No matter how you look at it, job interviews are stressful. (92% of employed Americans get stressed out about job interviews.) With that in mind, some questions can be more difficult to answer than others. By far, the most common question people get confused and stressed about is how to talk about their weaknesses in a job interview. You don’t want to say the wrong thing to make yourself look bad, but you also don’t want to come off as though you think you’re perfect and have no weak points. It’s all about balance. Here’s how to answer “What are your biggest weaknesses?” in a job interview:
Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses ahead of time
First and foremost it’s important to be prepared. If you don’t prepare ahead of time for your interview, it’s likely that you’ll just say the first answer that comes to mind, which might not be as eloquent as you’d like. To ensure this doesn’t happen, prepare ahead of time and come up with a list of strengths and weaknesses. Strengths tend to be easier to come up with, but weaknesses can be more difficult because it’s common to want to share a weakness without potentially turning off the interviewer.
Some examples of weaknesses include:
- A desire to please which results in taking on too many projects at once.
- Looking at achievements objectively to gain the required confidence in a new role.
- Software proficiency. You can always talk about wanting to learn more about specific software.
- Area of the job. It’s perfectly acceptable to note that you’re very interested in a particular area of a job, however you don’t have as much experience with it so you’ll need to learn more through hands on experience.
Don’t be ashamed about having a weakness
Everyone has at least one area where they can improve so it’s important that you don’t get down on yourself when you’re exploring your weaknesses. Exploring your weak spots can be a great opportunity for growth! By taking note of areas of improvement, you can use this to your advantage, take on some continuing education, and learn what you need.
Additionally, self awareness is a huge asset and is considered to be a big strength. While you may be weak in one area, acknowledging this and showing your own self awareness will help highlight your strength and value as a candidate.
Share what you’ve learned from it or how you’re working to improve
Wondering how to answer “What are your biggest weaknesses?” in a job interview? It’s all about framing your weakness in the right way and spinning it into something positive. Everyone is human, so recruiters and hiring managers expect that each and every person will have at least one weak area, so it’s just about acknowledging yours and showing how you can actually use your weakness to benefit you.
Perhaps your weakness is self confidence. If this is the case, try phrasing it like this:
“In the past, one of my weak points has been self confidence, however upon writing my resume and looking at my achievements on paper, I’ve been able to build that confidence to help me move forward in my career in a more confident manner.”
If one of your weaknesses is taking on too much at once, try acknowledging it like this:
“One of my biggest weaknesses is the desire to please people. I don’t like saying no to a project or responsibility, however I’ve noticed that when I take on too much, I’m not able to reach my full potential on every project. Realizing this has helped me prioritize and only take on what I can so that I can be sure to put the best quality forward in every project I take on.”
Ultimately, showing how something helped you grow or change for the better will always work in your favor.
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People always ask me how to answer “What are your biggest weaknesses?” in a job interview, and the truth is that the answer will differ from person to person. As long as you prepare and show what you’ve learned or how you’re working to improve your weak area(s), you’ll answer the question well and show potential employers how your self awareness adds to your value as a candidate.