One tough-to-answer but frequent interview question is: "Why should we hire you?" It's an abrupt and somewhat unfriendly question that can throw even a prepared interviewer off her game. Furthermore, for people with a humble streak, it feels very confrontational to provide answers to a question that seems like it's asking, "Tell me why you are better than other people." Unfortunately, when you are the job applicant, you are to some degree at the whim of your interviewer. Thus, in the interview, you have no choice but to respond to this interview question (and all others) with the best answers you can give.
A strong response to this question will differentiate you from the other candidates. Your answer will communicate your skills and how these skills fulfill the needs of the hiring organization.
There is probably another concern you have: how to honestly say that you are the absolute best person. Here's the key: There is going to be someone out there who is better at x, or y, or z. So, the honest answer has to tell about how your combination of skills solves the specific needs of the organization and your passion for the work. You could try something like this:
"I've worked as a sales executive for 20 years, and even after all that time, I still get excited to jump out of bed in the morning and do this work. In addition to this passion, I bring a unique combination of skills and experience for the job that you won't find with other candidates. My experiences include X, Y, Z (a short list), and I am skilled at A, B, C (a short list). As a result, I will deliver far superior results to you in the areas of 1, 2, and 3. I'm someone you can count on to get the job done right."
The short list of skills and experience you include should be the skills that fit best with the needs of this specific job. If you are of unsure of which skills fit best, carefully review the job description and the available company information. Think about what skills the company is looking for, and what skills you have to offer.
In addition, I would recommend supplementing the response outlined above by expressing enthusiasm and excitement for the job and the company. The critical thing is prepare the best answers to interview questions that you're likely to be asked.
