Getting to talk about weaknesses

An interview can be a difficult and stressful experience if one is not adequate prepared.

A US-based website, The Balance  has compiled a handy guide to interview to the 10 most frequently asked questions and answers.

One of these questions is “what is your greatest weakness?”

So what’s the best way to talk about weaknesses at job interviews?

It’s a tricky question and responding carefully requires some preparation so that answer shows that you are the best candidate for the position.

There are several different ways to answer when you’re asked during a job interview what your greatest weakness is.

You can mention skills that aren’t critical for the job, discuss skills you have improved on, or turn a negative into a positive.

Even though the question is about weaknesses, your answer should always be used to talk about the positive aspects to your skills and abilities.

The Balance’s Alison Doyle shares some valuable insights:

Talk non-essential skills

One approach to answering this question is to analyse and focus on the key skills and strengths required for the position you are interviewing for.

Then talk honestly about a skills that is not essential to a job.

Mention skills you’ve improved

Another option is to discuss skills that you have improved upon to show the interviewer that you can make improvements when necessary.

Outline to employers your skills in the area of focus and discuss the steps you took to improve this area. Then reference your current, improved level of skill.

Be sure not to mention anything that you improved upon that is related to the job for which you are interviewing.

You don’t want your qualifications for the job to be questioned.

Turn a negative Into a positive

Another option is to turn a negative into a positive.

A sense of urgency to get projects completed or wanting to triple-check every item in a spreadsheet can be turned into a strength.  It shows that you are a candidate who makes sure that the project is done on time and your work will be close to perfect.

• When I’m working on a project, I don’t want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule.
• Being organised wasn’t my strongest point, but I implemented a time management system that helped my organisational skills.
• I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little too much time checking it. However, I’ve come to a good balance by setting up a system to ensure everything is done the first time correctly.
• As an undergraduate, I used to leave assignments until the last minute, but with the workload of graduate school, I learned to schedule my time very effectively.