A job interview is an interaction that decides whether you will be working in an institution or not. Therefore, one has to be completely ready for the job interview and know the answers to any question that is asked of them.
We all have our weaknesses, and it is best that they are shown to the interview at the outset, so that there is no space for any discrepancies later on.
Preparing your answers to the job interview questions “your weakness and strength” is one of the important job interview preparations tasks.
Note – This post is the second part of the interview questions weaknesses post for providing more details on this important job interview aspect.
You may also read the third part of this post – Examples of Strengths and Weaknesses| list of Strengths and Weaknesses .
We all have a varied job experience and job profiles, but we all will agree that not everything about is noteworthy and some aspects of our professional lives are better not discussed – like the humble beginnings we had as a door to door salesman.
Job Interview Questions – Weakness and Strength question and Answers
Answer the question honestly and to the point
When it comes to answering questions, the best bet is to answer the question honestly and to the point providing a real personality character. Many interviewees tend to make up an answer using a ‘well-known answer’ as their weakness or strength. The interviewer easily notice these type of answers, as he had probably heard that answers hundreds of times before..
Avoid using scripted weaknesses and strengths
As explained before, make sure that you do not provide the interviewer with any kind of answers that it will be noticed as cheesy weaknesses and strengths. The interviewer should be convinced that you genuinely have that particular strength and weakness.
Do not avoid answering the question
The worst mistake that one can do while the weakness and strengths question is going on is to evade the question. The moment the interviewer understands that the question is being evaded, they may bring the interview to such a situation that the interview will not go further at all, unless and until the interviewee has answered the question about the weakness.
Therefore, being well prepared and knowing how to answer the question before the interview, will probably save you troubles during your job interview.
The steps taken to solve the weakness
The best way to discuss your weakness is to speak about it and also discuss at the same moment the steps that you have taken to solve the weakness. This tells the interviewer that you carry an ongoing self analysis, which helps you know more about yourself and therefore enhance yourself on your own.
Do not blame anyone
In case you are giving a reason to the weakness, make sure that it does not implicate or blame anybody. Weaknesses are like any organ of our body. How it looks does not depend or cannot be blamed on anyone.
Focus on your strength: The experienced interviewers know to judge the skills of their interviewees. Therefore, they try to assess the way an individual works and to use their strength for achieving the best company’s success. Therefore, tell about your best strengths and the interviewer will note it.
Answering strength – You should not get carried away
While answering about weaknesses is a problem, answering about strengths is comparatively easy. The interviewee should only remember that they should not get carried away about discussing their strengths with the interviewer.
Some common answers – avoid using these
1. I’m a perfectionist
2. My biggest weakness is actually my biggest strength
3. Planning and prioritization as a weakness – this is the worst answer for managers or project managers.
4. I like to take control of groups or dominating discussions – this will “drive you” out of the desired job if not explained properly.
Provide a case
For an experienced interviewer, the second question after getting your answer is – provide a case/example for the same. So, you want to be prepared providing this.
It is on the basis of this knowledge that the interviewer will decide whether or not you will work for the company.
Therefore, do your best to answer these questions correctly and in any case avoid making up a weakness that is not really a weakness.
