be perfect for the position. Interviewers use a variety of tactics to determine whether you are an exceptional candidate equipped with the right qualities and skill set to excel in the role.

One of the questions you may be asked is, “What makes you unique?” as the recruiter evaluates whether you have elements in your background that are likely to lead to success on the job.

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know

Interviewers ask this kind of question to understand what specific skills or qualities make you stand out from the other candidates. Essentially, if you are one of many candidates with the same qualifications, why should they hire you over them? The examples you share when you respond will highlight what you like about yourself as well as your level of confidence.

The employer wants to see evidence of strengths and soft skills you might not have included in your resume or application, but that will help you do well on the job. Interviewers ask these kinds of questions to determine whether you’re a good fit for the job, but this may also be asked to determine if you are compatible with the organization’s culture.

The interviewer is looking not only for indications that you’re qualified to do the work, but also for something above and beyond what the other candidates offer, showing that you’ll be a strong addition to the company.

The interviewer will also note how comfortable you appear answering personal questions like this one. This speaks of your ability to think quickly on your feet, and to prepare for important conversations at work.

How to Respond

Before you work out how you’ll answer this question, take some time to research the company and the job. The more you know about the organizational goals of the employer, the better equipped you’ll be to connect your unique attributes to the job. It can be helpful to think of what’s special about you and how those characteristics will enable you to make a strong contribution to the organization.

One approach that can help you to respond genuinely to this question is mixing personal attributes, experiences, or interests with key professional assets. For example, you might mention that you have an unusual combination of interests, like skydiving and coin collecting, while also sharing that you are very attentive to detail.

Be careful not to exaggerate your uniqueness or imply that you are the only one with certain qualities. It’s better to emphasize that you are exceptional or unusually gifted in certain ways. In some cases, it helps to quote others to maintain a modest approach, as in, “I have been told that I’m unusually assertive in a diplomatic way.”

Remember, as with the request, «Tell me something about yourself that’s not on your resume,» one of the goals of this question is to get to know you beyond your career and your on-the-job attitude and experience.

Examples of the Best Answers

The best answers to this request are honest, brief, and confidently delivered. Your goal is to share something interesting about yourself that illuminates why you are the best fit for the role. Come prepared with a few things to share and be sure to tie them to the skills and qualities that are most valuable in this job.

Example Answer #1

Something that distinguishes me from many other salespeople is my ability to connect with clients on a human level from the outset, making them feel comfortable and uncovering all their pressing needs around my product. From there, I can present my product conversationally, in light of their needs. I attribute this skill in large part to my gift for small talk to «warm-up» customers, as well as my genuine interest in the sports and news topics of the day.

Why it works: This answer demonstrates the candidate’s ability to win clients over through their excellent interpersonal skills. In the sales industry, this trait is highly valued, as people are more likely to buy a product if they can genuinely connect with the salesperson pitching it to them.

Example Answer #2

I am unusually well organized and adept at devising systems, which helps me stay on top of projects and plan events. My supervisors have consistently recognized my organizational skills and looked to me to help the team remain on schedule. For example, last year we offered a conference to customers to educate them on our new product line, and I orchestrated the entire event. I was proud of the reviews it received.

Why it works: This answer shows the candidate is not only very organized when it comes to small tasks, but also has a track record of planning high-stakes events with stellar results. Employers love to hear concrete examples of when candidates were put to the test and met or exceeded expectations.

Example Answer #3

I have an intense curiosity about the world around me, which I convey to my students, and I cultivate excitement about learning new things, especially in science. For example, I developed a unit about the weather and shared my fascination with different types of clouds and the relationship between cloud types and weather patterns. Several of my students were so inspired by this that they asked whether we could meet after class for a weather club.

Why it works: This answer highlights key skills that allow for long-term success within a teaching role: curiosity and enthusiasm. When you share stories that demonstrate your passion for teaching, employers get excited about the prospect of bringing you on board. Always share any extracurricular activities you have organized to underscore your devotion to students and education as a whole.

Example Answer #4

I have an unusually keen interest in current events and policy. For example, I’m the only person I know who read the entire Mueller Report and took notes about the most important passages, just for fun! Additionally, I am unusually systematic in my approach to work and have received positive feedback about my ability to apply research protocols consistently to a study.

Why it works: This answer shows a passion for research and learning outside of the job, which helps convince the interviewer that you genuinely love this line of work. The answer also highlights your unique approach to research and the positive feedback you have received for it.

Tips for Giving the Best Answer

The first step is to analyze the job and itemize the skills, knowledge, experiences, and personal qualities that the employer is looking for in the ideal candidate. Some of these qualifications might be transparent in a well-written advertisement. In other cases, you will need to look at descriptions of similar jobs on sites like Indeed.com and review the LinkedIn profiles of professionals holding similar jobs.

What Not to Say

Typical Follow-Up Questions

Bottom Line

BE HONEST Don’t claim attributes and skills that aren’t uniquely you.

CONNECT YOUR ANSWER TO THE JOB Use your response to demonstrate skills and qualities that are valuable in the role.

AVOID CONTROVERSY Don’t talk about politics, religion, or anything that could cause offense.

DON’T SHARE TOO MUCH INFORMATION You don’t need to share your odd habits that don’t relate to the job itself.

Answers to “What Makes You Unique?”

Hiring managers interview many candidates for each job, so they want to hear what makes you unique from the other candidates.

And if you don’t have an impressive, confident answer, it can cost you the opportunity.

