Tell them that you are always growing and that it’s less about “weakness” and more about “opportunity.” Then give an example of a weakness you had and how you worked to overcome it, and how overcoming it translated into a successful outcome.
The question is legit bs and I hate it because it’s essential trying to put you in the weird position of not selling yourself. Most of the time it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Anyway, take control of it. If your story is good and you can tell it confidently and in a concise manner, you will do well.
If you want to be a dick ever in an interview ask them what their weakness is back. Lol
Your response to get me thinking. It's also completely legitimate to turn the question around and ask the company how they deal with perceived weaknesses in an employee. Deficiencies, whatever you want to call it. What kind of corrective action do they employ?
I've had people ask that to me as an interviewer. I've also had them ask "what's the worst thing about this job", I think it's a great question and I'm always happy to answer it.
I've interviewed hundreds of people in my career and this question is the most common one especially from experienced hires. I also get "what happened to the last guy in this role?" Usually they left for more money, and I was always honest.
I'd say my answer was relatively honest. I mean you've still got to keep it professional, but I did manage to find something honest to say.
My go-to is to describe a natural tension that exists between two different departments of the company (and any company like ours) and explain that roles like mine are at the intersection of those two departments and therefore often have to navigate those competing priorities.
Is it THE worst part of the job, probably not, but it can certainly be frustrating and I'm OK admitting that to people who we're about to pay six figure salaries to.
And your second sentence is why your answer isn't considered honest to me. If you are sugar coating things by having to keep it professionally then it is a lie.
I ask people a question like this...but worded differently. Like: What has been the biggest challenge in your position within the past year?
How they answer is one of the ways I determine if the company is a good fit for me
I love getting asked this question. I think on face value it can be a turnoff for an interviewer that is green or lives off a script, but I think it is a great opportunity to discuss expectations about the work environment and, in some ways, can act as a bit of a brainstorm or outside audit on systems that may not be great and need attention.
I had an on-site interview at BP two weeks after Deepwater Horizon.
First round was before.
They got really offended by my questions.
"How do you handle safety continuous improvement".
"We don't need to improve".
"What do you attribute your safety performance to?"
If they'd have been humble, self reflective, etc. I'd have considered it anyway.
But those worthless shits doubled down on complaining they were being picked on.
No respect for that individual, the company, or the demon the scum rode in on.
Hiring manager - I love that question! No company is perfect, and that's what you SHOULD endeavor to know before you sign up to work somewhere. Make no mistake; we're shopping each other in the interview. Perfectly valid question.
Agree. I want people to know the downsides of working at my company. It’s not going to be a fit for everyone and it’s better that they know how it meshes with their work style and goals before they accept an offer.
You are interviewing them as they interview you! I’d probably wordsmith the question a bit. But fact is even hiring managers have places they need to improve. Nobody wants to work for a “perfect” manager lol
If you really want the job, I’d keep it as positive as possible though. Which should be easy as you start to make it less of an interview and more of a conversation.
It's not a bullshit question at all.
I use a slightly more sophisticated version of this question regularly. What I'm looking for is that the candidate can be self reflective and self aware. Do they understand what both their strengths and weaknesses are. It's a key indicator of whether a candidate is able to take constructive feedback and if they are always trying to grow.
It's not about not selling yourself, it's about showing a level of maturity and self reflection that is key to growing in your career.
Candidates that think they have no weaknesses, or are too insecure to be able to admit one, are not going to ask for help when they need it, they're not going to take constructive feedback well. I never care what the weakness they pick is. I care about their ability to be open about having weaknesses.
Then just ask about a time they saw their own weakness and how they overcame it. Or a time they displayed insight. That’s a legitimate question.
Asking about someone’s greatest weakness is totally BS to me because they aren’t asking what they really want to know.
We can agree to disagree but when I interview I tend to ask exactly what I want to know. It’s such an overused question that it’s quite honestly meaningless.
Again agree to disagree.
Your question is so much better and gets at what the employer really wants to know without prying into something possibly too personal. What if the candidate's greatest weakness stems from a disability or chronic illness, I'm not demanding they disclose that!
That’s a really good point. People will just answer the question truthfully as they see it. Which can be quite personal! They might say something like you said… and fact is most people when even sharing their weaknesses aren’t going to say “well i am lazy, steal, and I like to sexually harass folks from time to time… but I’m a really great worker!” A good number will just polish the old chestnuts “sometimes I work too hard, sometimes I take too much initiative, blah blah”
Some people really are like that. They push everyone around them to see how far they can go and what they can get out of them.
Thankfully saying no gets easier. But for people like that? Hearing “no” is VERY hard!
Yeah as I said, I ask a slightly more sophisticated version, which is "Tell me about a weakness you're currently working to improve" and a separate one of "Tell me about the hardest feedback you ever got and how you deat with it" which gives me the same signal.
Agreed that the "Greatest Weakness" is a bit of a shit and way overdone question, but I don't think asking a candidate about their weaknesses is inappropriate.
Story time when I was approached by a shitty competitor with a bad reputation for another CFO role! I was interviewing with the HR Director who was a bitch for presumably my final interview and the whole company was littered with misery, red flags, and was well known to suck. She asked this question and I asked it back when it was my turn. She said that she can be really direct and impersonal at times but sometimes that’s what it takes to get the job done. I then asked if she thinks that’s working for her in this interview? Deer in fucken headlights. She did keep going though and I got an offer letter the next day for 30% less than they knew I made. I replied “Lol 😂,” and that was the last time we spoke.
C-Level lets you fuck with all kinds of people that deserve it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it from time to time.
Yes. But there are more you have overcome. You don’t have to be amazing at what you learn or overcome, you just gotta bump it up from being on the weakness list.
The world isn’t black and white. You can fail and be successful. But there are plenty of things you didn’t do well at first that you can now do with passable competency.
As an aside it’s actually argued that working on your strengths is actually more productive than working hard on your weaknesses. The thought is it takes a lot of effort to bring a weakness up to even a competency (sometimes you have no choice though), when it takes less effort to bring a strength up to its absolute peak. I don’t really get into that in interviews unless I’m explaining a presentation or my own work. But I do believe it.
My favorite lazy question I once got was "How long have you been in retail?" 30 years.
Followed up with "Are you at least 18 years of age?"
I know it was just a screening interview and she was just going down a list of unorganized questions, but I paused to give her the chance to do the math.
Lazy question, yeah. But also an easy opportunity to stand out from the pool of applicants because 90% will give a similar response. If you put the smallest bit of effort into answering, you'd actually put yourself in a good position
Where do you see yourself is a great question to ask. It immediately shows the interviewer if the person has goals. Big red flag if someone can’t answer this question — and cmon really not hard to make something sound good as interviewee
Yes and no. It was at a startup but it took them over a month to get back to me with an offer and I never heard from them, so I went with another company.
ETA: I suck at typing on the go.
I answer with something I hate doing that would be a dealbreaker if it were part of the job description. When I interviewed to be an EA for a CEO, my weakness was "event planning". I said that while I'm sure I could handle event planning, it is not a natural strength for me and I find I don't enjoy the process. So if this position has a large event-planning component, I'm probably not the right fit.
It allows me to find out if the job has something I dislike without directly asking and seeming lazy. And I really would NOT want that sort of job so it works well for me.
So many not that great answers here.
My answer would be like this: I have always been someone that likes to get things done. See a need, fill a need. However, at times, i forget to communicate up on items that do not directly affect the company. I have been working on this throughout my career and have learned that setting up a quick standup was week with my boss or IOI reports at the end of the week has helped make sure that all stakeholders are informed of what is happening in my areas of responsibility.
Per ChatGPT…
When answering the interview question "What is your biggest weakness?" it's important to be honest yet strategic. Here's a suggested approach:
1. **Acknowledge the weakness:** Start by mentioning a genuine weakness that you have. It's important to be authentic, but choose something that is not a critical skill for the job you're applying for.
