How to Answer, ‘What Are Your Greatest Strengths?’ 

Interviewers frequently ask, “What are your greatest strengths?” to assess a person’s temperament, accomplishments, abilities, and virtues.  Such a question, while it may appear elementary to answer, can be challenging for others. This is because, when answering the question, one must emphasize the positives while not sounding pompous or ostentatious. This is why one must figure out how to respond to the tumultuous question without appearing haughty while also making a fantastic initial impression on the interviewer. To learn more about the most effective approaches to answering this question, keep reading.

Also Read: How To Ace Your Self Introduction in Interview!

Why Do Interviewers Pose the Question  “What are your Greatest Strengths? 

Interviewers frequently ask the stated question to ascertain whether the interviewee’s strengths will be of value to the organization/role or not. In addition, by asking such a question, interviewers hope to assess an individual’s self-awareness and candor.  If a person appears to be dissonant with their thoughts or is doubtful when answering, he or she will leave a poor impression on the interviewer. This is why it is vital for one to remain honest with oneself and respond appropriately. For instance, if managing is your strong suit, then stick to it. Freshmen sometimes make the rookie mistake of exaggerating their list of virtues and wind up bragging in front of the interviewers, which is a deal-breaker. 

Also Read: SOP (Statement of Purpose): Format, Samples, and Tips

How to Describe Your Strengths? 

Whilst describing strengths, one must always keep the job description and the organization in mind. Sure you must be having a myriad of useful skills and strengths, but you should also ask yourself which one of your skills will truly be required for the role. Going overboard with the list of your strengths will only make your interviewers lose interest in your answer. With that being said, your list of virtues and strengths should be succinct and to the point. You should not deviate much whilst describing your strengths. Here are some pointers to assist you figure out how to respond to the question. 

Highlight Greatest Strengths that are Required for the Role

Prior to attending an interview round, it is vital that you conduct research on the firm and its requirements. Once you have gone through the requirements and have a good understanding of what your organization or academy wants, you can emphasize solely those strengths of yours that you think align with or satiate the requirements of the job. 

Reframe the Skill to Make Your Response as Specific as Possible

One effective technique to answer the question “What are your greatest strengths?” during an interview round is to avoid being generic in articulating one’s strengths or virtues. Even if you wish to highlight some of the strengths that are somewhat conventional or generic, what you may do is simply reframe your answer to something that is more expository. If your key strengths are communication and people skills, for example, you can rephrase them to ‘Public speaking and presentation skills’ and ‘Team Management Skills‘ instead. 

Describe Your Strengths in the following segments

When describing your strengths, always begin by underlining basic strengths and then providing specific real-life anecdotes to back up your claims. Keeping conversation informal and anecdotal will assist interviewers in better understanding you. Avoid using jargon or intricate words when answering because it will cause interviewers to lose interest in your response. Once you’ve highlighted your skills, you must describe how they’ve impacted your life or what part they play in your life. Implement these elements in your response while being informal and concise. 

Also Read: How to Answer, ‘What is Your Greatest Weakness?’

Tips to Remember When Answering the Question “What Are Your Greatest Strengths”?

One must always keep the following tips in mind whilst answering the question, “What are your greatest strengths?” 

Honesty is the Best Policy

Exaggeration should be avoided while presenting your skills and virtues because it will make you appear haughty or pompous in front of the interviewers. Furthermore, if it is discovered that you have been deceptive or questionable in your replies, it will build an unfavorable opinion of you in front of the interviewer. This is why it is critical that you remain truthful about your strengths. 

Be Precise and Informal 

Avoid going overboard with your list of strengths when responding. Extending your answer for the sake of prolonging it will weary your interviewers and result in your unfortunate rejection. This is why you should express your strengths concisely. You should also strive to incorporate real-life accounts or examples to keep the conversation relatable and engaging. It should be highlighted, however, that one should never cross the lines while retaining an informal tone in their responses. Include anecdotes just where they will complement your strengths and help you make your point. 

Be Prepared

You must prepare your answers prior to sitting for an interview. It will help you ace your timing and accuracy as well. While preparing, make a mental note of the points that you will put forth during the interview round. This will help your answer sound polished and natural.

Also Read: How to Answer, ‘What Can You Bring to the Company?’

What are Your Greatest Strengths- Sample 

Refer to the following sample for writing an SOP describing your greatest strengths. 

“My greatest strengths are communication and adaptability.” In other words, I am comfortable socializing with others. Having said that, this strength of mine has enabled me to form countless connections and ties during my academic and professional career. Communication has even assisted me in mending situations that were on the verge of turning into crises. My additional skills are diligence, leadership, and a strong desire to learn more. These qualities of mine have always stayed with me and influenced my overall development as a professional and a human being.  In essence, my strengths have enabled me to prosper even under difficult circumstances.”

FAQs

At first, articulating one’s key strengths during an interview round may appear challenging, but with prior preparation and practice, one can ace this segment during interview rounds. 

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