Coming up, we’ll look at how to answer this question to impress a hiring manager, including word-for-word sample interview answers.

Why Employers Ask “What Makes You Unique?”

“What makes you unique?” isn’t a trick interview question, and there isn’t one “right” answer.

However, employers like to ask job seekers this question to hear your own perspective on what you bring to the company.

First, there may be something the hiring manager doesn’t know about you, and so they want to learn a bit more about you than what’s on your resume.

Maybe you have a unique ability, some soft skills that other candidates don’t have, etc.

Even if not, this question is a chance to show that you understand the job description and the employer’s hopes/needs as they hire for this role, and then demonstrate why you’re qualified.

I’ll share full sample answers coming up, so don’t worry if this sounds difficult (it’s not).

How to Answer “What Makes You Unique?” in an Interview

To keep your answer clear and concise, I recommend responding to this interview question with one single skill or trait that makes you unique.

You can mention unique technical skills/hard skills, soft skills, key personality traits, experiences, personal attributes, or any other factor that makes you an exceptional candidate… and different from other job seekers

You could also mention a reason that you’re passionate about this industry/work, if that’s true.

Whatever unique trait or skill you name in the job interview, pick something that’s true, so that you can talk strongly and confidently about it.

Don’t say you bring exceptional communication skills if you’re an average communicator. The hiring manager will see right through that.

Your answer is going to be far more impressive if you take time to prepare ahead of time and pick a genuine reason that you feel you’re unique for the role.

This means you NEED to:

Next, let’s look at some example responses to help you formulate your own answer.

Sample Answers to “What Makes You Unique?”

Example Answer 1:

One trait that I feel makes me unique is my ability to get along with all types of people and personalities. I’ve worked in retail customer service, all the way up to managing large enterprise client accounts in my last job. I can relate to a construction worker just as easily as I can connect and relate to a corporate lawyer or doctor. I saw that your job description for this role emphasizes communication skills, and I’ve read about the variety of clients that your business serves. So, that’s one reason I feel I’m a strong candidate for the role, and may have some unique skills and background that other candidates don’t bring.

Example Answer 2:

One of my unique skills is that I’m a former software developer. I moved into product design because I’m more passionate about this area, but I’m still able to write code and scripts to automate tasks, and I still approach challenges and obstacles through an engineer’s mindset, meaning I perform tests and I make decisions based on data. This data-driven approach sets me apart from many other designers and makes me a unique candidate for your Senior Design Lead role.

Example Answer 3:

One of the skills that makes me unique is my public speaking ability. I enjoy giving presentations, I’ve spoken in front of hundreds of people at my college. I was a part of my college debate team, too.

I also led weekly intern meetings during both of my internships before I graduated, and I genuinely enjoy talking in front of a crowd. So as I look to find my first full-time, permanent position after graduating, I look forward to finding ways to use this skill in my career. I saw your job description for this role mentions giving sales presentations to clients, so that’s one area where I feel I’d immediately excel.

Example Answer 4:

I have an unusual combination of soft skills that I feel makes me unique. I’m constantly seeking to improve, learn from my mistakes, and challenge myself. And I’m exceptionally organized in terms of tracking my results, progress, and any trends in my work and output. So through this, I’m able to find potential learning opportunities and lessons, spot potential problems before they become larger issues, and steadily improve.

I use challenges as a learning experience and try to turn the occasional small mistake into a huge positive, rather than dwelling on it as a negative. In past jobs, my managers often complimented my ability to learn quickly, perform well without needing constant supervision, and remain calm even when something didn’t go my way. So that’s the unique skill set that I bring to the role.

Example Answer 5:

I think that my unique skill is project leadership. I have a natural ability to lead numerous tasks and projects, whether as the direct team leader or project coordinator. I think this comes from my combination of strong organizational skills and interpersonal skills. I’ve always enjoyed leadership and working in a team environment and hope to continue finding companies that value collaboration.

I reviewed the job listing and it seemed to me that your company values hiring people with a collaborative mindset, and people who can grow in the organization and take on more leadership over time, so this role seemed like a great potential fit.

Note: Even if an employer doesn’t directly ask, “Why are you applying to this job?” it’s a nice touch to end an interview answer by explaining why you felt their job was a good match.

Doing this shows research, thoughtfulness, and preparation. You can see this in the sample answer above, which ends by saying, “…so this role seemed like a great potential fit.”

Now that we’ve looked at some sample answers, I want to share one critical step that you should ALWAYS take when answering this interview question…

Relate Your Answer to the Employer’s Job Description

Throughout the interview process, your goal should be to show the hiring manager that you’re ready to step into this new position and be successful.

Many job seekers don’t realize this, or don’t do this enough.

So when describing what makes you unique, you should really be thinking, “What makes me uniquely qualified for this role, compared to other applicants?”

Then briefly explain your unique qualities that will be a positive for this company’s position.

Showing relevancy to an employer’s job is more important than overall skills/accomplishments.

So when you answer a job interview question like, “What’s something unique about you?” always try to pick a skill or personality trait that you can relate to the company’s needs.

Even if you are changing careers or seeking an entry-level position, look for transferable skills you can point to.

Then, to give an even more unique answer, end your response by explaining how that trait/skill will help you perform one or more of the tasks that the job description emphasizes.

You’ll notice this in some of the sample answers above.

For example, the first sample job interview answer above ends with the phrase:

I saw that your job description for this role emphasizes communication skills, and I’ve read about the variety of clients that your business serves. So, that’s one reason I felt I’m a strong candidate for the role…

This interview question isn’t just about you; it’s about how you can help the employer and the hiring manager.