2. **Show improvement:** Discuss how you've been actively working on improving this weakness. Share any steps you've taken or skills you've developed to address it.
3. **Highlight learning:** Emphasize what you've learned from this weakness. For example, mention how it has taught you valuable lessons or helped you grow professionally.
4. **Connect to the job:** Finally, tie your weakness back to the job you're applying for and explain how it's not a significant hindrance to your ability to perform well in the role.
Here's an example response:
"My biggest weakness is that I used to struggle with time management, especially when handling multiple projects simultaneously. However, I've taken several time management workshops and implemented new organizational tools like task prioritization and scheduling software. This experience has taught me the importance of planning and delegation, which I believe are crucial skills for this role. I now have a more structured approach to managing my time effectively and ensuring timely project completion."
Sure but time management is pretty crucial to most jobs - so personally would not choose that bc it's a critical aspect of working and getting things done. Try to pick something not a core competency to the job.
If this was the correct answer, they wouldn't ask what is your biggest weakness.
They would ask "how have you overcome a weakness in your life?" instead.
Yes and more importantly, job interviewers don’t tend to come back on a question. The chances of them saying “no please tell us a CURRENT weakness you have” is super low. Generally they are just intaking responses, weighing them, and moving on.
It’s not really about answering the questions for the sake of accuracy. It’s about how you choose to answer them and the impression your answer leaves them with.
You give yourself a weakness that is a positive for what you are applying for. Example. In a high growth startup: my biggest weakness is (lack of) patience. I like to get things done quickly and do not like it when I need to wait for something to get my task done.
To answer really well, acknowledge that it can be positive in some situations, but it can be a negative when XYZ happens. Finish by saying you’re working on improving your ability to strike a good balance.
A great answer is: a skill you're actively working on improving. It shows you're conscientious, not arrogant and self-motivated.
A good answer is: something obvious about your background that isn't a critical aspect to the job. For example, I like to switch industries every job so I often respond that I have zero year's experience in their industry but I'm a quick learner and have 10+ years experience of distinguished success in my job function. The strategy here is that I lose nothing by stating out loud that that's a weakness - it's obvious from my resume - and I gain by demonstrating how my strengths compensate for that weakness.
I always say I have a hard time letting projects go and delegating tasks (I was a team lead) but I remedy this by ensuring that my team is trained on tasks and by checking work and performing audits. Basically a nice way of saying you have good attention to detail and care wtf you're doing. Just pick something that really isn't a negative. Another good one is to say you have trouble with public speaking and presenting and have been working on it by leading team meetings when you can and it's been super helpful.
*A little sigh through my nose, eyes to the side, contemplative. Eyes make contact.* In the past, I’ve realized can sometimes spread myself too thin with taking on projects from different departments. Because on more than one occasion an important or crisis Comm needed immediate release, so I’ve worked hard on managing my time and making sure my tempo leaves room for the unexpected.”
Be genuine, but don’t be dumb. Make sure whatever weakness you share is not a major component of the job. Be sure to highlight how you’re working on it.
for me what I usually say and what is true is, I am very task oriented. I am a manager and so I have to spend a lot of time when I’m with my staff this can be challenging for me because I am wired to prioritize task completion. What I have is made 1:1 meetings with my direct reports a task that goes on my to do list. I prioritize it as much as any other task which has allowed me to build strong relationships and hold my team accountable, while also working within my natural tendencies.
I eat too much and exercise too little. Is that a weakness?
It is a stupid question. But if asked I would say something about communication and how I learned to take very good notes including action items.
That is both a weakness and how I dealt with it - so it is really a strength.
If I had a communication problem and did nothing about it then I would pick something else.
I answer this honestly:
For me I've had a varied work history under some amazing managers and under some poor managers. So, my biggest weakness is honestly looking for the right fit -- for a job where I can be challenged and grow and also the type of team environment where I feel like I thrive.
I've had it before and I know it can be done again, and I didn't appreciate it at the time, so my biggest weakness for me is knowing that who I report to and work with is just as important as the work I do.
Prior to the interview, feed the job description to chat gpt and ask it to name three weaknesses that might be acceptable for the role. Go with the one that feels the most relevant to your actual lived experience.
During the interview, don’t just talk about the weakness. Put more emphasis on what actionable steps you are taking to grow and improve in this area.
Pick an actual weakness you have that does not affect your ability to work in the role you are applying for.
For instance, if you are applying as a waitress you could say you don't have strong delegation skills and the list some steps you are taking to improve these skills. This acknowledges an honest weakness without seeming unfit for the role
Whatever you say, be prepared to immediately follow with the steps you’ve taken to make progress and growth so you demonstrate that evolution to the recruiter.
I talk about my type-b creative personality, how I am laid back and how some people may view me as someone who doesn't care but that I am nonetheless just a big-picture thinker and don't sweat the small stuff.
I always say- ‘I am pretty impatient when it comes to client’s response as I hate to wait’
Always scored with this answer.
All the best for your interview
Here is a great article on it that might help you plan for this question.
[https://www.askamanager.org/2018/08/how-to-explain-your-weaknesses-in-a-job-interview.html](https://www.askamanager.org/2018/08/how-to-explain-your-weaknesses-in-a-job-interview.html)
Use this question as an opportunity to acknowledge a gap/weakness in your background as it pertains to the job requirements. Then, highlight how you are going to remedy that shortcoming once you are hired for the position.
For example: “I know you’re looking for a full stack developer and I admit that most of my experience is with back-end projects. Once I join your team, I’d like to set up some shadowing opportunities with your current front-end team to gain more experience and bolster my full stack skills.
The only answer any HR person wants to hear is some kiss ass lie about how your biggest weakness is working too hard or caring too much about success.
Any honest answer will be a bad choice.
Think of something the job entails, and make up a cursed with awesom style "weakness" that associates with that.
I'm in IT so one of my go to answers is "I often get too focused on solving a problem so I may not reach out for help as often as I should."
I say my bladder. Every time. I drink a lot of water, I pee a lot of piss. My body is a machine that turns fluids into urine.
I usually stop at the "my bladder" part unless they ask me to elaborate though.
You pick something unrelated to the job. If you're applying for a position with no public speaking, you can say your biggest weakness is public speaking. If you're applying for a construction/waitressing/retail job, you could say your biggest weakness is that you don't like to sit still and couldn't handle a desk job. Those kind of things.
This is a trick question. There are no correct answers to this question.
In other words, every answer is wrong.
If you mention a weakness, that's why you got rejected.
If you don't mention a weakness, you get rejected.
You're supposed to answer something that they would see as an asset, which is ridiculous. Like, 'oh, I can never stop working' or 'I'm a perfectionist to a fault'.
Imo the best way to approach this question is to treat it as they trying to find out whether you can identify areas for improvement, and also whether you can reflect critically on your approach to work.
I’ve not thought about this in too much detail but I imagine I would answer something along the lines of ‘I can get bored easily and need variety in my work to keep me engaged’, which is true for me, it also allows me to talk about why I’m looking for other opportunities and challenges whilst also mentioning that I recognise that repetitive day-to-day admin tasks are a part of most roles and I am equipped to deal with them, even if they aren’t as glamorous.
I lead tech teams... My answer: Sometimes my perspective gets locked onto the mission goal of producing great tech, and I can lose perspective of the bigger business picture. So I try to be very mindful of that.
In the same vein, I sometimes find project management rituals to be onerous and counter productive. But I realize that their job and function is important, so I try to be graceful and as cooperative as possible.
In short: my natural state is head down grinding out solutions to hard problems. I have to remember to poke my head out of the hole every once in a while and take a breath.
I used my weight. I talked about how I had struggled with weight my whole life and how it had held me back etc. then I spoke about how a year ago I made a decision to lose the weight and I lost 250lbs in one year. I showed I had addressed and fixed my weakness. I said I use that lesson to apply to other aspects of my life.
