serious? hmm. interesting, so should I tell them that its 1 weakness instead of 2? hehe, i kid i kid, that's a good point though, i'll take that into consideration.
serious? hmm. interesting, so should I tell them that its 1 weakness instead of 2? hehe, i kid i kid, that's a good point though, i'll take that into consideration.
FallenHero
Diamond Member
- Jan 2, 2006
- 5,659
- 0
- 0
I interview lots of people, and I don't care nearly as much what the answer is as I do how they say it. If you say "extreme attention to detail" and I think you're just telling me what I want to hear, you don't get an offer.
People amaze me. The #1 thing to do in an interview is to be truthful. The only reason you should lie is if it's a serious problem you're wanting to hide, and in that case, maybe you should be doing something to correct that problem.
People amaze me. The #1 thing to do in an interview is to be truthful. The only reason you should lie is if it's a serious problem you're wanting to hide, and in that case, maybe you should be doing something to correct that problem.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,514
- 44
- 91
Give them an honest answer, but one that is unrelated to the job. For example, I tend to answer that I have difficulty "selling" something in which I don't believe because I am honest about presenting an idea and don't skew things. Since my career path is that of an analyst and it's part and parcel to my job that I don't skew things, this weakness is something that I've turned into a virtue. If I were on a sales path, I'd be screwed though. It all depends upon finding a weakness that isn't related to the job you're applying for. That way you're honest and don't appear to be BS-ing, but you also avoid looking bad.
ZV
ZV
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,514
- 44
- 91
Any interviewer is going to have some set of qualifications that are "magic", and the right phrase to trigger a certainty of those qualifications will almost always exist.
If you're hiring for a highly detail-oriented position, then someone describing themself as "anal-retentive" is a huge bonus. It's a trifle less of a bonus if you're hiring for a graphic artist to design your company logo.
While it may not always be fully-formed in the interviewer's mind specifically as a phrase, there will always be a key phrase that can take you from out of consideration to a a very viable choice. All alone, it won't do it, but if you have everything else, it can be the difference between "Welcome aboard" and "We decided to go a different direction".
ZV
I got asked the weakness question today. My answer: My handwriting is garbage, but thats what they make keyboards for.
Needless to say she laughed and admitted her handwriting was garbage as well.
Needless to say she laughed and admitted her handwriting was garbage as well.
QFT
Everytime I hear that question in a interview I just want to ask them if they think they do good HR work or can ask a question that has not been covered in every "How to get a job..." type book.
And people whonder how idiots get jobs while people that can do the job well do not. Don;t worry about knowing how to do the job, just learn what the HR person wants to hear.
I got asked what my *five* biggest weaknesses were. The interview had been going well, so my answer was:
1) I'm a perfectionist,
2) Take work home with me,
3) Have trouble counting to five.
That got a laugh, and I thought I was off the hook, until the "but seriously..."
So I said I need to work on managing my time to make sure that an important project doesn't take all my time, leaving some for other projects, that I felt at times I was too easy on others (despite those others saying I'm a hard-ass), and that I need to be a more effective delegator and give others a chance to do their jobs. If he really wanted 2 more, I'd try and think of them...
That worked.
1) I'm a perfectionist,
2) Take work home with me,
3) Have trouble counting to five.
That got a laugh, and I thought I was off the hook, until the "but seriously..."
So I said I need to work on managing my time to make sure that an important project doesn't take all my time, leaving some for other projects, that I felt at times I was too easy on others (despite those others saying I'm a hard-ass), and that I need to be a more effective delegator and give others a chance to do their jobs. If he really wanted 2 more, I'd try and think of them...
That worked.
Duh, it's so simple it's gotta work. Tell her to say this, seriously.
Interviewer: "What is your biggest weakness"
Her: "My interviewing skills."
Or she could always substitute "My bo staff skills.". However, I think she should seriously answer with the first suggestion. I know I'm going to next time.
Interviewer: "What is your biggest weakness"
Her: "My interviewing skills."
Or she could always substitute "My bo staff skills.". However, I think she should seriously answer with the first suggestion. I know I'm going to next time.
Actually, the most overused answer is "perfectionist". They really don't care what your answer is; they want to see how you answer the question... and if you answer the question with the same can of bullshit that everyone else uses, you fail.
That's very good, but you still need to be prepared for the counter:
"That's great... so do you feel that you still possess any traits that would be considered a weakness?"
When I'm preparing for an interview, I make a list of every conceivable question that could be asked. Then I write down all of my answers to those questions. Then I give my list of answers to my wife and I interview her. While she's answering the questions, I'm grilling her back. This makes it easy to determine how the interviewer could get off track based on your answers, that way you're prepared to answer the unknown, too.
This is actually the one I use, and it's the truth. I have very high expectations of myself when it comes to the quality of my work product. If I see other people slinging sh*t code just to get it done and off their desk, I'll cut their wanker off in front of as many people as I can assemble on short notice.
Though I do state this "weakness" a little more tactfully in an interview.
I wouldn't laugh. Having a sense of humor is one thing, but demonstrating that you're not taking the interview, or me, seriously isn't going to win you anything but a "well I think that was my last question... there's the door."
Be honest and tell your weekneed but make sure it is also one of your strengths....
Example, this is what i did and it worked for me... Weakness, I tend to be friendly with co-workers and talk maybe more than I should however this is a strength because I can get along with everyone in the workplace and people tend to like me. Something along those lines.
What hard is when they ask you you 3 biggest weaknesses and strengths!
Example, this is what i did and it worked for me... Weakness, I tend to be friendly with co-workers and talk maybe more than I should however this is a strength because I can get along with everyone in the workplace and people tend to like me. Something along those lines.
What hard is when they ask you you 3 biggest weaknesses and strengths!
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