You’ll out-perform most other job seekers in the interview if you explain to the hiring manager why your skills are a fit for their job description, specifically.

That is one of the best job search tips I can give you overall, and it goes far beyond answering this one interview question.

For all of my best interview tips, read this article.

Avoid Vague, Non-Specific Answers

When answering this interview question, it’s best to give detailed, specific examples of what makes you unique.

Notice how in the sample answers above, narrow and precise skills were named.

For example, speaking to large groups of people. Or taking an engineering-minded approach to product design.

Go back and review those sample answers above if you skipped them previously.

The bottom line is:

In general, when answering, “What makes you unique?” you want to avoid general claims like, “I’m a hard worker” and instead be more specific.

Why does this matter?

First, every job seeker claims to be a hard worker. They make many general claims like that.

Hiring managers are tired of hearing it and it’s become rather meaningless.

Second, a general, non-specific answer doesn’t paint a clear picture in the hiring manager’s mind of how you’ll help them if you’re hired for the position.

Give more specific examples to show why you’re truly the best candidate.

Instead of saying, “I’m a hard worker” (which is not unique at all) you could say:

One thing that makes me unique is my organizational skills. I get excited about anything to do with organization. I love creating systems, templates, and other tools to save time and make me more effective at work. In my last job, I used this to save two hours per day by creating a new scheduling and follow-up system for interacting with customers.

This answer demonstrates much more to a hiring manager than a general claim like, “I’m very organized.” Employers will believe your claims and understand your claims more if they hear concrete examples, so try to give an answer like the example above.

In fact, the concept above is some of the best interview advice and career advice I can give you in general, even beyond this one interview question.

Share more detail and be more specific in your resume, your interview answers, your cover letter (if you send one), and you’ll make more hiring managers see you as an ideal candidate.

Take Your Time When Answering

There’s no need to answer too quickly or rush your response when you’re asked what makes you unique.

This is a tricky question and it’s completely acceptable to say, “That’s a great question. Let me think for a second. I want to give you a good response here.”

Doing this gives you time to consider the company’s values, the hiring manager’s attitude/personality, any topics or job requirements you’ve already discussed in this job interview, etc.

So take your time articulating your answer to this question. It’s not a race to answer, and you can’t take something back once you’ve said it!

Conclusion: Answering the “What Makes You Unique?” Interview Question

If you read the tips above, you now know how to answer, “What makes you unique?”

You can share key skills, personality traits, or any other unique professional or personal qualities that show how you’ll be prepared to perform well in this employer’s job.

The important thing is to be specific and share concrete examples.

If you’re showing an employer that you understand their needs (from the job description) and showing exactly how you can help them, then you’re giving a good answer.

Related questions and sample answers:

Hold Up! Before you go on an interview.

Get our free PDF with the top 30 interview questions and answers. Join 10,000+ job seekers in our email newsletter and we’ll send you the 30 must-know questions, plus our best insider tips for turning interviews into job offers.

Keep Reading

How Do You Define Success? Interview Answers

17 Government Interview Questions

What Do You Dislike About Your Job? (Examples)

Tell Us About a Time When You Found it Difficult to Work With Someone

Get life-changing insights

Please enter a valid email address

Uncover what makes you unique in 15-minutes

The 5 best ways to answer “What makes you unique?”

After getting past the laundry list of qualifications on a typical job description, job seekers may feel exasperated to then be expected to show why they are unique on top of being qualified.

Like every aspect of the job search, with a little practice you can ace this question. You may see this question asked in different formats. Sometimes it’s the straightforward ‘tell us what makes you unique’, but other times they may ask ‘why should we hire you’ or ‘what makes you stand out from other candidates’, which essentially gets at the same thing.

The power of transferable skills

For my current position as Associate Director of University of Pennsylvania Career Services, I encountered this type of question during the interview process.

From being on search committees at previous universities, I understood that at least 200 candidates had probably applied for the role and I knew I had to differentiate myself. I summarized my success stories based not only on my direct relevant experience at other career centers like Vanderbilt and Drexel, but I also highlighted my transferable skills from being a recruiter and even as a victim advocate at the State Attorney’s Office.

Transferable skills are the competencies you gain in one job that can help you be successful in other roles, such as communication skills.

On the surface, being an advocate for childhood abuse victims has nothing to do with career counseling, yet I held a leadership role supervising 13 people and learned to think on my feet under highly stressful circumstances. These are skills that bolster my efficacy as a career advisor when working with students feeling anxiety of a job search and when I am coordinating logistics for large scale career fairs with many moving parts.

Sometimes the tangents in our careers (times when we go seemingly off course, whether due to family responsibilities, world events or other reasons), lead us to gain amazing experiences that when brought together are much more than the sum of their individual parts.

Get inside the mind of a recruiter – Why do they want to know ‘what makes you unique’

When recruiters ask, ‘tell us what makes you unique’ even the most qualified candidates may feel a sense of panic. The good news is that they are not trying to trip you up or make you sweat, rather they are on a mission to find the candidate that will best serve the needs of the position.

I did not fully appreciate this until I became a recruiter myself. Oftentimes, candidates will do interview prep in a way that makes them deliver standardized answers that all sound the same. They read the same type of advice and deliver answers a little too close to the samples.

When asking candidates this question, I genuinely wanted to understand the unique elements of each applicant’s background and how they could come together to take this position to the next level.

