| The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is | | | | are receiving responses that uncover the |
| to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The | | | | not-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 to | | | | aspects of our job we prefer not to do. What aspect |
| respond with superficial answers such as "I'm a | | | | of your day-to-day responsibilities do you dislike?In |
| workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist." Not only are those | | | | hopes of making you feel comfortable, interviewers |
| responses boring, but they are also predictable | | | | may ask questions that start with "we." The |
| answers interviewers are used to hearing. So much so | | | | psychology behind this is to make you feel as though |
| that an interviewer's comeback line often is, "That | | | | you are with a friend, which can cause you to let your |
| doesn't sound like a weakness. Now why don't you tell | | | | guard down.* Think back to your last review. What |
| me about a real weakness?"Ouch. What an | | | | suggestions did your supervisor have for |
| uncomfortable position to be in-when a decision maker | | | | improvement?The chances are extremely high that |
| challenges you during an interview. Just like you, the | | | | your supervisor offered suggestions for improvement. |
| interviewer wants the process to go as seamlessly as | | | | Interviewers are aware of this and anticipate that you |
| possible, and they quickly become resentful when they | | | | will disclose the details of your most recent evaluation.* |
| are placed in a confrontational position.When | | | | Describe a project you worked on that didn't turn out |
| answering questions surrounding your greatest | | | | as 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 of | | | | story. The assumption is made that the more you talk, |
| every area that may need improvement, it isn't a good | | | | the more likely you'll disclose your weaknesses.* In |
| idea not to cop to a weakness either. A happy | | | | what area of your work do you think you can be |
| medium does exist, and it lies in focusing your | | | | more 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 area | | | | believe the way the question is phrased will make you |
| that you are on your way to improving. Note, not an | | | | feel less threatened, and therefore more likely to |
| area you've already improved, but one that is well on | | | | answer freely.Bottom line: whether or not you want to |
| its way.Interviewers recognize that jobseekers aren't | | | | divulge 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 hiring | | | | for skeletons in your closet. Interviewers want to |
| circles of interviewers cleverly disguising the question | | | | uncover 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, and | | | | So be prepared. |