How to Answer the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Introduction

Navigating job interviews is always a challenge. Lets face it, people are complicated and since we are the ones hosting interviews, of course they will be too. To add to the pressure of interviews, oftentimes we are faced with the dreaded question, “What are your weaknesses?” While appearing relatively simple, this question often leaves job candidates confused and uncertain about how to respond without failing the interview in its entirety. Understanding the job interview question what are your weaknesses is crucial to your interview success.

In this guide, we share why this question is asked in nearly every interview, how to best prepare a thoughtful answer, structure it effectively, and we provide our recommended approach on how to answer. We also share specific scenarios, offer tips and tricks, and provide additional resources so you can get your dream job.

Understanding the Purpose of the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Employer’s Perspective: Understanding who a candidate truly is is critical in making the right hiring decision. No one is perfect and employers are fully aware that if someone can’t admit their faults, they will likely be someone that is incredibly difficult to manage. Employers want employees who are self aware, who understand their faults, and cannot only learn from their shortcomings but grow by learning how to address them. Employers want their future employees to understand that they have room for development.

Common Misconceptions: Many job candidates that we work with believe this question is a trick or that sharing any weakness will ruin their chances of getting their dream job. The truth is, employers appreciate honesty and someones willingness to learn and grow. This question is not about being perfect. Its about being yourself and sharing who you truly are.

Preparing Your Answer for the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Self-Assessment:

Start by reflecting on feedback you have received in the past. This can be from your peers, managers, or even feedback you’ve received in your performance reviews. Identify areas where you’ve struggled or received constructive criticism. Think through the key themes and identify what you want to improve on, ensuring they are relevant but not critical to the job you’re applying for. Here are some steps you can take to help with self-assessment:

1. Review Past Performance Feedback: Look at past performance reviews, peer feedback, and/or comments from your managers. What areas did they say you should work on? Can you identify common themes across the various feedback you’ve received from peers and managers? 
2. Reflect on Past Work Experiences: Think about work situations or projects where you faced challenges or difficulties that led you to make mistakes. Do you make these mistakes often?
3. Seek External Opinions: If you can’t think of any weaknesses, try asking a trusted co-worker, mentor, or friends for their perspectives on your areas of improvement. Be sure to ask someone you trust and know will be candid. 

Choosing the Right Weakness for the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses:

Make sure you select a weakness that is minor and improvable. You want to avoid mentioning weaknesses that are essential to the core responsibilities of the job you are interviewing for. If you don’t know what these core responsibilities are, then pull up the job description to better understand what you should not right as a weakness. For example, if you’re applying for a role in accounting, don’t say you struggle with being detail oriented and please don’t say you hate numbers! If you do, then you should probably not be looking for a role in accounting. Instead, choose something that shows your willingness to improve and grow, but it not foundational to being successful in the role. Here are some tips for choosing the right weakness:

1. Focus on Professional, Not Personal, Weaknesses: Keep your answer relevant to work, but not critical for the role. Avoid personal weaknesses that don’t impact your professional performance.
2. Pick a Manageable Weakness: Choose a weakness that is not a core requirement for the job and that you can realistically work on improving.
3. Show Improvement Efforts: Ensure that you highlight how you are actively working to improve this weakness and provide examples of what you’ve done already.

Structuring Your Response to Answering the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Be Honest and Positive:

Be honest about your weakness but frame it in a way that you show that you are action oriented. Share with your future employer that you are actively aware and are working to overcome your weakness. Employers value candidates who can own their shortcomings and take actions to address them.

Using the STAR Method:

One of our favorite ways to structure responses to interview questions is by using the STAR method. If you are looking for a full article on the STAR method we have one for you. As a refresher, the STAR Method stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR). This method helps provide a clear and concise answer that showcases how you are results driven. For example:

• Situation: “In my previous role, I often struggled with presenting in front of large groups.”
• Task: “There were time where I had to present project updates to large groups of people.”
• Action: “To build my comfort and confidence, I actually joined a public speaking club that I would attend regularly. I knew the only way to get over my discomfort was by embracing the struggle. After attending the club, and built confidence, I volunteered to present at team meetings.”
• Result: “Over time, my confidence in public speaking grew, and now I receive positive feedback on my presentations. My teammates also ask me for tips on how to improve their public speaking”

Breaking it down to understand what each phase of STAR represents:

1. Situation: Describe the context within which you faced the weakness.
2. Task: Explain the specific task or challenge that highlighted your weakness.
3. Action: Detail the actions you took to address the weakness.
4. Result: Share the positive outcome or improvement that resulted from your actions.

For more information on the STAR Method, you can view our article here.

Examples of Good and Bad Answers for the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Bad Answers for the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses:

• “I don’t have any weaknesses.” This response simply does not answer the question. Every living and breathing human on the plant has weaknesses. Saying this is a surefire way to fail the interview. It shows a strong lack of self awareness. Instead, see the examples of good answers above and identify a weakness that is true for yourself.
• “I’m a workaholic.” Listen, we all work hard, but saying this is another poorly thought out response. Stating that you are a workaholic simply implies that you do not know how to prioritize and are a prime candidate for burnout. There is a lot of work to be done, but this only signals that you will be gone in a year.

