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Job Interviews: What Are Your Weaknesses?

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Job Interviews: What Are Your Weaknesses?

When asking 'What Are Your Weaknesses?' what does your interviewer want to hear? Rikke Hansen tells VideoJug how best to navigate this question, and give the best possible answer to your interviewer. When asking 'What Are Your Weaknesses?' what does your interviewer want to hear? Rikke Hansen tells VideoJug how best to navigate this question, and give the best possible answer to your interviewer.

Step 1: What They Are Really Asking

Interpret the questions. What the interviewer really wants to know is what risks they are potentially taking by hiring you. It is also a stress question, and by asking you a stress question they can see how you react when it is thrown at you.

Step 2: What They Don't Want To Hear

They don't want to hear that you have a huge weakness that can't be corrected under any circumstances, or something that would really negatively impact your performance on the job. They also don't want to hear about a personal trait that has no bearing on the job itself.

Step 3: What They Do Want To Hear

They do want to hear you being honest about a minor weakness you have, and that you are doing something about it. You should turn the negative into a positive and show that you are not only aware of this weakness, but doing something about it.

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Tips & Comments
  1. truchong

    I'm just graduated and preparing for an interview, so it's quite useful for me now. No matter what our weakness is, I think we should let the employers see our effort and determination to correct our weakness, anyway.

  3. festaiolo

    /me cries /me shakes head /me cries /me shakes head

  4. Anonymous

    We see a lot of training for interviewees (and this person did a very good job), but we don't see much about training the interviewER. Often, they'll ask ridiculous questions simply because they don't know the most relevant ones to ask. Interviewing is a learned skill - for both parties. Unfortunately, we never know if we're going to be interviewed by someone savvy or someone who's a bit "behind the door." Best to be prepared for any situation and to remember that YOU - the applicant - are always in control of your career. Never give your power away to an employer or to an interviewer. If you're proactive, have confidence and are an excellent communicator, your chances of bombing during an interview are relatively small. One last tidbit, if you have the unfortunate circumstance of meeting with a dreadul interviewer, you might want to do a bit more investigating about the company before you continue to pursue a position there. A ghastly interview could be a sign that this isn't the right company for you.

  5. Rupertashe

    Yeah, but people ALWAYS ask this question!!!

  6. jjbutera

    In my opinion, this interview question is ridiculous and just a way for interviewers to make the applicant squirm. It serves no other purpose.

  7. Spekatie

    I used to interview people, and to this question, EVERYBODY said that their weakness was to be a perfectionist... started to sound fishy after a while..... bum-kissing I say!

  8. dtmaddog

    How to pass a selction interview by deflecting your weaknesses.