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Get my free resume reviewKey takeaways
- “What makes you unique” on an application form is a screening question: the employer wants one specific, job relevant strength in a sentence or two, not a personality essay.
- Use a short formula: one real strength, plus one piece of proof, plus the benefit to this employer. It fits comfortably in 150 characters.
- Keep a short version for the form box and a longer 45 to 60 second version for the interview, both built from the same fact.
- Whatever you claim should also appear on your resume. Check it with our free ATS resume checker before you submit.
You are halfway through an online application, everything has gone smoothly, and then a small text box appears: “What makes you unique?” Some forms leave plenty of room, but many cap the answer at a couple of lines, and a few cut you off at 150 characters or fewer. Knowing how to answer “what makes you unique” on an application form is a small skill that pays off, because a vague or empty answer is one of the easiest reasons for a recruiter to move on.
This guide explains why employers ask it, gives you a short answer formula, and includes more than twelve sample answers under 150 characters for different situations. You will also find a longer interview version, a mistakes table, and a quick way to find your own real differentiator when nothing obvious comes to mind.
Why employers ask “what makes you unique”
On an application form this question usually does one of three jobs. It filters: a recruiter skimming hundreds of forms uses it to separate people who read the posting from people who pasted the same sentence everywhere. It samples your writing: a clear, correct two line answer shows you can communicate in writing, which is one of the attributes employers say they seek most. And it gives the interviewer a hook: whatever you write may be the first question you are asked in the room.
Notice what the question is not. It is not asking what is rare about you as a human being. A hiring team does not need to know that you are the only person in your family who plays the oboe. It wants the most job relevant thing that is true of you and not true of every other applicant. “Unique” here means distinctive and useful, not strange.
The short answer formula
When space is tight, structure does the work. Use these four moves in order, and trim each to a few words.
Name one strength the job actually needs
Read the posting and underline the repeated themes: accuracy, speed, customer calm, languages, tools, safety. Pick the one you can back up best. One strength is more memorable than four.
Example: a posting that stresses “high volume” and “accuracy” points to “fast and accurate under pressure.”
Add one piece of proof
A number, a time frame, a certification or a recognized result turns a claim into evidence. Even small numbers work: shifts, team size, error rates, years.
Example: “three years of closing a till with zero variance.”
Say what it means for the employer
End with the benefit: fewer errors, faster onboarding, happier customers, less supervision. This is what turns a fact about you into a reason to hire you.
Example: “so your team can trust my handoffs.”
Cut to fit the box
Count characters, including spaces. Delete adjectives first, then filler such as “I believe” and “really.” Keep the noun, the number and the benefit.
Example: “I am a very hard working person who really cares” becomes “Reliable: 4 years, no missed shifts.”
From fact to answer in one glance
How to find what actually makes you unique
If your mind goes blank, you probably have not collected the raw material yet. Spend ten minutes on this list and a real answer will appear.
- Look at your combination, not a single trait. Many applicants are organized. Fewer are organized, bilingual and certified in food safety. The overlap is where “unique” lives.
- Mine your history for outcomes. Think of a time you were trusted with extra responsibility, trained someone, fixed a recurring problem or got a customer to ask for you by name.
- Ask what people come to you for. If coworkers always bring you the tricky spreadsheet or the nervous new hire, that is a differentiator.
- Check your skills list. Software, languages, licenses and equipment you can operate all count. Our guide to skills to put on a resume helps you spot the ones employers screen for.
- Include life experience when it is relevant. Caring for a family member, running a club, or working while studying all show traits such as reliability and time management.
12 sample answers under 150 characters
Every example below is under 150 characters including spaces. Treat them as patterns, and replace the details with facts that are true for you. Employers follow up on what you write.
Entry level and first job
“I learn fast: I taught myself spreadsheets in a week and now run my club’s budget. I would bring that curiosity to your team.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“Reliable: I worked 20 hours a week through college and never missed a shift. You can count on me to show up.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Customer facing roles
“Calm with upset customers. Coworkers pass me the hard calls, and three customers asked for me by name.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“Bilingual in English and Spanish, so I can serve more of your customers without waiting for a translator.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Warehouse, retail and hands on work
“Accurate and fast: 2 years picking orders with a very low error rate. Fewer mistakes means fewer returns for you.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“Safety minded. I hold a forklift certification and have trained two new hires on safe lifting.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Office and administrative
“Organized under pressure. I managed calendars for five managers and never double booked a meeting.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“I turn messy data into clear reports. My weekly summary saved my team about two hours of work each Monday.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Career changer
“Ten years of classroom teaching taught me to explain complex ideas simply, a skill I now bring to client training.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“I combine five years in nursing with new data skills, so I understand both the patients and the numbers.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Returning to work and leadership
“After a career break I finished a certificate and volunteered weekly, so my skills are current and my drive is strong.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“I build teams people want to stay on. My last team had no resignations in two years.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
“I take ownership. When a coworker left, I took over her accounts unasked and kept every deadline.”
