Job Interviews: How to Answer the "Weaknesses" Question

The thought of going to a job interview that will be conducted in English can be daunting (rather scary). All the different types of questions you have to answer can make your head spin (make you feel like there's too much to learn.)

Let's focus on one type of question, though, one that is often not given enough attention among English learners: What are your weaknesses?

When you answer this question, keep in mind these points:

• Pick a weakness you have that is related to your profession.
  
• Pick a weakness that you can show that you have turned into a strength.
  

Here is an example of what not to say:

"One of my weaknesses is that I'm too needy. I am always asking people in my family to help me."

That's it? You're going to tell the interviewer you need help all the time and leave it at that? Nope. DON'T do that.

Instead, try this:

"One of my weaknesses is that I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed by large amounts of work I need to do. I've recognized that this limits my productivity, so I now prioritize (decide what's most important) what I have to accomplish and then work on the most important tasks first. I get the less difficult tasks done in the first few minutes of the day."

The second answer is not too long. It is direct and to the point, and it indicates a few things about you as an employee:

• You can recognize weaknesses in yourself and that you're not afraid to confront them.
  
• You take the initiative (see a problem and then take action to solve it) and work to solve an issue that prevents you from being as good of an employee as possible.
  

Decide on a couple of weaknesses that you can turn around into positives, and then develop answers to the dreaded "weaknesses" question. Then you'll be ready to handle the interview with more confidence.