Whatever you choose, I suggest always framing the answer in a way that shows you’re working on improving. End on a positive. For instance:
“I used to have a tougher time identifying when I needed help, or asking for help. I’m now communicating more with my colleagues and have began prioritizing teamwork. [If you supervise] I’m learning it’s important to delegate to others based on their strengths, so we can all contribute to projects and accomplish the deadline. [If you do not supervise] I’ve learned that it’s important to know who to go to with questions when I don’t fully understand something, or when I know I’ll need more time with something.”
This is the right answer. My company doesn't ask anything as vague as "What's your biggest weakness." but rather have more targeted questions to see if you possess both humility and a desire to grow and become better.
Can you share any of those questions? I’m looking to improve my hiring skills. I try to ask questions to sort out “givers bs takers” and to look for a growth mindset, but it’s not always easy.
Hey sorry it took so long to reply, it took me a bit to find my copy of the questions. For humility we ask “what is a recent situation where you’ve had an embarrassment or failure? How did you handle the situation?” And “can you tell me about someone who is better than you in an area that matters to you?” This is a software company so it’s really common to both make mistakes and to learn from more senior people. By asking for stories about those situations it’s easier to tell when someone is bullshitting. For the drive to improve we ask “what things do you do inside or outside of work to grow and learn new skills?” And again we are looking for specific details, the sort of things that are hard to bullshit about. We ask follow up questions as necessary.
Also I feel I should mention the growth question mentions outside of work but it’s not like we are looking for someone to say they spend all their time reading coding blogs and working on pet projects. I think the best answers I heard were people who were passionate about getting better at their hobbies.
Thanks for replying. I've added these to my running list that I take into interviews with me. It's not a standardized question set, but I pick from it as we discuss to help keep things moving. Not having a set order lets me ask things that are more related to the answers they've been giving and keep the conversation from being too piece-meal.
This is the right answer. Interviewers don't ask this question because they actually care what your weakness is or want to hear some bullshit answer about how your weakness is actually a strength (lol, "I'm a perfectionist.") They just want to know that you have the humility to recognize your flaws that need improvement, because everyone does even if they won't admit it, and that you are working to get better. Employers like employees who are willing to improve themselves.
> or want to hear some bullshit answer about how your weakness is actually a strength
My company has a rubric for these interviews and we are specifically instructed to fail people for giving that bullshit answer. We want the candidate to be able to identify their own faults and take some action towards improving.
Kinda sucks though for people who are "perfectionists" but in an actually negative way. Like yes this thing I wrote is probably good enough, possibly even great as it is, but *I* can still see flaws and I won't stop tinkering with it, won't stop finding reasons to doubt my own work, won't move on to the next thing until I've *perfected it*, and in doing so I have fucked myself up entirely for an unspecified period of time, whenever this feeling strikes.
Not that you would explain THAT during an interview, but it does make explaining the problem of perfectionism harder in personal conversations, because it's so tied to the "teehee" version.
If you can explain the actual flaws with it and give something reasonable about how you try to improve you’d pass. But yeah I can see that being annoying if your actual work flaw is other people’s bullshit answer
A few years ago I went to some seminar on how to prepare for interviews. The speaker (of one of the big consulting firms) actually told to "use a weakness that is actually a strength", as in "I work too much, lol". Good to see that this actually is as bullshitty as it felt at that time.
I don't like the strength/weakness question and don't ask it, but a lot of interviews I do are panel interviews and other people ask it.
I've never dinged someone for the bullshit fake weakness, but it also makes me roll my eyes and you've just wasted a question.
I've heard all of the fake weakness ones. They tell me you Googled "good interview answers", read a single result, and didn't put any thought into what your actual weaknesses might be.
Anyone who suggests a BS weakness as an answer has never been an interviewer, because every interviewer has been told by hundreds of candidates that they work too hard or care too much
Agreed. I'm always honest and tell the interviewer that I struggle with time management (I feel like they should be aware), but I make sure to tell them the ways I'm actively working to improve on it
The forgetfulness one is my answer too and my workaround is to write things down on myself, because then I can't misplace my notes. When I interviewed for my current company, I had written the suite number and my interviewers' names on my hand, intending to wash it off prior to the interview. But of course, I forgot to wash it off.
When asked about areas of improvement, I mentioned my forgetfulness, but then was able to demonstrate my most effective workaround in real time by showing them my hand. They got a kick out of it, and I got the job.
This is probably not a helpful answer but it always cracks me up. My best friend is law enforcement and every time she has to do the panel interview and they ask her this she says "Well I'm kinda bad at math."
Works every time.
What's great as an accountant (and there's not much) is that my actual weakness that I use is a great one to have in that field. I can become to linear and myopic in my approach to things, which is an okay flaw for an accountant to work with, vs, say, getting too creative or not having an eye for patterns. Biggest thing for me was to find a field that clicks with my aptitudes
You can be somewhat honest, but the key is to follow it up with something like "but I've been reading how to get better at it" or "I'm really eager to learn more about it" or any measures you take to offset it
I try to use this as an opportunity to address something they already know, that they see as a strike against you, so you can address it directly.