Asking this question shows that the recruiter or hiring manager is trying to learn more about you beyond the page. It’s your chance to bring your resume to life and show that you are more than just the sum of your past experiences. It’s really an opportunity to show why you’re the best person for the job.

Now that we focused on why the question is asked, let’s turn to strategies you can use to make the most of this interview question.

How to answer ‘what makes you unique’

While there are many unique and wonderful traits about you, it’s important to focus on one or two things that are most relevant to this job description. That’s what matters to the recruiter.

Ultimately, they need somebody who can ease the pain points both for the company itself and the client accounts. Their time is limited, so you must edit yourself and only mention the skills or personality traits of yours that will lead to your success in this particular role.

Need help thinking of what you’re good at? Check out this article with exercises to help you answer that question.

This is huge! On the surface, the ‘what makes you unique’ question sounds like it’s all about you, but it’s about you in the context of the role and the company. The greater your understanding of the job description and company values, the better prepared you will be to select unique qualities that resonate with this employer.

Review the employer website, About Us page, Mission statement, press releases, social media accounts to develop a firm grasp on the key qualities they are seeking in a candidate. Most job descriptions will ask for 50 different things, but you can usually group these into 3 to 5 major skill areas (hard and soft skills).

That used to be a pet peeve of mine as a recruiter. Candidates would rattle off this amazing list of skills and qualities that sounded amazing, except there was no proof.

Writers are told to show, don’t tell and the advice applies in this context as well.

It’s important to paint a picture of your abilities with success stories. That’s why behavioral interviews are so common where employers ask questions like tell me about a time when or give me an example of ________. The hiring manager is trying to visualize how you could be successful in this job based on how you used the skills that are needed in prior jobs.

It’s tempting to say what you think the recruiter wants to hear, but if you embellish, it’s easy enough for employers to discover this and you lose credibility. Plus, you will not have success stories to back up your claims.

It’s important to be yourself and not feel the need to exaggerate and say that you speak six languages, can juggle and were a child TV star to stand out. You don’t have to have an answer that they have never heard before.

Instead, focus on your unique combination of skills even if you’re talking about communication (check out these tips for effective communication), account management and business development. Sometimes having a solid grasp and track record of success with common skills is exactly what they’re looking for in a candidate.

It’s your unique experience in developing these common skills that matters.

By reviewing your F4S assessment, you can gain valuable insights about your unique motivations and formulate success stories that show those motivations in action.

4 things not to do when explaining what makes you unique

When candidates get nervous during an interview, they are often tempted to rattle on – hoping if they keep talking the interviewer will find some nugget of experience they love that will compel them to extend an offer.

While I understand the inclination, this is frustrating for the recruiter and it makes them question whether you would do this with clients. Time is valuable and it’s important to practice getting to the point.

Edit yourself by keeping your answers between 90 seconds and 2 minutes long. It’s fine if the interviewer asks a follow up question.

Remember, monologues are for theater, not job interviewers. If you feel yourself rambling, wrap it up!

While you want to demonstrate how you are unique and let your personality shine through, you want to remember this is a professional setting. Avoid anything too personal and think of how your answer will reflect your capabilities on the job.

Be sure that your unique quality is something positive. Perhaps you appeared on a reality show and were voted as the best villain on the series. It’s certainly unique, but you want the interviewer to remember for the right reasons and not have any doubt about your abilities or history of working well with others.

The whole point of the question asking what makes you unique is to differentiate you from others in a positive way. This goes back to the show, don’t tell adage. It’s fine to pick a common skill like leadership, but you must paint them a picture with words and explain your unique leadership experience – perhaps mentoring a team while studying abroad or your volunteer experience with a nonprofit.

The most important skill you need when answering any interview question

Before getting back to the ‘what makes you unique’ question, let’s focus on a skill essential to any interview:

The ability to articulate your experience in a way that is meaningful to this particular employer.

The employer already has a vague notion that you can do the job or else they would not bring you in for an interview. Now, they need you to inspire confidence in them that will confirm their initial instincts about you were on point.

Specifically, the interview process needs to assure the employer that …

The secret to preparing for an interview – The Greatest Hits Exercise

Success stories are the secret sauce of a great interview and this question ‘what makes you unique’ is no exception.

Understand Yourself and Be Able to Tell Your Story

This is an exercise I call “Your Greatest Hits.” This will give you a quick visual depiction of approximately 30 success stories across skills areas and is a great prompt for those behavioral, “Tell me about a time when” questions. They are based on the premise that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

Select those 5 skill areas represented in the job description plus soft skills and other skills applicable to your field or industry.

For each of these skill areas, write 2 – 3 CAR stories meaning

The answers to these should be 90 seconds to 2 minutes long and demonstrate you using that skill. Pull examples from every area of your resume including jobs, volunteer work, research, hobbies, consulting work, etc., but focus the majority of your stories on your relevant past experience.

When doing this exercise, don’t write out long answers. You know your experience and should not memorize the answers – rather use the keywords and phrases to trigger your memory.

For example:

Adaptability

Practice saying these success stories aloud

It will help you smooth out the flow (get rid of ums, pauses, likes), identify areas where you need to come up with a better example, and in the process increase your confidence. You are showing this employer how you could jump in and contribute right away to their organizational objectives.

Which skills and abilities should you pick?

Now that you know how to tell compelling success stories in an interview, which ones should you select for the ‘what makes you unique’ question?

Sample answers for ‘What makes you unique’

My adaptability makes me unique and I have honed that over the past five years as a wedding planner. It’s such an important day for people and I am the one managing last-minute details and ensuring that everything flows smoothly just like a project manager.

