While prepping for an interview, there are some common questions that we all know will be thrown at us by the interviewer. And it is only right to prepare well for them beforehand to save ourselves from the embarrassment of going blank. Among these common questions, the one that has always been the most difficult to answer for me personally is the weakness questions—”What’s your biggest weakness?” I have always tried answering the question in different ways and let me tell you a secret. There is no particular answer that we can all agree to be the only right answer!
So how do we go about it? Every person has a different skillset and a unique work experience. So a common answer can’t suit everyone. Which is why here are 4 things to keep in mind while framing your answer to this question.
1. Honesty Is The Best Policy
Don’t treat this as a question you need to nail with an extraordinary answer. Instead, this is your time, to be honest about yourself. List down your weaknesses at work, maybe the ones you’ve struggled with in your previous jobs. Then, figure out which ones you can actually use and talk about during the interview. The best way to realise your weaknesses is by remembering the challenges you faced earlier or even healthy criticism shared by your previous manager.
2. Talk About How You Deal With Your Weakness
Don’t just leave it at telling what your weakness is. Follow it up by talking about how you have dealt/still deal with this weakness. This will show the interviewer that even though you have some flaws, you’re still aware of them and take measures to get above them. By doing so, your weakness will in a way talk about your strength! Smart, right?
3. Don’t Try The Overly Used Answers
One of the biggest mistakes most of us do while answering this question is repeating the same old answers that probably other candidates tried their hands on too, right before you! The classic, ‘My biggest weakness is that I focus too much on perfection’ should be tossed in the bin right away. Even if it is true for you, it could still make the interviewer feel that you’re trying to get away with the question by giving a generic answer. And that, my friend, doesn’t look like a good sign to me.
4. Steer Clear Of Deal Breakers
While being honest is something that will take you a long way, being too honest can land you in trouble at such times. You have to be smart about choosing what to share and what not to share. If you talk about a weakness that could potentially ruin your chances of getting the job then it’s definitely not the right choice. For example, if you’re applying for a sales job but you say your weakness is not being able to negotiate well then I got some news for you. It will serve as a major red flag to your interviewer and they might take you off the list at that moment itself.
Now, this in no way means you need to make up a weakness. Just pick some weakness that won’t come in your way of getting this job with such high impact.
If you’re looking for more tips for your next big interview, stay tuned for our upcoming blogs. We’ll be covering a lot of other aspects with some really cool tricks.
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