How to Answer “What Are Your Greatest Weaknesses?” in a Job Interview

You are now at your dream office. There is only one interview left before you get the offer of your dreams. “What is your greatest weakness” is the most common question. Before I show you “what is your greatest weakness?”, let me tell you how you can not answer this question. Here are some points suggested by People dynamics Job consultancy in Qatar. 

This is what usually happens when this question is asked. Candidates get intimidated and instead of sharing their weaknesses, they shrug off the question and say they don’t have any. Or they are perfectionists this is a huge NO.

Disguising Strength and weakness

Remember that strength disguised as weakness is not weakness. If you think you can say “you’re a workaholic” while trying to make a positive spin on your weakness, it won’t work. In fact, the interviewer will see that you’re running from the question, which you certainly don’t want. Now that you know the wrong way to answer this question let’s learn how to impress your interviewer by giving the perfect answer.

The first tip is to identify an easily fixed weakness

It is acceptable to ask this question in interviews, no matter how hated it may be. Unfortunately, we must open our cards. However, we can still choose to include or exclude certain candidates. You should choose a weakness that can be fixed easily. If you pick something that is part of your personality or cannot be changed, it will be a red flag.

If you state that you have anger management or a short temper, then the employer would not be willing to make a change.

Let’s now move to the second tip suggested by People Dynamics Job consultancy

The second tip is to ensure that your weaknesses don’t hinder the job.

You must be open about your weaknesses, but this doesn’t mean you should rant about every negative thing that crosses your mind. Employers ask this question to ensure that your weaknesses are not a hindrance to the job. Be more strategic and open about your shortcomings.

If you apply for a role as a sales representative and say that you are shy or don’t like to talk to people, this won’t go over well with the employer. The core purpose of the job is to build relationships and interact with people.

Share your improvement plans.

When you list your weaknesses, remind your employer about your improvement plans. This shows that you not only acknowledge them but are actively working to eliminate them. It also shows that your willingness to learn and improve makes a positive impression. Let me now share some examples of acceptable weaknesses.

Impatient is the first example. It’s an acceptable weakness, so you can say

When I need to rely on others for my work, it is easy to become impatient. I want things to be done quickly so it can come off as pushy. However, I have admitted this problem and am working on it. I’ve enrolled in a team-building workshop, and I know it’s important for me to trust my coworkers and allow them to work at their own pace.

This way you can show that you not only have an answer but also acknowledge the problem and are actively working to solve it. Furthermore, this problem won’t hinder your job performance as you will not be distracted by it.

Let’s now move to the second example suggested by People Dynamics Recruitment agency

Second example: I have trouble spelling NO

Sometimes I feel obliged to help coworkers when they need it. Although I had a lot of work, I couldn’t refuse to help my co-workers. I realized this when my work/life balance was suffering. I now recognize what tasks are my responsibility and try to complete them first, then give a hand if I have extra time.

Even though it is a weakness, this would not upset your employer. After all, the employer hired you to make his life easier. Who better to trust than him?