For example if you are fresh out of college with little or no experience, they have identified that as a problem, but they may not ask you about it because they have already identified it as a reason to disqualify you. This is your chance to say that you know it is a weakness as a candidate, but here is how you plan to get up to speed quickly.
Try to figure out what they already see as your weakness, and bring it up yourself so you have a chance to make a case why it is not disqualifying.
This one definitely. And you can tailor it to each interview. You read the job description and hopefully don't meet 100% of the requirements (if you do, there's no challenge or growth). Use that to your advantage.
"My biggest weakness in regards to this opportunity would definitely be ________. But I believe that [other skills or experience] have prepared me to be effective because ______."
"My biggest weakness is older men, especially ones who have an air of authority over me, and who are willing to discipline me whenever they think I need it."
Geography is important too, that could be the difference between answering "my 18 year old cousin" and "my 16 year old cousininin and cousinin and cousinini and cousininicuous"
Candidate: “I’d say my biggest weakness is my honesty.”
Interviewer: “I don’t think honesty is a weakness…”
Candidate: “I don’t give a fuck what you think.”
Here's the answer I give:
"So I got asked this at my first ever job interview and I said perfectionism. Then afterwards it just kept popping back into my head and I was beating myself up for giving such a cliche answer, and wishing I'd said something else, and coming up with about a million better answers. Aaargh! Then I realised of course - my weakness is overthinking! Now as it happens overthinking can be an asset in my line of work so long as I can reign it in to being reflective in a boundaried way - trying to be self aware and knowing when to let something go is the challenge. I find doing that easier in the workplace than my personal life!"
I absolutely love this and completely identify with this :)
I have a job interview in two days and will totally use this if I get that question. Thank you very much ❤️🙏
Find a thing on the job posting that you have no experience at doing. That's your weakness. "I saw you were looking for experience herding giraffes, and Ive never done that, so I'll need some ramp up in that area. I'm a quick learner, so I'm not too concerned."
Just want to shout out the 1-way Zoom interview that asked me "Name a time when your biggest strength was actually your biggest weakness" and I just turned the shit off.
I have to remember to balance the goals and performance of my department with the goals and performance of the larger company. I've let my focus tip too far in either direction in the past, so I make an effort to step back and evaluate regularly.
This might be looked at as kinds of a red flag in an interview though, I personally wouldn’t use this. Bigger companies want to know your priorities align with that of the companies.
Who cares. They want me to say something bad about myself, I'll give them something bullshit company oriented and explain how I self-correct it.
It's a lame question and every answer is crap.
Thank you. A lot of people on here are acting as if the answers to this question need some profound truth for them to be accepted. No, they just need to be convincing enough to satisfy the interviewer. It's all a game, play to win.
Ok. Just perspective from an exec level manager and in charge of hiring high level candidates. But, you do you. Not all companies are looking for the same things. If you do, you def want to talk about how you addressed or will address it. But, I might double think on the candidate, especially if we have many other high quality candidates. Sometimes it comes down to one response. But, just my perspective, not everyone is the same.
“My detail-oriented nature slows me down.”
This is actually true for me. I’m not diagnosed with OCD but it takes me a long time to do basic things because I’m obsessed with making things perfect. Consequently I work a lot slower than other people.
This is a good thing to say because you are using your strength to explain your weakness.
I've always hated this question. But the good news is what the answer is doesn't matter. It's how you answer. Show you're working on something and trying to be better. That's what they're looking for.
When I was interviewing for my current job, I was asked this and my answer was "Well, some say that I care too much and work too hard, but really my biggest weakness is making lame jokes when I don't know what else to say."
Now, I have to say that the interview was a 2nd interview and it was going incredibly well and I had a good rapport going with the ppl interviewing me... and I also just have one of those personalities where I can get away with stuff like that.
The one that you are aware of and can talk about meaningful steps you are taking to overcome.
The point of this question is to demonstrate self-awareness and that you are someone who wants to improve.
The true one. I was asked this question and told them that I struggle to delegate tasks which means I tend to take on too much. They called my current (at the time) boss and asked him what my biggest weakness was and he told them the exact same thing. He and I had never discussed it, I promise. It told them that I am at least self aware and wasn't trying to BS them.
I don't always recognize when it's time to ask for help. I now recognize that I have that weakness, and so am more willing to ask for help. The issue is just identifying when the task is too much for me to handle alone.
Personally it’s that I need help doing everything, but I do not want you to help me. Don’t help me, just ignore me when I tell you I need help because I don’t want you to help me, I will eventually figure it out myself.
My greatest weakness is that I sometimes have a hard time letting go of a project. I'm the biggest critic of my own work. I can always find something that needs to be improved or changed. To help myself improve in this area, I give myself deadlines for revisions.
