How to Identify Weaknesses to Tell a Job Interviewer

Be prepared to identify a weakness to a job interviewer.

"What is your biggest weakness?" It's the classic question that job seekers dread. The interviewer asks this for two reasons: He wants you to tell him why he shouldn't hire you and he wants to see if you can identify areas within yourself that need improvement. With a little preparation, you can impress the interviewer and avoid waving a red flag.

Instructions

1. Identify a weakness that is relevant to your career. Don't say that you are a poor golfer. You would be dodging the question, and the interviewer would not be amused.

2. Avoid identifying a weakness that is a basic requirement of the job. For instance, if you are applying for an accounting position, don't tell the interviewer that you are not good with numbers.

3. Be honest and don't make something up. Everyone has something that they struggle with, so be honest about yours.

4. Portray your weakness in the best light, but be careful not to identify a strength as a weakness. Don't tell the interviewer your weakness is that you work to hard because that leaves them wondering if you want to work less.

5. Turn your weakness into an opportunity to show the interviewer you can learn and grow even in areas that are difficult for you. For example, effective response to the weakness questions is "I can sometimes be headstrong. I like to figure things out on my own. My colleagues are very busy and I hate bothering them. But I have realized that since the clients pay for my time, I need to go to my colleagues right away when I get stuck. Usually, it just takes a few minutes to figure out the problem and move on. I save 15 or 30 minutes of me spinning my wheels."

Tips & Warnings

• Pause before answering the question.

• Don't start your answer with "My biggest weakness is..." Your answer will sound canned and memorized.

References

• WorkTree; "How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions"; Nathan Newberger