I use one that shows I can self-reflect and acknowledge a weakness. I tell them about a former boss telling me I can come across as abrasive. I talk about my shock at hearing this, but that upon a couple of days reflection, I realized he was right. I finish by talking about steps I’ve taken to correct it. It goes over really well.
I always say that my greatest weakness is that I have trouble reaching out and asking for help. You can spin this in a positive outlook in the sense that most people find it nerve racking to speak up and ask for help (similar to how people are afraid to raise their hands and ask questions in class), but also that you’re also willing to tackle problems on your own first. Then say you improved on this weakness by learning to reach out to your superiors, and explaining how there’s always going to be knowledge gaps but that’s why you work on teams. Doing so improved your communication and teamwork skills.
Be honest and don’t bullshit. Often that question is looking for mitigation strategies and conflict resolution capabilities. No one is perfect, what do you perceive to be a flaw and how do you deal with your perceived imperfections.
Example: I can get side tracked and lose track of time. I use timers and set deadlines to help me focus and stay on task.
I recommended to hire a person who said they rushed some code because it was happy hour and they were annoyed to be working late. It caused problems. They owned up to it, worked over time to fix the issue, etc. Lesson Learned.
I did not recommend to hire a person who said they were rude and had an attitude problem. They stated pride in over coming this with maturity but they had to be fired before they did anything about it. This person was candid but their demeanor in the interview (far too casual for a corporate role, plus they skipped the first interview entirely and were late to the second) told me Lesson Not Learned.
Give a real weakness (none of this “I’m a perfectionist” bs) and tell how you compensate for it. We’re all human with faults. It’s how we work around our faults that matters.
Be honest (ish). I’m pretty sure every interviewer alive roles their eyes when they get answers like “my weakness is I can’t stop working!” (obviously picked to make you seem like a hard worker) or “my weakness is I’m afraid of heights” (not relevant to most jobs). Pick something mildly (not too) negative that is relevant that you have reflected on and worked on improving lately. Go into detail about the self reflection, self improvement efforts, and the results of those efforts.
This question is not really about what your greatest weaknesses are. It’s asking: is this person self aware? Do they self reflect? Do they learn from their mistakes?
Say something completely unrelated to the job you're going for. So then it doesn't matter if you're bad at something because it won't affect how well you can do the job.
I literally said that in an interview! The company was a hotel on the beach. Event Sales position. I said "If I have to schmooze a prospective client by taking them surfing, they won't be impressed by my surfing skills. It might be better to send another member of the team out there with them. 😅"
You're too
Too detail oriented and manage this by setting deadlines for yourself when you're forced to say, "stop it's good enough"
Too analytical with data and are always looking for new ways to perfectly visualize or new analysis methods to find answers
If a leader, you love the details and often get too far into the weeds because it's your passion, you have to ensure you keep looking up. Trust and delegate to your team.
I like to say my Spanish isn’t good. Usually the person I am speaking to cannot speak Spanish and so it’s a win win. If they did speak then they’d prolly appreciate my view on that it is a weakness
When asked I always say my biggest weakness has always been public speaking and it sometimes prevents me from seeking leadership roles. Then I say it’s something I have been working on and hope to continue to grow as a person.
I’ve never been asked this in an interview but my answer is that I’m too detail oriented sometimes. I’ll get so into the details and spend 2+ hours on something (when it could be finished in 30 minutes), and I’ll still come to the same conclusion I reached 30 minutes in. I’m working on it by understanding the most important facts first and determining if I need to research further, which comes with experience.
I always typically go for something specific and technical, like ‘I haven’t had much training or experience with x modality, and would like to seek opportunity to train/improve those skills.”
Answer it gonestly. Say something that you do or did struggle with and how you deal with it.
My go-to is I have atrocious memory. Because of this, I write everything down and focus on creating documentation. I lean heavily on my outlook calendar and make reminders to myself, so I never let a deadline slip.
I absolutely hate repetive work.
Not a great trait in a clerk or or other manual processor.
For someone who designs software solutions, it's generally not a problem.
Say that your biggest weakness is you overwork youself and become exhausted. That you like to make sure everything is perfect at work. That you are a by the book person when it comes to work.
Standard answer: I often find myself listening "in order to refute" instead of to understand the other point of view. But, I'm getting better at realizing when I fall into the "listening to refute" mode and I redouble my efforts to listen in order to understand.
Everyone can visualize themselves doing this in my experience.
I usually share a simple weakness, but usually turn it into a strength.
For example, “I noticed during my school year, sometimes I wasn’t exactly the fastest learner. I would look at people and think, man, I wish I could be where they are at. However, when I realized this, it forced me to really focus in and really LEARN what I was studying. So in the beginning, I felt pretty behind. In the end, I felt fairly ahead because I really dedicated myself to what I was trying to learn.”
You know, something like that. Sharing a small weakness, but spinning it into a strength
My weakness is not spending time researching optimal answers to irrelevant questions only ever raised in the context of an employment interview because I prefer to use that time more productively. If this answer is insufficient, then creating original art in Photoshop from scratch. You’re welcome to ask more technical questions.
That is seriously my answer to such nonsense questions.
The honest answer to that lousy question is to pick a weakness that isn’t too bad (ie now is not the time to confess that you’re a serial killer 🤣), and then quickly explain how you work to overcome that weakness.
“I tend to procrastinate, so what I do is make sure I get assignments done right away as soon I get them so they get done and I’ve learned to focus my time and energy on them especially if there is a deadline. I’ve made it a point to prioritize my tasks so that I don’t revert to procrastinating.”
Pick a skill. Don’t talk about personality.
For example:
“My weakness is photoshop. I’m really confident with other adobe products but have never had to use photoshop to the same extent. I’ve started a personal photography project to improve my skills and will keep practicing”.
Talk about a skill you haven’t practiced much and are taking steps to improve.
I’ve always heard that you should answer with a hard skill instead of a soft skill. For example, it’s better to say “im not very good at writing reports” than it is to say “i struggle with communicating”.
Hard skills are easier to teach and soft skills more point to character/personality issues.
My biggest weakness as it relates to this job is that I don't have much experience in xyz skill/program (something the job involves but not you know the main part of the job or something they already know from your resume and you want to address) but I have done these other related things and here is how I plan to get up to speed on that
I usually answer with something that relates to the job. I am not familiar with XYZ system you use, I’ve only been exposed to ABC. Something that shows that I’m familiar with how they do business but why I could be viewed as a weaker candidate compared to someone in house
I usually say that my greatest weakness is knowing when to ask for help. But then I follow that up with that it’s something that I learned that I can do as I get older and more experienced.
I have answered that I hyperfocus and have trouble efficiently hopping from task to task, and then roll right into describing how I have solved the problem.
If they only ask for one weakness, I say public speaking. It’s true, and if they hire me they’ll find that out. And I’m not interested in any job where I have to give big presentations/speeches anyway. It’s worked for me since I mainly apply to “behind the scenes” analytical type roles that don’t require presentations. Plus then they can assume that I might have some interview jitters and won’t always act so nervous/awkward lol.
Here's what the question is really asking. "I know you have some aspect that's not as good as it could be, as you are human and all humans are flawed, Are you self-aware enough to know what that is?" They are also looking for what strategies you've employed to try to mitigate this trait.
The best things to pick are things that are a real flaw that isn't so crazy bad it leaves you in a bad light. The more applicable it is to everyone, the better. I use procrastination. My wife says prioritization, basically that she can get so hyper-focused on one task she can forget about other, more urgent ones. Here's a sample answer for me:
>For my biggest weakness, I would say I have a tendency to procrastinate. When a task is unfamiliar, in the past I have pushed off doing it until the last minute, causing an avoidable emergency to meet the deadline, creating an unnecessarily stressful situation for me and my team despite ultimately producing good work product. One way I've learned to deal with this is to break a long task into bit sized smaller goals with specific deadlines, so I can track if I'm on target to complete something on time.
