This lesson is all about how to answer that dreaded weakness question.
It's a question that has brought down many of worthy candidate, so let's make sure
you're prepared to handle it gracefully. It's an awkward question.
Certainly, it would be considered a nosy and rude question in most settings,
but it's somehow considered perfectly appropriate in job interviews.
Most candidates hate this question, and many consider it pointless. After all,
they aren't about to confess candidly to their biggest flaws in the middle of a
job interview. And most of us don't have much practice speaking in a neutral way
about our flaws and insecurities. However, this question has become a cliché
for a reason. Unfortunately, the weakness question is still asked a lot
across industries, companies, and levels of seniority.
Interviewers still love this question because it makes them feel like they're
being thorough and hard-hitting. You may get lucky and have a more
enlightened interviewer, but I recommend that every candidate be
prepared with a good answer to the weakness question just in case.
I have seen many great candidates get tripped up by the weakness question.
It can be very difficult to talk about your flaws in a stressful situation
like a job interview. Negative topics require added diplomacy.
Meanwhile, you're nervous and thinking about 1,000 other things.
Is my hair sticking up? Is my breath okay? Why did he just frown
like that? What am I going to say if he asked why I left my last job?"
However, there is a way to answer that is honest and authentic and still increases
your odds of getting a job offer. A good weakness answer has two
important parts. Part one is your weakness. Briefly describe a real weakness
that wouldn't be a major handicap on the job. Learn how to choose a good weakness
in a minute. Part two is how you're already working on that weakness.
Part two is the critical component. Discuss your proactive efforts to improve.
This shows that you're self-aware, have a drive to be your best, and that the
weakness will not slow you down. So, let's talk first about how to choose a
good weakness. You want to be authentic. Don't select a weakness just because it
sounds good. You'll make a better impression with sincerity.
That doesn't mean you have to share weakness that makes you look bad.
If you're like most of us, you have several weaknesses,
and at least one of them will be interview-friendly. You also want to pick
a weakness that is acceptable for the job at hand. Be aware of the job requirements
and don't cite a weakness related to any of the required skills or
desired qualities. If you're an accountant, don't talk about hating
math or lack of attention to detail. If you're in sales, don't confess to being
to reserve or lacking persistence. Next, select a weakness that is relatively minor
and fixable. By fixable, I mean, it's something you could improve
through work and motivation. For example, fixable is, "I get nervous when speaking
in front of large groups." You can get better through practice
and learning new skills. And this is a common development area.
Harder to fix? "I'm very shy and often have trouble speaking up in meetings."
Well, there's nothing wrong with being shy. An interviewer could assume that the
candidate would have trouble collaborating in a team environment. Next tip,
describe your weakness in a concise neutral way. Don't feel like you have
to go into great detail. Be brief and most importantly,
avoid on a defensive or overly negative. Then is on to part two.
Demonstrate that you are working on your weakness. In the second part of your
answer, you need to describe how you have already taken steps to improve in your
area of weakness. Here's why. First, a great candidate is always looking
for ways to learn and grow. Two, a fabulous candidate then takes the
initiative to improve. Use your answer to demonstrate your
motivation to be the best at what you do. This is how to truly emphasize the
positive when talking about your weakness. Okay, so now let's look at some examples
of strong answers to what is your greatest weakness. Example one is delegation.
I think one area I could work on is my delegation skills. I'm always so concerned
about everything being done right and on time that I can get stuck in that
mentality of, "If you want it done right, do it yourself."
Unfortunately, that's not always possible and I've realized that I can slow things
down if I'm too controlling. I learned this recently when given the
opportunity to manage the departments, summer interns. I had never managed direct
reports before, so this was a hugely educational experience in many
different ways. It definitely taught me how to delegate. And my manager noticed a
difference in my management style at the end of the summer. I know that I can
benefit from additional development in this area as well.
So, I signed up for a management skills training course and I'm always looking
for opportunities to manage projects for our group." Why does this work?
This is a good example for a junior-level employee in a role in which delegation
abilities are not critical. Please note that the last sentence in the
first paragraph is important because it acknowledges how the weakness can be a
problem and why it's worth working on. The weakness is acknowledged and described
but the emphasis is more on how the candidate has sought out ways to improve.
Keep in mind that this is not such a terrific answer if you're applying for a
job that requires you to manage people. Example two, too direct.
"Sometimes I can be a bit too honest when I provide feedback to coworkers.
My personality is naturally very straightforward and to the point and most
of my colleagues really value that, but I have learned that there are
times on the job when more diplomacy is required. I took a training class
on conflict management and it really opened my eyes to the need to communicate
differently with different people. So now, I'm much better at providing
constructive feedback even if it doesn't always come naturally."
Why does this one work? This weakness is described well.
The candidate notes how directness has been a weakness while also making it clear
that he is not a raging jerk to his coworkers. And the second part,
he talks about concrete steps he has taken and how he has improved. An example three,
public speaking. "Honestly, I would say that public speaking is
an area that I could work on. I tend to get nervous when asked
to present to a large group of people. In small team meetings,
I'm the first one to stand up and present, but put me in front of a big group and I
can get flustered. I actually spoke to my manager about this and we set it as one
of my development goals for the year. I took an internal presentation skills
class and the tenants of meetings of Toastmasters and networking group
for people who want to improve their communication skills. With some practice,
I started to feel more comfortable. Last month, I even volunteered to represent
our team at division-wide town hall. I only had present for 10 minutes,
but I did it and got great feedback. It was actually kind of fun.
So, I plan on continuing to seek out opportunities to improve in this
area." Why does this work? Fear of public speaking is a common fear.
In this sample answer, the candidate makes it clear that she has no trouble
communicating in general which could be a red flag. It's just getting up in front
of a big group that scares her. She goes on to describe how she identified
the weakness, spoke with her manager about it, and then took proactive steps
to improve. She even has a little triumph at the end. And now a few words about what
not to do. Here are the mistakes that candidates typically make and you may be
able to relate. First, trying to turn a negative into a positive.
You'll find many articles that advise you to turn negative into a positive
by sharing a supposed weakness that is actually a desirable quality.
A few examples, "I am too much of a perfectionist. I work too hard sometimes.
I care too much about my work." It's an old trick and the interviewer sees
right through it. In fact, this approach will likely make her think
you're hiding something. Second thing to avoid,
refusing to answer the question. Some candidates will assert that they
can't think of a single weakness, this is probably because they freeze
up and are afraid to say the wrong thing. This answer also makes you look
like you're hiding something or you're just not at all self-aware. And finally,
revealing a weakness that raises red flags. Another mistake is to be too candid
and confess to a weakness that would hinder your ability to excel in the role.
I once had a coaching client answer, "I have trouble getting up in the morning
and getting to work on time." His real weakness was that he was way
too honest. Okay. So, that brings us to the end of this lesson
on answering interview questions about your weaknesses. Now, you're ready
to come up with a strong answer about your own weaknesses, then you'll never have
to stress about these dreaded questions again.