HR Interview FAQ 5 - What Is Your USP?
In this FAQ series, we will discuss the most commonly/frequently asked questions in an HR interview and ways to approach them. Remember, the interview is an interaction between two equal people. Do not think of it as the HR doing a favour for you. The HR is doing his job. The job of HR is to find the right candidate for the vacant position. Your job is to make him believe you are the one. It’s like a dance, isn’t it? It’s a smooth waltz. You are sure to end on a sweet note if the two of you are in sync with each other.
Q5 - What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?
This
is the era of competition. If you are to succeed, you will have to compete
against the best. If you are appearing for placements in your college, probably
there are 200 other students trying to get the same job. If you are attending
an off-campus placement, the competition is even higher. There are probably 1000 people locking horns with you. Most of the time, organizations come with a
number in mind Eg: “I am going to hire a maximum of 50 candidates in my recruitment
drive today.”
Idea behind the question
The
game gets interesting. You can’t be just good. You have to be the best. You
have to be better than the rest. The HR wants to know what makes you the golden
egg amidst all the ordinary eggs. You will have to prove what makes you the red
apple amidst all the green apples.
You
have an edge if you have got something unique about you that most of your peers
do not have. Be it your knowledge of the latest trends or your expertise in a
particular technology or the ability to motivate a sagging team, you will have
to possess something extra to tip the scales in your favour. That is the
concept of USP.
Unique
Selling Proposition or Unique Selling Point is a characteristic of a
product/service that differentiates it from other similar products/ services.
If all ISPs (Internet Service Providers) provide a speed of 40 MBPS and you are
the only one that provides 100 MBPS, you have an edge. If all other service
centers promise to resolve customer issues in 2 days and you provide a resolution
within 4 hours, the scales are tilted in your favour. Hence, it is extremely
important to get your own USP.
Recommended Answer
Prepare an elevator pitch to sell yourself. Imagine this scenario. You have prepared a 1-hour long presentation to sell your product to the CEO of a company. You reach the venue and get into the elevator (lift). Surprise! The CEO is present right there inside it. He says,“Hey,
Champ! I am sorry I wouldn’t be able to make it to the meeting today since I
got something unexpected. However, why don’t you tell me now what your product
is all about?”
Well,
this is tricky, isn’t it? You have prepared your content for 1 hour, but now,
you will have to condense it to 30 seconds without losing its essence. Is it
even possible? Well, considering the attention span of the general public these
days, it has to be done.
Traditionally,
advertisements on TV and Radio convince you to buy their product in less than
30 seconds. Most of the time, they are so good we get impressed and actually
proceed to buy the product. That is your elevator pitch. Prepare a meticulous
pitch to sell yourself. Keep it short and simple. It should convey your biggest
strength and the greatest benefit the company would get if you are hired.
One of my friends, Sharanya,
recently gave an interview for the position of Human Resource manager at a
factory. When asked about her USP, she stated,
“I
have got very good negotiation skills. If any problem arises with the workers
union, I will be able to resolve it amicably!”
In
a factory, it is not so uncommon for problems to arise between the managers and
workers' unions. Sharanya hit the nail right on its head. She got the job.
Think
long and hard about your skills. Determine what makes you special. If you are
applying for a job in customer relationship management, your knowledge of data
analytics could be your USP. If you want to get into your cricket team, your
ability to spin the ball both ways could be your USP. If you are applying for a
sales representative position, your presentation skills and the ability to
understand your target audience could be your USP.
If
you are unable to find something at the moment, don’t worry. Build that skill.
Any product becomes a brand because of its USP. You build a great USP and you
will be the most sought-after brand.
This is an excerpt from my book, "Cracking the
Campus Code". To know more about the book, click here.
Cheers!
Wishing you all the very best in your interviews.
Well, this is tricky, isn’t it? You have prepared your content for 1 hour, but now, you will have to condense it to 30 seconds without losing its essence. Is it even possible? Well, considering the attention span of the general public these days, it has to be done.
Traditionally, advertisements on TV and Radio convince you to buy their product in less than 30 seconds. Most of the time, they are so good we get impressed and actually proceed to buy the product. That is your elevator pitch. Prepare a meticulous pitch to sell yourself. Keep it short and simple. It should convey your biggest strength and the greatest benefit the company would get if you are hired.
One of my friends, Sharanya, recently gave an interview for the position of Human Resource manager at a factory. When asked about her USP, she stated,
“I have got very good negotiation skills. If any problem arises with the workers union, I will be able to resolve it amicably!”
In
a factory, it is not so uncommon for problems to arise between the managers and
workers' unions. Sharanya hit the nail right on its head. She got the job.
Think
long and hard about your skills. Determine what makes you special. If you are
applying for a job in customer relationship management, your knowledge of data
analytics could be your USP. If you want to get into your cricket team, your
ability to spin the ball both ways could be your USP. If you are applying for a
sales representative position, your presentation skills and the ability to
understand your target audience could be your USP.
This is an excerpt from my book, "Cracking the
Campus Code". To know more about the book, click here.
Cheers!