In a job interview question: What are your weaknesses? How do you answer that?

Question

It always is asked - and I don't have a good answer to that. Anyone have any tips on a smooth and compelling response?

Answer 1

The secret to answering this question is to confess to a weakness that is really viewed as a strength. For example: I get really passionate and engrossed in my work, and I forget that it is important to have balance in my life. Another example: I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I'm always looking at how something could be better, I'm never satisfied with status quo. Another example: I'm very impatient when things take too long to accomplish.

Good luck in interviewing!

Answer 2

Give a weakness that isn't a weakness, but an excess of a strength...

I just went through this myself, here's what I said.

"I found that I can get too absorbed in my work, in fact, more than once I was told by my boss to go home and that I didn't need to work for free."

I've also done varients about that, mentioning that my wife has asked me to balance work and homelife better.

That's one example, and the best that I can think of.

Another way to approach it is to list a weakness that you USED to have but defeated...

"My greatest weakness? Oh, I used to be so disorganized! I ended up taking a class to better myself, but I've made great progress."

MOST important is to use it as a sequey into describing a strength that you have.

If you MUST name a weakness, do it this way...

Well, I find that I'm not so good with XYZ, but I make up for it with ABC, in FACT, there was this one time when I did ABC and saved the company a small fortune.

Another approach is a stall if you need time to think...

"My greatest weakness? You mean other than kryptonite?"

Only use something like that if you get a read that the interviewer is very laid back and you already have a rapport with them.

Answer 3

Consider your answers carefully.

This is not a confession. You are expected to take a bad habit and make it beneficial to the company.

Eg. I am a compulsive workaholic. I tend to be obsessive about work.

I am a perfectionist and stress myself to produce the best possible results all the time.

I tend to be overly dominant in my team and will try to affect team member's decision towards the best possible direction.

Many people are not comfortable with the way I am too opinionated. Even though I'm usually right.

Some find me cocky because I know I have the goods to deliver results and I show it.

Somebody stop me.

Answer 4

The only response to make is to answer that you have very few liabilities at all, and you have worked hard upon those which you inherited when you were growing up. Don't fall into being either a Sisyphus or an Achilles.

Answer 5

Pick something that has nothing to do with the job you are going for, for example if its an office job then say that you don't find scientific thinking easy or something like that.

Alternatively, provide an issue that you have a problem with but that you are working at, for example you don't like issues of confrontation so you always report issues and make sure that you are honest about problems as they arise or something like that.

Answer 6

I would say: Feeling comfortable in a job interview! Knowing that getting this job depends on my answers and compatability to the interviewer!

Answer 7

Always remember to turn your weakness into a positive.
For example, you could say that you are a perfectionist, that you tend to pay alot of attention to detail.
Or, you could say that you can't leave anything unfinished.

Hope this helps, and Good Luck!

Answer 8

You are supposed to say something that is totally irrelevant to the job you're applying for. So you could say something like you are not the greatest typist and would like to improve or maybe a software program that you'd like to learn (not one you will be using at the job though).

Good luck!

Answer 9

Why not be honest? You have no idea how many times they heard the canned responses.

I will confess mine. I get lost in flat areas. If I can't see landmarks I loose track of which direction I am moving in. If you hire me and want me to drive anywhere I really need a GPS.

Answer 10

"My biggest weakness is that I'm sometimes so focused on a task and so dedicated to completing it successfully that I have to remind myself to take breaks, too."

That always works.

Or if your interview is going badly, you could use this one:

"My biggest weakness is applying for lame-*** jobs because I always get stuck interviewing with guys like you who clearly don't like being off some 13-year-old girl's myspace page long enough to be decent to candidates."