Interview question - weaknesses

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peggybetty

Guest
If you go for an interview and are asked the dreaded question what are your strengths & weaknesses - on the weakness front do you answer in personal terms or do you answer in work terms ?
 
weakness

my main weakness is that i tend to be a bit too much of a perfectionist....

i have that line worn out!
 
Re: weakness

The old 'perfectionist' line wouldn't get you anywhere with me. I'd expect a candidate to have identified areas for ongoing development, either relating to inter-personal skills or professional skills.
 
Re: weakness

Whatever the response, it's going to be bull$#!£. Why do interviewers ask such questions? Most 'How to do an interview' books will have such questions covered, with 'perfect' answers. Just recite them word for word.
 
Just tell the truth - that you tend to sleep after lunch between say 2 and 3:30 and don't even ask you anything before 10:30!!

Alternatively take rainyday's advice and identify areas that require improvement. I wouldn't go overboard on the weakness factor - rather identify areas that you wish to perfect. This gives an impression that you're constantly seeking to improve rather than just pointing out areas you're just crap in, if you know what I mean.
 
Re: weakness

Why do interviewers ask such questions?

a) Because it beats those long awkward silences if they have nothing to ask.

or

b) Because questions like that give an insight into how clued in a person is. It's easy to spot a recitation from an actual thought out and personal answer, I'd guess.

But, yes, I agree, in general interviews and the questions asked are daft.
 
Re: weakness

^^^ I suspect in 90% of cases, it's probably 'A'
 
Poor interviewing....

If you ARE asked this question in an interview, I'd walk out the door as the HR practices in the company are so out of date.

Interviews questions should be competency based - can you do the job in question and can you prove from your previous experience that you have handled similar responsibilities.
 
Re: Poor interviewing....

Hi Kildrought - It's not just a question of CAN you do the job, there is the important question of HOW you do the job. While I wouldn't ask the question in the cliched manner suggested by the original poser, I would see it important to see if a candidate is self-aware and commited to self-development.
 
Rainyday is right, well almost

When asked your weaknesses you should point out the skills for your career path that could be fulfilled by the position you are going for

eg assisstant manager, you need supervision skills
going for a job in London, need international experience


It is usually the resaon you will be going for a particular job (if it is a career move) and if not then make it sound like it

Stu
 
Re: Rainyday is right, well almost

OK now what about the "Why are manhole covers round?" question...
 
Rainyday FYI

"I wouldn't ask the question in the cliched manner suggested by the original poser"

Rainyday just so you know I was asked this extact question & phrased in this exact manner in an interview last week by a large US multinational, unfortunately it does still get asked.
 
Weakness?

The "weakness" question should be used as yet another option for putting out your strengths. You mention the strength and then say how you can sometimes overdo it but at the same time show that you are aware of the potential downside of your skill and how you compensate for this.

Strength - Weakness - Compensation - Repeat Strength

Try Interview speak like.

I like to keep all meeting short and to the agenda, this sometimes leads to not getting the a full contribution from all attendees and missing out on important contributions. To counter this I always go round the table and individually check that they are happy with their contribution. If any major issues come up they are dealt with outside the meeting so we can still finish on time.

Nogser
 
Re: Weakness?

Usually these sort of questions are asked by the HR department who usually do the second part of the interview after you have done the real interview. I have on occasions been very happy with an initial interview to be then confronted with these sort of childish questions. How can you answer such a question in a serious and honest manner, the truth is you can't so these sort of questions should not be asked. All they do is pick out the people who are the best at doing interviews rather than the person who is most suited to the job.
 
Re: Weakness?

All they do is pick out the people who are the best at doing interviews rather than the person who is most
Click to expand...

So the moral of the story is to be good at doing interviews! If you get a bad interviewer you can be in trouble but otherwise you will should just use every question as an opportunity to put across the points you have prepared beforehand. You may consider the question to be silly but you can show lots of skills and knowledge in your answer.

Nogser
 
Re: Weakness?

A good HR person will be conscious of whether a candidate is a good interviewer and/or good at their job. In most cases, ability to do a good interview is a measure in itself of the candidates ability to present themselves.
 
Re: Weakness?

There are many jobs where presentation and dealing with people are important such as working in a HR dept and there other jobs where they are not. In other words there are jobs where technical skills and ability to do the job are much more important. It is true that good presentation skills for such jobs are a bonus but they are merely that, a bonus. For instance if you are working as a builder or plumber you would never be asked such questions because employers are much more interested in your technical skills. In many modern organisations too much importance is placed on interview and presentation skills for jobs where they are not required. In my own workplace I know that a technician got a job over and above many better qualified applicants only too be fired a few months later when it was found he wasn't able to service the machines. They try too glean information from an interview which isn't there.
 
Weakness question. Asked all the time and in many guises. They may talk about training, gaps, technical upskilling, disappointments and failures. If you answer "perfectionist" "workaholic" or any of the other cliches, any skilled interviewer will either drill down with killer follow-up questions or draw a line through your name on the spot.

Why do they ask it? (1) Do you have self-knowledge (2) Are you confident to get into meaningful conversation of failings (seeing as we all have them) or do you resort to cliches as above? (3) What correcetive action have you taken on weaknesses?

Good article here http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=35&si=466760&issue_id=4798
 
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