How do you answer this interview question....?

Question

What are your weaknesses?

Seriously, how can you answer that without making yourself sound bad! I have an interview tomorrow; any help would be appreciated. What other tough questions are there and how do you answer them?

Answer 1

I am a bit anal-retentive in my attention to detail. I have to force myself to stop fussing with a project in the end to get it to my level of just right. I also have to remind myself to spell check - I just have a mental block there, I always space it. I work best with someone else proofing my work.

Peace!

Answer 2

Yes, I hate that question too!! Usually what I do is to try to at least be sincere about "admitting" what my weakness my be for something related to the job for which you are applying. Downplay whatever it is that you feel you will tell them. Conversely, I have actually said in one interview that I have no weaknesses because I knew the job inside and out. If you are confident about the position you are applying for (or at least want to fake it) then you can say that.

I find when the interviewer asks me to talk about myself, I find that pretty hard. I can't talk about myself without answering a specific question asked of me. However, if you are asked, then tell them things about yourself that relate to the job and also make you sound like an upstanding citizen. I swear it works.

Good luck - hope you get a good position!!

Answer 3

This is probably the most dreaded part of the question. Everyone has weaknesses, but who wants to admit to them, especially in an interview?

The best way to handle this question is to minimize the trait and emphasize the positive. Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome your weakness. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate more on professional traits. For example:

"I pride myself on being a 'big picture' guy. I have to admit I sometimes miss small details, but I always make sure I have someone who is detail-oriented on my team."

Answer 4

Well you can turn a weakness you may have into a strength for a company.

Example:

Your weakness can be that you spend to much time at the office getting work done then being at home.

Or always thinking of new ways to better the company when at home.

These are just examples, they may not be the best examples but they may lead you in the right direction.

Good luck.

Answer 5

It's best to be honest! Acknowledge your weakness, but also state how you try to compensate or improve that area. In my opinion, it's best the choose one that is not directly related to the job you are interviewing for.

Other tough questions questions I've had to answer:

Tell us about a mistake you have made, what were the consequences and how did you correct it.

What have you done to improve your skills in the last year?

How do you handle stress?

In all of these questions, I believe you need to be honest, because we all have weaknesses, have made mistakes, etc. I think what most employers are looking for when they ask these questions is how well do you follow-through, can you admit when you're wrong and are you responsible and accountable.

Answer 6

Be totally honest...

One weakness that I have that I will share in an interview is the fact that it is tough for me to initially trust that my co-workers will get work their share of work done. At times, I will take on too much because I would rather do it myself than trust that others will do their work to my standards. At times, this leads to me feeling stressesd and over worked, but it is something that I do to myself.

In the interview, I would ask what the work ethic is of the people I will be working with. Of course the interviewer will tell me that the workers are wonderful...trusting my gut, I will be able to determine if the co-workers at this company are up to my standard. If they are, I will accept the position if offered. If not, I will just move on.

Answer 7

I always get hung up on the weaknesses and strengths. I don't want to sound over-confident or make them think that I cannot handle the job. Just tell them the truth, if you don't it may come back to get you in the end.

Answer 8

You can always taut your lack of experience as a weakness, but counter it by saying you're dedicated, a quick learner, etc. You might say you are too detail oriented (but have learned to look at the big picture) or vice versa. You also might say you like to do everything yourself and control all the parts of a project (but you've learned to delegate).

Answer 9

I admit the weaknesses I have that relate to the job in question, and make it clear that I am aware of them and deal with them, in an attempt to improve.
i.e. My biggest weakness is a tendancy to be impatient with people that are slower than I am, or not as good as I am at what we are doing. Because of that, I am aware of it, and force myself to slow down, think, and deal with my impatience rather than let it affect either myself or my coworkers.

Answer 10

Don't lie, but talk about your weakness as if it can be a potential strength. For example, you are perfectionistic say, I sometimes tend to delve into the details too much.