How to Answer – “What is your Greatest Weakness?”

People often get asked about their weaknesses in interviews. This question is not as easy as it sounds. And many also wonder why recruiters ask it. Some take it otherwise and answer very honestly which is good but not every time. Whereas others answer that they don’t have any weaknesses which is also not a good all the time. So, how to answer this question? Don’t worry! We have got you covered. In this post, we will help you understand why interviewers ask this question, tell you the best way to explain your biggest weakness, and also provide some sample responses for you. Let’s dive in.

Why do Interviewers Ask “What is your Greatest Weakness?”

Interviewers are interested in learning about your worst weakness because of the following reasons.

• They want to know how self-aware you are and how motivated you are to self-improvement. An employee who can recognize their own flaws may also be useful in identifying problems with their team’s processes or plans.
• Hiring managers want to know about your resilience and how you deal with weaknesses. It is advantageous to project the image of someone who is not quickly frustrated by their flaws and instead seeks alternative solutions.
• Delegating work in which you do not excel (if applying for a supervisory position), collaborating with colleagues to cover each other’s weaknesses, exercising self-study to better, or something else. The most crucial thing interviewers want to hear is that you have a strategy in place to address your weakness; the plan itself is secondary.

How to Answer “What is your Greatest Weakness?”

When answering the question, “What is your greatest weakness?” state it clearly and then elaborate by giving relevant background information. Here’s a methodical approach to responding to this typical interview question:

1. Select a weakness that is (mostly) unrelated

While it is acceptable to discuss professional rather than individual weaknesses in your response, make sure the flaw you choose doesn’t significantly affect your ability to do your work. 

An accountant should not claim to be weak at Excel.❌

Rather, consider a vulnerability that is somewhat related to the position or the industry as a whole. An example of this can be

An accountant can say that he lacks communication skills and struggles to explain complicated finance topics in layman’s style. But he is trying to overcome it by interacting more.✅

Even though it isn’t that necessary for their work it demonstrates the candidate’s awareness about himself and willingness for personal development.

2. Make it a genuine flaw

Your weakness shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but it also shouldn’t be a covert strength like perfectionism. Think about the aspects of your career that you could do better. It could be something that you regularly avoid because you feel that you’re not good at it. Just make sure it’s a real flaw that affects your professional talents in a minimal way.

3. Give an example

With this kind of question, like with other interview questions, it helps to provide some context. Tell a tale of how you missed a deadline because you were editing a paper for the fifth time, rather than merely stating that you pay too much attention to details. 

Remember this: Behaviours are a better approach to characterize your weaknesses rather than adjectives. Although your interviewer already holds views about what a “shy” employee looks like, it seems far more reasonable and understandable when you explain that you find it difficult to voice your opinions to superiors. Above all, it eliminates any possibility of misinterpretation.

4. Close with improvement

Whatever your choice of weakness is, always end your response with an assurance to get better. This could indicate that you have already resolved the issue, are actively working on it, or have made firm intentions to get better. Here is an example.

I plan to improve my skills. ❌

I’ve started taking online courses to cover gaps in my HTML knowledge.✅

Sample Answers for Weakness

1. Work Delegation

I may take excessive ownership at times, wanting to ensure that everything is perfect. But I’m learning to put more trust in my team and allocate responsibilities based on everyone’s strengths. In my most recent project, different ideas and abilities came together to produce an outstanding outcome.

2. Shyness

I’m definitely more on the quiet side, and speaking up in big groups can be a bit nerve-wracking for me. But I’m pushing myself outside my comfort zone, like volunteering for small presentations. The positive feedback helps to boost my confidence, and I’m slowly becoming more comfortable voicing my ideas.

3. Time Management

If I’m not careful, deadlines tend to creep me out. My weakness is getting lost in the details! But now I’m using scheduling tools and creating smaller, more manageable goals. It’s like setting mini-checkpoints for myself. I even finished a task early last week and felt so good.

4. Organization

To be honest, my desk can occasionally resemble a paper explosion zone. But I’m learning to control the chaos with to-do lists and decluttering routines. It’s amazing how much clearer my head gets when my workspace isn’t cluttered. It’s like I can actually think again!

