Take a look at some other common interview mistakes to make sure you're up to speed. This is a common interview mistake a lot of graduates make. Avoid the transparent tricks – talking about a weakness that’s really a strength (“I work too hard”) or saying you have no weaknesses.Lack of expertise in a particular skillset.You should have at least three of these prepared - one should be an overarching quality and one a practical skill. Talk about what you want to achieve in the future.Explain why it’s a weakness and what kind of effect it’s had on your work.Pick one of your qualities that needs work (if you’re not sure, ask someone who has taught or employed you).“What do you think is the biggest challenge to your success?”.“In what areas do you most need to improve?”.“If I asked your boss/project supervisor, what would they say was your greatest weakness?”.Other ways this question might be phrased Done right, your answer can demonstrate key positive qualities: self-awareness and proactivity. They are far more interested in how you approach the question. But if you’re prepared it’s actually not too difficult to answer and isn't too nasty of an interview question. The interviewer doesn’t really want to know about your weakness and isn’t expecting 100% honesty. This is the one people really dread – it seems so counterintuitive to admit weakness when you’re trying to impress. Learn about strengths with Bright Network Academy. "Can you give me an example of how you’ve used that strength in the past month?"."What’s your second greatest strength (and third, fourth)?".
Particularly savvy interviewers will often throw in a follow-up question to ensure they're getting the full picture and not just a pre-prepared speech. I know this role will involve unexpected situations where I’ll be expected to adapt and respond quickly, so I think I have a lot to offer.” Potential follow up questionsĭon't get caught off guard by only preparing to answer with one strength. Although I could have done better with more time, the key result was that we didn’t forfeit and still managed to gain several places in the standings. With help from my teammates, I used the journey to research and prepare. When a member of our debating team dropped out at the last minute, I volunteered to take on her role. “My greatest strength is my ability to deal with the unexpected. Nobody likes to boast, but this is a time where you need to emphasise that you have something other candidates don’t.
But how do you answer these tricky, and sometimes counterintuitive-seeming questions? Here are our top tips on how to answer the greatest strengths and weaknesses questions in an interview. Strengths and weaknesses interview questions are some of the most common interview questions you're likely to come across.