Mastering The Tough Interview Question: “What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

Getting an interview invite is always exciting – it means you’re one step closer to landing the job! How you prepare for the interview can set you apart from other candidates.

Nevertheless, a particularly challenging question that many candidates find difficult to answer is, “What is your greatest weakness?”

During her interview, Susan was asked this question but she didn’t know where to begin. She stumbled over her answers which made the interviewer’s behaviour change in a way that was easy to see.

A few days after the interview, she got a rejection email, and now firmly believes that her response significantly influenced the decision of the recruiter.

To avoid making the same mistakes, she researched and sought our professional interview coaching to allow her to craft better answers.

This is what she found out about how to address this difficult question effectively.

1. Be Honest but Strategic

Many candidates answer this question with answers that are vague and broad. It is a mistake When someone answers the question with answers such as “I’m a perfectionist,” While this question needs someone to be honest, your answer should reflect self-awareness and a willingness to work on the weakness.

“Public Speaking used to be hard for me. This weakness started hindering my ability to present my ideas with confidence.

However, knowing about this weakness gave me a chance to enhance my skills and I decided to sign up for a public speaking course. I now proactively look for chances to talk in team contexts to further improve this skill.

2. Choose a Weakness That Won’t Harm Your Candidacy

Your response should not lead to your disqualification from the job application. Avoid talking about weaknesses that would directly call into question key job responsibilities. Don’t make the hiring managers doubt whether you are right for the job position.

“I used to be reluctant when it came to asking for help or delegating tasks to others. I thought that I could handle everything more effectively by myself.

 I have now learned that working together is crucial for doing work well. I now utilize project management tools to assign tasks efficiently.”

3. Show Your Commitment to Improvement

When hiring managers are doing interviews, they like candidates who are more willing to take the initiative to address their weaknesses.

“In the past, I found it difficult to manage my time well. This resulted in my inaccuracy of the time required to complete a task. To improve my performance, I started utilizing a time-tracking tool and organizing tasks according to what has more priority over the others. This has significantly boosted my productivity and enabled me to meet my goals punctually.

Final Thought

To be able to tackle this question better in an interview, you should show that you know and are self-aware. It is necessary to demonstrate your ability to take responsibility for what you do and to take appropriate action to develop from it.

Are you preparing for an upcoming interview and looking for help coming up with proper responses? Our professional interview coaching services will help you approach every question with assurance!

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