In an job interview, what's the best way to answer the question, "What would you consider your weaknesses?"

Answer 1

Many will say to use things like "I work too hard" or "I'm a perfectionist." But those often ocome off as ingenuine responses and are dismissed. The best way is to list a true weakness, but describe efforts you have made to correct it or compensate, ideally even turning it into a strength.

A couple examples:

1. I've always had some problems with organization. As a result, I've gone to great lengths to work on this and incorporate routines in my life that have helped me to more effectively manage multiple tasks.

2. I sometimes develop overly complex answers to problems, missing often simpler available solutions. While this at times involves more complex and involved approaches, I think it often helps me to more fully understand issues.

The latter actually resonates well with techy jobs (programmers, etc) as many of them tend to go overboard on elaborate answers to simple problems.

Answer 2

whatever weakness you identify, be sure to point out how it is a strength as well - or how you are working on turning it into a strength

for example: I consider communication to be one of my weaknesses. I sometimes communicate too many details, instead of just sticking to the basics. This is also one of my great strengths though because I feel I can relate on any level when interacting with people of different backgrounds. -- I have been working on reading my audience to get a good idea of how much prior knowledge it is expected that one would have and/or often ask questions to follow up what I stated to ensure that the person understood.

okay, that was kinda too many words all crammed together - but you should follow that advice - I have a better example, but I have to stop and think - I might return with a better answer....

oh yeah, if you point out a weakness, be sure to say you are taking a class to help you turn it into a strength (if you are) or some way in which you are going to change this weakness

Answer 3

The best blanket answer I could give you, without knowing your actual weaknesses, is to use the following form:

I am not naturally good at __________, it's been something I've always had to work at harder. I've gotten a lot better with ______________, but I'd like to keep improving.

Almost any weakness fits into this form. Throw in an example of the mechanics of your improvement in whatever the area is, and you are golden. Most interviewers know this is a BS question, but if you give them a good answer that doesn't sound like total scripted BS, it can really help you. In my opinion, this question only hurts you if you sound like a robot reading a scripted response or if you admit something totally outrageous.

Answer 4

I say things minor.. like: I get lost easy and it takes me awhile to find my way around.. it is frustrating, especially at first! or: I tend to try to hard to accomplish a task, when I should just lighten up and relax and not be so driven

Answer 5

I'm a perfectionist.
I won't quit until the job's done.
I expect alot from myself and my coworkers.

A positive weakness.

Answer 6

Well my advice is always use humor...when asked say...you mean besides starbucks? Then say something like....well i am a perfectionist and i always have to have everything perfect and in order and sometimes i put too much pressure on myself.....that is good because they see you will do your best...and have everything in it's place!

Answer 7

I would suggest to be honest about yourself ,about your strenghts and weakness.You should know how good you are and how bad you are at certain tasks.

If you are hired then you start by doing the right thing.

Answer 8

I've never been able to leap tall buildings in a single bound or outrun a speeding bullet.

Answer 9

Toomuch,

This question routinely gets asked on here and I can't believe how many people who reply to it get it WRONG!! What you need to do is reveal a fault that is COMMON, something that MATTERS and explain how you OVERCOME it!

First, this is what is called a "loaded" question. We are all coached not to reveal anything bad about ourselves in interviews. So, to get around it, the interviewer asks a question like this which forces the candidate to do just that, reveal something bad about themselves. It's also meant to guage the candidates honesty, ability to recognize their faults and willingness to work on them. That's why everyone else who has responded to you has given you BAD advice!! You're not giving the interviewer what they want!

So far, everyone has advised you to answer it one of two ways. The first is to cite something that really is a strength but make it sound like it's a weakness. But that is guaranteed to backfire because the interviewer is going to realize you're not answering the question. How is saying, "I'm work too hard" a weakness? Or "I don't quit until the job's done!" isn't a fault! The interviewer will fail you on the question! The other type of response they advise is make it sound trivial, "I should keep a tidier desk" or "I should type a bit faster" Guaranteed you'll get a low score on that answer! It shows you're not able to self-evaluate! None of the above impresses an interviewer.

