- Be honest. …
- Tell a story. …
- Remember to get to the insight. …
- Keep it short. …
- Don’t sweat it so much.
Your answer to the interview question “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses” should align with what the company is looking for in a candidate and demonstrate your potential value as an employee using clear examples of self-improvement.
Job interviews can get personal very quickly. During your interview, after meeting an interviewer only a few minutes ago, you may be asked to provide examples of your strengths and weaknesses.
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The questions “What is one of your greatest strengths?” and “What is your greatest weakness?” are some of the most common interview questions hiring managers ask. These questions help an employer get a better sense of the traits that make you uniquely qualified for the job.
If you are prepared adequately to respond, you’ll be able to set yourself apart as a well-qualified candidate for the job. So, it’s a good idea to prepare some quality answers to these questions.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how you can sell your strengths and discuss your weaknesses without sounding too confident or underplaying your strengths.
What Are Your STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES? | TOP-SCORING Answers to this Tough INTERVIEW QUESTION!
List of Strengths & Weaknesses + Professional Answers
One of the most common interview questions that most of us experienced or will experience at some point is “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”.
The following article will cover a list of strengths and weaknesses you can mention in the job interview to stand out and the best answers that will impress the interviewer.
First, we’ll start with the Strengths.
During the interview process, it’s likely that the hiring manager will ask you to describe your strengths at some point. Many candidates probably wonder how to answer what are your strengths without bragging too much or risk appearing narcissistic.
You want to craft your answer with a high degree of self-awareness and professionalism.
It’s important to be prepared for this question and have a statement ready. Even if you aren’t asked this question, you will be aware of your strengths and what you can bring to the position.
This will help you articulately weave those strengths into other areas of the interview.
Having a story ready to tell when you are asked this question will help you stand out from the other people interviewing for the position.
Rather than just blurting out, “Im detail-oriented and hard-working,” or merely listing off your strengths, you can craft a compelling way to deliver your story while highlighting what you can bring to the position.
When the time comes to answer this question, you’ll need to be very specific. Take stock of what you believe to be your personal strengths or ask a friend to help you identify what you’re good at.
Make sure to include a range of strengths, including knowledge-based skills, transferable skills, soft skills and personal traits to demonstrate your versatility.
Even the most experienced candidates can struggle with the question of describing their strengths, so we’ve compiled a list of examples to inspire your strength story. You can take tips from each of these key strengths examples to craft a compelling reason that the hiring manager should choose you.
How to Answer “What Are Your Greatest Strengths?”
When you are asked about your strengths, what an employer really wants to know is what skills make you a good fit for the job and the company.
The employer wants to hear from you, in your own words, what skills you have that will make you a valuable employee.
Discussing your strengths and weaknesses can be one of the most difficult parts of the job interview. Avoid interview paralysis with our advice. Carole Martin, Monster contributor
If youve ever been asked the question “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” in a job interview, you probably immediately noticed your heart racing. How do I say what Im not good at without looking terrible and say what I am good at without bragging? Yep, this is a toughie. But theres a secret formula that can help you succeed: Emphasize a positive quality or skill thats needed for the job, and minimize—but be truthful about—the negatives.
Lets say two candidates—well call them Francine and William—have job interviews for a customer service manager position. As always, one of the interview questions theyll be asked is about their strengths and weaknesses.
First up is Francine. When shes asked, “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” Francine responds, “My strength is that Im a hard worker. My weakness is that I get stressed when I miss a deadline because someone else dropped the ball.”
This answer is unimaginative, a no-brainer. Most people think of themselves as hard workers—who would actually admit to not being a hard worker? Also, Francines weakness is technically not a weakness, plus she passes the buck: Someone—not her—drops the ball, which causes her to get stressed.
Now its Williams turn. He also has difficulty with the question. “I really cant think of a weakness,” he begins. “Maybe I could be more focused. My strength is probably my ability to deal with people. I am pretty easygoing. I usually dont get upset easily.”
This answer leads with a negative, and then moves to vague words: maybe, probably, pretty and usually. William isnt doing himself any favors.
So what is the best way to answer this common interview question?
FAQ
What is your strength and weakness best answer?
What are 3 good weaknesses in a job interview?
- Inexperience with specific software or a non-essential skill.
- Tendency to take on too much responsibility.
- Nervousness about public speaking.
- Hesitancy about delegating tasks.
- Discomfort taking big risks.
- Impatience with bureaucracies.
What are your top 3 weaknesses answer?
