How to Answer “What is your greatest weakness?”

How to Answer “What is your greatest weakness?”

During an interview, you may or may not be asked this question, however having an answer scripted out will allow you to confidently answer without fumbling around or giving a poor answer. To start, if you are asked about strengths and weaknesses in the same question, start with your weaknesses so you can end on your strengths which is a positive note.

When you are thinking about your weaknesses, you need to first review your job description to determine which traits, skills or habits the hiring manager may want to know or be familiar with. There are always hints available in the job description. For example, if you are applying for a customer service role or a sales role, your personality traits are going to be more compelling to hear about than skills or habits. However, if you are applying for an IT role, you may want to focus on skills in this question.

Here is a simple formula to follow when giving your answer:

  1. Identify the weakness
  2. Add additional context about the weakness
  3. Add an example or story
  4. Explain how you are using this weakness to address personal growth opportunities

Here is an example of how you might see that question answered.

I am an active problem solver in all situations; going so far as to believe I can solve problems on my own. This works well in many situations, but I know I need the help of others to solve problems that are outside of my control. Last year I was working on selling a client and there were many factors and decision-makers involved. While I identified all the moving pieces and eventually sold the client, I realized that if I had brought my team in sooner, I would have identified additional key contacts and possibly closed the deal faster. I took the time to review the sale afterwards and noticed how important it was to include additional resources in the process. Now, I constantly challenge myself to reflect along the way and discuss key initiatives, sales, and events with my co-workers to ensure I am using all the resources available to me.

Need more coaching during your interview, River City Staffing is happy to help! Schedule a resume review or interview meeting with us today!

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