Handling the "Weakness" Question in the Job Interview

11 Comments

Comment by Gary W Capone on July 25, 2008 at 9:58am

This is a question that gets asked very frequently, and most job seekers struggle with. The advice of staying away from the top requirements for the job is good (although if your biggest weakness is a key element of the job - it might not be a good job for you). Another important thing to do is have a strategy for how you deal with the weakness so that it doesn't hurt your overall performance. Everyone has weaknesses, it's what we do about them that sets people apart.

Gary Capone
Palladian International, LLC
http://blog.palladiancr.com

Comment by Lucilla Feliciano on July 25, 2008 at 11:12am

Yipes! That candidate dug himself in the whole with that response. Good post and reminder about that question that seems to haunt us all.

Comment by Marcia Robinson on July 27, 2008 at 1:30am

Gary you are so right about developing a strategy to deal with the weakness so it doesn't hurt performance.

When I shared this post with my readers at BullsEyeResumes blog I received an interesting comment. The reader shared that job seekers should remember that even though they can say all the right things, they should still pay attention to behaviors that demonstrate weaknesses. eg. saying all the right things but showing up late or showing low energy body language can be equally harmful.

Marcie

Comment by Marcia Robinson on July 27, 2008 at 1:32am

Thanks for the comment Lucilla.

Nerves will make us say things we don't mean sometimes and I think that may the case in this situation. However, it just resonated with the four of us on the panel, it was hard to overlook.

Marcie

Comment by Judy Smyer on July 27, 2008 at 2:38pm

Are you a great match for the position? Are you confident you can do the job? If so, that pesky 'weakness' question creates an opportunity. It opens the door for you to confirm your belief that the job plays to your strengths.

You can back that up by a) demonstrating how you will help the organization achieve its objectives, b) giving a pertinent example of one of your professional accomplishments, c) listing your consistent areas of achievement, or d) reviewing your qualifications as they compare to the position requirements.

If pressed by an unskilled interviewer who feels the need to wring a ‘weakness’ confession from you, then by all means don’t fall back on the ‘cheesy’ workaholic answer.

If you feel you have to toss a ‘weakness’ bone, be creative. Although you must be authentic and be yourself - a job for which you are uniquely qualified! - you’re never obligated to say anything negative about your product (you).

As mentioned in Marcie’s post, you might pick a minor professional area that’s not essential to the position in which you are pursuing or intend to pursue more training, or do more research.

When you hold the keys to successful interviewing - preparation and perspective - the ‘weakness’ question will fall into place, along with all the others. Know the company, the industry, and the job market. Be prepared to show you’re a good fit for the culture and to paint a coherent picture of your value proposition - specifically how you can and will help the company make money.

Judy Smyer

Comment by Marcia Robinson on July 28, 2008 at 8:22am

Thanks for sharing Judy. You make an excellent point about the "unskilled interviewer who feels the need to wring a weakness confession from you." I am still surprised about how many interviewers are more about "gotcha" rather than finding the right fit.

Marcie

Comment by Keith Schaub on August 2, 2008 at 10:32pm

This is really a stupid question. Any interviewer that asks you this question is obviously from HR and needs to ask this as a last ditch crutch, since they couldn't find any "hard" flaw with you.
Do what every politician does when asked a hard question they don't wish to answer - pivot to a skill or achievement relevant to the job. Or better, yet, google this question and pick any generic answer.

Seriously, try this - "what you are really asking is if there is something fundamental that would prevent me from excelling at this position within this company. The answer is of course 'no'. Today's careers are about adaptation, flexibility and communication, all of which, I have demonstrated here in today's interview. I continually strive to improve myself and add value to the company."

Comment by Yvonne Lee on August 3, 2008 at 1:42am

If you're being interviewed for job, you're not in a position to pass judgment on the interview's being "inexperienced." He or she is there to interview you. Your job is to present yourself as not only the most qualified, but the best fit for the job.

We were coached to use a "sandwich." A statement of a positive about yourself, a brief statement about your negative, and then an explanation of the positive steps you are taking to overcome or compensate for your weakness.

This demonstrates an honest, mature assessment of yourself, as well as your ability to adapt and grow.

Comment by Jennifer on August 6, 2008 at 8:42pm

I like to try a little humor with this Question, you might try, "I'm afraid I do have a weakness, I'm addicted to Dt. Coke. I'm very cranky when I don't get one in the morning." Usually They laugh and confess their own addiction to coffee or Something..

Comment by Marcia Robinson on August 6, 2008 at 11:34pm

Thanks Keith. Your suggestion is for a pretty bold response which might take some practise to pull off. Hopefully, they will evaluate your candidacy in totality and not use any one answer against you.

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