Tips For Tackling That Dreaded Interview Question

During job and internship interviews, hiring managers may ask about your greatest weakness to determine whether you are fit for the position. This is a tough question, but luckily you can come prepared to an interview with a solution. When you think about your weaknesses, keep in mind not to indicate any qualities that make you seem incapable for the job. You want to present yourself positively and effectively when you answer the question.

1.Know your weaknesses and pick the best one.

Everyone has his or her own strengths and weaknesses; be honest with yourself! Delve into those ideas and tasks that make you feel uneasy or nervous. It is important to recognize these concerns, and acknowledge them so you can confidently say you will perform the job properly. It is important to get the point across that this weakness does not negatively impact your work.

2.Don’t say you work too hard.

Employers do not want to hear that you are a perfectionist and that you work too hard.  This is a common and generic response that is dismissed by hiring managers.

This question is an opportunity to share a professional challenge you have experienced in your previous positions, and can prove you are skilled in problem solving. People want to know what mistakes you have encountered and how you handled those situations.

3. Follow-up the weakness with how you conquered it.

After you provided the employer with the answer, you can demonstrate that you are constantly working on this weakness. A great candidate for any position is one that is always discovering new ways to learn and grow.  You can explain to the employer what initiatives you have taken to improve yourself. You can present your answer with the motivation to prove you can be the best at the job. This is how you can emphasize the positive when following-up the weakness.  

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Randi Nemeth.