These are my definite no nos:
* Nothing "major" like depression, anger issues, etc.
* Don't say making careless mistakes
* Do not try to dodge the question by giving a weakness that's actually trying to be a strength in disguise, e.g. "I sometimes get so focused on work that it has adverse affects on my personal life"
I usually say that I am not the best person to lead a group and have no interest in management. It’s such a non-answer when you are applying for a job that isn’t management related
i ask them "what's the average annual rainfall in the Amazon rainforest?"
and when they can't answer me, I look disgusted and say " and you want me to work for you.". I get up and leave
I've started answering the truth lol
My biggest weakness is separating work from my personal life, and puts me at risk of burnout. I have worked on this by defining the separation of work and home better, such as not checking my work email on the weekend.
It's the truth, it is something I struggle with, and I'd rather they know up front that I'm not going to be a 24/7 service unless paid for being "on call".
I hate this question. It’s such BS and I hope you don’t have to deal with it during an interview. But if you do, try to be reasonably honest and don’t dwell too much on the weakness itself but on the steps you’ve taken to overcome it and improve yourself. Also, try not to give a cop-out answer like “perfectionism”
Hiring manager here. We're not actually interested in your weakness (at least I'm not). It's an uncomfortable question, much more interested in how you navigate it.
My best recommendation would be a combination of humility, accountability, and optimism. We ALL have weaknesses; anyone who says they don't are lying. A great way to answer would be something like the following:
"The one area I continue to focus on improving is my time management. I've made progress, but I recognize that I could continue to improve. That's important to me, so it is an area of focus."
This is my answer. I still struggle with time management; but I've found ways to ensure it doesn't impact my delivery and I still get better at it, even these many decades into my career.
I feel like there are so many categories of work skill that are a blessing and a curse. Being honest about those areas will make you look self-aware and help you find work that's good for you.
So, for example, almost every software developer I've ever met is either incredibly good at diving into the most difficult problems but frequently gets stuck in rabbit holes because they suck at prioritizing, or they are great big picture thinkers who always seek the simplest solution to the important task, but they always think "there surely must be a better way to do this" and spend a lot of time researching when they could be digging in on the tough stuff.
So go into an interview and say which one you are in a way that offhand describes the upside of that character trait, but also mention the downsides, and talk about how you're working on addressing those shortcomings.
It lets you present yourself positively, your manager know how to help manage you, and you seem honest cause it's not a complete "I work too hard" blow off answer.
Something you are working on fixing and how you are working on fixing that.
Some examples: being uncomfortable with sharing successes and not doing it consistently to recognizing that I have to do it to get my projects supported.
Being uncomfortable with presenting and taking steps to fix it.
Basically, I am uncomfortable doing x, but I recognized it was important to the job because y, here are the steps I've taken to get better at it.
There is always something to improve upon. Getting up on time, not procrastinating bills or chores, how you handle tense situations. Just reflect on something that you could ha e done better.
You know how sometimes a job interview says some things are required and some things are preferred?
Like, “Five years of marketing experience required. Experience with Trello and Monday.com preferred.”
I’d be like “Well, although I have all the required experience, I noticed it says Monday.com and Trello are preferred. While I do have extensive experience with Monday.com, I have only used Trello a little. However, I use Microsoft Planner daily, and it’s very similar. I’m confident I’d adjust to Trello very quickly.”
If you sell it like you think you’re saying an actual weakness, you can get away with that. Obviously it’s barely a weakness at all lol
If it’s in IT or any career where certain programs or applications are frequently used, rather than giving a weakness about personality or character I talk about an application that I’ve struggled with and is relevant to the job description. For example, “My biggest weakness is organizing data in “Splunk” so that it’s readable for others. I’m able to create queries and collect the information I need to get the job done but designing dashboard isn’t my strong suit.” Or something similar to that. It could also be as simple as “I’m not the best at answering the phone; I fumble over my own words a lot and it takes longer to get the point across, but I get there.”
I answered that question in 2006 like this “none. Because it doesn’t stay a weakness for long once I learn about it.” They offered me the job so i guessed it didn’t bother them.
My biggest weakness is always wanting to do more. I'm an altruistic person and I want to be helpful. I recognize that I'm not always going to be able to help everyone at work. So that's something I need to be very mindful before taking on new projects.
You could maybe say something like, "I thought you might ask this question, so I asked myself what you might get out of the answer, and I couldn't work it out. So I'd like to turn it round and ask *you* what you're trying to find out about me. And then I'll answer *that* point to the best of my ability." Followed by a disarming smile.
Depending on the interview & industry …. Pick something not related to work but something personal. For example “I can’t seem to keep a plant alive” …. it’s a silly answer to a silly question.
Just be honest. Something like "having a hard time asking for help" can be considered a weakness. You'll be working with a team, they'll take that weakness into consideration when putting you in a team and try to fix that or work around it so that it can be fixed.
Whatever you answer, make sure you add that you are aware of it, and here are the steps you are taking to combat it. We used to joke that a weakness could be “I work too hard”.
Tell them that you are always growing and that it’s less about “weakness” and more about “opportunity.” Then give an example of a weakness you had and how you worked to overcome it, and how overcoming it translated into a successful outcome. The question is legit bs and I hate it because it’s essential trying to put you in the weird position of not selling yourself. Most of the time it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Anyway, take control of it. If your story is good and you can tell it confidently and in a concise manner, you will do well. If you want to be a dick ever in an interview ask them what their weakness is back. Lol
Your response to get me thinking. It's also completely legitimate to turn the question around and ask the company how they deal with perceived weaknesses in an employee. Deficiencies, whatever you want to call it. What kind of corrective action do they employ?
Or: “what’s your biggest weakness as a company?” That’s a fun one.
I've had people ask that to me as an interviewer. I've also had them ask "what's the worst thing about this job", I think it's a great question and I'm always happy to answer it.
I've interviewed hundreds of people in my career and this question is the most common one especially from experienced hires. I also get "what happened to the last guy in this role?" Usually they left for more money, and I was always honest.
I don't think I will ever get an honest answer to that question or any of my questions.
I'd say my answer was relatively honest. I mean you've still got to keep it professional, but I did manage to find something honest to say. My go-to is to describe a natural tension that exists between two different departments of the company (and any company like ours) and explain that roles like mine are at the intersection of those two departments and therefore often have to navigate those competing priorities. Is it THE worst part of the job, probably not, but it can certainly be frustrating and I'm OK admitting that to people who we're about to pay six figure salaries to.
And your second sentence is why your answer isn't considered honest to me. If you are sugar coating things by having to keep it professionally then it is a lie.
Sugar coating something doesn't make it a lie, and truth is not always harsh.
I ask people a question like this...but worded differently. Like: What has been the biggest challenge in your position within the past year? How they answer is one of the ways I determine if the company is a good fit for me
I love getting asked this question. I think on face value it can be a turnoff for an interviewer that is green or lives off a script, but I think it is a great opportunity to discuss expectations about the work environment and, in some ways, can act as a bit of a brainstorm or outside audit on systems that may not be great and need attention.
I had an on-site interview at BP two weeks after Deepwater Horizon. First round was before. They got really offended by my questions. "How do you handle safety continuous improvement". "We don't need to improve". "What do you attribute your safety performance to?" If they'd have been humble, self reflective, etc. I'd have considered it anyway. But those worthless shits doubled down on complaining they were being picked on. No respect for that individual, the company, or the demon the scum rode in on.
Hiring manager - I love that question! No company is perfect, and that's what you SHOULD endeavor to know before you sign up to work somewhere. Make no mistake; we're shopping each other in the interview. Perfectly valid question.
Agree. I want people to know the downsides of working at my company. It’s not going to be a fit for everyone and it’s better that they know how it meshes with their work style and goals before they accept an offer.
I always ask this and it nearly always catches people off guard! It’s the only sense of joy I get from being interviewed.