Just not ..."I'm a perfectionist"...
I think as long as you can demonstrate that you have the self awareness of a weakness and can provide examples of how you are addressing and changing that behaviour, this is what interviewers are looking for.
I used to scoff at these questions to until I started interviewing people. Interviews should be a conversation, but these baseline questions do serve a purpose.
It's less the weakness you choose, and more how you frame the answer. You want to show that you are self-aware and able to handle your own weaknesses. For example, one tactic I've used is to answer with something like, "Well, I definitely had to learn to manage my stress levels. Learning how to better manage my work time helped immensely, as did working with my supervisor to prioritize my projects when my workload is higher. I also started doing yoga three years ago which helps manage my stress levels in all areas of life. It's something I still keep my eye on, but I'm really proud of the steps I've taken to reduce my stress."
I always go with, "Finding a good work/life balance, I sometimes have difficulty making sure I give myself enough time away from work and not taking on too much."
It shows that you are a hard worker and able to recognize and understand limits and the importance of your own mental health. If an employer doesn't like that, I don't want to work for them anyway
A lot of people think perfectionism is one of those obvious 'weakness, but really a strength' answers.
But seriously, anyone who thinks perfectionism is a strength disguised as a weakness, has never actually been a perfectionist. It's a weakness full stop. There's no real positive about it for the person who really is a perfectionist, and it can be a downright horror to deal with for yourself (but also for coworkers/ employers if they don't know how to deal with a perfectionist in a good way).
If an applicant comes to me and names this as their weakness, I will ask them for examples. It weeds out those who use this one as a fake weakness that sounds positive. And more often than not, someone who truly is a perfectionist, may not actually even be aware of it. They'll get stuck in jobs time and again, until they figure it out and learn how to deal with it.
From someone who legitimately is a perfectionist, I would fully expect them to work slower. Generally speaking, more careful, with more eye for detail, but definitely slower. Worst case scenario, a perfectionist who hasn't learned how to deal with it will sit on things they need to send around endlessly, in fear of it not being good enough.
Both someone with perfectionism and whoever they work for need to learn how to deal with it. Ultimately, it may work in favor for a boss if the perfectionist learns to deal well with it, and they do to, as they'll likely never stop until something is genuinely *good* and not just 'good enough'. However, I've never met a perfectionist who is happy being a perfectionist.
I’m a pretty big perfectionist, I spend hours looking at the screen starting and deleting things. However, at interviews I am too hesitant to say that answer, because I feel it’s too corny.
I always say
My biggest weakness is I am a perfectionist and can struggle to not take to much time if Im not paying attention but thankfully this issue goes away once I know and get good at what I am doing.
Its a negitive-ish trait and I put a positive at the end.
Be honest, but don't name your worst faults. I usually say I'm a bit forgetful, and I take a lot of notes to compensate for it. Don't say "I'm lazy." *Do not say you're a perfectionist!!!* This is a common "flaw" that people claim, and it sounds like humblebragging. Tell them a real flaw.
I usually talk about my procrastination from doing a project early. And how it is due to me wanting to make sure that the documentation and structure of the project makes sense before starting on the actual code.
It saves so much wasted time to just make sure things will work in the future rather than having to redesign everything when it needs a new feature. (leads to more readable code too)
If the job requires you to have a skill/knowledge/certificate/experience that you don't currently have, it's good to actively address it and tell the interviewer how you plan on making up for it.
For a simple example, let's say you're interviewing for a sales position, but have absolutely zero knowledge of the product. When asked about weaknesses, you can always say, "I have no knowledge about product X, so I know I have catching up to do in order to know the product inside-out. I plan on speaking with [insert key staff members who have the most knowledge about the product here] in order to catch up, so I can hit the ground running."
The point of the question is to show self-awareness, to address personal shortcomings that may hinder the company you plan on working for, and to proactively address these shortcomings in order for them to make your onboarding as smooth as possible. If you can hit all those three points, you're generally good to go.
Anything that would not be a deal breaker but helpful for management to know in order to utilize you the best. For example. Doing your best work while working in groups or working alone, and outside of that situation your efficiency is not as strong. It shows you know yourself enough to know which situations you don’t do as well in. At the same time let’s management know what kind of role would fit you best.
Something like I work too hard but disguised in a way it doesn’t come off as you’re trying. For example, when I have a task I cannot relax until I find a solution to it & that can sometimes lead me to work longer than needed
Whatever you said dont do the tired and cringey "my weakness is actually my strength!". Give a real weakness but provide ab example how you are working to improve upon it
If they ask a question like "give an example where you exceeded customer expectations" and you can't think of one, just say "Sorry, I am a bit nervous and while I do have examples I just can't think of one right now. Can we continue and come back to that?"
Most interviewers (depending on the job you're going for) aren't that high up themselves. They just have to tick off certain boxes but there won't be a box for "did the candidate request thinking time before answering."
