Some questions come up once more and once more in job interviews. At the highest of the listing: “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want to work here?” and “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”
The strengths-and-weaknesses query might seem to be the simplest of the bunch for job seekers to reply, given the basic responses related to every:
My strengths? Creativity! Problem-solving! Collaboration!
My weaknesses? Perfectionism! I work too exhausting! I care an excessive amount of!
Though these solutions could also be true, they could additionally come throughout as trite and unoriginal, even scheming. That response could also be perilous as a result of job #1 in a job interview is standing out and job #2 is sounding sincere.
Below are suggestions and examples to deal with this fashionable interview query in a means that leaves an authentic, genuine, and significant constructive impression. It’s finest to put together two solutions for every query, although you’ll most likely solely use one.
How to Describe Your Strengths
When you share your private strengths in an interview, the dialog remains to be as a lot about their wants as your skills, so comply with these guidelines to guarantee your expertise come throughout as not solely spectacular, however related, distinct, and confirmed.
1. Focus on a energy that’s listed within the job description.
There’s no want to guess what celebrity qualities they’re on the lookout for — it’s all there in black and white. Look for the attributes listed beneath the “preferred qualifications” or “required skills” part of the job description.
2. Reframe the ability to make your response as particular as attainable.
Here are a number of examples of generic strengths with their extra descriptive counterparts:
- Communication expertise → Public talking and presentation expertise
- People expertise → Team administration expertise
- Video expertise → Video manufacturing and enhancing expertise
3. Once you decide your energy, apply expressing it in 4 elements.
- The energy
- An actual-life instance of that energy
- An affect of that energy
- How a lot you take pleasure in leveraging that energy
Try to incorporate most or all of these components inside your reply so that you’re not simply saying a phrase — you’re making a degree.
When you set all of it collectively, it ought to sound like this:
Sample Answer #1:
“I know a lot of people are afraid of public speaking but I really like it, and often use my speaking experience to support team projects. For example, last week, I presented our new customer-service portal to a prospective client, and they signed up immediately. I also get a lot of personal fulfillment from helping my colleagues with their presentations.”
Sample Answer #2:
“I love project management, because I enjoy solving problems in an organized and collaborative way. For example, I recently managed the planning, testing, and launch of a new product line, which came in on time and under budget. I love helping teams manage all the moving parts and multiple deadlines of a big project so they can focus on their deliverables.”
Sample Answer #3:
“I think my greatest strength is team management. I really enjoy working as a team and leveraging everyone’s unique skills and perspectives on a project, while at the same time having fun and maintaining a manageable work/life balance. One of my proudest moments was winning a team appreciation award earlier this year, and honestly, I really enjoy doing my part to help everyone do their best work.”
<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” fashion=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>
<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” fashion=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”>&#65279;</span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” fashion=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>
How to Describe Your Weaknesses
The key to sharing your best weaknesses in an interview is to be genuine however not self-sabotaging. An interviewer might bear in mind your weak point and maintain it towards you — even subconsciously — so that you want to restrict and mitigate any probably dangerous impressions.
These suggestions may also help you reply each responsibly and protectively:
1. Reimagine “weakness” as a “challenge,” even changing the phrase “weakness” with “challenge” in your reply.
This removes a number of the injurious sting of “weakness” and makes shortcomings appear extra fixable as a result of a weak point implies extra permanence than a problem.
2. Choose expertise which are simply correctable by way of coaching or dedication.
Work expertise like information evaluation, presentation expertise, or software program experience are usually learnable, and interviewers perceive that. But habits challenges like being impatient, disorganized, or insecure might seem to be persona flaws which are tougher to overcome.
3. Avoid clichés.
Stay away from overdone examples like “perfectionism” and “being a workaholic,” in addition to weaknesses which are simply strengths in disguise (“Sometimes, I work too hard/research too much/consider too many ideas”).
4. Choose a problem that’s not core to the job’s obligations.
While your strengths ought to match expertise highlighted within the job description, your challenges ought to keep away from these expertise. Simply put, you don’t need to be weak the place the job wants you to be sturdy.
5. Once you decide a problem, apply expressing it in three elements.
- The weak point
- Minor penalties of the weak point
- Your eagerness to tackle the weak point
As along with your energy, attempt to incorporate all of those components inside your reply, however this time hold the implications quick, easy, and minor so you’ll be able to concentrate on overcoming the problem greater than on the problem itself.
When you set it collectively, it ought to sound like this:
Sample Answer #1:
“One of my challenges is my lack of professional experience with presentation tools like PowerPoint and Canva. In the past, I’ve had specialists design these materials for me, but they don’t always know the content as well as I do. So, one of my goals this year is to learn these applications to create my own presentations and continually improve that skill.”
Sample Answer #2:
“One of my challenges is effectively proofreading my own work, especially in a fast-paced environment. I take a little longer, but often there’s not enough time, and I don’t want to let errors go through. One of my solutions has been relying on other writers and editors on staff to review my work, but I’m also looking at taking writing classes to help me elevate my editing skills to be more productive and efficient.”
Sample Answer #3:
“One of my challenges is studying new office applied sciences, like cloud submitting platforms, database instruments, and content material administration methods. It simply takes me longer to be taught sophisticated know-how instruments. But as soon as I do, I take pleasure in utilizing them, and like to assist new colleagues be taught them as effectively. I actually recognize it when an organization affords lessons and assets to assist individuals turn into assured utilizing the instruments.
Examples of Strengths and Weaknesses
Here’s a fast abstract of the examples mentioned above together with a number of extra to select from:
Strengths
- Public talking and presenting
- Team administration
- Video manufacturing and enhancing
- Project administration
- Proofreading
- Database administration
- Attention to element
- Taking possession
- Brainstorming
- Graphic design
Weaknesses
Reminder: Don’t select a weak point linked to a essential job ability.
- Being unfamiliar with sure software program
- Needing extra expertise in information evaluation, monetary forecasting, and many others.
- Fear of public talking
- Feeling uncomfortable giving developmental suggestions
- Needing extra time to be taught new methods
- Asking for assist
- Time administration
- Goal-setting
- Meeting facilitation
- Delegating
. . .
At the tip of the day (or, no less than, the interview), what the recruiters, potential colleagues, and supervisors you met most need to know isn’t your largest energy and weak point. They need to know what sort of individual you’re and how one can contribute to the operation. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” = “Are you the kind of person who can enhance the team and its work, be honest about your abilities, and take advantage of opportunities to improve and grow?”
As you apply your strength-and-weakness responses, bear in mind these influential elements so your interviewers in the end see you as not merely the sum of your expertise, however somebody they’ll belief — each throughout the interview and effectively past.
