Help with Weaknesses

scottishgirl87

Hi all,

I have an interview late next week which I am doing a little preperation for just now.

If I'm being brutally honest, I hate talking on the phone :embarasse, although I know it's a fact of life and majority of jobs have some form of talking on the phone. Do you think it would be ok to say this as a weakness at an interview? The job will involve speaking on the phone although is not the major aspect, ie. it's not call centre work or anything like that.

I basically thought I could say it's something I'm determined to improve on (I would eventually like to not hate talking on the phone!) and maybe mention I prefer dealing with people face-to-face.

But I don't know if it would work against me. I mean it's not as if I can't talk to people on the phone I just get antsy about it!

dseventy

scottishgirl87 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have an interview late next week which I am doing a little preperation for just now.

If I'm being brutally honest, I hate talking on the phone :embarasse, although I know it's a fact of life and majority of jobs have some form of talking on the phone. Do you think it would be ok to say this as a weakness at an interview? The job will involve speaking on the phone although is not the major aspect, ie. it's not call centre work or anything like that.

I basically thought I could say it's something I'm determined to improve on (I would eventually like to not hate talking on the phone!) and maybe mention I prefer dealing with people face-to-face.

But I don't know if it would work against me. I mean it's not as if I can't talk to people on the phone I just get antsy about it!

Don't say your weakness is speaking on the phone when thats part of the job!?!?!

If I employed someone and part of their role was talking on their phone and they said "I hate talking on the phone", I would think twice.

The cliche interview question weaknesses are:

1) Perfectionist
2) Can't say no
3) Spelling (always use email editor).

Suggest you pick one of these!

D70

scottishgirl87

dseventy wrote: »

Don't say your weakness is speaking on the phone when thats part of the job!?!?!

If I employed someone and part of their role was talking on their phone and they said "I hate talking on the phone", I would think twice.

The cliche interview question weaknesses are:

1) Perfectionist
2) Can't say no
3) Spelling (always use email editor).

Suggest you pick one of these!

D70

Thanks for the quick reply. I just think it's a genuine weakness of mine, and as I said I can do it, I just get a bit flustered while on the phone.

I probably should just stick with the old cliche's

KiKi

Personally, I wouldn't. Because talking on the phone is part of almost any job, and would - IMO - be seen as a basic / fundamental skill in most roles. In addition, the fact that you hate it doesn't mean you're not good at it.

If you have to talk about areas for development, I'd think more along the lines of something which is considered a less fundamental part of a role, for example, "I sometimes find it difficult to be as assertive as I should be" (not "I'm not assertive") or even "sometimes I get frustrated if I can't get a piece of work done as quickly as I'd like" - that sort of thing. Something that's not too detrimental!

That's not to say you shouldn't admit weaknesses at all - I think it's a positive when someone acknowledges they have things to improve, but if you want to get the job in the first place (ie, you're not already there) then I would talk about development areas which are less fundamental to a job, and not something which most interviewers will consider a basic skill. You don't want them to write you off on the basis that you hate something - it doesn't mean you're not capable of doing it, or improving...but they may not see it that way.

HTH
KiKi

MikeR71

Why do you feel that you have to be honest about everything in an interview? Nobody is totally honest in such situations and everyone exaggerates or hides facts to increase their chances of getting a job.

Why would you need to say you somthing that might harm your chances of getting a job? If you don't want the job then don't waste your time preparing for it. But if you do then cut out anything that might harm your chances.

Talking on the phone may not be such a big part of the job or be as much a problem once you get the job. I strongly suggest you leave it out.

Caroline_a

I certainly wouldnt admit something that is part of a role to be a weakness. I have often used the perfectionist one, or alternatively 'chocolate'

To be honest, it doesnt come up at every interview, and I would be more concerned with working on your strengths and selling those, rather than worrying about your weaknesses! I have also used the phrase 'I don't think I have any weaknesses in relation to the duties involved with this role..'

hello2007

scottishgirl87 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have an interview late next week which I am doing a little preperation for just now.

If I'm being brutally honest, I hate talking on the phone :embarasse, although I know it's a fact of life and majority of jobs have some form of talking on the phone. Do you think it would be ok to say this as a weakness at an interview? The job will involve speaking on the phone although is not the major aspect, ie. it's not call centre work or anything like that.

I basically thought I could say it's something I'm determined to improve on (I would eventually like to not hate talking on the phone!) and maybe mention I prefer dealing with people face-to-face.

But I don't know if it would work against me. I mean it's not as if I can't talk to people on the phone I just get antsy about it!

I just say sometimes I can be shy depending on the situation but that is true of everyone which answers the weakness question but sounds postive as well. I only say that I can be shy when I use perfectionist as one of my strengths.

scottishgirl87

Thanks all, I'll definitely leave it out!

Oldernotwiser

You don't have to use one of the cliches but you do need to come up with something that, although a negative, you can actually turn round to make a positive. You should never come out with something you're genuinely bad at!

dickydonkin

Turn a negative into a positive as ONW has suggested - for example:

I used 'impatience' as my weakness, however, I explained that due to this 'weakness' I could understand my colleagues frustration when they are waiting for some documentation from me to continue with their work.

I would then explain that I always try to deliver my work on time as I can understand that others could become frustrated with me by delaying their work targets.

heretolearn_2

I don't know why anyone asks this question any more. You know you are just going to get a load of old bull in reply