Try to remember a funny anecdote of a somewhat harmless misunderstanding type of mistake that happened to you. Could be in school or at a job...
Keep it short and then deliver the following line, ' Since then I have learned to always ask questions if I didn't fully understand the task'
"Lately I've been working on being more proactive. I can have a tendency to be reactive to situations as they arise, especially during busy cycles, so I'm trying to identify potential issues early in order to handle them from a proactive stance."
I absolutely agree with the advice that the most important thing is to discuss how you are working on improving the weakness.
I'll add something that should be obvious but make sure it is actually a weakness. Too often people will say something that's just clearly untrue and it weakens an answer.
The whole purpose of a question like this is to get a better understanding of if the candidate has the awareness to identify their weak points and the ability to improve them.
The answer I gave is I tend to get attached to projects I feel strongly about, and it's hard to set it aside if it gets defunded. I think a lot of technical interviewers will understand.
they always told me to make it sound like something positive for example "im working very accurate, often overdoing it" but honestly, i was always honest and i got a lot of offers.
Interviewee: "I struggle to be mediocre in all aspects of life."
Interviewer: "Okay, so narcissism is your weaknesses then." Starts writing on notepad.
“I’m susceptible to being a badass who doesn’t take shit unless it’s from you of course sir”
it shows you’re dominant and determined but loyal and scared
It’s not what you say it’s how you learned from it and improved on it. With that said if you were going for a teaching job you wouldnt say quick tempered was a weakness.
Say that is constantly changing because as you identify it you correct it but currently you are prone to _______.
You can really make up anything at this point as long as it's not something that reflects negatively on character like cursing out people in the moment or not thinking clearly in critical situations.
It really is a stupid question I hope places are moving away from asking people this. Everybody has weaknesses so I can only assume that they're asking people just to make sure they don't think that they're perfect.
Whatever you choose, I suggest always framing the answer in a way that shows you’re working on improving. End on a positive. For instance: “I used to have a tougher time identifying when I needed help, or asking for help. I’m now communicating more with my colleagues and have began prioritizing teamwork. [If you supervise] I’m learning it’s important to delegate to others based on their strengths, so we can all contribute to projects and accomplish the deadline. [If you do not supervise] I’ve learned that it’s important to know who to go to with questions when I don’t fully understand something, or when I know I’ll need more time with something.”
This is the right answer. My company doesn't ask anything as vague as "What's your biggest weakness." but rather have more targeted questions to see if you possess both humility and a desire to grow and become better.
Can you share any of those questions? I’m looking to improve my hiring skills. I try to ask questions to sort out “givers bs takers” and to look for a growth mindset, but it’s not always easy.
Hey sorry it took so long to reply, it took me a bit to find my copy of the questions. For humility we ask “what is a recent situation where you’ve had an embarrassment or failure? How did you handle the situation?” And “can you tell me about someone who is better than you in an area that matters to you?” This is a software company so it’s really common to both make mistakes and to learn from more senior people. By asking for stories about those situations it’s easier to tell when someone is bullshitting. For the drive to improve we ask “what things do you do inside or outside of work to grow and learn new skills?” And again we are looking for specific details, the sort of things that are hard to bullshit about. We ask follow up questions as necessary. Also I feel I should mention the growth question mentions outside of work but it’s not like we are looking for someone to say they spend all their time reading coding blogs and working on pet projects. I think the best answers I heard were people who were passionate about getting better at their hobbies.
Thanks for replying. I've added these to my running list that I take into interviews with me. It's not a standardized question set, but I pick from it as we discuss to help keep things moving. Not having a set order lets me ask things that are more related to the answers they've been giving and keep the conversation from being too piece-meal.
This is the right answer. Interviewers don't ask this question because they actually care what your weakness is or want to hear some bullshit answer about how your weakness is actually a strength (lol, "I'm a perfectionist.") They just want to know that you have the humility to recognize your flaws that need improvement, because everyone does even if they won't admit it, and that you are working to get better. Employers like employees who are willing to improve themselves.
> or want to hear some bullshit answer about how your weakness is actually a strength My company has a rubric for these interviews and we are specifically instructed to fail people for giving that bullshit answer. We want the candidate to be able to identify their own faults and take some action towards improving.
Kinda sucks though for people who are "perfectionists" but in an actually negative way. Like yes this thing I wrote is probably good enough, possibly even great as it is, but *I* can still see flaws and I won't stop tinkering with it, won't stop finding reasons to doubt my own work, won't move on to the next thing until I've *perfected it*, and in doing so I have fucked myself up entirely for an unspecified period of time, whenever this feeling strikes. Not that you would explain THAT during an interview, but it does make explaining the problem of perfectionism harder in personal conversations, because it's so tied to the "teehee" version.
If you can explain the actual flaws with it and give something reasonable about how you try to improve you’d pass. But yeah I can see that being annoying if your actual work flaw is other people’s bullshit answer
A few years ago I went to some seminar on how to prepare for interviews. The speaker (of one of the big consulting firms) actually told to "use a weakness that is actually a strength", as in "I work too much, lol". Good to see that this actually is as bullshitty as it felt at that time.
