What are your weaknesses? Show
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Don't forget that having a professional resume is an important step to get to the interview. So don't forget to check our Resume Examples for +500 Jobs. Now__ 1 What Are Your Weaknesses? Here’s What You’re Being AskedWhat does the interviewer want to find out by asking the "what are your weaknesses" question? Here’s a little secret. It’s about how you answer, not what you answer. The interviewer is looking for three qualities:
The second worst mistake? Lying.
Okay, for a long time we were all trained to answer this way. Now, interviewers know that it’s a way of avoiding the question. Again, they’ll wonder what you’re hiding.
Don’t be weird. Don’t be too candid. Don’t over-confess. Forget about your aversion to animals, and don’t talk about how you miss work because you can’t get out of bed. Here are other ways the interviewer might ask the "what are your weaknesses" question:
Some of the variations allow you to answer with a display of strength. Don’t waste the opportunity. Pro Tip: Remember, the interviewer cares less about what you answer and more about how you answer. The "what are your weaknesses" question is designed to put you on the spot. Strengths and weaknesses go hand in hand. Need help identifying your strengths? Read our guide: "How to Answer the "What Are Your Strengths?" Interview Question (Examples)" and
List of Top Strengths to Put on a Resume When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better. 2 How to Answer the What Are Your Weaknesses Job Interview Question [Job Interview Weaknesses List]How are you supposed to come up with a list of weaknesses in the first place? And yes, you’ll want to make a list of your job weaknesses in advance. Plus, you’ll want to prepare yourself so you can talk about most of them if necessary. That’s because the interviewer may start with: What is your greatest weakness? And follow up with: What are some other weaknesses? First, look at this: Here is a list of common professional skills you can mention when answering questions about your weaknesses during a job interview:
But you should also come up with your own, customized list of personal and professional weaknesses that you can use to further inform your answer. Here's how to do it: Start by asking yourself the following:
Remember, the best answer to the "what are your weaknesses" question should have two parts:
So, when you make a list of weaknesses, try to come up with those that you’ve worked hard to correct. Next, go to your job offer. What skills can you find? Here’s an example of a job offer for a Server at a restaurant: Notice the skills:
Look at your list. Your answer to the what are your weaknesses question is the only time you’ll want to avoid matching skills from the job offer. You will want to choose weak skills that ARE NOT essential for the job.
Here’s another example of a what are your weaknesses answer for a Software Designer:
That’s why you want to choose up to three weaknesses from your list that don’t match skills listed in your job offer. Okay. Once you’ve got a list of your greatest weaknesses, you’ll need to list the ways you’re improving. Showing that you’re working on improving your weakness is important part of answering the what are your weaknesses question. Don’t leave the interviewer hanging. Have you done any of the following things to improve your weakness:
You’ll also want to give clear examples of how you succeed or are on your way to succeeding. Ask yourself:
The STAR method is an effective way to demonstrate that the measures you’re taking are working. The STAR method will help you remember how to tell your success stories during an interview. And don’t just use the STAR method for the what are your weaknesses question. You can use it to answer just about any typical interview question. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result: Situation - You start by explaining a situation which required you to solve a problem, use a skill, or come up with a new idea. Task - Next, you explain the action that your job requires in such a situation. Action - After, you describe the action that you took. If it’s different than the required task, you should also explain why you chose a different path. Result- What happened in the end? How did the situation play out once you acted? It’s best here to illustrate successes with numbers and details if you can. Numbers help reinforce the impact that your action had. Let’s use an example of a weakness for the Server candidate that matches our job offer. Remember this is only part of a good answer for the what are your weaknesses question. Situation - My greatest weakness is that I talk too much. I am a blabbermouth. I used to get in trouble for talking over my teachers during class. Task - The principal gave me a warning. She told me that I had to learn to zip it during class or I would get expelled. So, I had to come up with a way to restrain myself. Action - I started playing the Quiet Game with my friends. You know the game that parents trick children into playing in the car on longer trips? Well, I asked my friends to help me learn to listen more and speak less by playing the Quiet Game with me. They were more than accommodating. Result- I learned to occupy myself with listening. I learned to wait until it was my turn to speak and to cut myself off when I become a senseless motormouth. After a month of shutting myself up, my teachers noticed that I was doing better. They also suggested that I join the debate team where I helped the team win State Championships. Now to prove my new skill, I will stop talking. Pro Tip: You can mention strengths in your what are your weaknesses answer. Remember the question is often paired with strengths anyway: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Want to know what skills hiring managers find most important? Not sure if all the skills from the job offer are job-related? We’ve got you covered. Read our guide: “+30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)” 3 The Best What Are Your Greatest Weaknesses AnswersSo here’s what a what are your weaknesses answer should look like:
If you want to be sure you ace your interview, check out our handy interview advice. Then, you need to send a thank you email. Not sure how? Read our guide: "How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview (+10 Examples)" BONUS: Struggling with job interview anxiety? We’ve got you covered. Download our FREE ultimate checklist Things You Need To Do Before, During, and After Your Big Interview and make sure you come out on top. Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like: See more cover letter templates and start writing. Key TakeawayYes, sometimes the interviewer will try to catch you off guard with an interview question that isn’t fair. And yes, the what are your weaknesses interview question is one of the worst. To properly answer this dreaded interview question, remember:
Still not sure how to talk about your weaknesses? We can help! Leave a comment and we will help you find out how best to answer weakness questions during your interview. What is my weakness best answer?Answer “what is your greatest weakness” by choosing a skill that is not essential to the job you're applying to and by stressing exactly how you're practically addressing your weakness. Some skills that you can use as weaknesses include impatience, multitasking, self-criticism, and procrastination.
What are your top 3 weaknesses answer?How to answer What are your greatest weaknesses? Choose a weakness that will not prevent you from succeeding in the role. Be honest and choose a real weakness. Provide an example of how you've worked to improve upon your weakness or learn a new skill to combat the issue.
What are 5 examples of weaknesses?Examples of Weaknesses.. Self-criticism.. Shyness.. Lack of knowledge of particular software.. Public speaking.. Taking criticism.. Lack of experience.. Inability to delegate.. Lack of confidence.. What are your top 5 Weaknesses?List of Example Weaknesses:. Too self-critical.. Too critical of other people's work.. Difficulty delegating tasks.. Disorganized.. Too detail-oriented.. Need more experience in X.. Impatient with others.. Unfamiliar with X.. |