YAIT: How do you answer "What are your weaknesses?" in a job interview

[QED]

Nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh?

Anyway, I have a job interview tomorrow-- and the recruiter gave me a list of questions that might be asked. They are of the garden variety for interview questions and I feel pretty confident in my responses for them, except for one.

That one, of course, is how to answer the question "What are your weaknesses?".

I would like to tell them that if I had to pick one thing, I think I could improve my organization skills. My recruiter told me that is a bad answer-- that I had to give them a weakness that really isn't a weakness.

"You mean, like saying I'm a workoholic and I can't leave work until every minor issue is resolved?", I ask.

"Yes, something exactly like that", the recruiter replies.


I don't necessarily buy that... I think every interviewer who asks that question knows that if someone answers it by saying they are a workoholic then they have proven themselves to be an overcoached liar.

If I'm asked what my weaknesses are, what do you guys (and gals) think I should say?

Do I go with complete and candid honestly and tell my potential boss of everything I'm aware of I'm flawed in?

Or do I give him the completely tripe answer of being too hard of a worker?

Or, do I tell him that while I'm a pretty good 3-point shooter I can't make a layup to save my life, and hope he chuckles and moves on the next question?

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

I wouldn't be able to say "I'm an obsessive workaholic who hates the idea of sleeping because it takes time away from work" with a straight face. As you said, I'd see myself as an overcoached liar, and the interviewer probably will too.

Nor would I suggest giving a laundry list of every single thing you wish you could change in yourself.

Just be honest, and rather than phrasing it in the negative or shifting blame ("My organizational skills suck because my parents gave me bad genes") try to put it in the positive and mention how you're improving on it ("I have to make special efforts in keeping organzied, like keeping to-do lists/writing myself reminders. I tend to lose track of things if I don't.")

Good luck tomorrow, let us know how it goes.

 

[EKKC]

of course the recruiter says that. but i say be truthful.

remember, the recruiter wants you to be the perfect candidate so he/she can get you the j-o-b and then gets the $$$ for the referral. on the other hand, if you come off as fake when they asked you that question about weakness, you may hurt yourself as well.

you should give an example of how you have that weakness and how you already know what the solution is or turn it into another strength.
ex. "my organization skills need improvement, I sometimes go ahead and work with minimal preparations or planning, but there are times when I work in a huge team project where the planning and discussions are necessary"

then again don't listen to me, i am looking to leave my current job. lol.

 

[crimson117]

Usually you should try to point out some failing that you've identified, but that you've very sufficiently accounted for.

Something like "I was never too good at any complex math, so I never trust myself with important calculations - I always keep a calculator in my pocket."

That's not a realistic example, but do you get the idea?

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

if i were an intelligent recruiter, i would not buy that, but some are dumb

 

[shortylickens]

Do like the politicians.
Give an answer to your question. Not his.

Seriously, they dont really wanna know your weaknesses. The'll make that determination on their own.
Its sort of like those weird questions they ask at Microsoft.
They wanna see HOW you answer. Not WHAT you answer.

 

[Safeway]

You answer if honestly. You know what your weaknesses are. Don't pull some bullshit answer out of your ass, and feed it to them. They want to know what your weaknesses are. Too headstrong? Stubborn? Rely on groups? Too individual? Constantly take the leader role?

 

[Squisher]

If it were me I'd kind of change around the workaholic thing to, "I sometimes can show a level of stubbornness when it comes to trying to resolve a problem to the point that it would have been better to cut my losses and give up."

 

[HamSupLo]

"i'm not good at public speaking, i get nervous"

this is a good one because:
a) who isn't scared of public speaking?
b) you can follow up and say that it's something you'll like to work on

 

[Dubb]

I use a vague, re-worded "I work too hard":

"sometimes I get a little over absorbed in the details, and I need to remind myself to zoom out and look at the big picture"

it's vague enough that it doesn't really mean anything, superficially seems self critical and honest, but still slips in the professional, detail-oriented thing.

 

[EKKC]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
"i'm not good at public speaking, i get nervous"

this is a good one because:
a) who isn't scared of public speaking?
b) you can follow up and say that it's something you'll like to work on

howard stern???

 

[Nebor]

"It takes me a long time to learn anything."

 

[SKORPI0]

How to Answer Questions About Your Weaknesses

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: Nebor
"It takes me a long time to learn anything."

"I'm kind of a goof-off."

 

[Sentinel]

I would say, "My weaknesses are my inability to work with incompetent people."

 

[DT4K]

Interviewers have heard all the BS answers to questions like that. Your recruiter is an idiot.
Be honest and pick a real weakness, but give them a clear example of what you are doing or have done to work on improvement in that area. The good thing about this kind of answer is that it tells the interviewer two things. First, that you are honest and second, that you are aware of the areas you need to improve on.

As someone who has interviewed quite a few people, I would definitely prefer an honest answer like that instead of the BS crap that 99% of the career books tell you to use.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: Sentinel
I would say, "My weaknesses are my inability to work with incompetent people."

WHOA! :Q
Be careful about using that line if applying for any kind of leadership position.

 

[crimson117]

Tell the interviewer "I tend to see the other employees as sexual prospects rather than co-workers." Then wink.

 

[Sentinel]

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: Sentinel
I would say, "My weaknesses are my inability to work with incompetent people."

WHOA! :Q
Be careful about using that line if applying for any kind of leadership position.

HAH yeah it just popped in my head.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Whatever you say, you have to have an example of how you deal with it and overcome it. So if you say that you have poor natural organizational skills, you have to follow it up with, "...so I do 'X' and 'Y' to make sure that I stay organized and am able to stay on task".

Personally, my answer is that I suck at the whole "work/life balance" thing. I'll load up my plate fully at work and then volunteer to help anyone who needs it on top of that. I haven't had a 40 hours week in months. Basically I can't stand having nothing to do. I'd rather be swamped with eight different things to do than to sit with almost no workload. If I actually end up with nothing to do, I'll annoy the hell out of my bosses by continuously asking for more work. They've begun to learn not to leave me with nothing to do.

ZV

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: Sentinel

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: Sentinel
I would say, "My weaknesses are my inability to work with incompetent people."

WHOA! :Q
Be careful about using that line if applying for any kind of leadership position.

HAH yeah it just popped in my head.

Honesty is always fun though.

I've been reading this thread and thinking of Office Space.
"Yeah, hes just a straight shooter with upper management written all over him."

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: crimson117
Tell the interviewer "I tend to see the other employees as sexual prospects rather than co-workers." Then wink.

FTW

 

[rubix]

tell him you like start fires but sometimes you have trouble getting desks to light up well and that you plan to work on this in the future. then show him your priority list with "burn stuff" at the top.

 

[SampSon]

The times I was asked that stupid question in interview I answered:
"I'm a workaholic that can't stop until the job is done, which drives me to be an alcoholic who can't stop after the job is done"

 

[MasterAndCommander]

You roundhouse kick them in the face and say - I have no weakness, I'm Chuck "Fvckin" Norris beotch!....ok maybe that's why I always wanted to say. The standard answer is the "Workoholic" or can't say "No"...etc.