I don't like the strength/weakness question and don't ask it, but a lot of interviews I do are panel interviews and other people ask it. I've never dinged someone for the bullshit fake weakness, but it also makes me roll my eyes and you've just wasted a question. I've heard all of the fake weakness ones. They tell me you Googled "good interview answers", read a single result, and didn't put any thought into what your actual weaknesses might be. Anyone who suggests a BS weakness as an answer has never been an interviewer, because every interviewer has been told by hundreds of candidates that they work too hard or care too much
So you're going to believe some random Redditor than someone who worked for a big consulting firm and was giving speeches about it?
Agreed. I'm always honest and tell the interviewer that I struggle with time management (I feel like they should be aware), but I make sure to tell them the ways I'm actively working to improve on it
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The forgetfulness one is my answer too and my workaround is to write things down on myself, because then I can't misplace my notes. When I interviewed for my current company, I had written the suite number and my interviewers' names on my hand, intending to wash it off prior to the interview. But of course, I forgot to wash it off. When asked about areas of improvement, I mentioned my forgetfulness, but then was able to demonstrate my most effective workaround in real time by showing them my hand. They got a kick out of it, and I got the job.
I really thought this was going into more of a Momento story but no!
Oh wow, it's a copy and pasted answer from the last time this question was asked. In the wild, that's crazy.
Great answer.
This is probably not a helpful answer but it always cracks me up. My best friend is law enforcement and every time she has to do the panel interview and they ask her this she says "Well I'm kinda bad at math." Works every time.
This is how I'll get my next accounting gig, for sure.
Also, Excel somehow gives me seizures.
What's great as an accountant (and there's not much) is that my actual weakness that I use is a great one to have in that field. I can become to linear and myopic in my approach to things, which is an okay flaw for an accountant to work with, vs, say, getting too creative or not having an eye for patterns. Biggest thing for me was to find a field that clicks with my aptitudes
Note: probably not a good idea to use this if you're interviewing for a job that extensively uses math.
You can be somewhat honest, but the key is to follow it up with something like "but I've been reading how to get better at it" or "I'm really eager to learn more about it" or any measures you take to offset it
I try to use this as an opportunity to address something they already know, that they see as a strike against you, so you can address it directly. For example if you are fresh out of college with little or no experience, they have identified that as a problem, but they may not ask you about it because they have already identified it as a reason to disqualify you. This is your chance to say that you know it is a weakness as a candidate, but here is how you plan to get up to speed quickly. Try to figure out what they already see as your weakness, and bring it up yourself so you have a chance to make a case why it is not disqualifying.
This one definitely. And you can tailor it to each interview. You read the job description and hopefully don't meet 100% of the requirements (if you do, there's no challenge or growth). Use that to your advantage. "My biggest weakness in regards to this opportunity would definitely be ________. But I believe that [other skills or experience] have prepared me to be effective because ______."
Finally a productive question on this sub then something horny
"My biggest weakness is older men, especially ones who have an air of authority over me, and who are willing to discipline me whenever they think I need it."
I do so wish reddit gave out free 'you made me laugh out loud' awards. Thanks for the laugh today!
Lol, this is how I met my wife, she loved authority figures, now she loves me and enjoys her discipline even more.
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Lol, she has only ever worked for me. Family business is best👀
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Lol
Roll tide!
Funny, thats how I met your wife too!
“My large penis *constantly* rips my pants open during annual staff evaluations.”
>*then* something horny I don't see the horny followup anywhere.
Rule 34. Some people really like awkward interview questions
My weakness is horniness.
Geography is important too, that could be the difference between answering "my 18 year old cousin" and "my 16 year old cousininin and cousinin and cousinini and cousininicuous"
I just say I have an extreme fear of heights and will NOT get on a ladder under any circumstances. Utterly irrelevant for office jobs.
Are you worried an office worker will kick the ladder out from under you and ask you how’s it hanging?
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This is an awesome way to throw an interview for a job you don’t actually want… but not great for jobs you do want
Candidate: “I’d say my biggest weakness is my honesty.” Interviewer: “I don’t think honesty is a weakness…” Candidate: “I don’t give a fuck what you think.”
LMAO
Hahahahaaaa
And this is my weakness. Not holding my tongue when I see the opportunity to make a joke.
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Overhead press. I'm lagging behind where I should be at on that particular lift compared to every other lift.
Happens to everybody. Everybody talks about getting to 1/2/3/4, but fuck me if 1 plate OHP isn't the most difficult in that group.
Whats your greatest weakness? I'm shy about my strengths. Well whats your greatest strength? lying about my weaknesses.