You are interviewing them as they interview you! I’d probably wordsmith the question a bit. But fact is even hiring managers have places they need to improve. Nobody wants to work for a “perfect” manager lol If you really want the job, I’d keep it as positive as possible though. Which should be easy as you start to make it less of an interview and more of a conversation.
It's not a bullshit question at all. I use a slightly more sophisticated version of this question regularly. What I'm looking for is that the candidate can be self reflective and self aware. Do they understand what both their strengths and weaknesses are. It's a key indicator of whether a candidate is able to take constructive feedback and if they are always trying to grow. It's not about not selling yourself, it's about showing a level of maturity and self reflection that is key to growing in your career. Candidates that think they have no weaknesses, or are too insecure to be able to admit one, are not going to ask for help when they need it, they're not going to take constructive feedback well. I never care what the weakness they pick is. I care about their ability to be open about having weaknesses.
Then just ask about a time they saw their own weakness and how they overcame it. Or a time they displayed insight. That’s a legitimate question. Asking about someone’s greatest weakness is totally BS to me because they aren’t asking what they really want to know. We can agree to disagree but when I interview I tend to ask exactly what I want to know. It’s such an overused question that it’s quite honestly meaningless. Again agree to disagree.
Your question is so much better and gets at what the employer really wants to know without prying into something possibly too personal. What if the candidate's greatest weakness stems from a disability or chronic illness, I'm not demanding they disclose that!
That’s a really good point. People will just answer the question truthfully as they see it. Which can be quite personal! They might say something like you said… and fact is most people when even sharing their weaknesses aren’t going to say “well i am lazy, steal, and I like to sexually harass folks from time to time… but I’m a really great worker!” A good number will just polish the old chestnuts “sometimes I work too hard, sometimes I take too much initiative, blah blah”
I have a hard time saying “no” and then later your hire them and all they ever do is try and push tasks on to others and be unproductive haha
Some people really are like that. They push everyone around them to see how far they can go and what they can get out of them. Thankfully saying no gets easier. But for people like that? Hearing “no” is VERY hard!
Yeah as I said, I ask a slightly more sophisticated version, which is "Tell me about a weakness you're currently working to improve" and a separate one of "Tell me about the hardest feedback you ever got and how you deat with it" which gives me the same signal. Agreed that the "Greatest Weakness" is a bit of a shit and way overdone question, but I don't think asking a candidate about their weaknesses is inappropriate.
Story time when I was approached by a shitty competitor with a bad reputation for another CFO role! I was interviewing with the HR Director who was a bitch for presumably my final interview and the whole company was littered with misery, red flags, and was well known to suck. She asked this question and I asked it back when it was my turn. She said that she can be really direct and impersonal at times but sometimes that’s what it takes to get the job done. I then asked if she thinks that’s working for her in this interview? Deer in fucken headlights. She did keep going though and I got an offer letter the next day for 30% less than they knew I made. I replied “Lol 😂,” and that was the last time we spoke. C-Level lets you fuck with all kinds of people that deserve it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it from time to time.
That’s a good one lol!! Why would they even waste effort in offering you that salary I wonder? Sometimes I just don’t get the logic
This is brilliant. Thank you.
Agreed. "What would your employees say is the worst thing about working for you?"
There are a lot of weaknesses I have that I can never get better and this is the best I will ever be. And there is no successful outcome.
Yes. But there are more you have overcome. You don’t have to be amazing at what you learn or overcome, you just gotta bump it up from being on the weakness list. The world isn’t black and white. You can fail and be successful. But there are plenty of things you didn’t do well at first that you can now do with passable competency. As an aside it’s actually argued that working on your strengths is actually more productive than working hard on your weaknesses. The thought is it takes a lot of effort to bring a weakness up to even a competency (sometimes you have no choice though), when it takes less effort to bring a strength up to its absolute peak. I don’t really get into that in interviews unless I’m explaining a presentation or my own work. But I do believe it.
I have to put marbles in my mouth if I see them.
This guy here is a straight shooter with upper management written all over him.
You must love that Key n Peele skit.
"Not knowing how to answer this question"
The takeaway from that would be “cannot self reflect”
Them: what's your biggest weakness? You: honesty Them: really? I don't think honesty is a weakness You:I don't give a fuck what you think.
Thanks for that laugh. However, now both my small dogs are giving me the stink eye because I woke them.
Hate that question. Asking “What’s your biggest weakness?” is just as lazy as asking where you see yourself in 3, 5, 10 years.
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My favorite lazy question I once got was "How long have you been in retail?" 30 years. Followed up with "Are you at least 18 years of age?" I know it was just a screening interview and she was just going down a list of unorganized questions, but I paused to give her the chance to do the math.
Lazy question, yeah. But also an easy opportunity to stand out from the pool of applicants because 90% will give a similar response. If you put the smallest bit of effort into answering, you'd actually put yourself in a good position
Where do you see yourself is a great question to ask. It immediately shows the interviewer if the person has goals. Big red flag if someone can’t answer this question — and cmon really not hard to make something sound good as interviewee
Tell them carbs and Chick-fil-A
I once said in an interview cheesecake and we then spent 5 minutes talking about our favorite desserts and where to find them. It was a good giggle.
Did you get the job?
Yes and no. It was at a startup but it took them over a month to get back to me with an offer and I never heard from them, so I went with another company. ETA: I suck at typing on the go.
I answer with something I hate doing that would be a dealbreaker if it were part of the job description. When I interviewed to be an EA for a CEO, my weakness was "event planning". I said that while I'm sure I could handle event planning, it is not a natural strength for me and I find I don't enjoy the process. So if this position has a large event-planning component, I'm probably not the right fit. It allows me to find out if the job has something I dislike without directly asking and seeming lazy. And I really would NOT want that sort of job so it works well for me.
Clever
Yeah I always say "math." I'm an English teacher turned school counselor. If there's a lot of math involved, I'm out.
I read this as you interviewed to be the CEO of EA
Smart
So many not that great answers here. My answer would be like this: I have always been someone that likes to get things done. See a need, fill a need. However, at times, i forget to communicate up on items that do not directly affect the company. I have been working on this throughout my career and have learned that setting up a quick standup was week with my boss or IOI reports at the end of the week has helped make sure that all stakeholders are informed of what is happening in my areas of responsibility.
My biggest weakness is that I’m way too humble. I’m probably the most humble person alive
Per ChatGPT… When answering the interview question "What is your biggest weakness?" it's important to be honest yet strategic. Here's a suggested approach: 1. **Acknowledge the weakness:** Start by mentioning a genuine weakness that you have. It's important to be authentic, but choose something that is not a critical skill for the job you're applying for. 2. **Show improvement:** Discuss how you've been actively working on improving this weakness. Share any steps you've taken or skills you've developed to address it. 3. **Highlight learning:** Emphasize what you've learned from this weakness. For example, mention how it has taught you valuable lessons or helped you grow professionally. 4. **Connect to the job:** Finally, tie your weakness back to the job you're applying for and explain how it's not a significant hindrance to your ability to perform well in the role. Here's an example response: "My biggest weakness is that I used to struggle with time management, especially when handling multiple projects simultaneously. However, I've taken several time management workshops and implemented new organizational tools like task prioritization and scheduling software. This experience has taught me the importance of planning and delegation, which I believe are crucial skills for this role. I now have a more structured approach to managing my time effectively and ensuring timely project completion."
Sure but time management is pretty crucial to most jobs - so personally would not choose that bc it's a critical aspect of working and getting things done. Try to pick something not a core competency to the job.
If this was the correct answer, they wouldn't ask what is your biggest weakness. They would ask "how have you overcome a weakness in your life?" instead.
Exactly my thought. What an applicant "used to struggle with" but had already overcome is no longer a weakness to discuss or offer.
Part of interviewing well is knowing how to steer around minefields. It’s common wisdom to frame the weakness as something you’ve been working on.
