How to Answer the Interview Question, "What is your greatest weakness?"
One of the most common interview questions asked is, “What is your greatest weakness?”
This question may be asked by human resources professionals during an interview many reasons:
- The interviewer may want to see how honest you will be
- They may actually want to know what your weaknesses are
- They may want to see how self-aware you are as an employee
- They may simply want to see how you react and behave when asked such a question
Tip: Always give a positive response; avoid using the actual word “weakness” in your response
Whatever their motivation for asking the question is, you should be prepared to respond appropriately to it.
Here are a few things you can say when an employer asks you what your greatest weakness is:
“Being organized wasn’t my strongest attribute, but I have implemented a time and task management system that has helped greatly improve my organizational skills.” (Be sure you are ready to respond when they ask what system you have implemented).
“In the past I have spent a little too much time checking my work to ensure it’s perfect. However I have come to a good balance of by setting up a system to ensure my work is done properly the first time”
“I used to set appointments for the upcoming week at the last minute, now I see the value in setting appointments ahead of schedule.”
“I used to prefer to complete a project fully prior to commencing a new one. However I have learned how to work on different projects at the same time.”
“I have been labeled a perfectionist in the past, as I have spent more time than necessary on tasks. Although I have never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task.”
“I have personally taken on tasks that I know I could have delegated to others; although now I am quite comfortable with delegating similar tasks to my colleagues.”
Do you have any great responses to share? Leave a comment or send them to info@academicinvest.com