WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS? : HOW TO ANSWER THIS INTERVIEW QUESTION
This question can easily throw you off and it can almost feel like a trick question.
Do you say you “can’t think of any weaknesses” and make an employer think you’re conceited, or do you list 10 weaknesses that’ll make an employer think you’re unreliable?
Good news is that there’s a middle ground an employer is looking for.
This question is to assess:
SELF-AWARENESS
HONESTY
WILLINGNESS TO IMPROVE
WHAT YOU’RE ALREADY DOING TO IMPROVE
How you answer this question will build a picture in an employer’s mind of what you’ll be like in a professional setting. Are you willing to accept your faults? Are you proactive to improve?
So yes, this question isn’t the most comfortable, but you can use it as an advantage to showcase your character and professionalism.
3 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
The goal of this question is to turn something negative into something positive. So when you think of a weakness and how you explain a weakness, have these 3 things in mind:
Choose a weakness that doesn’t harm your chances of being offered the role
Give a real example of how you’ve worked to improve
Be authentic. An employer will appreciate an honest answer because it shows you’re self-aware
POTENTIAL RESPONSES
I FOCUS TOO MUCH ON DETAILS
Being ‘detail-orientated’ is a great skill to have, but it can easily become a stumbling block if you spend too much time on the specifics and it impacts your speed and ability to easily meet deadlines.
However, by mentioning this, you show the interviewer that you have a great eye and can help them produce good quality work and avoid mistakes.
Example: “One of my biggest weaknesses is that I focus too much on the details. I’ve seen this have a negative impact on my work because I want to ensure everything is perfect. To help myself improve in this area, I’ve been reminding myself of the bigger picture and also being vocal with my manager to sense check the importance of certain details if they are holding me back. That way, I can ensure I’m producing quality work without impacting my deadlines and I communicate the process along the way.”
I STRUGGLE TO ASK FOR HELP
Every employer wants an employee who is independent and likes to take initiative on tasks, so although this is a weakness, they’ll be happy to hear you have the determination to figure things out.
However, what they will want to know is how you’ve been taking steps to improve, because not asking for help if help is needed could lead to unnecessary errors and too much independence can lead to a lack of communication with your manager and a lack of teamwork with your colleagues. If the company prides itself on collaboration, you need to make it clear that you see the benefit of it.
Example: “One of my biggest weaknesses is that I find it difficult to delegate to others when I feel capable of doing it myself. But in my previous role, I realised that to meet deadlines and produce quality work, delegating is the only option. I implemented a project management system so everyone can oversee the progress and I can keep track. Secondly, I’ve been getting to know my team and understand their strengths. This helps me value their skills and remember that other people can produce the same, if not better, quality work than if I did it on my own.”
I GET STRESSED WHEN I DON’T MEET A DEADLINE
Whilst feeling stressed at work isn’t ideal, an employer values people that care truly about their work and about supporting the company. Use this weakness to explain ways you’re managing yourself to reach deadlines, and also how you calm yourself down when things are just simply out of your control
Example: “One of my biggest weaknesses is that I get stressed when I don’t meet a deadline. I’m a very punctual person, at work and also in my personal life, so I take a lot of pride in making sure my work is completed on time. To ensure I reach deadlines, I’ve been working on my time management by using a project management system to break my tasks down, whilst planning out my days so I focus on the most important things first.”
However, I’m aware that some things are out of my control, so I’ve been coping with stress by practising mindfulness and communicating with my manager more often with updates or concerns about deadlines. This way, I can get support on what I’m struggling with and what I can prioritise first.”
I CRITICISE MYSELF TOO MUCH
Everyone is too hard on themselves in one way or another, so more likely than not, an employer will relate to this. Self-criticism doesn’t just show signs of imposter syndrome or lack of confidence but it also shows you care about:
Your self-improvement at work
Producing high-quality work
Acknowledging your mistakes
So when talking about this weakness, acknowledge that you’re aware it causes problems, but also acknowledge the good parts.
Example: “One of my biggest weaknesses is that I criticise myself too much. My goal is to produce great work and go above and beyond, but sometimes regardless of the effort I’ve put in, I struggle to feel satisfied. This can cause burnout or a lack of confidence when starting new projects.
To help myself improve in this area, I remind myself of all the things I’ve achieved in my career and how my mistakes don’t take away from that, but rather make me better. Nevertheless, I’m glad that I have a constant awareness to improve and recognise mistakes, so I’m learning to be dedicated without criticising myself.”
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLE ANSWERS
Now you understand how to position your weaknesses, here are some other examples that you can use in an interview:
“I struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance”
“I’m not the best decision maker”
“I’m not good at saying no”
“I lack organisation”
“I find myself taking on too many projects at once”
“I could do with more experience in…”
- Written by Shannon Matthews
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