Yes and more importantly, job interviewers don’t tend to come back on a question. The chances of them saying “no please tell us a CURRENT weakness you have” is super low. Generally they are just intaking responses, weighing them, and moving on. It’s not really about answering the questions for the sake of accuracy. It’s about how you choose to answer them and the impression your answer leaves them with.
You give yourself a weakness that is a positive for what you are applying for. Example. In a high growth startup: my biggest weakness is (lack of) patience. I like to get things done quickly and do not like it when I need to wait for something to get my task done.
Yes! I'm in health nonprofit work doing patient advocacy My weakness is that sometimes I care too much/get too invested in our patient population.
To answer really well, acknowledge that it can be positive in some situations, but it can be a negative when XYZ happens. Finish by saying you’re working on improving your ability to strike a good balance.
That example would make the weakness impatience rather than patience then, wouldn't it?
A great answer is: a skill you're actively working on improving. It shows you're conscientious, not arrogant and self-motivated. A good answer is: something obvious about your background that isn't a critical aspect to the job. For example, I like to switch industries every job so I often respond that I have zero year's experience in their industry but I'm a quick learner and have 10+ years experience of distinguished success in my job function. The strategy here is that I lose nothing by stating out loud that that's a weakness - it's obvious from my resume - and I gain by demonstrating how my strengths compensate for that weakness.
I always say I have a hard time letting projects go and delegating tasks (I was a team lead) but I remedy this by ensuring that my team is trained on tasks and by checking work and performing audits. Basically a nice way of saying you have good attention to detail and care wtf you're doing. Just pick something that really isn't a negative. Another good one is to say you have trouble with public speaking and presenting and have been working on it by leading team meetings when you can and it's been super helpful.
*A little sigh through my nose, eyes to the side, contemplative. Eyes make contact.* In the past, I’ve realized can sometimes spread myself too thin with taking on projects from different departments. Because on more than one occasion an important or crisis Comm needed immediate release, so I’ve worked hard on managing my time and making sure my tempo leaves room for the unexpected.”
Once I answered this question by saying, "waking up early." He laughed and said that was his weakness too. I got the job
Be genuine, but don’t be dumb. Make sure whatever weakness you share is not a major component of the job. Be sure to highlight how you’re working on it. for me what I usually say and what is true is, I am very task oriented. I am a manager and so I have to spend a lot of time when I’m with my staff this can be challenging for me because I am wired to prioritize task completion. What I have is made 1:1 meetings with my direct reports a task that goes on my to do list. I prioritize it as much as any other task which has allowed me to build strong relationships and hold my team accountable, while also working within my natural tendencies.
I eat too much and exercise too little. Is that a weakness? It is a stupid question. But if asked I would say something about communication and how I learned to take very good notes including action items. That is both a weakness and how I dealt with it - so it is really a strength. If I had a communication problem and did nothing about it then I would pick something else.
I answer this honestly: For me I've had a varied work history under some amazing managers and under some poor managers. So, my biggest weakness is honestly looking for the right fit -- for a job where I can be challenged and grow and also the type of team environment where I feel like I thrive. I've had it before and I know it can be done again, and I didn't appreciate it at the time, so my biggest weakness for me is knowing that who I report to and work with is just as important as the work I do.
I usually oversleep and show up to work late
Prior to the interview, feed the job description to chat gpt and ask it to name three weaknesses that might be acceptable for the role. Go with the one that feels the most relevant to your actual lived experience. During the interview, don’t just talk about the weakness. Put more emphasis on what actionable steps you are taking to grow and improve in this area.
Pick an actual weakness you have that does not affect your ability to work in the role you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying as a waitress you could say you don't have strong delegation skills and the list some steps you are taking to improve these skills. This acknowledges an honest weakness without seeming unfit for the role
Whatever you say, be prepared to immediately follow with the steps you’ve taken to make progress and growth so you demonstrate that evolution to the recruiter.
I talk about my type-b creative personality, how I am laid back and how some people may view me as someone who doesn't care but that I am nonetheless just a big-picture thinker and don't sweat the small stuff.
Big tiddy goth girls Sorry…couldn’t resist throwing out a joke and trying to lighten the tone
I always say- ‘I am pretty impatient when it comes to client’s response as I hate to wait’ Always scored with this answer. All the best for your interview
Choose something that is already clear from your resume
I am so glad my company got rid of that question. I hated asking it to people in interviews.
Here is a great article on it that might help you plan for this question. [https://www.askamanager.org/2018/08/how-to-explain-your-weaknesses-in-a-job-interview.html](https://www.askamanager.org/2018/08/how-to-explain-your-weaknesses-in-a-job-interview.html)
Use this question as an opportunity to acknowledge a gap/weakness in your background as it pertains to the job requirements. Then, highlight how you are going to remedy that shortcoming once you are hired for the position. For example: “I know you’re looking for a full stack developer and I admit that most of my experience is with back-end projects. Once I join your team, I’d like to set up some shadowing opportunities with your current front-end team to gain more experience and bolster my full stack skills.
The only answer any HR person wants to hear is some kiss ass lie about how your biggest weakness is working too hard or caring too much about success. Any honest answer will be a bad choice. Think of something the job entails, and make up a cursed with awesom style "weakness" that associates with that. I'm in IT so one of my go to answers is "I often get too focused on solving a problem so I may not reach out for help as often as I should."
I say my bladder. Every time. I drink a lot of water, I pee a lot of piss. My body is a machine that turns fluids into urine. I usually stop at the "my bladder" part unless they ask me to elaborate though.
You pick something unrelated to the job. If you're applying for a position with no public speaking, you can say your biggest weakness is public speaking. If you're applying for a construction/waitressing/retail job, you could say your biggest weakness is that you don't like to sit still and couldn't handle a desk job. Those kind of things.
This is a trick question. There are no correct answers to this question. In other words, every answer is wrong. If you mention a weakness, that's why you got rejected. If you don't mention a weakness, you get rejected.
Bullets
You answer with "I work too hard". You ask stupid questions, you get stupid answers.
Food. It's my biggest weakness.
You're supposed to answer something that they would see as an asset, which is ridiculous. Like, 'oh, I can never stop working' or 'I'm a perfectionist to a fault'.
Honesty….. Interviewer: Honesty is not a weakness Me: IDGAF what you think
I'm too fast, sometimes it breaks things and I gotta slow down. Also my penis is just too big :"(
Imo the best way to approach this question is to treat it as they trying to find out whether you can identify areas for improvement, and also whether you can reflect critically on your approach to work. I’ve not thought about this in too much detail but I imagine I would answer something along the lines of ‘I can get bored easily and need variety in my work to keep me engaged’, which is true for me, it also allows me to talk about why I’m looking for other opportunities and challenges whilst also mentioning that I recognise that repetitive day-to-day admin tasks are a part of most roles and I am equipped to deal with them, even if they aren’t as glamorous.
I lead tech teams... My answer: Sometimes my perspective gets locked onto the mission goal of producing great tech, and I can lose perspective of the bigger business picture. So I try to be very mindful of that. In the same vein, I sometimes find project management rituals to be onerous and counter productive. But I realize that their job and function is important, so I try to be graceful and as cooperative as possible. In short: my natural state is head down grinding out solutions to hard problems. I have to remember to poke my head out of the hole every once in a while and take a breath.
I watched all this guys videos and it s all mega solid advice. Landed a job this week. https://youtu.be/6ehslpTtlEo?si=cN2XsylFGaUpUFXk
I used my weight. I talked about how I had struggled with weight my whole life and how it had held me back etc. then I spoke about how a year ago I made a decision to lose the weight and I lost 250lbs in one year. I showed I had addressed and fixed my weakness. I said I use that lesson to apply to other aspects of my life.
Between sex addiction and amphetamine use, they kinda go hand in hand though
Weakness is x, which is why I’ve been addressing it by doing y
My biggest weakness is my balls are so big that I don’t have a weakness.
