What do you do if you're asked to describe your greatest strength in a job interview?

With passing years, we forget what we have learned and executed in our professional roles. Most of us do not have a professional journal to record our achievements and setbacks. It is important to assess ourselves on a routine basis to excel as a professional.

As a job seeker, it's important to know what to expect during an interview. According to my recent experiences, interviews mainly focus on three areas: your skills related to the open position, your willingness for the open position/company, and your ability to fit the organization's culture. So, what can you do to stand out? Your strengths that will help in these three areas will be the key to answering those questions. Make sure to highlight your strengths and how they will benefit the organization. Remember, interviews are a two-way street. Just as the organization is evaluating you, you should also assess if the company and the position align with your career goals and values. Good luck with your job search!

When asked to describe your greatest strength in a job interview, you need to tailor your answer. This is so that your answer would be able to suit the situation. When asked this question, you need to think properly about your own strengths and weaknesses. This is so that you can answer without lying. Although your answers may not be to the liking of the interviewer, you have to tailor your answers so that it suits their liking. This is so that you wouldn't be rejected during the interview.

Some interview questions ought to be practised and rehearsed. Mind-map and have a basic structure of the important questions ready to deliver. This not only enhances your confidence but also provides clarity and comprehension to the interviewer.

While asking about your greatest strength (or any personality trait), refrain from randomly using some resume-specific words like detail-oriented, multi-tasking or accomplished professional. These concepts are vague and are not quantifiable.

To describe your greatest strengths, you need to be specific. This is so that the interviewer would know what it is that you mean. Every strength that you say that you have has to be backed up with evidence. This is so that the interviewer would be able to believe you. You also need to be clear when stating your strengths. This is so that the interviewer would have a clear idea of what you mean.

SHOW: Don't tell - This is the mantra for showcasing your talents, achievements and strengths at all stages of your professional as well as personal life. When you mention your strength or an achievement, state the situation, the task involved, what actions were performed to showcase your capability and finally, conclude with the result or consequences of the action. Remember, the impact matters! Having a stagnant strength will not help your employer. So, how you utilise the strength effectively is what the interviewer wants to know.

This is a repeated question in most of the interviews. Practising this question must not be difficult. When preparing the response, ensure that you choose a strength that most matches with your professional role and aspirations.

You should practice out loud before going for the job interview. This is so that you would sound confident when speaking during the interview. You need to practice how to say the points that you have prepared. This is so that your points would sound smooth when you are presenting it. You also need to practice so that you would be able to know which part of your contents you need to change. This is so that your contents would sound as perfect as possible.