For example, last month a bride had her heart set on an outdoor ceremony, but about a week before the forecast called for showers. As soon as I saw that, I immediately called the couple and asked them to consider a party tent and they agreed.

Since it was last minute, I called some vendors with whom I have long standing relationships and they were able to help me secure a tent at the last minute in the peak of the wedding season. I also ordered umbrellas and made contingency plans for valets to get people closer to the tent entrance.

Thankfully, it was sunny for the ceremony, but rained most of the reception. Because of the tent, everyone stayed dry and had a great time. The guests commented on the beautiful event in spite of the weather. The bride and groom were really happy, left a great Yelp review for me and have already referred me to one of their friends who just got engaged.

This ability to remain calm, think on my feet and communicate with clients throughout the process will allow me to thrive as a corporate event planner.

My experience across industries makes me unique because I’ve had the opportunity to work on several cross functional teams and learn best practices with each role. Making the leap from a tech startup with 10 people where no two days were alike, and we were wearing different hats depending on what was needed in any given moment, to a large hospitality company was really eye opening.

At the startup we were focused on survival, aggressive business development and securing investors, whereas at the hotel company, I worked in account management for longer term projects. Before that, I spent time in customer service for a telecom company. I’m grateful to have had these different experiences because it has helped me understand the environment I like best and allowed me to work with diverse teams on projects of all sizes.

My ability to quickly learn new things and be self-directed makes me unique. For example, in my last role as a data analyst, I was working closely with the account management team when they had a member leave mid project. I spent extra time outside of work getting up to speed on that person’s workload and the history of the account, so I could help with the client side as well.

Early in my career, I spent several years in retail, so I have that customer service background. While I have enjoyed the data side, this experience allowed me to see that an account management role would be a great fit for me and serve as the cross section of my data and customer service experience. I’m happy to say that the project was a success and I have been invited to collaborate on future projects to help with both data and client management.

By jumping in and going above and beyond my normal workload to dive into the role, I showed the team they could depend on me. That’s how I approach all my projects and why I would make a great account manager with ABC company.

Final tips

When interviewers ask what makes you unique, it’s a great opportunity to highlight your strengths and provide supporting examples. By preparing in advance and thinking strategically about your answer, you can take this chance to shine and reinforce why you would be a great addition to this company’s team.

Remember, when you send your thank you email immediately following the interview, it’s a good time to allude to that unique quality and remind them what makes you the best candidate for this particular role.

In the end, the biggest differentiator in interviews is being able to articulate your abilities. Have confidence in your past experience and your future potential!

Discover what makes you unique and get free personalized coaching — get started now.

Uncover what makes you unique in 15-minutes

Our programs were designed by world-renown coaches, and sessions only take 5-15 minutes. Get started for free with personalized program now by chatting in the box below:

What makes you unique? How to answer this challenging question

You’ve got a job interview. You really want the job, so you do your best to prepare. And in doing so you think about that killer of a question:

What makes you unique?

Interviewers in all kinds of industries ask this or a variation of it. It rolls off the tongue, and many interviewers ask it without giving much thought to why it’s important.

But this question is far from simple. It’s an entire cultural philosophy packed into one short sentence.

If you don’t answer it with confidence you could miss out on the job of your dreams — because whether they’re aware of it or not, it tells your interviewer whether you fit into their ingrained, even unconscious cultural and social values.

This article is partly a critique of the question itself (because surely there are more useful, less loaded questions that interviewers could be asking) and partly a guide on how to answer it successfully.

Read on to find out what the question really means, and how to answer it with just the right level of honesty and…uniqueness.

Stick with me to the end and you’ll find some real-life answers from interviewees who got the job they were after.

A history of the question: why do interviewers ask what makes you unique?

*Full disclosure: this is a speculative and slightly made-up history because I couldn’t find a specific history of this particular question. But… isn’t most of what’s written in history books slightly made up?

A cultural analysis by H. Kim and H.R. Markus, social researchers at Stanford University, compared perspectives on uniqueness in the US and East Asia. The study found that in American culture, uniqueness is associated with freedom, independence, and success.

In East Asian culture, however, conformity is valued above uniqueness as it supports harmony and connectedness. A huge number of other sociologists, psychologists, and anthropologists have explained this same difference, and it’s tied with deeper cultural values.

It’s all about context. Traditionally in East Asia, cooperation and harmony are important cultural values. Children are brought up to understand that they have a responsibility towards their social group and that the collective needs come before their individual needs.

Striving for independence and “uniqueness” may be viewed as immature and deviant, and following social norms improve everyone’s wellbeing.

Each person’s sense of self is rooted in these shared values — so the desire to be unique, and to express that individuality for the world to see, is unusual.

This is changing as the world changes, and new studies are exploring the ways that uniqueness is becoming more important in some Asian cultures, such as in China.

And then there’s the US. Modern American cultural values are built on (perceived) freedom and the rights of the individual, as written in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Not everyone in America right now is free, or benefitting from equal rights.

But the idea that everyone should be able to exercise their own freedom is a cornerstone of cultural attitude. And in America, freedom is widely defined as “being able to choose for oneself,” according to anthropologist Anna Wierzbicka.

There’s an ongoing debate about where “American individualism” started. Until recently, most scholars accepted the theory written by Seymour Martin Lipset, that the focus on uniqueness grew out of the circumstances and events of the American Revolution between 1765 and 1783.

