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

Interviews are never predictable. No matter how thoroughly you prepare for it while dealing with it in real life, you may stumble across certain questions to which you might not have an immediate response. Don’t worry! We have got you covered. The most frequent question asked during an interview is, ‘What is your greatest weakness?’ Everybody has to go through this experience at least once in their lives. We do understand that cracking an interview is the primary goal of a candidate as clearing this process gives a kick start to a career of an individual. In the series of blogs on interview preparation tips by Leverage Edu, we would be covering various aspects and concerns that individuals experience while attending an interview. Continue reading for more insights.

Must Read: Interview Questions and Answers 

How to Approach “What is Your Greatest Weakness?”

The most common question asked in any interview is “What are your strengths?” This question will give you the chance to shine as you can elaborate on your skills and expertise. But the question “What is your weakness” is the complete opposite and most tricky one, though it is one of the common questions asked by the interviewer. 

One cannot convey their weaknesses to the interviewer. Most of the candidates are not sure about how to tackle this question in a manner that won’t backfire or display any personality drawbacks. If this happens then, the chances of you getting selected for a particular job would decline. So, the interviewee needs to be very careful while answering “What is your weakness?” This question frequently stumps interviewees since most of them wonder what to say.

Must Read: How to Answer, ‘What Can You Bring to The Company?

Importance of the Question “What is Your Greatest Weakness?”

Answering the question ‘What is your weakness’ ultimately means you want to disclose your flaws in a job interview in such a way that you crack the code rather than lose momentum. Keep in mind that HR managers are most interested in how you handle difficulties on the job.

Through this question, the interviewer wants to analyze your honesty, self-awareness, and tendency to improve.

To begin, consider the limits that have presented you with difficulties at work. Making a list of your recognized deficiencies is a valuable exercise, and one source of information is prior performance assessments and remarks from supervisors about areas for development.

Like any other personal interview question, this question is a bit difficult to answer, as compared to other questions. Answering this question is not only an impediment to overcome or a trap to avoid. But it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate to the employer that you can learn from constructive criticism, that you’re ready to adapt when faced with adversity, and that you can pick yourself up and dust yourself off in case of downfall. Those qualities are considered assets for the company. 

Must Read: How to answer “Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?”

Sample Answers to “What is Your Greatest Weakness?”

Stay honest in an interview as the answers given by you in the interview are judged by highly professional hiring supervisors. So, provide honest answers meanwhile showcase your tendency and commitment toward personal growth. 

Following are a few sample answers to the question, “What is your weakness?”

1. Let’s say you have applied for the position in content marketing.

Sample Answer: I think, my worst flaw is time management because I have always been highly detail-oriented, it sometimes takes me longer to finish a task than I anticipated. This is why I adapted using time-tracking practice. This has eventually helped me be more aware of how long a task takes to complete so that I never miss the upcoming deadline.

2. Self-criticism

Sample Answer: My greatest weakness is that I am my biggest critic and frequently feel that I am not giving my best to the allotted task. I often feel that I disappoint the people and the organization with whom I work. Sometimes I tend to overwork, burn out and deliver more, even though my managers had no issues with my professionalism and performance. I’ve been actively working on myself over the last year, trying to be more fair to myself.”

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Tips for Answering What is Your Greatest Weakness

Following are some tips for answering what is your weakness: 

• Be honest and give genuine responses.
• Reflect on self-awareness in your answer.
• Only include professional weakness and avoid telling any personal traits.
• Tell the hiring manager about your improvement strategies and how you are implementing them.
• Give details about your progress.
• Don’t be overconfident.
• Show optimism.

Must Read: How to Answer, ‘Why Do You Want This Job?’

Insights From the Industry Experts

As per the experts and hiring supervisors, an applicant while giving an answer to this question must not display any negative side of their professional practice. The interviewee must stay authentic and be concise about what they are saying. 

While you must also keep in mind that this question is quite a tricky one so think before you say anything. Always keep in mind that you must not lie in an interview.

Must Read: Strengths and Weaknesses in Job Interview 2023

Knowing how to answer about your weaknesses in an interview and securing a job, this blog will help you to express yourself with confidence in an interview. In order to convey the best version of your personality, you need to be prepared and analyze yourself based on your previous work profile. 

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