The question “Tell me about your weaknesses”, and derivatives thereof, is a really tricky question to be faced with in an interview. I would go further and say that it is a poor question which, in my view, sets up the job candidate to fail the interview, or at least not perform as strongly as possible. So let’s try and understand what the interviewer might be looking for with this question and offer some ways to handle it as effectively as possible.
Perhaps the interviewer is looking for a degree of self awareness or the ability to handle a stinker of a question under the pressure of a job interview. The interviewer may also be looking to screen out candidates and is using the question to that end. This question leaves the candidate with few, if any, good options. Below are a few possible answers you could use or adapt in response to this question:
- Tell them something that you are actually weak at. Picking something that you are not good at or which has come up in your annual appraisals seems like a reasonable option. However, in a job interview we are in the business of selling by matching our attributes with what the firm is looking for. As a candidate, we want to present ourselves in the best light. So pointing out weaknesses is going to work against you. My advice is to discount this option.
- Tell them a weakness that is in fact a strength. Replying to the question by saying ‘well I work too hard’, ‘I get impatient because I am all about results’, or ‘I am something of a perfectionist and like to perform at a very high standard’ will not convince anyone. This approach of using a weakness to point out a strength will have interviewers rolling their eyes and will not put you in a good light. Again, I would recommend avoiding this option.
- Perhaps the best answer is this: focus on a skill or experience you have not yet acquired. Instead of answering the question in the frame of your attitude to work, a better approach is to tell the interviewer about a skill or experience that you lack. There are three things to consider here.
- First, the lack or skill or experience should not be a core requirement for the job. If that is the case, then you may rule yourself out of consideration unless you can outweigh your lack of that skill with something else which they might consider much more valuable.
- Second, this lack of a skill or experience should be something that is aligned with the core of your value offer but that you have just not had the time or opportunity to gain yet. Yet is the operative word.
- Third, it would be great if you can tell the interviewer ways in which you have taken the initiative to close the gap and gain that skill - perhaps by reading a book on the subject, attending a course, and so on. This will demonstrate self awareness and a proactive attitude to continually grow your professional skills and ability to add value.
This is a tough question that is asked all too often in job interviews. Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of why it is asked and how to handle it smoothly in your next job interviews. I may well have missed other options or ideas. Please let me know in the comments what you think and if you have additional ideas. If you have an upcoming job interview and would benefit from some interview coaching, do get in touch to find out more about our coaching programmes.
