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

[MikeMike]

my only weakness is that i am perfect, and people dislike that i am perfect in everything.

 

[FrustratedUser]

"I suck at job interviews."

 

[DainBramaged]

My favorite response is something like: I tend to have a problem with micromanagement. I have a hard time trusting others to do the work that I feel responsible for. However, I realize this and strive to get feedback from others about how I am handling a particular situation.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Isn't all this kind of stupid. Don't the recruiters know everyone thinks this question is stupid and tries to fake it or find the best answer?

I think they know by default that you have been looking for the 'best' answer. I would seriously just say what I said before, maybe not using the word 'suck'.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: 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.

I like this one!

 

[shuttleboi]

Tell him that you don't laid enough, but you're working on it by hooking up with a Mexican dealer of roofies.

 

[igowerf]

I tie my weakness and strength together. I tell them that my weakness is that I really like learning and dabbling in new things to expand my skillset, but I could spend that same time improving on what I already know (jack of all trades, but master of none). This can be strength because I'm well versed in a lot different things and lets me adapt very quickly when I'm presented with new problems. It makes sense for me because I'm a web developer and we're often called on to do anything from graphics design to programming to network administration.

 

[SMOGZINN]

"Practically perfect in practically every way, at least in practice."
It is always my goal in any interview to portray as much confidence as is humanly possible. I smile and take control of the interview as soon as I am giving an opportunity and lead it to the questions I want to answer. Really an interview is a sales process, and the product you are trying to sale is yourself. Don?t worry about mind games and trying to second guess what answer he wants to hear. Give him an answer that he didn?t even know he wanted until you made him want it. To do this you must take control of the interview and steer it where you want it to go. Use charts, illustration, and other visuals to capture your audience?s attention.
This is obviously not going to work for an interview at Auto-Lube, but if you potential boss wears a suit, this is exactly the sort of thing he has always dreamed of seeing in a candidate, and if it is not then it is your job to make him think it is.

 

[Sentinel]

I have trouble working with people whose standards aren't at the same level as mine.

 

[puffff]

I say my weakness is trying to please everyone.

 

[Sphexi]

It's a hard question to answer. Some employers want to see you balance work and home life, so saying that you're an obsessive workoholic isn't always a great answer.

Personally, I've always said that from time to time I'll let things that I don't have any direct control over get to me, only because I want to make sure that everything in the company goes smoothly. At my current job it'd be things like other departments not pulling their weight, and me trying to pick up the slack at night when I should be letting their department head fix it himself (although he's the one slacking off). My work gets done, I just stress myself out doing their work too.

 

[Nocturnal]

First of all, you're not going to want to tell them all those stupid cliches you hear.

You're going to want to take a negative and spin it into a positive. Myself, I told my employer that my weakness is truly that I am sometimes way too nice and when people ask me to do things, such as go out of my way, I always get suckered in to doing it. I can never say no. Other than that, this question always stumps me too.

 

[conehead433]

I'm a sucker for perfect tits and a$$.

 

[bobbybe01]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
First of all, you're not going to want to tell them all those stupid cliches you hear.

You're going to want to take a negative and spin it into a positive. Myself, I told my employer that my weakness is truly that I am sometimes way too nice and when people ask me to do things, such as go out of my way, I always get suckered in to doing it. I can never say no. Other than that, this question always stumps me too.

QFT...don't listen to the cliches. Make it positive.

But in addition to that--talk about what you are doing to work on the problem....so that it doesn't seem to be a problem. For example, let's say your problem is with time management, you would say: "Well, there was one time when I had an important deadline due and because I failed to write it down, it didn't get done. As a result I bought a daily planner and I make sure I write down what needs to be done."

 

[edro]

"I tend to spend long hours in the bathroom, masterbating, while at work."

 

[axelfox]

Originally posted by: edro
"I tend to spend long hours in the bathroom, masterbating, while at work."

And spelling

 

[Sqube]

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

Honestly. Any ridiculous lie that you tell (like I'm such a workaholic I can't ever leave the office) is immediately obvious as a ridiculous lie. Tell the truth.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: bobbybe01

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
First of all, you're not going to want to tell them all those stupid cliches you hear.

You're going to want to take a negative and spin it into a positive. Myself, I told my employer that my weakness is truly that I am sometimes way too nice and when people ask me to do things, such as go out of my way, I always get suckered in to doing it. I can never say no. Other than that, this question always stumps me too.

QFT...don't listen to the cliches. Make it positive.

But in addition to that--talk about what you are doing to work on the problem....so that it doesn't seem to be a problem. For example, let's say your problem is with time management, you would say: "Well, there was one time when I had an important deadline due and because I failed to write it down, it didn't get done. As a result I bought a daily planner and I make sure I write down what needs to be done."

And THAT is not a cliche?!

Koing

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: MathMan

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.

Exactly how I feel about people who answer that way. Sometimes I wish I was an interviewer so I could ask that question, and then when they give me a B.S. answer I'd challenge them on it just to screw with them.

A weakness that makes you look good CANNOT BE YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS. Everyone has a weakness that does not make them look good. That, by definition, is a bigger weakness than one that makes you look good.

 

[Sqube]

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

Honestly. Any ridiculous lie that you tell (like I'm such a workaholic I can't ever leave the office) is immediately obvious as a ridiculous lie. Tell the truth.

 

[Yossarian]

"I have a tendency to overplay open ended straight draws."

 

[IGBT]

..tell em chocolate.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I'm too critical.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: MathMan

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.

Exactly how I feel about people who answer that way. Sometimes I wish I was an interviewer so I could ask that question, and then when they give me a B.S. answer I'd challenge them on it just to screw with them.

A weakness that makes you look good CANNOT BE YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS. Everyone has a weakness that does not make them look good. That, by definition, is a bigger weakness than one that makes you look good.

:thumbsup:

Originally posted by: Yossarian
"I have a tendency to overplay open ended straight draws."

:thumbsup:

Koing

 

[Manuwell]

You're hired !