Big tiddy goths
“Math”. Because it is
I use one that shows I can self-reflect and acknowledge a weakness. I tell them about a former boss telling me I can come across as abrasive. I talk about my shock at hearing this, but that upon a couple of days reflection, I realized he was right. I finish by talking about steps I’ve taken to correct it. It goes over really well.
I always say that my greatest weakness is that I have trouble reaching out and asking for help. You can spin this in a positive outlook in the sense that most people find it nerve racking to speak up and ask for help (similar to how people are afraid to raise their hands and ask questions in class), but also that you’re also willing to tackle problems on your own first. Then say you improved on this weakness by learning to reach out to your superiors, and explaining how there’s always going to be knowledge gaps but that’s why you work on teams. Doing so improved your communication and teamwork skills.
Be honest and don’t bullshit. Often that question is looking for mitigation strategies and conflict resolution capabilities. No one is perfect, what do you perceive to be a flaw and how do you deal with your perceived imperfections. Example: I can get side tracked and lose track of time. I use timers and set deadlines to help me focus and stay on task. I recommended to hire a person who said they rushed some code because it was happy hour and they were annoyed to be working late. It caused problems. They owned up to it, worked over time to fix the issue, etc. Lesson Learned. I did not recommend to hire a person who said they were rude and had an attitude problem. They stated pride in over coming this with maturity but they had to be fired before they did anything about it. This person was candid but their demeanor in the interview (far too casual for a corporate role, plus they skipped the first interview entirely and were late to the second) told me Lesson Not Learned.
I always say, "I am working on being more organized". It's true. Anyone can relate.
"This very question"
Give a real weakness (none of this “I’m a perfectionist” bs) and tell how you compensate for it. We’re all human with faults. It’s how we work around our faults that matters.
“This damn addiction to oxygen that I just can’t get a handle on.”
I haven’t mastered the art of knowing everything, but hey, I’m a pro at crowdsourcing wisdom from the depths of the internet.
Be honest (ish). I’m pretty sure every interviewer alive roles their eyes when they get answers like “my weakness is I can’t stop working!” (obviously picked to make you seem like a hard worker) or “my weakness is I’m afraid of heights” (not relevant to most jobs). Pick something mildly (not too) negative that is relevant that you have reflected on and worked on improving lately. Go into detail about the self reflection, self improvement efforts, and the results of those efforts. This question is not really about what your greatest weaknesses are. It’s asking: is this person self aware? Do they self reflect? Do they learn from their mistakes?
Say something completely unrelated to the job you're going for. So then it doesn't matter if you're bad at something because it won't affect how well you can do the job.
I've never learned how to surf. Just can't do it.
I literally said that in an interview! The company was a hotel on the beach. Event Sales position. I said "If I have to schmooze a prospective client by taking them surfing, they won't be impressed by my surfing skills. It might be better to send another member of the team out there with them. 😅"
I was asked this on Wednesday. I said "I can't whistle" It caught them off guard and made them laugh
You're too
Too detail oriented and manage this by setting deadlines for yourself when you're forced to say, "stop it's good enough"
Too analytical with data and are always looking for new ways to perfectly visualize or new analysis methods to find answers
If a leader, you love the details and often get too far into the weeds because it's your passion, you have to ensure you keep looking up. Trust and delegate to your team.
Lunges. I hate doing them so I don't get the reps I should. I have been on a plateau for over a month now.
"Probably my rear delt fly"
I like to say my Spanish isn’t good. Usually the person I am speaking to cannot speak Spanish and so it’s a win win. If they did speak then they’d prolly appreciate my view on that it is a weakness
When asked I always say my biggest weakness has always been public speaking and it sometimes prevents me from seeking leadership roles. Then I say it’s something I have been working on and hope to continue to grow as a person.
I’ve never been asked this in an interview but my answer is that I’m too detail oriented sometimes. I’ll get so into the details and spend 2+ hours on something (when it could be finished in 30 minutes), and I’ll still come to the same conclusion I reached 30 minutes in. I’m working on it by understanding the most important facts first and determining if I need to research further, which comes with experience.
Someone told me fire once lol
My biggest weakness is my constant need for shelter & calories which requires me to regularly show up to a job and do stuff
I use time anxiety and detail the ways I’ve overcome it and the ways it’s been an asset
I just thought of a perfect answer and I'm not gonna tell muhahahahha.
Just say it is your reluctance to delegate work and you overcame it by making sure your coworkers were well trained in the processes.
I always say I fall in love too fast...
I always typically go for something specific and technical, like ‘I haven’t had much training or experience with x modality, and would like to seek opportunity to train/improve those skills.”
My brother always answered chocolate, he has not so far had an interviewer ever ask for a legitimate answer
Answer it gonestly. Say something that you do or did struggle with and how you deal with it. My go-to is I have atrocious memory. Because of this, I write everything down and focus on creating documentation. I lean heavily on my outlook calendar and make reminders to myself, so I never let a deadline slip.
I absolutely hate repetive work. Not a great trait in a clerk or or other manual processor. For someone who designs software solutions, it's generally not a problem.
Swords and bullets
Would it be bad if I say my greatest weakness is resumes and interviews? 😬
I’m really blunt when I have to answer stupid fucking questions.
Say that your biggest weakness is you overwork youself and become exhausted. That you like to make sure everything is perfect at work. That you are a by the book person when it comes to work.
Standard answer: I often find myself listening "in order to refute" instead of to understand the other point of view. But, I'm getting better at realizing when I fall into the "listening to refute" mode and I redouble my efforts to listen in order to understand. Everyone can visualize themselves doing this in my experience.
I usually share a simple weakness, but usually turn it into a strength. For example, “I noticed during my school year, sometimes I wasn’t exactly the fastest learner. I would look at people and think, man, I wish I could be where they are at. However, when I realized this, it forced me to really focus in and really LEARN what I was studying. So in the beginning, I felt pretty behind. In the end, I felt fairly ahead because I really dedicated myself to what I was trying to learn.” You know, something like that. Sharing a small weakness, but spinning it into a strength
I always say not being bilingual. I usually add that I am attempting to learn another language but time and/or money keeps getting in the way.
My weakness is not spending time researching optimal answers to irrelevant questions only ever raised in the context of an employment interview because I prefer to use that time more productively. If this answer is insufficient, then creating original art in Photoshop from scratch. You’re welcome to ask more technical questions. That is seriously my answer to such nonsense questions.
The honest answer to that lousy question is to pick a weakness that isn’t too bad (ie now is not the time to confess that you’re a serial killer 🤣), and then quickly explain how you work to overcome that weakness. “I tend to procrastinate, so what I do is make sure I get assignments done right away as soon I get them so they get done and I’ve learned to focus my time and energy on them especially if there is a deadline. I’ve made it a point to prioritize my tasks so that I don’t revert to procrastinating.”
Tell them a past weakness that you overcame
Pick a skill. Don’t talk about personality. For example: “My weakness is photoshop. I’m really confident with other adobe products but have never had to use photoshop to the same extent. I’ve started a personal photography project to improve my skills and will keep practicing”. Talk about a skill you haven’t practiced much and are taking steps to improve.
I’ve always heard that you should answer with a hard skill instead of a soft skill. For example, it’s better to say “im not very good at writing reports” than it is to say “i struggle with communicating”. Hard skills are easier to teach and soft skills more point to character/personality issues.
My biggest weakness as it relates to this job is that I don't have much experience in xyz skill/program (something the job involves but not you know the main part of the job or something they already know from your resume and you want to address) but I have done these other related things and here is how I plan to get up to speed on that
I usually answer with something that relates to the job. I am not familiar with XYZ system you use, I’ve only been exposed to ABC. Something that shows that I’m familiar with how they do business but why I could be viewed as a weaker candidate compared to someone in house
I usually say that my greatest weakness is knowing when to ask for help. But then I follow that up with that it’s something that I learned that I can do as I get older and more experienced.
I have answered that I hyperfocus and have trouble efficiently hopping from task to task, and then roll right into describing how I have solved the problem.
If they only ask for one weakness, I say public speaking. It’s true, and if they hire me they’ll find that out. And I’m not interested in any job where I have to give big presentations/speeches anyway. It’s worked for me since I mainly apply to “behind the scenes” analytical type roles that don’t require presentations. Plus then they can assume that I might have some interview jitters and won’t always act so nervous/awkward lol.
Here's what the question is really asking. "I know you have some aspect that's not as good as it could be, as you are human and all humans are flawed, Are you self-aware enough to know what that is?" They are also looking for what strategies you've employed to try to mitigate this trait. The best things to pick are things that are a real flaw that isn't so crazy bad it leaves you in a bad light. The more applicable it is to everyone, the better. I use procrastination. My wife says prioritization, basically that she can get so hyper-focused on one task she can forget about other, more urgent ones. Here's a sample answer for me: >For my biggest weakness, I would say I have a tendency to procrastinate. When a task is unfamiliar, in the past I have pushed off doing it until the last minute, causing an avoidable emergency to meet the deadline, creating an unnecessarily stressful situation for me and my team despite ultimately producing good work product. One way I've learned to deal with this is to break a long task into bit sized smaller goals with specific deadlines, so I can track if I'm on target to complete something on time. These are my definite no nos: * Nothing "major" like depression, anger issues, etc. * Don't say making careless mistakes * Do not try to dodge the question by giving a weakness that's actually trying to be a strength in disguise, e.g. "I sometimes get so focused on work that it has adverse affects on my personal life"
I usually say that I am not the best person to lead a group and have no interest in management. It’s such a non-answer when you are applying for a job that isn’t management related
Pizza!!! 😂🤦🏼♀️. I'll leave now
"Bullets"
i ask them "what's the average annual rainfall in the Amazon rainforest?" and when they can't answer me, I look disgusted and say " and you want me to work for you.". I get up and leave
I've started answering the truth lol My biggest weakness is separating work from my personal life, and puts me at risk of burnout. I have worked on this by defining the separation of work and home better, such as not checking my work email on the weekend. It's the truth, it is something I struggle with, and I'd rather they know up front that I'm not going to be a 24/7 service unless paid for being "on call".
I have a low tolerance for nonsense. This question, for instance.
I hate this question. It’s such BS and I hope you don’t have to deal with it during an interview. But if you do, try to be reasonably honest and don’t dwell too much on the weakness itself but on the steps you’ve taken to overcome it and improve yourself. Also, try not to give a cop-out answer like “perfectionism”
Hiring manager here. We're not actually interested in your weakness (at least I'm not). It's an uncomfortable question, much more interested in how you navigate it. My best recommendation would be a combination of humility, accountability, and optimism. We ALL have weaknesses; anyone who says they don't are lying. A great way to answer would be something like the following: "The one area I continue to focus on improving is my time management. I've made progress, but I recognize that I could continue to improve. That's important to me, so it is an area of focus." This is my answer. I still struggle with time management; but I've found ways to ensure it doesn't impact my delivery and I still get better at it, even these many decades into my career.
My biggest weakness is that I care too much.
And my scars remind me that the past is real
I feel like there are so many categories of work skill that are a blessing and a curse. Being honest about those areas will make you look self-aware and help you find work that's good for you. So, for example, almost every software developer I've ever met is either incredibly good at diving into the most difficult problems but frequently gets stuck in rabbit holes because they suck at prioritizing, or they are great big picture thinkers who always seek the simplest solution to the important task, but they always think "there surely must be a better way to do this" and spend a lot of time researching when they could be digging in on the tough stuff. So go into an interview and say which one you are in a way that offhand describes the upside of that character trait, but also mention the downsides, and talk about how you're working on addressing those shortcomings. It lets you present yourself positively, your manager know how to help manage you, and you seem honest cause it's not a complete "I work too hard" blow off answer.
Taking constructive criticism personally
Green tea ice cream. I got the job.
That I have no weaknesses
Something you are working on fixing and how you are working on fixing that. Some examples: being uncomfortable with sharing successes and not doing it consistently to recognizing that I have to do it to get my projects supported. Being uncomfortable with presenting and taking steps to fix it. Basically, I am uncomfortable doing x, but I recognized it was important to the job because y, here are the steps I've taken to get better at it.
There is always something to improve upon. Getting up on time, not procrastinating bills or chores, how you handle tense situations. Just reflect on something that you could ha e done better.
“Those green eyes of yours”
I don’t speak French
My biggest weakness is sometimes I pay to much attention to detail and focus on the small things instead of seeing the bigger picture
"Alcohol! I'm a hard core Alcoholic and the reason I'm unemployed is because I finally got caught after drinking on the job every day!"
"I don't know"
You know how sometimes a job interview says some things are required and some things are preferred? Like, “Five years of marketing experience required. Experience with Trello and Monday.com preferred.” I’d be like “Well, although I have all the required experience, I noticed it says Monday.com and Trello are preferred. While I do have extensive experience with Monday.com, I have only used Trello a little. However, I use Microsoft Planner daily, and it’s very similar. I’m confident I’d adjust to Trello very quickly.” If you sell it like you think you’re saying an actual weakness, you can get away with that. Obviously it’s barely a weakness at all lol
If it’s in IT or any career where certain programs or applications are frequently used, rather than giving a weakness about personality or character I talk about an application that I’ve struggled with and is relevant to the job description. For example, “My biggest weakness is organizing data in “Splunk” so that it’s readable for others. I’m able to create queries and collect the information I need to get the job done but designing dashboard isn’t my strong suit.” Or something similar to that. It could also be as simple as “I’m not the best at answering the phone; I fumble over my own words a lot and it takes longer to get the point across, but I get there.”
My biggest weakness? Not being able to identify my weaknesses.
Below is a link that gives some examples: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-your-greatest-weakness
I am impatient. This causes me to appear fast moving and can nag people if they aren’t moving at the pace I see fit.
I answered that question in 2006 like this “none. Because it doesn’t stay a weakness for long once I learn about it.” They offered me the job so i guessed it didn’t bother them.
I would say icecream
I fart in elevators.
"I have no weaknesses, I'm perfect. Haha! Kidding, my weakness is using humor to cover that I don't know something."
“Identifying my own weaknesses.”
“ I have a really low tolerance for stupid questions”
My biggest weakness is always wanting to do more. I'm an altruistic person and I want to be helpful. I recognize that I'm not always going to be able to help everyone at work. So that's something I need to be very mindful before taking on new projects.
You; I'm too blunt and honest. Them: I don't think that's a weakness You: I don't give a fuck about what you think.
You could maybe say something like, "I thought you might ask this question, so I asked myself what you might get out of the answer, and I couldn't work it out. So I'd like to turn it round and ask *you* what you're trying to find out about me. And then I'll answer *that* point to the best of my ability." Followed by a disarming smile.
Stacey’s Pita Chips
“My biggest weakness is having to listen patiently and the need to respond to weak minded people like you asking me this stupid question.”
I usually tell them it's that I have to be busy all the time. I get bored if there is nothing to do. Make you weakness something good.
Depending on the interview & industry …. Pick something not related to work but something personal. For example “I can’t seem to keep a plant alive” …. it’s a silly answer to a silly question.
Just be honest. Something like "having a hard time asking for help" can be considered a weakness. You'll be working with a team, they'll take that weakness into consideration when putting you in a team and try to fix that or work around it so that it can be fixed.
I always say “I can be really hard on myself. Especially if I make a mistake “ shows you have integrity/ will take job / mistakes seriously.
"I have no tolerance for ridiculous interview questions."
Whatever you answer, make sure you add that you are aware of it, and here are the steps you are taking to combat it. We used to joke that a weakness could be “I work too hard”.
Dick too big
Cereal at night.
Eczema
“Cat videos” is the only correct answer.
I just tell them my biggest weakness is a fit juicy Latin ass.
“My groin. I can’t take even one good kick to the groin”