When at a Job Interview What is is best answer for...What is your strengths & weeknesses?

Question

I went for a interview today..I answered strengths fine but weeknesses I didn't want to say the wrong thing. What is the best way to answer that? I need some advice, Thanks

Answer 1

There are many ways to answer this question:
1- be honest and direct if you know both your strength and weakness lay them out.
2- use humor. Spell your strength then about weakness say something like: "chocolate."
3- the no fear factor answer: "strength and weakness are like shapes and colors, some are round and purple and some are square and yellow. it varies.What represent a strength to yo u might be considered a weakness by others"
4- and finally: "My weaknesses ARE my strengths, they are what makes me unique as an individual and what makes me work hard everyday."
hope this all helped.

Answer 2

When you give your strengths, make sure their strengths pertaining to the job you're applying to. If you're applying for a teaching position, say your strength is working closely with people and helping them understand things, or patience. When you give your weaknesses, make sure their still strengths, but not necessarily in the same field. If you're applying for a teaching position, say that your weakness is that you don't do well on the phone and prefer face-to-face interaction; or if you want to still put a weakness that applies to your job, but makes you still appear great, say something like you think you work too much or you are your own worst critic. Either direction you take, don't fall into the trap of pointing out the truly worst thing about you pertaining to the job - you've then given them a reason NOT to hire you. Good luck!

Answer 3

For weaknesses you should try to turn a negative into a positive. For example saying things like: "I'm a perfectionist, I feel I have to finish things on time and to the required standard" shows that you can sometimes be a bit pushy and picky about the quality of your work....which is exactly what every organisation wants, they don't want slackers!!

Other examples include: "I'm ambitious and want to go far....sometimes I just need to settle into the role and task ahead" or "I demand results constantly from my team.....which on occasion may be a little hard on them".

NEVER mention things you don't like about work e.g. routine, paperwork, I.T, working away, machines etc etc. Most workplaces these days have an element of routine, admin, using technology etc so saying you don't like such tasks is effectively saying you don't like the job that is presented to you!!

NEVER mention an actual weakness that you know you have but they don't. Don't say I'm poor with computers, calculus etc. This shows self doubt and at worse, you could mention one of the core competencies required for the job.

REMEMBER most interviews today are COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS whereby you have to prove you have certain abilities. Don't give them the easy job of crossing you off the list because you don't fulfil the desired criteria. What you don't know you will learn in time anyway.

This is the best way to pass an interview. I'm not saying its morally correct, but it will get you through.

Hope this helps.

Best of luck in the future x

Answer 4

Strengths are easy, but when answering to your "weaknesses", the trick is to be honest without trapping yourself in a corner. Say something that is true and specific, but wouldn't really apply to the job you are applying for. A great answer is "I work myself too hard", "I take my job too seriously sometimes", or my personal favourite "I am a perfectionist"!
Never say anything like "I can't work with other people", or "I am never on time", that's like saying, "goodbye, I'll never see you again".
Always remember to say that you are working on your weaknesses all the time and use them as a way to improve yourself. The interviewer will respect you for being honest, and you don't end up looking like a weak employee.

Answer 5

I had this same problem in my first interview with the weakness part. I couldn't think of anything. As for strengths say something that would relate to the job. For example if you're looking for a job maybe in retail, a good answer would be you're great with people. Another good answer would be you're very motivated.

Answer 6

You may want to examine traits that may not be weaknesses per se, but could provide more information about you. For instance, I am a very detailed oriented person. For some that is a strength and others it can get in the way of getting the job done. I usually express my attention to detail and concern that it could get out of hand but that I keep it "in check" by evaluating myself periodically. You could also say you're very creative and sometimes that can get overwhelming, but that's a good thing because more creative juices are flowing and you get a whole bunch of ideas all at once, which can make you a little uneasy. Get the idea?

I hope this helps. Be ready to answer that question. It's often asked and we all have weakneses so it's best to share something about yourself but make it as positive as you can.

Good luck with your job search.

Answer 7

I have gave the same answer actually. Example if you are detailed oriented. It is a strenght when you want to be thorough however it can be viewed as a weakness because it might take you longer to complete a task or something like that does that make sense? Take any trait and you can make it good or bad it all depends on how you word it.

Answer 8

Whenever I interview and they ask me this question, I usually say that I am too Detail Oriented and very Anal. These are not at all bad things but I tend to get overly anal and really am detail crazy but to employers these things are not bad. You can say something like your controlling, example...you like to make sure things are done correctly the first time and tend to usually take control over projects so that you can personally make sure the job is done correctly. Basically, when you are stating your weaknesses, you want to state something that doesn't make you look bad but makes you look like a hard worker. For example, you don't want to say that your weakness is waking up in the morning or punctuality. This will make you look irresponsible. But if you say something like I suggested before, like detail oriented, controlling, or anal...those things make you look like a hard working individual. I hope this helps you out and good look.

Answer 9

Whenever I've been asked that I always say that sometimes I can be too much of a perfectionist. Then explain that obviously you want things to be done the best way possible, but you can at times become a little bit too picky about how they are done. That usually can leave them with a good impression.

Answer 10

it's a hard one you don't want to give the job to someone else but i feel honesty is the best policy infact i got this perfect job over a year ago with my company they asked i answer honestly and said english spelling and grammer are my worse traits! however i never let that stop me I'm am not afraid to look it up in a book or ask someone if it is correct! and now with the internet and spell check it does help out!

so what ever your weak point is just show that your willing to improve it and not just let it sit there like a rock and bring you down!

Remember we all have weaknesses so hide from it be proud that your human and work to make it better no one can slash you for that!
well if someone does you don't want to work for them...
trust me! you'll get screwed out of something!