"Why should we choose you over other candidates?" answer template (A2, B1, B2)

How to use this template

Choose the level that fits your English and fill every blank with a true detail from your own work, in 3 parts: Your mix, Proof and Respect. Plan your example on the STAR worksheet, tick the checklist, then say the answer out loud.

A2 template: simple English

Short sentences, one idea in each. Good if your English is basic or you feel nervous.

  1. Your mix: I have ________ (experience) and I also have ________ (extra).
  2. Proof: For example, ________ (when the extra helped).
  3. Respect: With me, you get ________ (what they get).

B1 template: linked sentences

Joins your ideas with because, and, then and so. Good for most interviews.

  1. Your mix: I have ________ (time) of experience in ________ (area), and I also have ________ (extra, such as a language or certificate).
  2. Proof: For example, at ________ (workplace) my ________ (extra) helped when ________ (situation).
  3. Respect: I cannot speak about other candidates, but with me you get ________ (what you offer).

B2 template: fuller answer

Adds a reason, a result and a little more detail. Use it if you can say it without reading.

  1. Your mix: What I offer is a combination of ________ (experience) and ________ (extra), which is less common for this role.
  2. Proof: That combination was useful when ________ (situation), because I ________ (action).
  3. Respect: I do not know the other candidates, but I can say you would get ________ (what the employer gets).

STAR worksheet: plan your example

Your answer needs one true example. Plan it here in notes, not full sentences, then use it in the "Proof" part of the template.

Situation

What this job needs, in the words of the advert.

Task

One task in your past work that needed the same thing.

Action

What you did in that task.

Result

The result, and why it matters to this employer.

Checklist before you say it

Tick each point when it is true for your answer.

  • Your mix: Name the combination that makes you useful: your experience plus one extra, such as another language, a certificate or local knowledge.
  • Proof: Give one short, real example of that extra being useful at work.
  • Respect: Do not talk about the other candidates.
  • Avoided: Criticising other candidates. You have not met them, and it sounds unkind.
  • Out loud: I said the whole answer out loud, with only true details, in about one minute or less.

A finished answer to compare

This is one way a kitchen porter might answer. Compare it with your template: the same parts, with real details. Do not copy it.

Kitchen Porter answer

What I can offer is two years of kitchen porter experience plus a food hygiene certificate, so I already know the rules for cleaning and storage. In my last job I also helped with simple prep, like peeling and washing vegetables, once the wash-up was under control. So on a quiet afternoon, I can be useful to the chefs as well as at the sink.

The full Kitchen Porter answer page

Learn more about this question

Questions people ask

Should I learn the template answer by heart?

No. Learn the order of the 3 parts (Your mix, Proof and Respect) and your own details, then say it in your own words. A memorised answer can sound flat, and an interviewer may ask a follow-up question.

Which level should I use for "Why should we choose you over other candidates?"?

Use the level you can say without reading. If you are not sure, start with A2, say it out loud twice, and move to B1 when it feels easy. A short, clear answer is better than a long one that is hard to follow.

How do I print this template?

Use the Print or save as PDF button near the top of the page, or your browser's print menu. Only the template is printed, without the menus and buttons.

Practise this answer aloud

Say your answer to "Why should we choose you over other candidates?" out loud or type it, and see what an interviewer may notice and what to fix first. Free to start, no card needed.

Practise this answer aloud

What this site cannot tell you

These pages describe what interviewers commonly look for. They cannot tell you what a specific interviewer decided, and nothing here guarantees an interview, an offer or a visa. Practising is preparation — it shows you what to fix next.