Good Answers:

• Perfectionism: “I am somewhat of a perfectionist, which can leads me to spend time on the small details. However, I’ve been working on balancing thoroughness with efficiency by setting clear deadlines and prioritizing tasks for myself. For example, in a recent project I was tasked with, I told myself I had 2 weeks to complete it. By having a clear deadline, I was able to prioritize what was important and not get bogged down with small details such as formatting”
• Delegation: ” When I first transitioned into a lead role, I initially struggled with delegating tasks. I prefer to handle tasks myself to ensure they were done in the way that I like. I’ve learned to have trust in my team and delegate more effectively, which has improved our overall productivity. By holding regular team meetings and one on ones with my team, I am able to set clear expectations, and I’ve seen a significant increase in our project’s success rate.”

Also Read Top 20 Situational Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Practice and Refinement for the Job Interview Question What Are Your Weaknesses

Mock Interviews:

You know what they say, practice makes perfect! Practice your answer in a mock interview setting to build your confidence, gain real time feedback, and simulate an interview experience. This also allows you to refine your responses which reduces anxiety during the interview. Here’s how to make the most of mock interviews:

1. Record Your Answers: Record yourself answering the weakness question and review the recording to identify areas for improvement. You can do this over zoom or by saving a recording in your phone. 
2. Get Constructive Feedback: Ask for feedback from trusted peers, mentors, or career coaches. Reach out to someone you trust to give you honest advice and feedback. Ask someone whose opinion you value. If you don’t have someone who can help, there are also tons of interview practice tools.
   • Google Interview Warm-Up
   • Perfect Interview AI
   • Interview Me Pro
3. Simulate Real Conditions: Practice in an environment similar to an actual interview setting to get comfortable with the process. Make sure the environment is quiet with minimal distractions. 

Continuous Improvement:

Regularly reassess your weaknesses and work on them. This is not only helpful for if you get asked this question again, but it demonstrates a commitment to your personal and professional growth. Here are some ways to continuously improve:

1. Set Development Goals: Establish specific, measurable goals for addressing your weaknesses.
2. Seek Learning Opportunities: Take courses, attend workshops, or seek mentorship to develop the skills you need. There are tons of influencers on youtube that can over you sound advice. You can also get our free behavioral interview guide.
3. Monitor Progress: Regularly review your progress and adjust your strategies as needed.

Addressing Specific Scenarios

Career Changers:

If you’re changing careers, tailor the job interview question what are your weaknesses to highlight transferable skills. For example, “Coming from a different industry, I’m still getting up to speed with specific terminology, but I’m actively studying and seeking mentorship to bridge the gap.” This allows you to not only answer the question,  but also address other potential employer concerns.  Here are some tips to leverage for career changers:

1. Leverage Transferable Skills: Focus on how your existing skills can be applied in the new role.
2. Show Adaptability: Emphasize your ability to learn quickly and adapt to new environments. Showcase examples of how you have done so already.
3. Seek Industry Knowledge: Demonstrate your proactive efforts to learn about the new industry.

Entry-Level Candidates:

For those with limited experience, focus on academic or internship-related weaknesses. For instance, “During my internship, I realized I needed to improve my time management skills. I’ve since started using productivity tools and techniques to manage my tasks more efficiently.” Here are some tips for entry-level candidates:

1. Highlight Learning Experiences: Use examples from school, internships, or volunteer work.
2. Show Growth Mindset: Emphasize your willingness to learn and improve.
3. Seek Guidance: Mention how you seek guidance and feedback from more experienced colleagues.

Experienced Professionals:

Adjust your response to reflect a more nuanced understanding of the question. For example, “As a senior manager, I used to take on too many strategic tasks myself. I’ve since learned to delegate more effectively, empowering my team and improving our overall performance.” Here are some tips for experienced professionals:

1. Acknowledge Leadership Challenges: Address challenges related to leadership or management roles.
2. Highlight Team Development: Showcare your ability to support, develop, and take care of your team members.
3. Show Strategic Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to think strategically and make impactful decisions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating the job interview question “What are your weaknesses?” can be challenging, but with understanding the purpose of the question and answering truthfully, you can turn it into an opportunity to showcase your self-awareness and potential for growth. This article will help you approach this question with confidence. Remember to frame your weaknesses positively, demonstrating your commitment to personal development. 

Additional Resources

• Further Reading: Check out our related articles on interview preparation.
  • Behavioral Interview Tips and Tricks
  • 52 Behavioral Interview Questions
  • Mastering the STAR Method: A Comprehensive Guide

By following these guidelines, you can craft a thoughtful and effective response to the job interview questions what are your weaknesses. Until next time!

Save