'what is your weakness' interview question

bubble13

Hi everyone

I am just curious as to how people answer this question?

I had an interview last week and I answered that I was quite shy, but I am working on being more confident and outgoing. I didn't get the job and the feedback was that they felt I was too shy and didn't think I would be good at communicating with people outside of the company.

I was disappointed, I work in admin now and to be honest the job was very similar to what I do now, which I think I manage.

I have another interview on Friday and am worrying a bit on how to answer this tricky question!

Thanks.

browneyedbazzi

It sounds like a cliche, but I answer that I'm a perfectionist and have extremely high standards about how things should be done - on one hand it's a positive trait because whatever I do is done properly, but on the other hand it means that I sometimes struggle with colleagues who don't work to the same standard (but I try very hard not to apply my own standards to others or to let it show if I do!). I also struggle with the idea of just getting something done to a lower standard due to time/resource pressures - to me it's only acceptable to do it right, but to an organisation sometimes 'good enough' is acceptable.

All of the above means that I am prone to getting stressed out about work. I have spent a fair bit of time and energy developing coping mechanisms to effectively deal with my stress.

Whatever you answer, I think it's important to be able to say how it can have a positive impact on your work as well as the negatives and also what you do to try to overcome the negatives.

fufu_banterwaite

I always say eczema.

Andy_L

"I can't stand clich!d interview questions"

edit: hmm... interesting, MSE doesn't like e with an acute accent

adouglasmhor

Andy_L wrote: »

"I can't stand clich!d interview questions"

edit: hmm... interesting, MSE doesn't like e with an acute accent

I have noticed that for some reason too.

morganedge

Don't people always just say 'i'm a perfectionist' or 'i'm a work-a-holic'?

I hate interviews. I can never think of anything to say.
Maybe the trick is to memorise good answers (after researching 'good interview answers') to every question that you can think of that may be asked. It's a bit robotic and not very spontaneous, but...

browneyedbazzi

morganedge wrote: »

Don't people always just say 'i'm a perfectionist' or 'i'm a work-a-holic'?

Yep, it's an answer a lot of people give. But most people just stop at the label - they don't/aren't able to explain how it impacts on their work (in positive and negative ways) and what they do to limit any negative impact it can/does have.

Just saying 'I'm a perfectionist' is rubbish.

Caroline_a

I usually say 'chocolate' and smile... never yet failed to break the ice.

bsms1147

Answer with 'Kryptonite'. Then leave, taking off your glasses as you do.

teabelly

Caroline_a wrote: »

I usually say 'chocolate' and smile... never yet failed to break the ice.

I've used that one as well

JKSandy

'what is your weakness'

I once answered this with something about not enough hours in the day!! Why would anyone say that?!

Think of things that you can turn around into a positive.

"I can sometimes take on too many tasks at the one time, however I make sure that each task is completed correctly and I have now learned to manage this by prioritising each task"