It’s a question that you always get asked, and for some reason it is a question that every single person tends to struggle with. You are in a job interview and you are trying your best to impress, so what the hell should you say when you get asked what your biggest weakness is? You don’t want to say something stupid and false, and equally you don’t want to say something so serious that it puts you out of the running for the job! Here is how to answer the ‘what is your weakness’ question in an interview.
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1. Be Honest
The best course of action is always to try to be as honest as possible. Interviewers can tell when you are being sincere, and they can also tell when you are willing to try to work on your weaknesses. If you are bad at math, then let them know that. No flaw like that is something that can never be improved and worked upon! This kind of question is always asked to get a better handle on you as a person, rather than trying to identify or exploit any kind of career-ending flaw!
2. Functional over Personal
Don’t fall into the trap of getting too personal when revealing a weakness, it is always better to keep things on a functional, professional level. Don’t talk about not being able to keep a boyfriend, or being jealous of friend's successes etc. Instead, talk about having to work really hard to be punctual, or sometimes forgetting to proofread work, something smaller scale and work-related like that!
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3. Be Selective
If you have a few different weaknesses bouncing around in your head, then always go with the one that is least detrimental to your chances of getting the job. For example, if the job involves shifts later in the day, then you shouldn’t have to worry about telling that them that you struggle with getting up early in the morning! It really pays off to be strategic like that, because you are giving a real answer, but it’s an answer that doesn’t really impact on your suitability for the role.
4. Learning Plan
No matter what you choose to say to them, always make sure that you tie it in to a larger learning plan and journey. Say something along the lines of “I have a tendency to be a little bit of a procrastinator, but it is something that I am really working on and improving every day’. Employers don’t expect people to be perfect human beings, but they do like to hear that you are actively working on positive change.
