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What is Your Weakness?
What is behind the question, ways to answer this dreaded question, and my 3 weaknesses
I am sure we have all been there. Sitting in an interview room thinking that the interview is actually going relatively well and feeling pretty good about the whole thing. Then they drop the dreaded question, “so tell me what is your weakness?”
You answer something like I am a perfectionist, thinking, that has got to be the right answer. They pause, then ask, “no really, what is your greatest weakness?”
Your mind goes blank. And you think to yourself, interviewing is your greatest weakness! It has got to be!
I hate the weakness question as much as anyone else. Why do managers ask about weaknesses? What I have learned is they are not really asking about your weakness.
What most people are interested in when they ask questions about weaknesses in an interview are the following:
1. Are you prepared?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions in an interview. If the candidate draws a blank, they are either overly nervous or not prepared. Be prepared and have answers.
2. Do you give something truthful?
This question is a good judge of character. Perfectionist, workaholic, and overly high standards are probably the way most people would answer. If these are your actual weaknesses, you need to be able to back it up. Give examples to make it your own. If these are not, please do not choose them just to have an answer. Sitting there staring blankly at your interviewers is better than lying.
3. What are you doing to improve upon it?
Do not just give your weakness, talk about what you are doing to improve upon your weakness. The manager is looking for someone who self reflects then does something about it.