Some elements of Lipset’s explanation are still accepted, and some current social researchers agree that a certain kind of individualism is rooted in the revolution. That kind of individualism has been called “liberal individualism”, and is basically the idea that every person should have the right to “think and act in a way that is free from communitarian or collective restrictions.”

The cultural media that most Americans (and lots of Europeans, Canadians, Australians…) consume every day is packed full of messages that reinforce the importance of personal choice and individuality. We’re told that we should follow our instincts; do what’s right for us, and decide what kind of life we’re going to have.

These messages feed into work culture all the time—pushing us to be better than our colleagues and competitors, to talk the most in meetings, and to bring the freshest, most dazzling ideas to the table.

And when it comes to a job interview, all of those messages and lifelong micro-influences come together in one charged question: what makes you unique?

All the contradiction

Thing is, employers want you to be an individual — but not too much. This reflects the idea of individuality as a whole; it’s respected and celebrated as long as it fits within the parameters of social acceptance.

Cultures that value individuality tend to imply that it’s down to you whether you’re successful or not. Although seemingly, it’s not always down to you to decide what ‘success’ looks like.

This is confusing because at the same time as being told we should be different, we’re also told that we have to buy that new moisturizer to look as beautiful as the guy on the advert so that people will be attracted to us.

As well as being told to stand out and be innovative in our careers, we’re warned not to say or do anything controversial because that could get us into trouble—until that controversial thing makes us or our cause successful, and then it can be celebrated in hindsight.

So how can you be just unique enough without striking, into the heart of your interviewer, the fear that you might turn their office into a sanctuary for baby goats or something?

A cultural advantage

If you grew up in a culture that shares the value of individuality, this stuff will come relatively easily to you. Generally speaking, you’ll know how to differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd without coming across as too weird.

You will understand, inherently, what kind of uniqueness an employer is looking for. And that understanding is deep enough that you’ll also be able to tone down the unique aspects of yourself that an employer probably doesn’t want. Like the tattoo of a poodle’s face on your neck (hello, turtleneck sweater).

But what if you grew up in a culture that values collectivity over uniqueness, and now you’re trying to get a job in a place where individuality beats everything? You could be at a disadvantage.

Firstly, you might look “too different” from the moment you walk in the door.

A number of studies have highlighted racism in employment processes, showing that interviewers discriminate based on skin color. And sociologists have found that your accent can also influence your chances of getting the job you want.

In America for example, having a British accent could be an advantage, especially if you want a managerial position. But if you speak English with a Hispanic, Chinese, or Indian accent you’re less likely to get a client-facing role.

Secondly — regardless of the way you look and sound — if you haven’t had much exposure to individualistic values it could be more difficult for you to express uniqueness in a way that appeals to the average interviewer.

Your cultural background might be the very thing that has allowed you to cultivate the perfect skills for your job, but that won’t help you if your interviewer doesn’t understand how your ‘difference’ could be their advantage.

This is stupid — they’re not really asking what makes you unique, it’s just a way of asking what you can bring to their company that no one else can.

Yes. What they really want to know is why you’re a better fit for the job than anyone else. So why not ask that, after giving interviewees a clear briefing on what the job entails—rather than asking them what makes them special and different and magical?

Also, the truth is that it’s very unlikely you’re the only person who could do this job, or that no one else could possibly do it better than you. Your interviewer knows that, too.

By asking what makes you unique, they are asking you to make their decision easier. The chances are they’re trying to choose between a selection of candidates who are pretty evenly matched in terms of qualifications and experience.

And they don’t want to make a decision they’ll regret (or that their bosses won’t be happy with). So they want you to give them a definitive reason why YOU are the right choice.

With that in mind, you can tailor your answer to their needs. They ask what makes you unique. Then you answer by turning the question around and outlining specific traits, skills, or experience you have that perfectly match the particular requirements of the job and the company. It’s not really about you.

The purpose of the question: what they really want to know

OK. Enough picking apart. Employers really do use this question in interviews all the time, and they don’t want you to answer with a list of reasons why their question is irrelevant.

So it’s time to get practical: here are a few things your interviewer really wants you to give them when they ask this question.

Think beyond what’s obviously relevant for your role, and draw on other experiences that enrich your understanding, skills and sensitivity. Start there.

Real-life successful answers

I asked five people how they answered this question — or variations of it — in an interview. All of them got the job. If you need some inspiration for an upcoming interview, use these answers* as a starting point for building your own.

What makes you unique?

Why is this good? They took a skill that the interviewee cared about a lot (communication) and explained why dance training, which involved working closely and collaboratively with other dancers, enhanced that skill to a greater level.

Why is this good? Again, they focused on a skill that mattered to the employer: self-direction and motivation, because this was for a remote-working position. Instead of just saying they were good at those things, they provided evidence (home education) of a time when they had to use those skills every day.

Why is this good? Evidence. The interview was for a job with a new social enterprise, so past experience of setting something up (even though it was a small voluntary project) and an understanding of the potential challenges gave the interviewer confidence that this person was up to the task. This one is great because it taps into the fact that the employer is probably anxious about whether their business will work, and reassures them.

Why is this good? The job was in a bar at a youth hostel, and this answer not only described a genuine skill, but highlighted important, relevant personality traits: confidence, humor, and an interest in connecting with others. Actually, learning to say “hi, how are you?” in 14 languages is pretty easy, so it could be a handy skill to add to your portfolio.

Why is this good? Interviewing for a studio manager role, this person wanted to get across that their organizational skills were on point. Instead of saying “I’m really organized and love admin,” they made it personal and gave real examples of their organization in action.

