In-Depth Interviewing Skills, Part 2

What if you could read your potential boss’ mind?

Interviewing for Your Next Job:
What do they want to hear? How to interview as if you already knew

“What’s your biggest weakness?”

Aha, another most-dreaded “trick” question. What is your potential boss looking for here?

Like “Tell me about yourself,” this is another “grace-under-pressure” question. And it’s a game. Here’s why.

This question has been around forever, and advice abounds on how to answer it successfully. The typical advice is to reframe strength as a weakness. The classic advice is to “admit” to being a perfectionist. Most interview guides will tell you that this is a good response.

But they’d be wrong.

Your interviewer has heard this response dozens, even hundreds, of times. “I’m a perfectionist; I work too hard.” He or she knows that it’s not a genuine answer. It’s trite, and it’s lazy. It may not be a deal-breaker, but it’s not a winner.

But how can you confess to a weakness? It’s easy. Present a real, honest weakness in an area that is work-related but not the key part of your job – and that you have already taken steps to improve. Your answer can even be a form of the “perfectionist” one, as long as it’s specific and you have or are working on “solving” the problem. Here are a few examples.

I’ve always been bad about delegating. A few years ago, I was assigned a huge project. I really wanted everything to be perfect, so I did it all myself. It was overwhelming. I did what I had to do, and the project was a success, but I realized that although I’d been working hard, I hadn’t approached the challenge in the smartest way. After that, I made it a point to understand each one of my staff’s particular strengths, and I began to delegate more. Although I still want to be on top of everything, I learned to trust my staff. The results have been great. They’re happier, and having different approaches to challenges created better work.

I’ve always dreaded getting up in front of people. The first time I had to do a presentation for my department, I was shaking like a leaf. I realized that this is a skill I need to master, so I started taking a public speaking course. I was really nervous at first, but I’ve been getting better and more confident all the time. In fact, I can’t wait to practice my new skills.

Note that this does not mean confessing to a real weakness that might be a liability in your desired job. But you can find an authentic answer to this question if you try. (Hopefully, you have taken steps to improve what you think are your weaknesses. The improvement doesn’t need to come from a class. Perhaps with reflection, you discovered a way to strengthen that weakness on your own. Be sure to cite a specific example.)

The reason these answers will move you closer to your goal is because they took thought, introspection and courage. They will sound authentic, because they are. This will impress your interviewer much more than a canned answer.