The Interview: What is your Weakness?

So you just walked into your interview. You are dressed in your best professional attire. Your handshake was firm, you’ve nailed every interview question and you’re feeling good, very good. The process is about to wrap up soon. But then, the hiring manager drops the bomb on you!

So tell me, what is your greatest weakness?

You start seeing the job opportunity slipping through your fingers, you shuffle through everything in your brain, trying to figure out how to answer this question. Where do you start? Can you even answer this question? You think to yourself, “Why do they even ask this question in the first place?” First, they want to know that you aren’t conceited and are aware that we all make mistakes. Confidence is great, but there’s a fine line between confidence and being over-confident.

Secondly, they want to get past the big smile you’ve been wearing throughout the whole interview to get a sense of who you really are. The way you respond to an uncomfortable question can say a lot about your personality and communication skills.

You need to keep in mind that as a candidate, you don’t want to give them any reason not to hire you. That’s why the weakness question is so challenging and important. You need to find a balance, show that you are honest and genuine without saying something that will put your interviewer off and ruin your chances. Here are some tips on how to answer this challenging question.

Know your weakness 
We are only human, we are not perfect. We all have our flaws. Everyone has specific strengths and everyone has specific weaknesses. It's pretty certain that if you are not clear on your weaknesses then you are not clear on your strengths, and your value at the office will be questionable. Take an online personality type quiz or sit down with a group of your close previous work colleagues and blatantly ask them what they think your weaknesses are. Sometimes, we don’t see what it is that we do wrong but people from the outside can see things clearer. You might get a few negative answers but at the end of the day, this will help you in the long run.

Describe your weakness
Don’t feel like you have to go into great detail. Be short and, most importantly, avoid sounding defensive. Pick a weakness that is acceptable for the job at hand. Be aware of the job requirements and don’t refer to a weakness related to any of the required skills or desired qualities. If you’re an accountant, don’t talk about how unorganized you are or your lack of attention to detail. This might just raise a red flag.

Give an example
Hiring managers who ask about weaknesses during interviews are looking for examples of how a person faced obstacles and overcome them in the past. 

Don't just say that you struggle to meet deadlines, also provide ways in which you have worked on this. It's important to highlight that now when you work on a project, you don't just meet deadlines, rather you prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. Being aware of your weaknesses is a good sign, it shows that you know where your boundaries are.

Practice, practice, practice! The more you drill into your head the response you want to give, the more comfortable you will feel when you hear those dreaded words in an interview.

If you are looking to move on to a new job adventure, get in touch with us now! Communicate Recruitment is a specialist recruitment agency with remarkable consultants who will match your skills with the relevant job and advice and consult with you throughout the job search process.  We have career opportunities that include Finance jobs, IT jobs, Engineering jobs, Supply Chain jobs, Freight jobs. Visit our website and apply now!