Biggest Weakness Interview Question

morganedge

Doesn't everyone just say ''i'm a perfectionist'' as a weakness? lol.

Job interviews are just a test of who has the gift-of-the-gab and who can bull$hit the best. Just rehearse a load of good answers and reel them off in interviews like an actor doing a screen test!

Shortcrusts answer is probably a decent one to memorize

shortcrust

Newwashingmachine wrote: »

WOW - that's exactly it and I really appreciate your feedback. Thanks a lot!

Ah, glad I could be of some help!!:) Good luck with it all!

sunflower_2

i would also maybe add the positive of never getting complacent in any role and always taking initiative to improve procedures.

ERICS_MUM

sunflower wrote: »

i would also maybe add the positive of never getting complacent in any role and always taking initiative to improve procedures.

exactly. Once you get complacent you stop learning and soon become less effective in the role.

There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance !

I used to lack confidence in my job but I managed to "hide" it by almost putting on an act of confidence when facing others. Gradually it became "real" not an act.

I used to recruit but never asked the "weakness" question at interviews. I usually asked what skills or knowledge they would like to develop, why, and how did they plan to tackle it ?

(I also added a development section into the annual appraisal document so they could keep a record of targets and progress made - not used in the assessment, just a record to carry forward for their own benefit).

Linda xx

emslovesmickey

Apparently the best thing to do in an interview is bring up carefully worded self criticism as early as possible then concentrate on your positives. Interviewers like the fact you are honest off the bat.

crabyducky

Caroline_a wrote: »

I always say chocolate.... Never failed to raise at least a smile and make for a more relaxed interview!

Similar to me. Although mine is stew and dumplings. Always seems to work in my favour.

gibson123

Isn't the weakness question about self-awareness, there's nothing worse than an employee with an over-inflated sense of their own worth, you know the "know it all". Just put a positive on as others have said.

t0rt0ise

I was asked this at my last interview when I actually got the job. I said that my weakness was that I was not confident at answering questions in the classroom when doing the compulsory courses.. health and safety and so on. I said that I countered this by always forcing myself to answer a question in the first ten minutes. Then I relaxed and was more confident to answer later questions and take part. It was a lie but like the OP I didn't want to choose something that would go against me in the job. As it was the interviewers agreed with me that they didn't like the courses either.

Nednats

I was told to..

Find something in the job spec and say you to it do much.
For example if the it say "must have a keen eye for detail".
You answer something like "I sometimes focus to much on the detail".
Therefore you have answered the question with something they are actually looking for.

Person_one

This is such a terrible interview question I can't believe people are still asking it.

I would never answer with a character flaw or personality trait. They aren't psychologists! 'Trick' answers like 'I'm a perfectionist or ' I focus too much on details' just make you look daft.

I'd answer it more practically, pick an aspect of the job you have less experience or training in and then explain exactly how you will overcome that in the new role.