What should i say in an interview when they ask me what is a weakness for you?

Question

I know im suppost to say something that can be viewed as a positive thing and a negative thing. I was thinking about saying I have trouble making friends at work since im just so focused on doing my own work. and all often leave a job with no friends from that place. What do you think I should say?

Answer 1

The most impressive way to answer this question is to go back to your greatest strength. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness. For instance, have you said on your resume that you have great organizational skills? Then say, My great organizational skills are my greatest strength and also my greatest weakness. While I keep every detail of things in order, I'm prone to forget to remember when to relax and focus on people. Or, my great people skills become a weakness since I tend to spend too much time trying to keep people happy which gets me off focus on getting things done.

Answer 2

Trouble making friends is NOT A GOOD THING TO SAY.

This supports that you are NOT A TEAM player, and that you see the work place as a place to socialize, not perform a job.
Look, don't bs the person interviewing you. Unless they are completely inexperienced, they will see right through you and you will lose before the interview is even over.
When they ask you this question, which they may not, they want to hear a weakness you have that PERTAINS TO THE JOB YOU ARE APPLYING FOR, not some random thing like public speaking unless the job is FOR AND INCLUDES PUBLIC SPEAKING IN WHICH CASE, NOT A GOOD IDEA EITHER.
What is your weakness, be honest. No one walks on water here, so don't be embarassed or afraid to speak up.
If you are lacking in computer skills, say so, but then continue to explain that since you are AWARE OF THIS you have been studying, or taking classes, or whatever you have done to overcome your weakness, even if still working on it.
Hell, there is not a soul on the earth who knows everything, so just relax, be honest, breathe and do your best.
Here, I will give you a few of my weakness, no big deal, really...
Math, I am adequate with most forms of business math, but overall, I could never mathmatically compute the distance to the moon.
Computers. I can function as well as the next person with the windows programs, and probably 75% of business programs. i have no problem learning the rest, but with my limited abilities for programming type of functions, I would need step by step, or a manual.
Can you see how I took a real weakness and presented it in a postive light. These are true responses, and as a result, I didn't even have to think about it, and that is what is going to give you away if you lie, or bs.

Answer 3

Turn something good into something 'bad' like: I tend to work way too much and sometimes it encroaches on my family life (employer will think, hmmm, yes, a hard worker) or "I am a terrible speller but I always make sure I spell check every document before I send it, I would never send something with errors" (employer would think, hmmmm, detail oriented. You get the idea. NEVER say anything truely negative. You had the right idea with the friends thing but that might make the employer think that you are not personable...lighten it up a bit-- make it more of a positive negative if you know what I mean.

Answer 4

Try to say as little as possible, but what you REALLY want to do is say something that maybe is a challenge but that you are taking, or have taken, steps to overcome. Example: You might have a fear of public speaking (the number one fear in the US, so your interviewer MIGHT relate) - but you've really learned to handle yourself in front of a crowd because you joined Toastmasters, or you took a stand-up improv class, or you did.... The point is, show them NOT some gaping weakness, but some personal challenge that could relate to your effectiveness in your career but that you have taken steps to overcome.

Good luck!

p.s. If you're confident that you have the right kind of answer but the interviewer insists on probing, then you're talking to an idiot, unfortunately. Smile, sluff off the probing, ask a question that moves the interview forward (have such questions ready!).

Answer 5

That excuse sounds a little made up; you might need to say something that could truly be a negative, like "It takes me a longer to finish my reports; however, this is mostly because I am rereading and editing my work." And then explain that this "negative" , although might take you longer to finish asignments, helps you make everything accurate and adequate.

Which ever excuse you use, just go with something that sounds bad at first, but really means that you are trying hard, etc.

Answer 6

Turn your weaknesses into strengths.
For example, say that you are so conscientious and industrious that you don't have a lot of time for socializing on the job.
You like people and certainly can work with them. At work, however, the priority is on getting the job done well.
Good luck!

Answer 7

If you want to use a the firend thing I would say:

"Sometimes I have trouble making aquintances at work because I am so determined to do my work right and nervous that interuptions might prevent me from getting the job done. People might think that I'm aloof, but I'm really just hard-working."

Answer 8

No don't use the trouble making friends...that won't sound good as you will be working with a number of people AND you will be part of a team.

Say your weakness is asking questions on Yahoo.

Answer 9

I think that recognizing that you have many weak points is fine. Also is fine if you show that weakness means for you the opportunity to improve something or to get new skills.
I think you don't need to say which are your weak points... that's only for you. But they should know that they can tell you if they find something wrong affecting negatively your work.

Answer 10

Listen up....here's what you say. You tell them that you are not normally a greatly organized person. You are somewhat organized but need to focus on becoming better at it. SO FAR, over this past year, you have become very successful at it. Employers don't want to hear that you have "problems" getting along with other co-workers or that you "think" you work harder than everyone else.