jimbob

Had a job interview today and I know I did badly. It's my first one in 6 years or so and I must have forgotten the basics. I polished my shoes and sewed the missing button on my suit and all that but when they asked 'what are your strengths and weaknesses' I didn't have an answer ready.

Does anyone have an answer which I can borrow for a few weeks, just until I get myself a job?

ratbastid

So far I haven't heard enough to know whether this interview deserves two "Awful"s. Sorry.

Here's an answer:

I'm a very diligent and hardworking person. That can be both a strength and a weakness, depending on the circumstances. Obviously, in my work life, it's a huge asset. But there are times in my life when I'd like to be able to kick back more and enjoy the moment.

I wouldn't recommend taking somebody else's answer, though. You want to think through these things before your interview, or cultivate the ability to think on your feet.

Mephisto2

This is always a difficult one.

Sit back and think of your strengths, some things you did well in your last job. Are there negative aspects to these strengths? Is there something you can say that takes the gleam off this strength? Don't go too far though!

Also, think of some minor "weaknesses" that you have that you can share. Don't admit something earth-shattering ("I hate hard work", "I'm a coke addict", "I'm the office bicycle" etc), but something that is both honest and not too terrible. It doesn't have to be work related.


Mr Mephisto

theFez

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=71481

or you could peruse that thread.

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brinkn1

Never admit weakness!

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JaySpencer

Take something that IS a strength, or would be looked at as one, and use that as a 'weakness.' For example: "I'm a VERY hard worker, who has a really hard time leaving before I finish the job." This leads to the weakness "I have occassionally lost track of the time to such an extent that I sometimes have to be told that it's time to go home, or time to get lunch." If you say something like that, don't make it sound like you will work yourself into a burn out, and make sure you also don't sell it from the angle that you do it because you are playing catch up, more that you are into doing your work and are very entheusiastic about it, with that as the example.

Konichiwaneko

uhm...you can spend the time you have now to come up with your own?

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Bustello

strenght: I am a hardworker.
weakness: I work too much that I don't mind of my own life...

They'll love to hear this.

andrewtayloruk

It really depends on the type of interview, I was interview for a job once and they asked that question. I replied, quite calmly and looking direct in to the interviewer's eyes:

The inability to acknowledge my own weaknesses.

To be honest, it's a stupid question designed by stupid people and copied the world over, it's so dated it's unreal. I never ever ask that question, I think it's ridiculous, it makes people feel uncomfortable and doesn't glean any information that you can possibly used to make a decision.

You need to go to an interview, be yourself, talk honestly and politely and be confident and comfortable. If you don't get the job, it's probably because you're un-qualified, under experienced or the boss's niece already had the job 2 weeks ago.

The company I was working for was about to go under and the management lined us up for job interviews with our biggest client. I'd worked with the client day-in-day-out for a year, I knew everything there was to know about the project. I'm educated, well dressed, confident and capable, I knew the job was mine for the taking, we were just running through the motions, I interviewed initially well with the HR manager, my colleagues had all interviewed and been given positions, I was last to go in for the final stage with the new externaly hired project manager, the thing was billed as a meet and greet with the new lead, everything I said was argued down by the new project manager, the HR manager couldn't look me in the face she was so embarassed, the person didn't even shake my hand, I knew I'd been stitched up. Needless to say, I didn't get the job, the reason given was I didn't have enough experience (I could have accepted anything else!) but I designed and built the project from the ground up.

The (my) position was later filled by the new project manager's boyfriend.

I'm sure everyone on this board will have a story like that, I'm not bitter because it wasn't meant to be, it's better to get a job by being yourself because then you know you're meant for the position.

Don't worry about bad interviews, just learn what went wrong, I promise it's not the answers you give in the interview, as long as you answer honestly it's the person you are.

Of course, if you've got a really obscure fetish, you can keep that underwraps!

ncgti

I agree with andrewtayloruk that it is a ridiculous question but unfortunately interviewers like to throw it out there to see what people have to say.

Turning a weakness into a strength is a tried and true, but overused, strategy. Unless you are really clever (and I don't mean humorous) with the answer, people will see right through it.

Other strategies include giving a weakness that is minorly relevant to the job at hand or something that could easily be corrected with a little study or exposure. That will at least show that you did some research into the job and the company - which employers love that you cared enough to do your homework.

Honesty is the best policy because it will make your answers sincere and you will appear as a forthright and trustworthy person that a company will want to take a chance on hiring you.

As for having a bad interview, it happens to everyone. A lot of time it is for the best, because that is an indication that the chemistry between you and your boss wouldn't be there in the first place. Companies have personalities and a lot of folks hire in their own image so if the fit isn't there then you are better off working somewhere else.