In this article, we explain why employers ask this question and provide a guide for responding successfully to it, including three example answers you can use as a reference.
- Pick a personal trait that doesn’t impact your ability to perform your role. …
- Be vulnerable, yet professional, while discussing your weaknesses. …
- Express your desire to grow and improve yourself.
If you could change one thing about your personality, what would it be and why
Pick a personal trait that doesn’t impact your ability to perform your role
As you begin to formulate your answer, think carefully about the range of personal traits you might benefit from changing. Try to pick a trait that doesnt directly impact your ability to succeed in your role. This way, you can speak openly about what you might change about yourself without risking your competitiveness as a candidate.
Why employers ask “If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?”
Employers may ask this question to gauge your level of self-awareness and assess whether you have the motivation to grow as a professional. In addition, your answer may help employers better understand your personality, how you approach your work and what your values are. From here, employers might be able to evaluate whether youre a good fit in terms of workplace culture and the role for which youre interviewing.
How to answer “If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?”
Answering this question may require you to speak tactfully about your flaws so you can make a positive impression. While this may be a challenging task, heres a step-by-step guide to follow to ensure you form an effective response:
Example answers to “If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?”
Reviewing example answers to interview questions can help you better understand how to formulate your own response effectively. Here are three example answers to this question for professionals in different roles that you can use as a reference as you prepare for your interview:
“If I could change one thing about myself, I think it would have to be my tendency to over-analyze my work. As a teacher, I really value the relationships I have with my students, and I know that our time together can have a significant impact on both their learning and social-emotional well-being.
Sometimes, I worry too much about my students and exert a large amount of energy analyzing our interactions, including things like how well they respond to my lessons, whether Ive been successful in supporting them or if theres something Im missing.
I know this impulse comes from a good place—I care so much about my students and their ability to succeed—but it often impedes my ability to de-stress in the evenings, enjoy my downtime and focus on other, more productive tasks.
Id like to improve my tendency to overthink my work by establishing a more structured, healthier work-life balance so I can take enough time for myself and feel confident that my students are getting the help they need. I know Im capable of this growth, and Im always looking for ways to become a better teacher for my students.”
“As a nurse, I think its really difficult to say no when Im asked to work extra shifts to support my team and our patients. Theres almost always a need for extra nurses on the floor in the emergency department, and I truly feel that its my calling to fulfill that need—the patients who visit us in the ED depend on our ability to provide consistent, life-saving care. Because of this, I often over-commit, which can make it challenging for me to take the time I need to care for myself.
Therefore, if I could change one thing about myself, I would improve my ability to set boundaries and recognize when its time to take a break. I think Id be a better nurse overall if I limited the number of extra shifts I volunteered for on a weekly basis—itd help me maintain my energy levels and ensure Im providing excellent bedside care to my patients. Learning how to manage this impulse may take time, but Im up for the task, especially if it benefits patient health.”
“Being a graphic designer requires me to be highly attentive to detail and meticulous about the various intersecting elements that contribute to my work. Unfortunately, sometimes I get bogged down in this detail because I want to make sure my designs are perfect before I send them off for client approval. While this means I regularly produce high-quality work, it often also slows down my process overall, which can be stressful for me, as I need to meet deadlines consistently.
So, if I could, I would change the approach I take in my work and streamline my process so that I dont experience delays throughout my workflow. Even though I know its important to be careful and pay attention to detail in my role, sometimes I go overboard in terms of quality assurance, and I think it may be helpful—for my clients sake and my own—if I learn when and how to recognize that a project is complete. Im striving toward this now with each project I work on, and I hope to strike a balance soon.”
When taking part in a job interview, there are certain things you mustnt say if an interviewer asks you what you want to change about yourself. Dont say youd change your pants, your socks or your work ethic. Additionally, although it may sound good, claiming to have zero bad points isnt a good response either because it makes you look like youre hiding something. The interviewer is not interested in hearing about all of your insecurities and weaknesses. Instead, share with her a change that could be seen as a positive.
Based near London, U.K., Peter Mitchell has been a journalist and copywriter for over eight years. Credits include stories for “The Guardian” and the BBC. Mitchell is an experienced player and coach for basketball and soccer teams, and has written articles on nutrition, health and fitness. He has a First Class Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) from Bristol University.
In using the “exhaustion” example, you subtly point out your strong work ethic and high energy on-the-job. You can craft a genuine thing youd change and include a positive note, without sounding trite. For a manager position, you might say “I tend to have especially high expectations for my employees, so I have to work hard to balance motivating strong performance while still showing concern for my workers as people.” This answer shows that you realize the potential for being overly critical, but you self-monitor by balancing two key elements of effective management.
The question “What would you change about your personality?” is very similar. Your answer just needs to center on a personality trait. A distinctly different question is “If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?” In this case, you want to focus on a missed opportunity or challenge where you made a wrong choice. Choose something from the past and talk about how it sparked growth and development and what you would do different today. You might say “I regret not finishing my degree sooner, but having to finish up while working and managing a family helped me learn multi-tasking, hard work and perseverance.”
You need to understand the hiring managers purpose in asking a question to effectively answer it. In this case, a manager wants to find out if you have grace under pressure, can perform genuine self-assessment, and are compatible with the needs of the position. Your answer ideally includes elements related to all three. By researching the job ahead of time and comparing the qualities desired to your strengths and weaknesses, you are more prepared for any version of the weakness question.
Neil Kokemuller has been an active business, finance and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. He has been a college marketing professor since 2004. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in marketing, retail and small business. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.
“What would you change about yourself?” is essentially a modified version of the conventional interview question “What is your greatest weakness?” In essence, the strategies you should use in responding to the “change” question is similar. The ultimate goal is to come across as genuine, human and likable, but not incompatible with the job or company.
Our writers took a look at the things they would want to change about themselves, and here’s what our team had to say…
Amity: My cynicism can be a bit much at times; it would be nice to naturally be a more optimistic person.
Now it’s your turn! If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Marilyn: There are sooooo many. Right now, I wish I were better at being organized so I could get more stuff done and so my place would be tidier!
Rachel: The thing I would most like to change about myself would be putting an end to second guessing myself. Essentially more confidence, less worry.
FAQ
What are 3 things you would change about yourself?
- Change your priorities. This is important if you want to live a balanced, fulfilling life. …
- Change your self-talk. Your self-talk has significant influence in your life. …
- Change your motivation. …
- Change your habits. …
- Change your friends. …
- Change your commitments. …
- Change your inputs. …
- Change your methods.
What one thing about yourself would you most like to change or improve?
How do you answer what would you change about?
“I would like to improve in every facet of my life. No matter how much I may excel at a particular skill or task, I believe I can always get better, and would like an opportunity to gain new experiences that will help me become better at anything I undertake.
