WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?

How to best answer the most complicated question.

So I went for an interview that I had been preparing for, I’m sitting in front of this beautiful interviewer, and she asks me this very complicated question.

Taken aback, I didn’t understand why or what weaknesses had to do with a job.

Because one is supposed to be dishing out their skills, abilities and talents that makes one competent and the best applicant for the job.

I used to think people who talk about their weaknesses were simply ignorant.

But you see, much more than the question, it’s a trick and the trick is revealed in your answer, every one has a weakness, but how you choose to reveal it tells alot about you

Now I know better, I have come to realise that discussing about one’s weaknesses is actually intelligent and an act that shows how much aware a person is about themselves.

Yes it is, if done strategically.

“What are your weaknesses?” Is one of the questions people have difficulty answering. It seems like a tricky question( saying one has no weakness comes off as insincere because everyone has weaknesses and accepting to have a weakness might ruin your chances of getting the job because your weakness may turn out to be an essential skill required for the job) but I can assure you it’s not.

Employers ask applicants about their weaknesses to know more about them, to reach the applicants unfiltered self. Employers can’t possibly know all about a candidate with their strengths.

Employers know that no one is perfect.
They want to know you don’t conceal your flaws, they want to know how an applicant handles critics. They also want to know how one has tried to work on their weakness and what one plans to do to keep improving.

Managers ask this question to be sure they’re hiring the right person. They wouldn’t want to hire someone who is full of themselves and doesn’t handle constructive criticisms the right way. This question is asked so they’ll hire the applicant who puts efforts to improve themselves as this is the right attitude to work.

How one responds shows the employer that you are self aware and know that no one is perfect. Also that you’re willing to improve and excel.

It can also reveal that one is too arrogant and dishonest.

However, there are cardinal and positive ways to answer about your weakness while staying sincere and professional

Here are few examples on how to give answers about your weakness without jeopardising your chances of getting employed.

1 Instead of presenting the affliction, mention it’s indications

For ” I am a perfectionist” or “I am self critic”
Say I focus too much on details. Which can distract me from the supreme goal

2 Start with mentioning weaknesses you’ve overcome or have plan on how to overcome.

Example
one of my weaknesses is I focus too much on details of a project. I had to improve in this area when I noticed paying too much attention on a project tends to slow my work and miss my deadlines. I have conquered this weakness by setting personal deadlines for myself before the actual deadline and this has helped me greatly most times in conquering this weakness.

This way you leave a remarkable impression.

3 Do not mention weaknesses that are essential in the job.
Mentioning qualities that are critical for the job might get you closer to losing the chance to be employed.

Example
If you’re applying for the position of a copy writer, you don’t want to say your weakness is not being creative or not being able to handle critics. Because this is a crucial quality of a copy writer and the employer will automatically count you off the list as they’re trying to hire the best applicant for the job.

4 Be positive.
It is central to maintain positivity.
One can also explain how a weakness could be seen as positive in the job.
Frame your response in a positive manner so that whatever you said as needing improvement is seen as an accomplishment rather than a weakness.

For example,
Focusing too much on a detail would mean that there’s won’t be unnecessary mistakes.

5 turn your weakness into strengths

There is strength in every weakness. While mentioning your weakness, it’s also essential to sell your qualifications to the interviewer. This makes you a strong contender for the job.

You can say that I find it hard to work alone, I don’t work under pressure, I prefer working with a team because when I’m pressurised, someone else can come up with an amazing idea, there is division of labour, the task is divided according to our capacities which makes it easier to be done effectively and efficiently.

Or I pay attention to details too much which makes my error to reduced to the minimum, of course I’m human.

Or I’m very emotional, I always feel deeply what people feel, but it helps me to connect with customers and help them with their issues and also it gives me a great sense of emotional intelligence, I know what to say to them to make them less angry.

6. be honest,
It’s vital that your answer be authentic and shaped to your own circumstances.
Choose a real weakness, be truthful with your answer. Answers like I don’t have a weakness will come across as dishonest.

And no employer will hire someone who stands out as an insincere person.

Always learn to say what steps that you’re taking to actually deal with that weakness, have you taken courses online, talked to a mentor about it, read a book about that topic or have you gotten an accountability partner?

Do this and see yourself convincing the interviewer.

Hope you found value

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