5. Impatience

I get a little restless sometimes, especially when things move slower than my brain. But I’m practicing patience by meditating and reminding myself of the bigger picture. In my last job, there was this huge, long-term project with constant delays. Instead of freaking out, I broke it down into smaller wins and celebrated each milestone which kept me motivated and sane.

6. Indecisiveness

I like to carefully weigh all possibilities, sometimes to an extreme. But I’m learning to set acceptable decision-making timetables and to trust my gut impulses more. I used a pros-and-cons list with deadlines in my last project, and it actually helped me make a faster and more confident decision.

7. Excessive Attention to Detail

Sometimes I get lost in the details, wanting everything to be pixel-perfect. However, I am learning to zoom out and prioritize the bigger picture. In my previous role, I realized that I was slowing down the progress by over-editing reports. Now, I delegate simpler tasks and set stricter deadlines for myself.

8. Saying Yes to Too Much

My eagerness to help can sometimes cause me to overburden myself. I’m getting better at setting boundaries and saying no gracefully. My manager in my last job actually taught me a great phrase: ‘I’d love to help, but my schedule is currently full.’ Saved me countless headaches!

9. Pleasing Everyone

I genuinely want everyone to be happy, but I know it’s impossible to please all the people all the time. I’m working on communicating my limitations openly and focusing on making informed decisions based on priorities and needs, not just emotions.

10. Unhealthy Work-life balance

Honestly, I haven’t always been the best at boundaries. In my previous role, I found myself putting in long hours and neglecting personal time, which led to some burnout. I realize this isn’t sustainable for myself or my future performance.

Common Mistakes while Answering 

One of the most often asked questions during job interviews is “What is your greatest weakness?” Sadly, this implies that a lot of poor advice is available. To be clear, when responding to this question, avoid the following mistakes:

1. Making use of “perfectionism.

The worst reply you could possibly offer to this question is “perfectionism.” Recruiters and hiring managers can see right through this scripted response.

If you are a perfectionist, discuss your weaknesses in terms of the actions you take. For instance, you can be prone to micromanaging or resistant to assign tasks as they pile up. Compared to the same old perfectionism, these are far more interesting and creative responses.

2. Just using adjectives

By using terms like “timid,” “not confident,” or “impatient,” you give the interviewer the opportunity to make assumptions about your potential behavior on the job. It’s possible that they have an impression of you as the most timid person ever or as a worker who loses their cool easily.

It is therefore far safer to characterize the actions you perceive as shortcomings. It prevents the hiring manager from assuming that your area of weakness is something different from what you’re actually attempting to convey.

3. Claiming to have none 

This is obviously dishonest and is equivalent to disregarding the question. Even though Achilles was a god, he had a weakness, just like you have. Weaknesses are not anything to be ashamed of. But to be totally unaware of your own shortcomings demonstrates a true arrogance and/or lack of self-awareness.

4. Excessive talking 

It’s not necessary to go into great depth regarding your shortcomings. These are generally the things you are attempting to reduce as much as possible. Answer this question honestly and completely, but err on the side of brevity.

5. Being extremely negative

Although weaknesses are considered to be a negative topic, your response should be constructive. That is to say, don’t worry about how terribly awful your weakness is. Instead, recreate events to demonstrate your adaptability and resourcefulness and your ability to solve problems even when they don’t come naturally to you.

6. Telling a flaw that can disqualify you

Finally, but just as importantly, avoid going too far and ruling yourself out of consideration for the job. 

❌ Don’t mention that you have trouble meeting deadlines, if you’re seeking to be a journalist. 

❌ Don’t claim to be impatient when seeking to be a teacher.

Certain things are simply a huge no-no for specific jobs. It’s best to keep your weaknesses in this kind of area hidden for the time being, even if you are weak in it (but do make a private, personal commitment to improve on it).

Conclusion

Finally, we are almost at the end of this topic. Definitely, “What is your greatest weakness?” is the most commonly dreaded question in interviews. After reading this, hopefully, it doesn’t seem all that difficult. It’s important to keep in mind that interviewers aren’t trying to con you or give you the same old, boring response they’ve heard a thousand times. They are looking for sincere introspection, a dedication to growth, and a plan for making up for your weaknesses. If you respond with assurance and genuineness, hiring managers and recruiters will find you to be a standout applicant. Good luck!