What Is Your Greatest Weakness?

The fastest way to make a good interview go bad isare receiving responses that uncover the
to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. Thenot-so-pleasant side of candidates.Cleverly Designed
one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your"Greatest Weakness" Questions* We all have
greatest weakness?" Most candidates are quick toaspects of our job we prefer not to do. What aspect
respond with superficial answers such as "I'm aof your day-to-day responsibilities do you dislike?In
workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist." Not only are thosehopes of making you feel comfortable, interviewers
responses boring, but they are also predictablemay ask questions that start with "we." The
answers interviewers are used to hearing. So much sopsychology behind this is to make you feel as though
that an interviewer's comeback line often is, "Thatyou are with a friend, which can cause you to let your
doesn't sound like a weakness. Now why don't you tellguard down.* Think back to your last review. What
me about a real weakness?"Ouch. What ansuggestions did your supervisor have for
uncomfortable position to be in-when a decision makerimprovement?The chances are extremely high that
challenges you during an interview. Just like you, theyour supervisor offered suggestions for improvement.
interviewer wants the process to go as seamlessly asInterviewers are aware of this and anticipate that you
possible, and they quickly become resentful when theywill disclose the details of your most recent evaluation.*
are placed in a confrontational position.WhenDescribe a project you worked on that didn't turn out
answering questions surrounding your greatestas well as you expected.Interviewers find that job
weakness, my advice is to tell the truth-to a point.seekers reveal more when they are asked to tell a
Though I don't advocate providing a play-by-play ofstory. The assumption is made that the more you talk,
every area that may need improvement, it isn't a goodthe more likely you'll disclose your weaknesses.* In
idea not to cop to a weakness either. A happywhat area of your work do you think you can be
medium does exist, and it lies in focusing yourmore effective?This question is very similar to
response on an area that doesn't have a major impact"greatest weakness" question. However, interviewers
on your ability to do the job. This should be an areabelieve the way the question is phrased will make you
that you are on your way to improving. Note, not anfeel less threatened, and therefore more likely to
area you've already improved, but one that is well onanswer freely.Bottom line: whether or not you want to
its way.Interviewers recognize that jobseekers aren'tdivulge sensitive information during an interview, an
forthcoming when answering the "greatest weakness"interviewer is going to try his or her darnedest to dig
question. As a result, there is a new trend in hiringfor skeletons in your closet. Interviewers want to
circles of interviewers cleverly disguising the questionuncover any reasons why they shouldn't hire you, and
and using a variation of the theme. In doing so,they hope those reasons will come straight from you.
interviewers are successfully stumping candidates, andSo be prepared.