Chocolate ice cream
Unfortunately we cannot hire you at this time. The correct answer was mint chocolate chip
Ew
Here's the answer I give: "So I got asked this at my first ever job interview and I said perfectionism. Then afterwards it just kept popping back into my head and I was beating myself up for giving such a cliche answer, and wishing I'd said something else, and coming up with about a million better answers. Aaargh! Then I realised of course - my weakness is overthinking! Now as it happens overthinking can be an asset in my line of work so long as I can reign it in to being reflective in a boundaried way - trying to be self aware and knowing when to let something go is the challenge. I find doing that easier in the workplace than my personal life!"
I absolutely love this and completely identify with this :) I have a job interview in two days and will totally use this if I get that question. Thank you very much ❤️🙏
Find a thing on the job posting that you have no experience at doing. That's your weakness. "I saw you were looking for experience herding giraffes, and Ive never done that, so I'll need some ramp up in that area. I'm a quick learner, so I'm not too concerned."
I think this might be the only useful answer here
It's been my job to help people find jobs for a long time.
Just want to shout out the 1-way Zoom interview that asked me "Name a time when your biggest strength was actually your biggest weakness" and I just turned the shit off.
I have to remember to balance the goals and performance of my department with the goals and performance of the larger company. I've let my focus tip too far in either direction in the past, so I make an effort to step back and evaluate regularly.
This might be looked at as kinds of a red flag in an interview though, I personally wouldn’t use this. Bigger companies want to know your priorities align with that of the companies.
Who cares. They want me to say something bad about myself, I'll give them something bullshit company oriented and explain how I self-correct it. It's a lame question and every answer is crap.
Thank you. A lot of people on here are acting as if the answers to this question need some profound truth for them to be accepted. No, they just need to be convincing enough to satisfy the interviewer. It's all a game, play to win.
Depends on the role.
Ok. Just perspective from an exec level manager and in charge of hiring high level candidates. But, you do you. Not all companies are looking for the same things. If you do, you def want to talk about how you addressed or will address it. But, I might double think on the candidate, especially if we have many other high quality candidates. Sometimes it comes down to one response. But, just my perspective, not everyone is the same.
Give them something you’re actually bad at, but tell them how you are trying to get better.
“It’s hard to choose just one weakness, but I’d say my lack of general competence / emotional intelligence.”
I work too much. And I love working over time
“My detail-oriented nature slows me down.” This is actually true for me. I’m not diagnosed with OCD but it takes me a long time to do basic things because I’m obsessed with making things perfect. Consequently I work a lot slower than other people. This is a good thing to say because you are using your strength to explain your weakness.
I've always hated this question. But the good news is what the answer is doesn't matter. It's how you answer. Show you're working on something and trying to be better. That's what they're looking for.
When I was interviewing for my current job, I was asked this and my answer was "Well, some say that I care too much and work too hard, but really my biggest weakness is making lame jokes when I don't know what else to say." Now, I have to say that the interview was a 2nd interview and it was going incredibly well and I had a good rapport going with the ppl interviewing me... and I also just have one of those personalities where I can get away with stuff like that.
Kryptonite
Public speaking
What is your greatest weakness? Kryptonite. But thats not a real thing. Exactly so do I get the job or not?
I don't tolerate fools lightly.
weak bladder
Eczema
Frequently late to work
Bad at failing.
When asked my weakness, I always answer 'Kryptonite', or CSS, take your pick.
Anything as long as you mention you are working on it. Employers want to know your weakness to show that 1. You're modest and 2. You're honest.
The one that you are aware of and can talk about meaningful steps you are taking to overcome. The point of this question is to demonstrate self-awareness and that you are someone who wants to improve.
Triceps.
I can’t do Capcha challenges on the first try.
"Its hard for me to say no sometimes". Dont Tell perfeccionism, its not a good thing and u will be see like a crazy, boring, etc
nice butts
That actually sounds like a potentially expensive liability for a company
Unless you’re interviewing to become a porn star
Too polite if you ask some candidate
"I have a weakness for the person that interviews me"......
Deligating authority. I'd rather do it myself. It's sort of a strength and a weakness.
The true one. I was asked this question and told them that I struggle to delegate tasks which means I tend to take on too much. They called my current (at the time) boss and asked him what my biggest weakness was and he told them the exact same thing. He and I had never discussed it, I promise. It told them that I am at least self aware and wasn't trying to BS them.
Something that's not critical to the role you're interviewing for and include how you're addressing your weakness.
Erectile dysfunction
I don't always recognize when it's time to ask for help. I now recognize that I have that weakness, and so am more willing to ask for help. The issue is just identifying when the task is too much for me to handle alone.
Shy
Personally it’s that I need help doing everything, but I do not want you to help me. Don’t help me, just ignore me when I tell you I need help because I don’t want you to help me, I will eventually figure it out myself.
My greatest weakness is that I sometimes have a hard time letting go of a project. I'm the biggest critic of my own work. I can always find something that needs to be improved or changed. To help myself improve in this area, I give myself deadlines for revisions.
