What are your strengths and weaknesses? How do they relate to the job you are interviewing for, and what impact will they have on your eventual efficiency at work? Interviewers always have such questions on their mind. Again, it doesn’t matter whether they ask directly, or try to figure out your weaknesses from the way you act in the interviews, and handle other questions. Your strengths and weaknesses will be tested, always. Let me analyze in depth what you should focus on, how you should talk about your weaknesses and strengths, and most importantly–how to convince the hiring managers that you are telling them the truth.
– Do you like this image, and the content on our website? Please share it and help us spread the word. Thank you!
The Basics
- Most common interview questions belonging to this area: What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
- Less common questions belonging to the area: What do you consider your greatest weakness when it comes to this job? Can you name three areas for improvement when it comes to your skills and abilities? What is your superpower?
- Out of 10 random jobs, in how many cases will this area be tested during the hiring process: 10/10. Many people believe that questions about strengths and weaknesses belong to the past era of hiring. We have already surpassed this basic level of interviewing, haven’t we? Well, even when you do not get the exact question about your weaknesses, we will still test them in the interview. Always. That’s why it is important to understand how to approach these questions, and what mistakes you should avoid making.
- Difficulty: 3/5. Average difficulty. Many people cannot even name their principal strengths and weaknesses, hence it isn’t easy to talk about them in the interviews. What’s more, it feels unnatural talking about our weaknesses in a meeting in which we try to “sell” ourselves (as employees) to the hiring managers. But don’t worry, once you’re done with this article, you’ll know how to deal with these problems and will actually enjoy answering such questions.
- Main goals of the hiring managers with questions belonging to this area: Assessing your level of self-confidence and understanding whether you see yourself realistically. Getting a bit of help when it comes to recognizing your strengths and weaknesses.
- Your main goals with answers to questions belonging to this area: Showing a healthy level of both confidence and humility. Expressing your desire to improve on any weakness that may hinder you in your new job. Convincing them of having at least some strengths that will help you at work.
10 sample answers
* I will go mostly by job fields, but make sure to read also the “advanced info” below the sample answers, to understand what attitudes you actually show with this or that answer, the most common mistakes you should avoid making, etc.
Sample answer no.1: Customer service job:
I am responsible and I can stay focused on a long shift, answering one phone call after another. It definitely helps me to keep a high standard of customer service on the entire shift, and also to be efficient at work. When it comes to weaknesses, I struggle a lot with managing small teams, and I am not the best with numbers as well. That’s actually one of the reasons why I want to work in customer service, and have never tried to get some managerial or supervisory role. I just do better on my own, and prefer having a job in which I can thrive.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Connection of your proclaimed strengths with the job you are trying to get may be obvious for the hiring managers, but it is always a good idea showing them that you also see this connection (“It definitely helps me to keep a high standard of service”).
Sample answer no. 2: Pharmacist job:
I always try to improve–and I consider it my greatest strength. It doesn’t mean that I lack some vital skill for a great pharmacists. Not at all. But I am not complacent, and I understand that learning never stops in this field. I keep working on my education, communication skills, knowledge of new drugs and treatment methods, and I do all I can do become the best pharmacist I can be. It is my strength, but maybe also my weakness, because pursuing perfection can sometimes become stressful, and it can impact you negatively in both your personal and professional life. The key is to find the right balance here, and that’s what I am trying to do.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Right attitude to work and life is always an excellent answer, especially when you cannot figure out more tangible strengths for your interview. What’s more, such strengths are universal for all jobs. Desire to always keep improving is a great strength for manager, teacher, pharmacist, professional athlete, janitor, city clerk, doctor, simply for anyone.
Sample answer no. 3: Managerial job in a corporate environment:
Sometimes I am impatient, and I may demand too much from other people. I know that everyone is different, that people have good and bad days at work, and that we can not expect them to deliver their best every single day. Still, my sense for responsibility and my desire to achieve the best possible results for my employer may drive me to strange decisions and conclusions. This led to some conflicts with my subordinates in my last job. I am aware of this problem, however, and I work on eliminating it.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: When you clearly point out a weakness that may hinder you in your job, it is always crucial to mention that you are trying to improve on it (“I work on eliminating this problem…”). Notice that this candidate forgot to mention any strengths. That is a mistake.
Sample answer no. 4: Software engineer:
Below average communication skills are my weakness. Since I am so passionate about computers and software engineering, I spend a lot of time online, and working with the code. I lack social interactions, and therefor I sometimes do not know what to say, or how to act, when meeting someone for the first time. But I believe I can improve on my communication skills, and the job in your company is a great opportunity to do so. Working in a small team should help me to improve my social skills in general, what is something I am looking forward to. On the other hand, I excel with the code, and can work for hours on end with almost no lapses in concentration.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Communication skills are important in all jobs, but for some professions (mainly in the field information technology) they aren’t crucial. Notice the healthy level of self confidence of the applicant (“I believe I can improve on my communication skills, and the job in your company is a great opportunity to do so”).
Sample answer no. 5: High school student/graduate applying for their first job in a fast food restaurant:
I struggle with computers, at least when I compare my skills with my peers. Since I have always spent most of my time outside, I didn’t really learn to work with many computer programs. But I understand it is important to improve on my computer skills, and I plan to attend evening classes as soon as I have the job, and have some money to invest in my education. On the other hand, I am physically fit and healthy, and believe to have what it takes to handle the job at your place.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: In certain jobs being physically fit and strong (something that was a norm in the past, but nowadays the opposite is the case) plays an important role. This is truth especially for manual jobs and all sorts of positions in fast-paced restaurants and similar places. It is important to know that you do not have to rely only on intellectual strengths or education.
Sample answer no. 6: Fresh grad applying for an entry level marketing job in a big corporation:
I would say my biggest weakness is lack of experience. I tried to be active at school, I designed campaigns for school projects, and also for myself. Still, I lack the practice with designing campaigns for real market conditions. Actually that is one of the reasons why I applied for a job with you, because you work on many projects and serve clients from different industries. On the other hand, I believe to have all the creativity in the world, and I am ready to let it shine in the job with you.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: When you struggle to name some weaknesses, you can always opt for lack of experience, especially when you’re just starting in this or that field.
Sample answer no.7: Network engineer:
I would pick responsibility and attention to detail. I do not proceed with the most obvious solution, or one that is easiest to implement on the client’s side. On the contrary, I always try to understand the goals of the client, future plans and priorities, as well se security risks, and just then proceed with design and implementation. It helps me to deliver results beyond expectations. At the same time, however, this perfectionism is sometimes my weakness. Because in certain projects quick implementation is the main goal, and I struggle with that, because I do not like half-baked solutions. It is because of this that I failed to meet some deadlines in my last job. Yet it is what it is, and I know I will eventually find the right balance between working precisely and quickly enough.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: It is always good to show how your strengths help you to deliver an excellent job (“It helps me to deliver results beyond expectations…”). You can also notice that in some cases, the same thing can be your strength and your weakness, for example perfectionism, attention to detail, etc. If you decide to go with one of these traits, make sure to explain it well.
Sample answer no.8: Teacher:
To be honest, I cannot tell. This is my first job application. I’ve never taught anywhere before, and although I have some expectations and good understanding of the job, I cannot really tell how I’d do in a real classroom setting. I believe that I have to do the job first, at least for a few weeks, to understand in which areas of teaching I excel, and which areas I have to improve on. Certainly I won’t excel in everything and it’s a process–one does not become an excellent teacher by earning their degree. We need practice, and a desire to constantly improve on our skills…
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: In cases when you apply for your first job in any field, it is fine saying that you do not know yet what your strengths and weaknesses are, for the given job. Opting for this answer, make sure to show healthy level of humility and the right attitude to working on your weaknesses (“Certainly I won’t excel in everything and it’s a process…”).
Sample answer no.9: Applying for a job in a restaurant:
My strengths are my motivation, flexibility, and ability to stay on my feet all night long. Perhaps I am not the best-looking waitress that will eve work in this restaurant, or the one guests will be charmed by. But when it comes to taking care of the job, and making sure people do not wait for their food and drinks longer than necessary, you can rely on me 100%. And my weaknesses? Well, I definitely have to improve on my listening skills, since it happens to me sometimes that I mess up an order. But it is something I am aware of and a new job is an opportunity to improve on this weakness.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: In many jobs the most basic things matter the most: Being on time, working hard, taking care of your duties responsibly, day after day. Do not fall to a trap of trying some fancy speech at all costs. Be yourself, and show them that they can rely on you to handle the job. In many jobs it is actually the best answer when it comes to your strengths and weaknesses.
Sample answer no. 10: Nursing job:
My attitude to nursing is definitely my top strength. For me, nursing isn’t a mere job, or a means of earning a living. I see the profession of a nurse practitioner as my calling, my personal mission, and something I want to dedicate myself to 100%, day after day. This attitude reflect in everything I do in my job, and without a doubt the patients can feel the difference. My biggest weakness is that I am not particularly strong physically, and may find it hard to move patients, or to perform certain physical tasks we have to perform as a nurses. However, I can always ask a colleague for help in such a situation, and do not see this weakness as something that would restrain me from doing an excellent nursing job.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Putting an equation mark between your job and your calling (your personal mission) is something special, and such an attitude is certainly a strength all employers hope for in the job applicants. When it comes to the second part of this answer, the weakness, notice how the applicant explained how they plan to deal with it in the job (“I can always ask a colleague for help in such a situation, and do not see this weakness as something that would restrain me from doing”).
Advanced information
Mistakes people make while answering questions about strengths and weaknesses in the interview
- Saying that you have no weaknesses. Interview is a sales talk no doubt, but it is mistake thinking that showing a weakness of a product (in this case you are the product) will lead to rejection. We all have weaknesses, and strengths. If you cannot figure it out, you can always say that you know you have some weaknesses, just you aren’t aware of them yet. The new job will show you, and you are ready to try your best to improve on them.
- Being over-confident or extremely humble. I’ve seen it many times on job applications and in the interviews. People naming almost endless list of strengths, or, on the contrary, being aware of dozens of weaknesses, including non-existing ones. With this interview question, extremes simply do not work. Name two or three strengths relevant for the job, one to three weaknesses, and that’s it. Don’t worry, if you’re a super talent and have all the strengths in the world we will find it out in the interviews.
- Forgetting to mention your desire to improve on your weaknesses. Each employee has some weaknesses. The difference between a good one and a bad one is that the first one is aware of them and has an honest desire to improve on them. Failing to mention your effort to improve on your weaknesses (and becoming better in your job in the process) is a common mistake with this question.
- Lack of relevancy. This mistake isn’t as common as the previous three, but I still want to mention it. Any strengths you pick for your answer, make sure that they are at least somehow relevant for the job you are trying to get. When relevancy is missing, hiring managers may easily make a conclusion that you aren’t the right fit or even do not understand the job and what will be expected of you. When it happens, they will certainly screen you out.
Few points from the perspective of the hiring managers/interviewers
- We may test both your tangible and intangible strengths right in the interview, so make sure you are humble enough when naming them. With the tools available at the moment, it is easy to test any technical knowledge right in the interview. For example your skills with some software application, your programming skills, or even your ability to repair a defect, build something, etc. Needless to say, we also have IQ tests and other tools to test the less tangible strengths, not having to rely on our judgement solely. Keeping this on your mind, it is really better staying relatively humble. Saying that you have an average skill with ABC and showing an honest effort to continue improving on it is much better than saying you excel with ABC, and then failing to prove your words in a practical test…
- Don’t worry too much if you cannot figure out many strengths or weaknesses, just make sure to show right attitude. Look, even many interviewers struggle to see their own strengths and especially their weaknesses. Somehow we humans find it easier to see the mistakes of our neighbor (regardless of how small they are) than to spot our own big flaws. So we do not expect something else from you. And we will eventually figure out your weaknesses. Hence if you cannot figure it out, it is all right just showing the right attitude–desire to improve on your weaknesses (even when you aren’t sure yet what they are, and just your time in the job will show you), effort to build on your strengths (not being complacent with how things are at the moment), etc.
- In general, we prefer humble people who are realistic about themselves, and have healthy level of both self-confidence and humility. I’ve mentioned this one before, but consider it important so I decided to mention it again. In most cases, over-confident applicants who list lot of strengths and struggle to come up with any weakness are screened out in the interviews. Because that’s not the type of people we want to work with. Such people are hard to manage, they struggle to receive critical feedback, their ego is easily hurt, etc. It is always better staying on a humble end when you talk about your strengths and weaknesses.
7 keywords to remember when answering questions belonging to this area
- Healthy level of both self-confidence and humility, the same ability or attitude can be strength and a weakness at the same time, job relevancy is the key, lack of experience works when you cannot come with anything better, don’t underestimate basic skills, anything you say can be assesses with a practical test later on, honesty works.
So that’s it! You’ve just covered area no. 5 out of 25 areas that cover 99% of questions you may ever get in the interviews. Just 20 areas left! Check the next one: Goals, or go back to homepage for the full list of 25 areas and pick one you want to learn about and practice right now.
