How to Answer the “What is Your Greatest Strength and Weakness?” Interview Question
The secret to acing an interview lies in thorough preparation. Interviews typically revolve around a standard set of questions that delve into your past work experiences and personal attributes. This presents a prime opportunity to showcase your best self by highlighting your achievements and the valuable lessons you’ve learned along the way. The most challenging questions often pertain to self-awareness, probing into your strengths and weaknesses. To navigate these inquiries confidently, rehearse your responses beforehand, ensuring your answers are both thoughtful and compelling.
Self-Assessment
Career advisers often recommend starting your interview preparation with a thorough self-assessment. Reflect on your achievements in academics, work, and personal endeavors to bolster your confidence. Then, pinpoint three unique strengths that you can bring to the role, focusing on qualities that distinguish you from other applicants. Instead of opting for generic attributes like “hard-working,” select traits that truly make you stand out. Prepare to share a specific example that demonstrates each of these strengths, showcasing your unique value proposition.
A Weakness is Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
Interviewers are not asking you to explain your vice for chocolate or shopping. They ask what you think your greatest weakness is to see how you evaluate yourself and whether you are taking steps to overcome the weakness. Think of this question as a way to explain something you are working to improve on. Choose something that does not relate to the position. An example would be an inexperience with specific software that you are taking an online class to learn.
Honesty and Sincerity
Demonstrating honest self-reflection in interviews signals to interviewers your authenticity and humanity. Employers value candidates who exhibit self-awareness, sincerity, and uniqueness. In discussing your strengths, it’s crucial to remain humble and truthful, avoiding any temptation to overstate your expertise or accomplishments. Claiming knowledge or skills you lack, or asserting you’ve conquered a weakness when you haven’t, can undermine your credibility. Instead, maintain eye contact during the conversation and share concise anecdotes that illuminate your attributes, providing a genuine and engaging portrayal of who you are.
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to prepare yourself for an interview is to practice. Have a friend sit down with you and perform a mock interview. The more times you practice answering the tough questions, the easier the questions become. Remember to study the company’s website and the job description of the position you are interviewing for and relate your answers specifically to what the company is looking for. Continue practicing and you soon will impress your interviewers with your confidence.
Posted: January 12, 2017
Category: Careers, Interviews
