You’ve landed an interview that gets you one step closer to your next career move. Now, you just need to do your homework and prep, so you can walk into and out of the interview with confidence. One essential area for prep is to practice answering interview questions, including one many find difficult to answer: What is your greatest weakness?
With the right level of preparation, answering this question doesn’t need to be difficult. Done right, you won’t just be sharing your greatest weaknesses for job interviews but will also be highlighting some of your strengths, too.
Recruiters and hiring managers ask about weaknesses because your response gives them insight into who you are and how you operate at work. How you respond to this question lets them see how self-aware and humble you are, your problem-solving skills, how you handle adversity, and your level of resilience and perseverance.
Turn your weakness into a positive. Though it might seem like a challenging thing to do, it is possible to frame your weaknesses as positives with the right amount of forethought and consideration, as you’ll see from the examples provided below.
Do not respond with a weakness that is necessary to succeed in the job. When choosing a weakness to respond with, select one that doesn’t highlight your inability to do well in the position. For example, if you’re applying for an accounting job, you wouldn’t want to mention a weakness that’s related to a lack of attention to detail or a lack of skills in data analysis. On the flip side, it would likely be safe to mention a fear of public speaking.
Share the steps you have or are taking to improve upon the weakness. When you respond with your weakness, be sure to follow it up with how you have improved or are working to improve the weakness. If you mention that you have a challenging time delegating to your employees, for example, you might mention how you’ve taken a couple of leadership courses that focus on delegating effectively. From there, you can share the level of improvement you’ve experienced.
The following list provides some options when considering weaknesses for job interviews. See if any of them resonate with you and your areas for improvement. If they do, take some time and consider how you might share such weaknesses during your job interview. Again, don’t select weaknesses that would be required for you to succeed in the position.
One of my greatest weaknesses is my ability to use Excel to its fullest potential. I still need to master how to build pivot tables and macros, as well as formulas that can be used across worksheets. Though I might not need it for my day-to-day job, I would like to be able to fully utilize it instead of turning to a colleague for guidance. To address this, I recently took a class on using Excel formulas, and I’m signed up for an Excel class next month that focuses on pivot tables.
I’m an independent self-starter and enjoy getting my work done quickly, and as a result, I sometimes find it difficult to ask for help because I’m concerned it might slow me down or I feel I should be able to figure things out on my own. I also sometimes feel like I’m imposing on other peoples’ workdays and slowing them down. However, I’ve come to appreciate that asking for help is necessary for me to do my best work and to best support the business I’m working for. I also appreciate that others generally enjoy helping, so it’s a win-win when I ask for support.
Over the past year, I’ve made a diligent effort to ask for help when I’m feeling overloaded or unsure of an answer. As a result, I’ve been more efficient and have produced higher-quality work.
I have a critical gremlin on my shoulder that can be challenging to deal with at times. I take pride in doing my work well, though I tend to rework it over and over until I feel it’s perfect, which can slow me down. I logically realize that perfection, at the end of the day, isn’t the goal, nor is it truly possible. The goal is accuracy and to do my best, though my inner critic can still get the best of me. To tame my inner critic and the gremlin on my shoulder, I’ve been doing self-awareness work so I know the moment it’s about to creep up and can dismiss it. It’s made a big difference. Also, when I have the urge to check my work for a second or third time, I ask myself if it’s necessary, and then I submit it when it’s not. My stress has reduced, it’s easier to meet deadlines, and I’ve maintained my performance, as well.
The answers above show that the candidate has self-awareness, the ability to overcome, and more. Use these as guides to support you in coming up with your own answers.
If you’d like support in landing your next position, Advantis Global might be able to help. We work with a large range of companies from Fortune 50s to start-ups that are looking for permanent and contract skilled tech talent. Submit your resume or apply for a job and get connected to a recruiter today.