interview Q

[ems27]

I have a job interview in a few days which i'm preparing for. Fingers crossed it will go well but i always stumble on 1 question, "what are your weaknesses?" any ideas of what kind of direction i should go in. i want to get the right balance without making myself out to be incompetent or being a little miss perfect.

[ck1]

I got asked this in a recent interview and said I like to spend a long time making sure things (reports, presentations etc) are done properly so this can take me a little longer than other people, essentially you are telling them that you are thorough and don't like to cut corners. By saying it is a weakness as it will take you longer will answer their question but also make you look more efficient, especially if you say some people see this as a weakness but you like to do things properly. Hasn't failed me yet anyway but i'm sure you will get loads of suggestions, just make sure you can give a positive slant to anything you say, good luck!

[rja211077]

yeah the 'perfectionist' one is the stock answer. everyone uses it so i really don't know why they bother asking this question. what do they expect you to say - 'i'm stoopid, lazy, with a borderline drink problem and an unhealthy fetish for smelly feet?'

[acw]

Good luck!!  I have been told by several people working in graduate recruitment that the "correct" approach is to acknowledge the weakness, but show how you compensate for that.  The example one woman gave was:

• I tend to oversleep in the mornings.
• So I set two different alarm clocks, one at the far end of the bedroom.  That way I don't oversleep and miss the bus. 

I still haven't worked out a plausible example for myself.  I'm always tempted to be obtuse and say "haagen dazs baileys ice cream" (see when you say it outloud it doesn't matter how you spell it!!).  However I think you just have to do something similar to ck1's idea - a "negative" that's really a positive. 

 

OR - say "well, if I were working for your company I would look forward to your opportunities within the firm to improve my IT skills.  I'm competent in the basic Office programmes, but I'd like to learn better to use X".  That sort of thing sounds very positive. 

 

GOOD LUCK AGAIN!!!

[acw]

Tee hee rja211077! I'm always too scared to say "perfectionist" - I think it sounds a bit too close to being an Obsessive Compulsive!  But then I'm always paranoid in interviews that everything I say will put them off me.  Maybe that's why I haven't got a job lined up for after uni!!  hope you have lots of luck ems!

[ems27]

thanks for the tips guys, v helpful.

[becks]

God i'd never say i oversleep they could have you down as always turning up late for work. I say i'm impatient and that it frustrates me when i can finish things becuase of other people ie not returning calls. This shows i am keen to finish jobs off as quickly as possible which in itself is a good thing. Although not so good if you're in a job that would require patience.

[Bangkok]

The interviewer wants confirmation you are sensible enough to be honest, and turn a negative into a postive.  Being a perfectionist is not necessarily a positive.  Something like 'when I have a problem to solve I find it difficult to switch off until I have an answer.  I sometimes wake up in the night thinking about it so I have to keep paper and a pen my the bed.' 

RJA - I ask this question even though it is cliched, as some of the answers are incredible.  One guy told me he was lazy and didn't like hard work, another said they can be careless.  A guy tried to make a joke and just said 'the laydees' and winked at me.

[Sasha13]

Came along a bit late to this question What you need to remember is that when an interviewer asks this question they are basically asking three things. 1. Do you admit that you have weaknesses and can you communicate what they are  - everybody has GENUINE weaknesses and the perfectionist one should be avoided at all costs in my opinion - it's the one that makes me cringe when I interview people.  2.  Are your weaknesses that bad, and are they going to stop you performing the job that you are being interviewed for and 3. what are you doing about them?  acw and Bangkok have give some good ideas. Another one could be "I can get demotivated if I'm not kept busy over a long period of time (not just if you have a quiet hour) so I keep a diary and set myself goals and targets to complete on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. I review this regularly which helps me give "added value" (buzz word alert, sorry) to the company that I'm working for, rather than simply fulfill my basic duties. Hope this helps!