Interview questions are nerve-racking enough. But when your interviewer throws in that dreaded question – “What is your biggest weakness?” – it can definitely throw you for a loop. What exactly are they trying to find out with this question? How you can better your weaknesses or something that can affect your performance? Whatever it is, we’ve all been left wondering what the best answer to this question is and how can we showcase our skills in a positive light despite having weaknesses in some areas.
Besides being prepared to discuss your skills in an interview, keep this question on your radar and have an answer ready. There might not be a right or wrong answer, but responding strategically could be the key to pushing you forward to the next round. Employers ultimately want to see your self-awareness and way of thinking when it comes to tackling hard questions like this one.
Answering “Your Biggest Weakness” Question – 5 Tips to Remember
Now that you’re aware of this popular question that may be asked in your next interview, here are some tips to help you prepare for it.
Tip #1: Be prepared
As mentioned, it’s important to be prepared with a response to this question. You want to take some time to figure out what your weaknesses are and still be confident when talking about them.
Having a prepared answer will help you keep your nerves calm when sharing your thoughts. While you may feel like winging it, it could backfire if you start rambling or start thinking of things that might not be relevant to the job.
Tip #2: Be honest
The interviewer wants to get to know you, and this is a way to see your self-awareness and what may make you tick. The key here is not to lie and make something up – the interviewer will see right through you.
This is more of an assessment of what you are working toward improving.
Tip #3: Talk about improvement
When answering this question, you want to focus on areas where you may lack experience or expertise. You want to talk about technical weaknesses rather than your personal ones. For example, you might not be great at social media analytics or pitching press releases. Once you have identified this, share how you plan to overcome it and what you are doing to be better at it in the future.
Spin the negative into positive – that is what will impress the hiring manager.
Tip #4: Keep it short
Again, keep your answer brief and avoid going into too much detail. This is when preparation comes in. You want to answer the question to the best of your ability, but you don’t want it to take over the conversation during the interview.
Try to keep it to a minute or two – maximum.
Tip #5: Don’t put yourself down
You absolutely do not want to put yourself down – after all, you are at an interview to talk about your skills and strengths and why you are a good fit for the role.
When talking about your weaknesses, you want to make it clear that it won’t directly affect your ability to do the role.
If you feel like you stumbled or are worried about your answer, don’t be. After all, you’re just a human sharing your experiences. The more you prepare for this question to your advantage, the more confident you’ll become. Always keep your spirits high – you probably did better than you think!
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