How To Handle The Question – What Is Your Weakness?

No one is hired for their weaknesses but by asking this question, the interviewer primarily wants to assess the following 2 things:
a) Are there any weaknesses that might have a direct impact on the job and to what extent? For example, if it is a call centre job which has early morning shifts and you mention that you can never wake up on time, it becomes a concern for the employer.


b) The interviewer wants to see whether you are fazed by this Question (similar to unexpected situations at workplace) or can handle it smartly.

An effective way to handle this is as follows:

Saying you do not have any weaknesses is a strict no no because it reflects one's ignorance and also attitude. Accepting that there are 'areas of improvement' like all of us have is a better option. Also ‘areas of improvement’ is a positive way of putting it across rather than using the word 'weakness'.

Pointers to prepare in advance are as follows:
1) List: Make a list of all areas of 'weaknesses' or ‘areas of improvement’ (all of us do have these).

2) Think through: The list could include traits like ' being occasionally impatient', poor 'time management', 'meeting deadlines being a challenge', ‘organizing skills’...and so on.

3)Be selective: Identify from the list areas where one has improved and is consciously improving and keeping a track.

4) Be Relevant: Be careful and do not mention things like ‘I do not like English Movies’ or ‘I cannot dance’... which do not have any direct relation to a job (unless you are applying for a dancer’s job or that of a film critique). The interviewer will understand that you are avoiding an answer.

5) Maximum 2: Just identify 2 areas and share only those. These should not be the ones that have a major impact on your performance of the job. And immediately demonstrate how you have learnt from them, improved and grown in your contribution towards the job. For example if you are finding that meeting deadlines is a challenge, show how you learnt it the hard way when you missed out a major achievement. Following that you committed to yourself, and are now using your organizing skills and started working well in advance with proper planning so that you meet the deadline. And there is improvement.

That kind of an answer reflects your attitude that you have the maturity to accept your areas of improvement and are constantly learning, evolving and handling them successfully.

Remember once you have answered the question, smartly steer the conversation to the next Interview Question and do not allow the focus to be on the area of weakness (you are hired for your strengths).

That kind of an answer reflects your attitude that you have the maturity to accept your areas of improvement and are constantly handling them successfully.

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