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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Greatest weakness? How to answer?
When you are asked about your greatest weakness during an interview, how do you answer? I know everyone's will be different, but I would love to get a general idea of how you position this.
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Re: Greatest weakness? How to answer?
YOu have to be honest. Use something that really is a weakness for you, but hopefully one (since you're aware of it) that you've either overcome or you combat effectively so that it's not as big a weakness as it could be.
The adage of "use something that is really a strength" is crap. "I'm TOO organized!". Interviewers see right through that.
They want to know that you're self aware enough to be able to spot your weaknesses and in turn, deal w/ them so that they don't have a negative impact on your job.
I'm a trainer (PC/ soft skills). I always talk about how I'm impatient. But as I know I am, I talk about how I deal w/ it when I'm teaching people on something that they are having trouble with. I still feel impatient, but I don't let it show.
And I have an example of how one time I was teaching HTML. There was a guy in my class who didn't even know how to type, much less understand enough about PC's to know waht HTML even was. He was obviously in the wrong class!
It drove me bonkers. But I tried my hardest to be calm and patient. I ended up getting some of my best reviews - other students saying how patient I was w/ him, how I took my time, etc. It made me LOL because I was going insane internally!!!!
But this is very much my weakness and in the my job... it's a weakness that I HAVE to overcome.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Ditto PP. Be honest. Everyone has them. Interviewers can see right through the "weaknesses" that aren't really. Follow it up with the steps you have/are taking to improve.
I have a tendency to be very shy, and I know this can come off as being snobby or uninterested. Over the years, I have come up with a few questions/topics I feel comfortable asking new coworkers/clients and make an effort to be as outgoing as I can when I first meet people. All the years I spent in public accounting also forced me to come out of my shell and I rely on those experiences still.
I posted my thoughts to your OP on MM but as to your second question- I think it all depends on how you worked to overcome it/use it to your advantage.
If you just say that it sounds awful, but if you talk about your strategy for using that information to make you a better worker and to realize its to help you then it can be a positive. Maybe you put a quote on your bulletin board or came up with a plan to improve or maybe you grew a thicker skin ( although I'd focus on how you know see it as one of your greatest motivators rather than just overcoming it).
I answer honestly.
This is not a trick question. It's designed to show that you are aware of your limitations and are working to overcome a weakness. An interviewer will call BS if you say something like "I'm a perfectionist" or "I work too hard".
For some people, it's discomfort with public speaking in a job that requires it. For others it's time management, and they would then share their techniques for getting work done by a deadline. For others, it's attention to detail, and they would describe checklists they put together to make sure they catch everything.
I get easily distracted (and sometimes distract others) when I have downtime. I try to keep a set of back-burner projects to keep me busy during those times.
Our little Irish rose came to us on March 5, 2010
Don't drink the water.
Disclaimer: I am not an MD. Please don't PM me with pregnancy-related questions. Ask your doctor.
How are you working on that? Do you use the criticism to improve your work? Or do you just stew about it?
Our little Irish rose came to us on March 5, 2010
Don't drink the water.
Disclaimer: I am not an MD. Please don't PM me with pregnancy-related questions. Ask your doctor.
Why not? Do you really think the BS answer helped you?
Our little Irish rose came to us on March 5, 2010
Don't drink the water.
Disclaimer: I am not an MD. Please don't PM me with pregnancy-related questions. Ask your doctor.
This is a major weakness of mine as well. My way of dealing with it is to reflect on the criticism, realize that it's not a personal attack, only a remark on an aspect of my job performance that requires improvement. and I act on the improvement so it doesn't happen again.
Probably, I've always gotten the job. But I don't say the really cliche ones like "I CARE too much about my job." or "I'm a total perfectionist." that secretly say that you're the most awesome employee ever. I usually think about it a lot and have a scripted answer ready by the time of the interview in case they ask it.
Last time it was, "When I first entered the work force, I didn't feel confident, so I was never comfortable to ask for more projects, and I wasn't getting the experience I wanted. Then once my confidence level rose, I was so excited I said yes to everything, which resulted in getting burned out and stretching myself too thin. Now I am working on finding a balance in that area."
So not at total lie, but not a weakness... just something I'm working on. I didn't mean to imply that I made something crazy up. lol