Finding a new job can be challenging. From optimizing your resume to preparing for the interview process, there are a lot of aspects that need attention. When preparing for a job interview, it’s important to go over potential questions ahead of time and work through your answers. Doing research on the company and refreshing yourself on your work history are important steps. However, many candidates fail to prepare for a common interview question appropriately. What are your greatest weaknesses? Discussing your weaknesses during a job interview can be awkward and uncomfortable. Thankfully, there are a few tips that will help you navigate this part of the process and come out looking great in the eyes of the hiring manager. Here’s what you need to know!
Don’t be cliche.
Standard advice says that you should give an answer that’s secretly a strength. This leads to using cliches such as “I’m a perfectionist” or “I pay too much attention to detail.” These are not good answers. Well, that’s partially true. All answers can be wrong answers, depending on the position you want.
For example, if you’re applying for a finance position, don’t say your biggest weakness is that you hate finance. Likewise, paying too much attention to detail isn’t a good answer for someone going into data management, where details are crucial. Your weaknesses shouldn’t directly relate to the position. Instead, thoroughly read through the job description and find imperfections that won’t affect your ability to perform that job.
Be honest about your weaknesses.
Don’t fabricate weaknesses because you think that’s what the hiring manager wants to hear. Lying your way through an interview will never benefit you and can hurt your chances of succeeding with that company down the road. Be honest about your weaknesses, but selective as well.
While it’s important to be honest about your struggles, try not to mention any essential skills, such as being on time or working well with others. Admitting that you struggle with these basic abilities will significantly limit your hiring chances. Instead, mention unique skills and abilities that won’t affect your job performance. Furthermore, you can always spin your weaknesses into strengths.
Discuss Steps You’ve Taken to Grow Your Weaknesses.
Spinning your weaknesses into strengths doesn’t mean naming cons that are pros. It means taking the opportunity to discuss your growth and how you’ve worked on your weaknesses. For example, if you’re applying for a management position, you could discuss how you had a mindset where you were only responsible for yourself when you first stepped into management. Used to working on your own and only focusing on your work, it was difficult to look past your work and focus on the company’s needs as a whole. Since that time, you’ve worked to grow to where you can balance your work while remembering the company’s needs and how while that was initially your greatest weakness, it’s now your greatest area of growth.
Work With a Recruiting Agency
Recruiting agencies make it their mission to place top talent with companies looking for qualified candidates. Due to the nature of their job, they hold detailed insight into what companies are looking for and how you can ace the interview process. It’s common for recruiters to have mock interviews and coach you through specific answers, including your greatest weaknesses. Consider reaching out to a staffing and recruiting agency today for help preparing for your next interview process.
How Can Techbridge Help?
At TechBridge, our goal is to bridge the gap between business and employee, matching qualified workers with the companies who need them. If you have any further questions or are interested in our staffing and recruiting process, contact us today!
