Convincing the Hiring Manager that You are the Right Candidate

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice •


If you're applying for a job, you are likely competing against hundreds of other applicants. You must be prepared to show every hiring manager why you are the right job candidate to fill an open position. Start by making your case in a customized cover letter; then be prepared to explain why you are the perfect candidate during job interviews. Here are some tips for convincing hiring managers you are right for the job.

A customized cover letter is one of the most important tools in your job search. If you submit the same letter for every vacancy, it's difficult to convince hiring managers you are the right job candidate. Instead of using templates, write a cover letter from scratch every time you apply for a post. Explain why your skills, education and experience make you the perfect candidate for the position. Back up your statements with specific examples from your work history. If the opening requires excellent attention to detail, for example, you might want to mention the time you saved your company thousands of dollars by catching a mistake in a contract before it went to the client.

Be prepared to answer one of the most common interview questions: "Why are you the right job candidate for us?" Having an immediate answer ready shows that you are confident in your skills. Show you are the right job candidate by telling the person interviewing you about your industry experience, education or specialized skills. Don't spend too much time answering this question, but make sure you convince the recruiter you have the right combination of education, skills and experience to succeed.

When you discuss your resume with the interviewer, make sure your words are an exact match for your resume. If your resume says you have five years of experience using a particular software, don't hurt your chances of being hired by slipping up and saying you only have four years of experience. Honesty is always the best policy when you are searching for a post, and this is one of the many reasons why. Even if you make an innocent mistake, the interviewer is going to wonder if you were telling the truth when you applied for the job.

Most managers look for a few of the same things in every job candidate. It's important to make sure your cover letter and resume address each of these criteria. Job hopping is often a red flag for employers, so be sure your application materials don't make recruiters think you have trouble committing to an employer. Hiring managers also want to see that you are confident and assertive during your interviews.

Hiring managers spend a lot of time looking for the right job candidate for each position. If you don't show that you are the ideal candidate for the job, the hiring manager is likely to hire another candidate, even if you have more experience or a better track record in your industry.


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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Bridgette thanks for your comment. When you write a resume, there is nothing that says that you have to include ALL of your work experience - only that experience that is applicable for the position. So you really don't need to include the Air Force (unless tasks performed are applicable) or any of your other positions. You can certainly show them - sort of as a placeholder - without including any accompanying information. Such as Business Analyst, ABC Company, Any City USA, Nov 1995 - Dec 2000. That will tell the hiring manager that you were working - just not in this particular field. You can explain it in your cover letter. Just short and sweet, though. The hiring manager would be interested in your customer service experience and not in the other. Also please note that just because you have not heard back yet does not mean that you aren't being considered. The days of submitting your resume one day and getting called for an interview the next are long gone. It takes companies a long time to act on resumes in today's work world. Have you followed up? Try following up on one or two of them and see what kind of response you get back. That will tell you how you need to proceed. Best of luck.

  • Bridgette C.
    Bridgette C. •

    Nancy, thanks for this article. Might you have advice for my situation. I'm 48 so I have over 30 years of work experience, USAF, then judicial clerk, now human services field. I recently remarried and relocated to Vancouver, WA from Beaverton, OR. I want return to a simpler job and the pay isn't a factor. My resume for direct customer service is more than 20 yrs ago. How can even get the attention of an employer for what tends to be entry level positions when my resume speaks established and way over qualified for reception type minimal paying positions? I'm blessed to not need high paying job as my husband is able to support. I however having worked for the past 30 yrs cannot fathom staying at home. And I need to work as he's not independently wealthy, he's just financially comfortable. Do you have any suggestions? I've applied for a couple but haven't received a peep back. I've included a cover letter explaining my experience, desire, and why the obvious cut isn't a factor.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Glaphyra thanks for your comment. I am not sure I agree with your assessment as that has not been my experience. My experience has been that, if they want me, they ask a lot more questions - more probing in depth questions. Now asking why you are the best candidate is a great question. It allows you to think outside of the box and come up with a creative answer. You know that more than likely you will get that question on any interview so you can be prepared in advance. Don't just answer because of my background experience and skills because he already knows about that stuff. You need to come up with an answer that is way above that - one that is memorable. Then, when you send your thank you note in, after the interview, you can find a way to bring that up again and reinforce why you are the best candidate. Best of luck.

  • Glaphyra Jean-Louis
    Glaphyra Jean-Louis •

    Yes, only if the hiring manager was not sure. If hey want you, I think they do no ask a lot of questions. They look at you resume, they ask you about your accomplishments and they ask you how much you want. Asking you why you are the best candidate is a futile question since every one will have the same answer: because of my background experience and skills".

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