Answering Interview Question “What Makes You Unique?”

Often interviewers will ask “What makes you unique?” or “What makes you standout?” which can be daunting to answer. However, these questions provide an opportunity to highlight your strengths, qualities, and experiences that set you apart from other candidates. Interviewers are genuinely interested to understand your perspective on how you compare with others in the market. Similarly, recruiters want to discover what makes a candidate special, using this insight to determine which role and company would best align with your unique qualities. 

So, how do you craft an answer that leaves a lasting impression? 

Highlighting Your Unique Skills and Passions 

The passion you bring to your work and team drives motivation, fosters creativity, and inspires those around you to strive for excellence, creating a positive and productive environment where innovation flourishes. Companies value passionate people because it this often equates to long-term commitment and genuine investment in their work. When you love what you do, it shows in your ability to go above and beyond expectations. Passion and enthusiasm also ensures that fresh energy infuses the company.   

Let’s assume you’re applying to a VP Product Development opportunity… 

Storytelling on Unique Abilities 

The key to standing out is how you bring your skills and experiences to life. One of the most effective ways to highlight your uniqueness is through storytelling. Rather than simply stating, “I have a good eye for color,” share an experience that illustrates this quality.  

For example:  

“As a Product Developer in Color, it’s important to have a good eye. I have tetrachromacy, which means I can perceive a broader spectrum of colors than most people. This unique ability gives me a deeper understanding of Color Theory and how to apply it effectively. I vividly remember launching my first palette at Urban Decay. It became the #1 product of the year, selling over 100,000 units. At the time, the trend report highlighted muted tones, but my heightened perception of color allowed me to create variations that beautifully worked together. As a result, we created a palette with shades that were unexpected yet resonated deeply with our audience. This approach set the collection apart and contributed to its massive success.” 

This experience showcases not just creativity but also how you can anticipate and shape future trends. 

Tailoring Your Uniqueness to the Role 

To stand out in an interview, it’s crucial to get clues from the job description and align your unique traits with the key responsibilities the company is looking for. Suppose the role emphasizes ingredient innovation, you can highlight your experience and passion for working with beauty ingredients, whether it’s natural ingredients or skincare technologies. 

For example: 
“I have a deep passion for exploring new trends and innovations and working with a broad range of ingredient suppliers, from natural botanicals to advanced technical raw materials. In my role at Dermalogica, I worked closely with our raw material supplier and developed a new line of Acne products that delivered highly efficacious results while enhancing the sensory experience for our teen segment of customers. The resulting collection helped us add a key new customer base to the brand that could then mature through our product offerings.” 

This tailored response demonstrates both your technical expertise and market insights, making you stand out as a candidate who understands both the science and marketing behind beauty. 

Executive Roles 

For more executive-level positions, your response needs to reflect leadership, foresight, a deep understanding of the beauty industry and your ability to influence cross-functionally. If you were discussing your passion for beauty trends, illustrate how over time, your insights have resulted in key and ongoing success for a brand.  

For example: 

“Based on the success of the Teen Acne line I developed at Dermalogica, I was put in charge of Global Innovation, then promoted to Head of Global Marketing. In this role, I helped Innovation and Marketing work together to identify additional gaps where the brand could gain incremental customers. Our next big collection leveraged the teen consumer we captured and added a gentle line to maintain a balanced microbiome after they had achieved clear skin. Ultimately, Dermalogica grew 30% in revenue in the 5 years I was there, which was a strong performance for a mature brand.” 

Uniqueness as the Missing Ingredient 

Standing out as a candidate requires more than just listing your skills. It’s about demonstrating how your unique experiences and talents make you the missing piece the company needs. Tailoring your answers to the specific job and how you’ve applied your skills in meaningful ways will leave a lasting impression on any hiring manager.