Everyone has faults and one of the chief compaints from managers is that employees don't recognize or admit to their serious faults. Plus, they don't work on improving on it or overcoming. You want to impress the interviewer that you do recognize and admit to yoru faults and that you work on them and overcome them. The first step in answering the question is to cite a fault that is COMMON! One that everyone has or that you hear manager's complaint about. "Bad memory for details", "Under-estimates the effort for an assignment", "Doesn't listen well enough", ... Yeah, it's BAD, but it's true and it's something most people have! Nothing wrong in admitting that! Plus, it's something that MATTERS! It impacts your performance. Giving a trivial example, "I should keep a tidier desk" really doesn't affect your performance. It has to be something that truly MATTERS! Then you explain how you work on it and overcome it. This is the key to scoring big points in the interview! The manager loves to hear that an employee makes an effort to work on their faults and, better, overcomes them! That's music to their ears!

I'll give you my typical answer. I am a high tech engineer. I explain, "I routlinely under-estimate my assignments!" I then explain who at my first job I thought that giving the manager a low estimate really impressed him. But then I couldn't meet the deadline. I would fall behind schedule and think if I worked some unpaid overtime, I would make it up. NOT! Then I realized something was more complicated or longer than I thought. Again, I would try to make it up by working overtime. Instead, I fell farther behind! Then a problem came up I didn't expect and it made me fall farther behind! Finally, I missed the deadline and got into trouble. I again gave a low estimate and promised I would meet it. Instead, the same thing kept happening and I kept getting into trouble. Then a mentor pulled me aside and discretely explained to me how to estimate work. He explained that the manager isn't impressed by estimates, only results! It's better to give a higher estimate and argue for the extra time than think you can make up any losses. He then pointed out that most persons under-estimate the effort a job can take by 25% to 100%. They also fail to take into account interruptions duing the day such as meetings, helping others, waiting for others to submit something you need, ... By the time you add everything up, it's usually *TWICE* what you initially thought it would be. So after you make your estimate, just double it and you should be fine! I did what he said and to my amazement, I started to complete my assigment just as the deadline came! I learned the hard way that you need to proved genuine estimates to your manager and to do that you must factor in the delays, unforeseen problems, daily interruptions, ... I do that by doubling my initial estimate and it works! I come in almost right on the deadline every time!

You should see the reactions I get to my answer! First, high tech is NOTORIOUS for missed deadlines! It's rampant but still you catch crap for it! More, the manager takes the estimates from the employees and either passes it on or enters it into a larger estimate to management. When someone misses the deadline, it embarasses the manager to his bosses!! As I start my answer, I get a surprised look from the interviewer, like "Oh! Someone who admits to it!" Then I start explaining my incorrect assumptions, i.e. trying to impress with a low estimate, trying to make up the schdeule by working longer hours, ... Then the interviewer starts to smile! That means he/she has seen this before with their own employees! It also means I'm scoring points! Then when I admit I missed deadlines, they start nodding their heads! They know all about that! Nodding means I'm scoring BIG points now! Then I talk about a "mentor", "learning", "overcoming", Next thing their heads are nodding so hard yo think it's going to snap off!! Now I'm scoring HUGE points!! Then I wrap up by showing how I now overcome my weakness. The reaction from interviewers is STUNNING! "That is so REFRESHING to hear!" to "I tell you I have the employee and I am forever on his case to stop giving me bogus estimates and you know what, he still keeps doing it!! It ****** me off!! He jsut doesn't learn!!" LOL!!

Trust me, that's how you answer this question and impress the employer. It shows you are honest, recognize and admit your weakness and you work on overcoming it. Scores you HUMONGOUS points in the interview!! Note, it doesn't have to be estimates, it can be anything so long as it's something COMMON and it MATTERS!

-- Liam

Answer 10

I would look em dead in the eye... Up close. lean across the desk and say..

" I have NO WEAKNESSES" and then just sit back and shut up

(peasents HA!)