[ON-SCREEN: At the Office-Boss Office]
>> Boss: What is your greatest weakness?
>> Interviewee: See, the great thing about me is that I don't have any weaknesses
[ON-SCREEN: Characters freeze in background, narrator appears in foreground]
>> Narrator: We all have weaknesses and it's important you have a solid answer for this
question.
The question is a measurement of your self-awareness and your ability and willingness to improve
yourself.
If answered properly it can tell them a lot about your work ethic and the kind of person
they may be hiring.
And always remember, as with any interview question, it is important to be genuine.
[ON-SCREEN: Narrator disappears, Interviewee 1 gives 2nd attempt]
>> Boss: What is your greatest weakness?
>> Interviewee 1: My greatest weakness is that I am a perfectionist, I just want all
of my work to be perfect so sometimes projects and tasks can take me longer than they should
[ON-SCREEN: Scene Freeze, narrator appears in foreground]
>> Narrator: Did that sound sincere?
This is a classic poor answer to this question.
It is possible to turn a strength into a weakness as long as it is original and genuine(!),
however we do not recommend this strategy as the interviewer probably believes that
the answer is rehearsed and insincere.
[ON-SCREEN: PAR Model written on board]
>> Narrator: In order to successfully answer this question, structure your answer according
to the PAR model:
[ON-SCREEN: P-Problem- Identify your problem, in this case your weakness appears on board]
>> Narrator: P-Problem-Identify your problem, in this case your weakness
[ON-SCREEN: A-Action-what were the actions you took to overcome this weakness appears
on board]
>> Narrator: A-Action-what were the actions you took to overcome this weakness.
[ON-SCREEN: R-Result-What was the positive result from the actions you took to overcome
and fix your weakness appears on board]
>> Narrator: R-Result-What was the positive result from the actions you took to overcome
and fix your weakness
[ON-SCREEN: Identify your weakness appears on board]
>> Narrator: The first step is to identify your problem, in this case your weakness.
Make sure it is work related but not a particular skill or a responsibility for the position.
For example; if you are interviewing for an Administrative Assistant position, and you
feel that your typing speed is below average, DO NOT MENTION THIS, as it is directly related
to what you will be doing on a daily basis.
Think of something that you honestly feel is not your greatest strength, but is not
a core responsibility of the role either.
For example; a good weakness to discuss might be a fear of public speaking.
Now that we have identified our weakness, let's properly structure our answer
[ON-SCREEN: Identify weakness disappears and Always speak in the past tense appears on
board]
>> Narrator: To effectively answer this question make sure that whatever you identify as your
weakness, is something that you have also overcome.
You do not want to give the impression that they will be hiring someone who will be bringing
a known weakness to the role with them.
[ON-SCREEN: New Scene-At the Office-Boss Office]
>> Original Boss from Scene 1: What is your greatest weakness?
>> Second interviewee: Well, I used to have a problem with public speaking; however, in
order to overcome this I signed up for a class in public speaking and speechwriting, as well
as a course in professional development while working towards my degree.
[ON-SCREEN: Scene Pauses, Narrator appears in foreground, speaks]
>> Narrator: Hiring managers want to see that you have the ability to learn and grow as
a person, so make sure you make it clear you HAD a weakness but took the necessary actions
to overcome it, leading to Positive Results.
What was the successful outcome from the actions you took in order to overcome this weakness?
Communicate the positive results your actions produced.
A great way to do this is through examples, tell a story and SHOW them how the weakness
is no longer an issue.
[ON-SCREEN: Narrator disappears, scene resumes]
>> Second interviewee: Well, I used to have a problem with public speaking; however, in
order to overcome this I signed up for a class in public speaking and speechwriting, as well
as a course in professional development while working towards my degree.
During my coursework I was responsible for addressing an audience of at least 30 people
on a weekly basis and quickly became comfortable doing so.
I even started volunteering to speak at team meetings in my last position, which led people
to start coming to me for leadership.
I am now able to confidently give presentations to large groups and it has also made me a
more effective communicator.
[ON-SCREEN: Back to Simple Layouts-Character screen, narrator visible]
>> Narrator: So remember, when addressing this question, don't be clever and answer
with something that is really a strength, be genuine.
For this and all other interview questions do not give an answer that comes off as canned
or rehearsed And follow the PAR model (semi-emphatic):
[ON-SCREEN: PAR Model appears on board in full]
>> Narrator: P-The Problem-Clearly identify your genuine weakness
A-Your actions-Communicate the actions you took to improve upon and overcome the weakness
R-The result-Clearly state the positive outcome that was the result of your hard work