How to talk about your weaknesses in a job interview ?
During a job interview, answering the common question “What are your weaknesses” is not always easy. Although everyone does have a weakness, the challenge is to be able to address this weakness without showing the recruiter that you are not suitable for the job. Here are some tips on how to do that!
What is a weakness and how can you identify it?
A weakness is a shortcoming encountered, especially in a professional context. It is a rather subjective concept, as it may relate to one’s technical skills or personality. However, a weakness is not something you cannot overcome; you can see it as a challenge, or a motivation to improve yourself.
How can you identify your weaknesses? Here are a few tips to help you avoid confusing weakness with failure.
First, prepare your job interview by making a list of potential weaknesses. To help, you can ask yourself these questions:
- What are the tasks you do not like?
- What criticism have you received from former teachers or managers? And how did you work on these comments to improve yourself?
Don’t forget to thoroughly read the job description so you know what abilities and attributes are essential for the position. You should not choose a weakness that could prevent you from getting the job. For example, do not say you do not have great communications skills if the job requires a lot of interaction with people.
Don’t take positive traits and try to frame them as weaknesses. Saying you are a “perfectionist” is not going to feel sincere to the recruiter, who has already heard this answer way too many times!
What is the purpose of the “What are your weaknesses?” question?
This question is an opportunity for the employer to know more about how you react to challenges. Through your answer, they can check your:
- Self-awareness;
- Honesty;
- Willingness to progress;
- Argumentation skills (by referring to concrete situations).
How to answer the “What is your greatest weakness?” question in an interview
- The first thing to remember is that you should not list several weaknesses. Choose one you will be able to illustrate with a concrete example from your academic or professional experience.
- Be honest about your weaknesses: it shows that you are aware of the areas you may lack in.
- Give an example of how you try to overcome that weakness. You will show the recruiter that you are able to find solutions to problems and that it does not hold you back in a professional context.
- Ask your friends, family and colleagues what they think your weaknesses are; that way you will get new perspectives to answer that crucial question.
5 examples of most common weaknesses
- 1.Lack of experience: most freshly graduated job seekers lack experience. It is easy to improve with training, motivation and time.
- 2.Difficulty asking for help: being able to ask for help is important, especially in a professional context. It shows you can work in a team. It can also be a sign of independence. However, you need to show that you are trying to improve.
- 3.Difficulty delegating tasks: this is also important when working in a team. But it shows that you are dedicated to your work and want to do your best for the company. You can learn to trust others by participating in team-building workshops.
- 4.Lack of confidence: It is not always a critical weakness. Lacking confidence can encourage you to question yourself, make sure everything is correct and deliver a quality job.
- 5.Struggle with public speaking: while this skill might be necessary for some job positions, you can try taking speaking or acting classes to help with your enunciation and stress management.
Examples of weaknesses to avoid
The worst answer to give is “I have no weakness”. Nobody is perfect, and the recruiter knows that. By denying you have any weaknesses, you will be seen as an overconfident and dishonest person who is not able to learn from their mistakes.
It is also sometimes better to keep some weaknesses to yourself: aggressivity, intolerance or procrastination are personality traits that are usually not well perceived in a professional context.
You are now ready to answer the scary “What are your weaknesses?” question at your next job interview!
One last reminder: don’t try to over-adjust your weakness. While you can work on improving a weakness, it is important to know how far you can go without losing yourself. Make sure you research the companies you apply to in order to find the ones that best suit you.
It is also sometimes better to keep some weaknesses to yourself: aggressivity, intolerance or procrastination are personality traits that are usually not well perceived in a professional context.
You are now ready to answer the scary “What are your weaknesses?” question at your next job interview!
One last reminder: don’t try to over-adjust your weakness. While you can work on improving a weakness, it is important to know how far you can go without losing yourself. Make sure you research the companies you apply to in order to find the ones that best suit you.