In this week's job search tip, we're going to be going over interview questions and answers.
Today, we're gonna be tacking the scary "What are your weaknesses?" question.
We're gonna look at it from a couple different angles and find out what
employers are really asking.
That's coming up!
Hey guys, I'm Kim with Snagajob, and welcome to Job Hunters, our weekly advice show.
Where we give you resume tips to interview advice, and everything in between.
Today, we're taking on the scary "Tell me what your weaknesses are" question.
This is a common interview question and chances are you probably will see this in a job interview.
Now no one ever wants to admit they have weaknesses,
especially when you're talking to a job interviewer. You don't want to tell someone that
hey I'm the best person you have but oh look, here are my weaknesses.
So this question gives the employer the opportunity to see what, if
anything, you need to make up for if you do get hired for the position.
So you need to give a substantive answer with a real weakness that you do have.
So stay away from the cliche and obvious answers like:
"I work too hard."
"I care too much."
And also avoid saying what you really want to say.
"I really don't have any I'm just pretty perfect."
So the answers you just heard are really lame and predictable.
Employers know that you have faults. They have them. You have them.
Everyone has them. And it's OK to admit them. So trying to pass it off that you
don't have any weakness may lead the employer
to you think that you aren't very self-aware and that you may be hard to
manage on the job. You also wanna stay away from weaknesses that don't have
anything to do about the job and that may make you a little scary.
"I'm very impatient. In fact, at my last job, my computer had a virus so I threw it out the window."
"I'm really bad at cartwheels. You want to see?"
"I don't speak fluent Portuguese, yet."
"Well, I really generally don't get along with anyone. At my last job, some guy ate my lunch.
So, I ended up setting his car on fire."
You want to pick a trait that you can actually improve on.
Or think of something that's a flaw you have, that you've been working to improve on.
Try taking something negative and turning it into a positive.
"I use to be not so great at mapping out my time. But at my last job, it really forced me
to be able to work on my time management skills.
So now in the mornings before I do anything, I do a to-do list.
And that way I can make sure that all of my priorities are done during the day."
This answer is a great way for the employer to see the initiative and the steps that you take to
turn a weakness into a positive.
It really shows that you have a great chance to grow in their company.
Now this question stinks. There's no getting around it. But employers probably
will ask you this question
so if you practice your answers beforehand you won't be thrown off by
the hey what's wrong with you question.
So thanks for joining us today, if you like this video, please let us now so we know
to keep making videos like this.
And make sure you subscribe to our channel by clicking that little button right there
so you'll get a new job search video every week. And don't forget to head over to
snagajob.com to start your job search today.
Bye! See you next Wednesday.