*These answers have been shortened to their core points. It’s usually a good idea to give a more detailed explanation after your sharp and snappy intro.

Answer the question and get the job

I don’t love this question. You might have guessed. But even if, like me, you think it’s a bit silly; you’ll still have to answer it if it comes up in an interview.

Rephrase it in your head to make it relevant to the job. And instead of going with a generic answer like “I love a challenge and I”m not afraid of failure,” make it personal.

Draw in your experience and a little of your character without forgetting that it really isn’t about you. It’s about how you could fit into the job or the business.

And don’t lie. That’ll always come back to bite.

Written by Izzy Arcoleo

How To Answer “What Makes You Unique?” (With Examples)

Find a Job You Really Want In

When an interviewer asks “what makes you unique?” they are looking to see how you talk about yourself and what you can bring to the table.

We’ll cover what interviewers are looking for when they ask this question and how to formulate a great answer of your own. Plus, we’ll provide plenty of sample answers, so you can see all our advice in action.

When answering this questions you need to be prepared, answer with job specifics, and use examples from previous jobs.

When answering the question keep the answer work related and not something from your personal life.

When hiring managers and recruiters ask questions, they’re most interested in what you bring to the role and why you would be a better choice than another candidate.

Why Interviewers Ask “What Makes You Unique?”

The person interviewing you wants to know why you’re the best applicant for the job. They already think you might be a good fit because they’re interviewing you. It’s your job to tell them why you’re the best and quite probably the only person for the job. That means you need to stand out from all of the other applicants they’ve interviewed.

This question is very popular, and it’s quite tricky to answer. That’s why hiring managers ask it. It’s a question that typically throws people off their game a little. You know they’re going to ask about your assets and your faults. But did you expect them to ask what makes you unique?

Quick, off the top of your head, what answer would you give? Is your answer about your personality? Maybe you’ve thought of a strange quirk or an interesting hobby that you have. While those things are great, they’re not what the interviewer is looking for.

This is a personality interview question that can tell them a bit more about you, but it can also tell them what you value about yourself. What you see as something interesting in yourself tells them quite a bit about how you’ll be as an employee and as a coworker.

How to Answer “What Makes You Unique?”

Instead of hearing: “what makes you different, unique, or odd,” think of the question as what makes you a unique hire over your competition for the position. Suddenly, your answer about being able to touch your nose with your tongue seems wildly out of place.

What makes you a unique hire for that job position — that’s the real question. It requires some thought, and if you’re on the spot and haven’t prepared, chances are your answer is not going to be a great one. Hopefully, it won’t be the nose tongue thing, but still, can you do better? Use these tips to help:

Prepare. You’re doing it now, and that’s going to help you when it comes time to interview. Don’t just prepare your answers, but do some research in preparation, too. Carefully read the job description to determine what qualities are most necessary to succeed in the role.

When you have an idea of what the specific objectives of the role will be, you can give an answer that alludes to your ability to handle those objectives without outright saying it. For example, if a job description emphasizes the need for cross-team communication, framing your uniqueness as an organizer of an amateur sports league would be perfect.

Be job-specific. Part of your research should be about the company and what they value. You should also learn about the role. If you know they’re a small company and the employees wear a lot of hats (figuratively speaking), then stress how you’re an incredible multitasker and willing to work outside your professional box.

Remember that the interviewer is most interested in how your unique trait or perspective will be valuable for the company.

Consider compliments you’ve received. Think back on the strengths that have served you well in the past and what former supervisors have had to say about your performance. You can also drop the professional bit and just think about what qualities people most appreciate about you. Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family for ideas if you’re not sure.

This is a great strategy if you’re not entirely sure what sort of answer the interviewer would appreciate most and you just want to give an honest and straightforward accounting of your uniqueness.

Use examples. What have you done that can illustrate your skills? For example, if you’ve had the opportunity to interview an A-list celebrity, you can use this to show how you did something that made you very nervous but afterward, you learned that we’re all people. It made you a more confident interviewer.

Examples enliven those dull, single adjective answers. Telling the interviewer that you’re unique because you’re artistic and creative doesn’t prove that you have those traits in a context that the hiring manager can understand. While this is not a behavioral interview question, it still pays to highlight your strengths through examples whenever possible.

Tie it to work. If your “unique” trait is that you spent a year backpacking across Europe, find a way to tie it to the job you want. Maybe you can explain how you love learning new things and spent a year traveling to immerse yourself in new cultures.

Even seemingly unrelated interests, hobbies, and activities can be tied to desirable professional traits with a bit of self-reflection. Ask yourself how those same unique characteristics have been an asset in professional as well as personal circumstances.

Boring can be perfect. If you think that you’re just not interesting enough, remember the question isn’t about how exciting you are. If you rush home every night to work on a hobby, that’s a wonderful answer. It tells the employer that you’re detail-oriented, passionate, and committed to completing projects.

At the end of the day, the interview process isn’t about hiring the most unique candidate, but the one who impresses the hiring manager with their enthusiasm and capacity to do the job. Don’t overthink this common interview question — your accomplishments and experiences will matter a great deal more during the interview.

Example Answers to “What Makes You Unique?”

Okay, we’ve tried to set you up to create your own answer to what makes you unique. Honestly, your answer needs to be all about you. That’s the whole point of this question in the first place. But if you need an idea prompt, maybe these awesome answers will help you come up with your own amazing response:

“I am an avid fly fisherman and have been doing it my whole life. I learned it from my father, and it taught me that attention to detail, patience, and perseverance are important qualities. When things are difficult, I’ve learned to keep my head down and focus like I do when I’m fishing or tying a fly. I can get through and usually catch my fish.”

