How To Answer The TOUGHEST Interview Questions!
by Nathan Newberger
This http://www.WorkTree.com career article by Nathan Newberger gives you
some common sense advice and tips on answering one of the toughest
interview questions - " Tell me about your greatest weakness? "
WHAT THE INTERVIEWER IS AFTER
Few interview questions invoke as much dread as "Tell me about your
greatest weakness?" Keep in mind that by asking this question that
the interviewer is trying to determine if you engage in self analysis
and how you handle difficult questions.
These 5 quick tips will help you to successfully navigate this
interview hurdle on your way to landing your ideal job.
5 Tips To Help Answer - "TELL ME ABOUT YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?
TIP #1 - MENTION THE DOWNSIDE OF A SKILL.
This strategy is successful because you actually answer the weakness
question by showcasing a skill. For example "I am very committed to
customer service. Sometimes this leads to my spending quite a bit of
time with customers. At times this causes me to fall behind in other
areas."
TIP #2 - SHARE A WEAKNESS THAT YOU ARE WORKING TO OVERCOME.
This tactic is successful because it shows that you are committed to
self-improvement. An example of this is “I am not really comfortable
presenting before an audience. I have joined a public speaking group
in order to overcome some of my nervousness.” Another example is "I
currently only speak English. I recognize that the world is getting
smaller day by day and I am studying Spanish in order to be better
prepared for the future."
TIP #3 - USE A WEAKNRESS THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE JOB.
While it is usually preferable to answer with the downside of a skill
or a weakness you are working on, sometimes, the best tactic might be
to use a weakness that is unrelated to the job. This way you can
honestly answer the question while not casting doubt on your ability
to fulfill the job requirements. Examples include "I am a terrible
cook" or "I cannot dance." This strategy is useful if you are trying
to inject a (quick) humorous story into the interview regarding some
mishap related to the weakness.
TIP #4 - DO NOT PRETEND TO BE PERFECT.
It is never a good idea to answer this question by saying you have no
weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses. By saying you have none, you
will appear arrogant.
TIP #5 - DO NOT GIVE A CANNED OR COMMON ANSWER.
This will make you will seem phony and insincere at worst and
unimaginative at best. An example of a very over-used answer is "I
am a perfectionist." Say this or something similar and be prepared
for the interviewer to (inwardly) roll his/her eyes and subtract
points for originality.
When talking about your weaknesses, always clearly communicate both
what you are doing to overcome the weakness and that you are
confident that your efforts will be successful.
About The Author
Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at
http://www.WorkTree.com. Nathan has over 10 years of experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at
http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers.
Re-Print Guidelines
Permission is granted to reproduce any of these articles but the article content CANNOT be altered and credit must be given to the author and also an active link to http://www.WorkTree.com. As a courtesy, please email Nathan at support@worktree.com if you decide to use any of his articles.