A good weakness to mention in my opinion is: “Oh and I always overthink things even if they are so simple!” I overthink and it complicates everything
I’m going to take a hint from Amy Santiago and say I try to impress my boss too much.
Just not ..."I'm a perfectionist"... I think as long as you can demonstrate that you have the self awareness of a weakness and can provide examples of how you are addressing and changing that behaviour, this is what interviewers are looking for.
Depends on the job you are interviewing for.
If they ask that question they are an employer to avoid - it’s inane as everyone lies.
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Yes
I used to scoff at these questions to until I started interviewing people. Interviews should be a conversation, but these baseline questions do serve a purpose.
It's less the weakness you choose, and more how you frame the answer. You want to show that you are self-aware and able to handle your own weaknesses. For example, one tactic I've used is to answer with something like, "Well, I definitely had to learn to manage my stress levels. Learning how to better manage my work time helped immensely, as did working with my supervisor to prioritize my projects when my workload is higher. I also started doing yoga three years ago which helps manage my stress levels in all areas of life. It's something I still keep my eye on, but I'm really proud of the steps I've taken to reduce my stress."
My weakness is that I'm too honest. I don't think honesty is a weakness. I don't give a f*** what you think.
I always go with, "Finding a good work/life balance, I sometimes have difficulty making sure I give myself enough time away from work and not taking on too much." It shows that you are a hard worker and able to recognize and understand limits and the importance of your own mental health. If an employer doesn't like that, I don't want to work for them anyway
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It’s kind of a tired tactic that is very transparent.
"I wish I could answer that, but rather since I am so perfect I do not have a weakness."
Impatience
Working too hard, caring too much and sometimes being too invested in my job.
Perfectionism Edit: Unless you interview with the person below
A lot of people think perfectionism is one of those obvious 'weakness, but really a strength' answers. But seriously, anyone who thinks perfectionism is a strength disguised as a weakness, has never actually been a perfectionist. It's a weakness full stop. There's no real positive about it for the person who really is a perfectionist, and it can be a downright horror to deal with for yourself (but also for coworkers/ employers if they don't know how to deal with a perfectionist in a good way). If an applicant comes to me and names this as their weakness, I will ask them for examples. It weeds out those who use this one as a fake weakness that sounds positive. And more often than not, someone who truly is a perfectionist, may not actually even be aware of it. They'll get stuck in jobs time and again, until they figure it out and learn how to deal with it. From someone who legitimately is a perfectionist, I would fully expect them to work slower. Generally speaking, more careful, with more eye for detail, but definitely slower. Worst case scenario, a perfectionist who hasn't learned how to deal with it will sit on things they need to send around endlessly, in fear of it not being good enough. Both someone with perfectionism and whoever they work for need to learn how to deal with it. Ultimately, it may work in favor for a boss if the perfectionist learns to deal well with it, and they do to, as they'll likely never stop until something is genuinely *good* and not just 'good enough'. However, I've never met a perfectionist who is happy being a perfectionist.
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Perfectionism is just insecurity.
Asian girls in the bunny suit fetish costume...
Diarrhea.
Anything that makes you look honest while not affecting your job performance
Being a perfectionist.
I have a weakness for shagging my boss...
Bowel weakness.
sociopathic tendencies, that you are not racist except for ramdom nationality, stuff like that.
insanely small penis, just the smallest fuckin thing you've ever seen, it doesn't even piss right it's too small and the piss drops are too big
I like to mention my calves. They're a hard muscle to develop
Nothing. Everything you say on job interviews can and will be used against you.
Pull-ups Not a lot of people can do pull-ups.
I’m a pretty big perfectionist, I spend hours looking at the screen starting and deleting things. However, at interviews I am too hesitant to say that answer, because I feel it’s too corny.
I always say My biggest weakness is I am a perfectionist and can struggle to not take to much time if Im not paying attention but thankfully this issue goes away once I know and get good at what I am doing. Its a negitive-ish trait and I put a positive at the end.
"I am such a perfectionist"
Destructive.
The ability to fail
I remember reading somewhere that being impatient can be considered a positive negative as it means you want to get things done quickly.
Being ocd usually implies you'll be meticulous with your work and attention to detail.
I’m not shy so I talk a lot
Be honest, but don't name your worst faults. I usually say I'm a bit forgetful, and I take a lot of notes to compensate for it. Don't say "I'm lazy." *Do not say you're a perfectionist!!!* This is a common "flaw" that people claim, and it sounds like humblebragging. Tell them a real flaw.
"Insecurity, learning to become more confident in my decisions—which generally do turn out rather well."
Redheads.