This answer does a great job of showing the interviewee as a person. It paints a picture of a solid, well-adjusted person with strong family ties. Then it displays some characteristics that could be crucial for the job at hand.

“I am a marathon runner and triathlete. I love setting big goals for myself and achieving them. I find that these personal challenges help me grow in ways I would never have expected. And the sense of self-satisfaction is incredible.”

This interviewee doesn’t try to tie their uniqueness to work at all, and yet, it happens on its own.

“I don’t have a college degree, like most people in this position and probably most people you’re hiring. Instead, I have worked my way up from a customer service job to management. I’ve learned the ins and outs of every job along the way, and that’s what makes me an excellent manager. I know this business as few people do.”

Wow, right? This answers the question perfectly. It is what makes them unique. They turned something that they know doesn’t look great on paper into a huge positive.

“I am a foster parent and am currently fostering two wonderful children. I also have two kids of my own. I’m always busy and often mediating fights, but it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

This managerial candidate shows that they not only can manage on the job, but that it’s ingrained in who they are. There’s also a note of genuine compassion in the response. Finally, they love this type of work and choose to have a life in which their skills are put to use on a daily basis.

“I have a degree in archeology but never worked a day in the field after college. I know this sounds odd, and it’s my true passion, but turning it into a job felt like taking the joy out of it. Instead, I use my analytical skills and attention to detail to dig into financial reports.”

Suddenly, the job of a field auditor for an accounting firm sounds more interesting. Again, taking a point that sounds out of place on paper and turning it into something that makes your candidate outstanding is exactly what this question is designed to do.

“I’m a people person. I thrive in social environments and find that people are naturally drawn to me. This is my happy place.”

A simple statement might not mean much if the person were applying for a job as a night janitor, but it means a lot for a potential customer service representative or a party planner.

“I was in politics when I was younger. When I was 18, I was elected mayor of my hometown. This made me the youngest mayor ever elected in our state, but I decided politics wasn’t for me. I enjoyed working with people and loved the entire election process. It was the best education I could have given myself at the time. Now, I love to teach others and share my story so they can go for their dreams, no matter their age.”

Can you guess what position this person is applying for? Yes, they are a teacher and what an incredible story. Even if they weren’t elected, just the gumption to go after a dream and learn from it is something that can benefit the students in a fresh and novel way.

Let’s also cover example answers for specific job opportunities:

I think my capacity to remain calm in stressful situations is what makes me unique. From my first high-school job flipping burgers to my last job working as an editor for a newspaper, time management has always been an important factor in my work. Past supervisors have commented on my ability to keep a cool head under pressure, which makes my coworkers, as well as any clients present, feel more confident in our ability to get the job done on time.

I’ve been told that my ability to hold conversations with anyone from anywhere is what makes me unique. Whenever I move to a new neighborhood, whether that was in Madrid, Buenos Aires, or right here in San Jose, I make it a point to meet and know my neighbors. I like to be a source of aid for those around me, and it really makes me smile to help someone find a solution.

Tips for Answering “What Makes You Unique?”

You want to answer questions in a way that the employer wants to hear. If they ask for your faults, you’re not going to say that you call in sick a lot.

You’re also going to come across as disingenuous if you try too hard. For instance, if you say, “I tend to work too hard.”

The best way to answer questions is to think about what you’d want to hear if you were the interviewer and then be as honest as possible. These tips will help you craft your answers and keep you on track when you’re in the job interview:

Be succinct, don’t ramble

Try to answer quickly but don’t interrupt the interviewer

Try to keep answers work-related and not about your personal life

Know what the company wants from its employees and mirror their language

Keep eye contact as much as possible

Watch out for non-verbal nervousness, looking at the ground, shaking legs, etc.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Makes You Unique?”

Remember, what makes you unique is probably not something that’s going to cost you the job. But it could. Some of the following are things you don’t want to say in an interview – even if it is what makes you unique:

Something deeply personal. You don’t want to be too intimate with a potential employer or a hiring manager. You also never want to make someone feel uncomfortable. Just like when you discuss your interests or hobbies outside of work, you should aim to keep things surface-level unless the interviewer probes for more detail.

Don’t be negative. Make your answer as positive as possible. Even if it has to do with a negative event, then explain how it made you better or you overcame it. But really, this is the sort of softball question that doesn’t require you to dive into your weaknesses or mistakes, so take advantage of the opportunity to stress your strengths instead.

Skip the odd human tricks. Your weird party trick might pop into your head first – quickly discard that and move on to something legitimate for the workplace. Save the stupid tricks for the office holiday party.

No show and tell. If your unique answer sounds like a kid giving a show-and-tell presentation – skip it. Remember that all interview answers should be kept fairly brief, and this one more than most. A few quick sentences are all you need to sketch what makes you a unique candidate.

Nothing. You’ve got to come up with some answer to the question. You can’t just say, “Meh, I’m exactly like everyone else.” You can do better than that, and you know it.

Avoid lying or stretching the truth. If you don’t have anything you think that makes you unique, don’t make something up. It might sound like a good idea at the time but that lie could come back and haunt you.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have your “unique” question answer ready – you’re good to go, right? Not a chance. There are a ton of questions you might run into during your interview. It’s good to prepare for all of them equally. Consider your answers to these questions, too: