When you are in a job interview, and they ask you what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Similar questions: job interview strengths weaknesses.

The answering of this question is more important than what the answer actually is. Yes, I'll explain. As a former manager, who has been both interviewer and interviewee, I LOVE this question.

What I'm looking for is less about what your strength/weakness is (it's not a litmus test) than it is about whether or not you know yourself well. An answer I gave once acknowledged that my focus on the task at hand in a crisis situation can be misconstrued as not caring about the individual feelings involved because I'm cutting right to the "what do we do about this" bottom line. I'd like to change people's perception, but I'm still going to do what needs to be done.In that particular case, I got the job, although of course I have no idea if that answer was the clincher.

Believe it or not, I asked this exact question just last week to a candidate for Dean of Students at my school. He had a slightly similar answer to mine, in that his focus on his work at the school he's coming from had a potentially negative side effect of causing him to fall behind in his awareness of technology and the advances therein. I was impressed that he was willing to acknowledge that, especially in today's technology-driven environment.

He's an imperfect human being, and he knows it. I'm not responsible for the decision to hire him or not, but my input is included in the process. He got high marks for that answer.

Not sure there's one magic answer to the question, but I hope my experience with it is helpful. :) .

Don't fall for this trick I know they want a weakness, and that it's a routine question, but you absolutely DON'T say you are weak at something during an interview. Try naming a weakness that could be improved if you were to get the job/promotions. Example: Bob is applying at FedEx Interviewer: " What's your weakness?"

Bob: I'd have to say I'd like to strengthen my knowledge of our competitors business strategies -or- become more familiar with reports like in order to better my knowledge of our Company's procedures. " Sources: personal xp .

Be honest, but not too honest... Some people will tell you that you should try to give a "good" weaknesses, like "I work too hard! " But just about any interviewer will groan and roll their eyes at this type of answer. Interviewers aren’t stupid--they know bs when they hear it.

On the other hand, obviously you don’t want to be too honest. You don’t want to tell the interviewer that you are a recovering alcoholic and your greatest weakness is wanting to hit the bar during your lunch break. I can’t really give you a specific way to answer the question since I don’t know you.

But try to find the middle ground between obvious bs and confessions worthy of a therapy session. My weakness is interpersonal relationships. But obviously almost any interviewer would reject me if I said "I’m bad with people."

I usually say something like, "I’m shy, so it takes me a little while to feel comfortable interacting with new people. " This is an honest answer that will give them some insight into my personality without jeopardizing my job prospects.

Give it too them straight... You need to have some weaknesses in mind if you are working on improving youself. As well... as a higher ranking person you may be aware of your weaknesses so that you can surround yourself with folks that are strong in the area that you are weak. If you pretend to have no weaknesses then that says that you are not interested in improving yourself or you are oblivious.

You should name a strenght or two and try to pick things that you believe that company is in need of. Don't go overboard listing them... use an real-life example to illustrate how you put this strenght to work for you in a previous job and that will stick in the interviewer's mind... especially if it is a skill they need. Sources: I have been on both ends of this in the past... interviewer and interviewee .

Truthfully If you lie to get a job, you will not be the person they hired. On the other hand, if you are a work-a-holic and do not mind being drained of your life for the ability to have more stuff than what few friends you have, have, knock yourself out. This is a favorate weakness for prospective employers.

I just hope that the ability to say "no" is one of your strengths.

" "What are the strengths and weaknesses of Wikipedia?" "I have a job interview for a retail position..." "Job interview questions.

I have a job interview for a retail position...

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.