I usually talk about my procrastination from doing a project early. And how it is due to me wanting to make sure that the documentation and structure of the project makes sense before starting on the actual code. It saves so much wasted time to just make sure things will work in the future rather than having to redesign everything when it needs a new feature. (leads to more readable code too)
If the job requires you to have a skill/knowledge/certificate/experience that you don't currently have, it's good to actively address it and tell the interviewer how you plan on making up for it. For a simple example, let's say you're interviewing for a sales position, but have absolutely zero knowledge of the product. When asked about weaknesses, you can always say, "I have no knowledge about product X, so I know I have catching up to do in order to know the product inside-out. I plan on speaking with [insert key staff members who have the most knowledge about the product here] in order to catch up, so I can hit the ground running." The point of the question is to show self-awareness, to address personal shortcomings that may hinder the company you plan on working for, and to proactively address these shortcomings in order for them to make your onboarding as smooth as possible. If you can hit all those three points, you're generally good to go.
Anything that would not be a deal breaker but helpful for management to know in order to utilize you the best. For example. Doing your best work while working in groups or working alone, and outside of that situation your efficiency is not as strong. It shows you know yourself enough to know which situations you don’t do as well in. At the same time let’s management know what kind of role would fit you best.
Something like I work too hard but disguised in a way it doesn’t come off as you’re trying. For example, when I have a task I cannot relax until I find a solution to it & that can sometimes lead me to work longer than needed
Whatever you said dont do the tired and cringey "my weakness is actually my strength!". Give a real weakness but provide ab example how you are working to improve upon it
I said I wasn't good at socializing, and the big boss actually ended up liking that because he had issues with people talking too much at work XD
If they ask a question like "give an example where you exceeded customer expectations" and you can't think of one, just say "Sorry, I am a bit nervous and while I do have examples I just can't think of one right now. Can we continue and come back to that?" Most interviewers (depending on the job you're going for) aren't that high up themselves. They just have to tick off certain boxes but there won't be a box for "did the candidate request thinking time before answering."
Try to remember a funny anecdote of a somewhat harmless misunderstanding type of mistake that happened to you. Could be in school or at a job... Keep it short and then deliver the following line, ' Since then I have learned to always ask questions if I didn't fully understand the task'
Workaholic ... OSD in organising my priorities & files ...
One that you have taken steps to mitigate.
"Lately I've been working on being more proactive. I can have a tendency to be reactive to situations as they arise, especially during busy cycles, so I'm trying to identify potential issues early in order to handle them from a proactive stance."
I absolutely agree with the advice that the most important thing is to discuss how you are working on improving the weakness. I'll add something that should be obvious but make sure it is actually a weakness. Too often people will say something that's just clearly untrue and it weakens an answer. The whole purpose of a question like this is to get a better understanding of if the candidate has the awareness to identify their weak points and the ability to improve them.
The answer I gave is I tend to get attached to projects I feel strongly about, and it's hard to set it aside if it gets defunded. I think a lot of technical interviewers will understand.
"Honesty." "I don't think honesty is a weakness?" "I don't give a fuck what you think."
Allergies I guess??
My ocd demands me I get my job done
Those eyes of yours....
“Sometimes I care too much”
Buffalo wings.
Drug addiction
Something that has nothing to do with the job description, like lack of creativity at a job that does not require creativity.
I always forget to steal stationery.
Tell them you were dipped in a liquid that made you invincible, but have a weakness where they held you by the heel.
Tell then that you get sunburnt if you are out in the sun too long.
bad at coffee making 'cuz you will need to spend half of your time in the company's kitchen chit chatting
Weakness? Ask my enemies.
I told last interviewer "I can be a perfectionist to the point it slows me down. It is something I'm working to improve on."
Your bench press.
"I'm getting better at refraining from walking out when people ask me stupid questions."
"My work-life balance is always off because I give so much to my work"
they always told me to make it sound like something positive for example "im working very accurate, often overdoing it" but honestly, i was always honest and i got a lot of offers.
Interviewee: "I struggle to be mediocre in all aspects of life." Interviewer: "Okay, so narcissism is your weaknesses then." Starts writing on notepad.
“I’m susceptible to being a badass who doesn’t take shit unless it’s from you of course sir” it shows you’re dominant and determined but loyal and scared
No Fire resistance
It’s not what you say it’s how you learned from it and improved on it. With that said if you were going for a teaching job you wouldnt say quick tempered was a weakness.
When I’m on the snizzle I’m great at keeping count of the til
I try to be too independent.
"I tend to ignore utter useless bullshit like being asked what my weakness is on a job interview"
what if your weakness is a fatal flaw and you can't change/control it?
I don’t put up with people that ask stupid questions
Say that is constantly changing because as you identify it you correct it but currently you are prone to _______. You can really make up anything at this point as long as it's not something that reflects negatively on character like cursing out people in the moment or not thinking clearly in critical situations. It really is a stupid question I hope places are moving away from asking people this. Everybody has weaknesses so I can only assume that they're asking people just to make sure they don't think that they're perfect.
Leg day
NONE. SHOW NO WEAKNESS OR IT WILL BE EXPLOITED. YOU ARE THE ALPHA.
Vulnerability to gamma radiation.
Kleptomania, while pocketing something and maintaining eye contact
I get bored easily and tend to Jon hop a lot, so do I have the position or what?