How do I answer the question: What are your weaknesses?

Job interviews are among the most important things an individual may go through when seeking a new job. Job interviews include many questions that the individual must be aware of. There are many things that must be learned before entering the interview. One of the most important questions that an individual may face from the employer is: What are your weaknesses? Therefore, a professional and appropriate answer to this question must be prepared in mind. Through the following article, we will learn about all the appropriate answers to this question and how to make it a positive question, not a negative one.

The best ways to turn weaknesses into strengths in interview conversation
The best ways to turn weaknesses into strengths in interview conversation

How do I choose strategic weaknesses to talk about in an interview?

There are several methods you can use to choose suitable weaknesses to discuss, and this is done through a few steps, the most important of which are:

  • Individual self-assessment requires you to identify your weaknesses in order to choose the things you can improve and overcome quickly.
  • You must talk about your weaknesses in an easy way, as you can get rid of these things and you can show your ability to learn.
  • You need to link the weakness you are talking about to a strength you possess.

What are the best ways to turn weaknesses into strengths in interview conversation?

There are several ways you can turn your weaknesses into strengths, and this can be done through a few steps, the most important of which are:

  • First, admit to yourself that you have a weakness in something, but do not clarify that you have a weakness in a skill that is important for the job you want to get.
  • You can demonstrate your ability to improve all the negative points you have through many things such as taking training courses or learning many skills specific to this position.
  • You can present a previous experience of yours that shows the result of your efforts and learning on your career and the skills you have acquired.
  • You must show that you take your weaknesses as a unique opportunity to prove yourself, make progress and succeed, and do not allow anything to negatively affect you.
Mistakes to avoid when answering the weaknesses question
Mistakes to avoid when answering the weaknesses question

How can I answer the question about weaknesses in an honest and professional manner?

There is a method you should follow in order to answer the question about weaknesses in an honest and professional manner:

  • You need to choose a suitable weakness that does not affect the basic requirements of this job.
  • To have a positive impact on the professional field.
  • You must explain all the steps and procedures you are taking to improve this weakness and how to get rid of it.
  • You should stay away from the personal aspect; you should choose a weakness specific to the professional aspect only.

What mistakes should be avoided when answering the weaknesses question?

What mistakes should you avoid when answering the question about weaknesses?

  • Claiming perfection and never showing weaknesses.
  • Don't rely on using the same old, predictable answers you've heard in job interviews.
  • Do not reveal significant weaknesses in the job details you are applying for.
  • Do not talk about things that are not practical or unrelated to the job's field.
  • Do not just mention the problem, but also list the appropriate solution to the problem and the method by which you can overcome it.
Ways to answer the question about weaknesses in an honest and professional manner
Ways to answer the question about weaknesses in an honest and professional manner

Is it better to mention weaknesses related to the job or general ones?

yesIt is best to mention professional weaknesses that are not fundamental to the job. There are some important reasons why you should choose weaknesses related to the job rather than fundamental, which are:

  •  It demonstrates self-awareness of the job requirements and what you want to improve in order to get that job.
  • You can demonstrate your mental abilities by explaining the steps you are taking to overcome your weaknesses.
  • You must turn your weakness into an opportunity in order to achieve success and professional excellence.

Here are some examples of weaknesses that can be mentioned in job interviews:

  • Inability to speak in front of others and feeling nervous about meetings with many people.
  • Paying too much attention to the details of the work makes it difficult to work, and you must prioritize your tasks in order to complete the work in a short time.
Can weaknesses be identified that are job-related or general?
Can weaknesses be identified that are job-related or general?

How do I handle the weakness question in a phone or video interview?

There are many things an individual should do to deal with the weaknesses question in a phone or video interview, and some of the most important are:

There are some things that should be done before and during the interview:

  • You need to choose a genuine weakness, but one that is not primarily related to the job.
  • Use a calm tone of voice during the interview.
  • Avoid generic responses and choose a common weakness that is not relevant to the field you are applying to.
  • You must show that you are aware of your weaknesses and try and strive in every way to fix them.
  • Explain a previous experience or an example of something you have learned before in order to get rid of your weaknesses.
How to handle the question about weaknesses in a phone or video interview
How to handle the question about weaknesses in a phone or video interview

Frequently asked questions about answering the question of weaknesses

Should I acknowledge genuine weaknesses or only mention acceptable weaknesses?

There is a solution to this answer: you must choose points that are true but not essential to this job, and you must show your desire to improve them and get rid of them.

How did he present it to me in a positive light when talking about weaknesses?

When you want to show something positive in talking about your weaknesses, you must explain how you will learn new skills through which you will try to improve that problem.

What are the acceptable weaknesses identified in job interviews?

There are some weaknesses that are considered acceptable in the workplace, such as:

  • Limited experience in work-related software.
  • Inability to distribute tasks correctly among the work team.
  • The inability of an individual to speak in front of a large group of people.
  • The constant desire to accomplish tasks and get them done quickly.
  • Another acceptable weakness is saying yes too often and being unable to say no.

Do I mention how I worked to improve my weaknesses in the interview?

yesOf course, you must mention your ability to improve your weaknesses, as this is one of the most important positive points when asking this question.

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