Sample answer, ResumeCroc resume team
What a strong short answer needs, by importance
Illustrative, not a measured statistic. Based on what recruiters commonly say they look for in short form answers.
Directional, based on ResumeCroc resume writing experience.
Does your resume prove what you just claimed?
Paste your resume and the job description into our free checker and see which strengths and keywords your resume actually shows.
The longer interview version of “what makes you unique”
In an interview you have about 45 to 60 seconds, which is room for a small story. Use the same strength, proof and benefit, then add one concrete moment and a link to the role. Keep it conversational, because you are talking, not reading a form.
“What sets me apart is that I combine two things that do not usually go together: I am comfortable with the numbers, and I am good at explaining them to people who are not. At my last company I built a weekly sales summary in plain language, and the managers started using it in their Monday meetings. It meant fewer follow up questions and faster decisions. In this role, where you work with both finance and operations, I think that translation skill would help from the first month.”
Sample interview answer, ResumeCroc resume team
Notice that the long answer is simply the short answer with the story left in. If your form answer said “I turn messy data into clear reports,” your interview answer expands that exact claim. Consistency between the two is what makes you sound credible. It also connects naturally to the question that often comes next, which is why you should be hired, covered in our guide to answering “why should we hire you”.
Mistakes to avoid when answering “what makes you unique”
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| “I am a hard worker and a team player” | Every applicant writes it, so it distinguishes no one | Name one strength and add a number or result |
| Writing “N/A” or leaving it blank | Reads as low effort and can fail a required field | Write one real, specific sentence |
| Listing hobbies unrelated to the job | Uses limited space on things that do not help the decision | Only mention a hobby if it shows a relevant trait |
| Claiming to be “the best” or “perfect” | Unprovable and can sound arrogant | Describe what you did and let the result speak |
| Copying a sample answer word for word | Recruiters recognize common phrases, and you cannot defend the details | Use the pattern, swap in your own facts |
| Typos and missing punctuation | A short answer is a writing sample | Proofread, and read it aloud once |
| Making a claim your resume does not support | The recruiter sees a mismatch | Align the answer with a bullet on your resume |
Make your resume back up your answer
A recruiter who reads “fast and accurate” in your application will glance at your resume looking for the evidence. If your resume lists duties instead of results, the claim stays unproven. Rewrite your bullets so the proof is visible: volume handled, error rates, people trained, deadlines met. Our professional resume writing service builds those proof points into the page, and if you are new to the workforce our entry level resume service helps you turn school, volunteer and part time work into evidence employers recognize.
Not sure what your resume currently proves? A free, no obligation resume review shows you which strengths to lead with, so your form answer and your resume tell the same story.
Frequently asked questions
How long should my answer to “what makes you unique” be on an application form?
Match the box. If there is a character limit such as 150, write one tight sentence or two short ones. If there is no limit, three to four sentences is plenty. More than that rarely helps, because recruiters skim.
What if I truly do not think I am unique?
Almost everyone has a distinctive combination of experience, skills and circumstances. Look at your mix of jobs, tools, languages, certifications and results, then pick the part most relevant to this posting. Unique for an application does not mean one of a kind, only useful and specific.
Is it okay to mention a personal trait such as being creative or empathetic?
Yes, but anchor it to a work example. “Empathetic” alone is a label. “Empathetic: I help upset customers feel heard, and three asked for me by name” is a claim with evidence behind it.
Should I use the same answer for every application?
Keep your core fact the same, but adjust the benefit to match each employer’s posting. The first half of the answer can stay consistent, while the final phrase changes to reflect what that particular company needs.
Can I mention a disability, background or personal circumstance?
You can, if you want to and it is relevant, but you are never required to. If you do, frame it as a strength with a work example, such as problem solving or resilience you have shown. Keep it brief and focused on what you offer.
How is this different from “tell me about yourself”?
“Tell me about yourself” asks for a short summary of your background and direction. “What makes you unique” asks for the one thing that sets you apart. They should support each other. See our guide to answering “tell me about yourself” for the broader story.
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