Bad Response:
“I have been told that I’m a really likable person. If I’m ever on a flight, I love striking up a conversation with the person sitting next to me, for instance. I always end up learning so much about their life and their experiences – and it’s so interesting! I just make friends really easily”
- What’s Your Greatest Weakness?
You’re aware of your weaknesses and can accept constructive criticism. They also want to know that your weaknesses will not be a problem for your performance on the job.
You Should
Prepare at least 2 rehearsed answers
Example Response:
“I’ve received constructive feedback is that I can lose focus quickly. I tend to become very interested in certain things, certain areas, and will work extremely hard on them first. But then if the pace stalls, or the progress slows, or it becomes too repetitive, I start to lose interest and find myself focusing on other projects, areas of work, etc. On my latest project at work, I’ve been trying to improve my discipline, which increases my ability to stay focused for a long time. I found that it helps when I’m proactive about finding interesting aspects of projects that may be somewhat dull to the naked eye – that way, I stay motivated to the end.”
You should not:
- Give more than 1 weakness.
- Say that you don’t have any weaknesses.
- Talk about a weakness without explaining how you keep it in check.
(Really) Bad Response:
“I really battle to think on my feet and I’m uncomfortable when I’m put on the spot. It makes it very difficult for me to work in team environments. I have a lot of really good ideas, but sometimes I don’t feel like I am getting them heard.”