Job Interview Skills: How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

You’re smiling at your (possible) future employer, answering his interview questions with the confidence of a woman who already knows that she won the job. Except, then you hear it: the nail-biting question of, “What is your greatest weakness?” It isn’t easy to be brutally honest about your biggest flaws, especially when a job is on the line.

But with a few simple tips, answering this hard question will be your greatest strength in a job interview…and could even earn you that dream position. Here’s exactly how you should answer questions about your greatest weakness at your next job interview.

1. Don’t kid yourself.

Maybe when you hear this question, you first think: I don’t have any weaknesses! Wrong answer! Everyone has weaknesses, even if it’s only being too much of a Type A perfectionist. When you don’t admit your own flaws, not only do you seem like a clichéd interviewee, but you also make it hard for your employer to know you. They’re not asking you this question to disqualify you from the job; they just want to see if and where you fit into to their company. So stop stalling and start talking!

2. Identify a “good” weakness.

Now, before you admit that you’ve skipped work for weeks straight and often steal lunches from the communal employee fridge, stop and consider your options. We all have weaknesses, but some weaknesses are admittedly better than others. For example, you could identify being talkative and rebellious some of your weaknesses. Then, depending on the type of job you’re applying for, choose which weaknesses would be more suitable to mention during your the interview. If the job involves greeting guests when they enter the store, being talkative may actually be a hidden strength. On the other hand, a rebellious attitude could be a positive trait in a creative job that strives to reject mainstream values.

3. Dress it up.

How do you dress for an interview? Most likely, you trade your holey jeans for a sleek business  business suit. You need to “dress up” your weakness in a similar way. Once you’ve found a “good” weakness that won’t drastically impair your chances of being hiring, polish it up as a hidden strength. Need a few examples? How about, “I can be too nice.” Although this trait has the negative of being a pushover or lacking a competitive drive, it offers plenty of advantages. For instance, you could mention how “being too nice” often causes you to work overtime or spend extra time getting to know your co-workers. Place your weakness in the best light as possible.

4. Follow up with a resolution.

To put it simply, employers don’t want problems, they want problem solvers – and you can show off your own problem-solving skills the moment you hear this question. When you identify your weakness, make sure you explain how you’re actively trying to resolve it. Using the example from before, if you’re too much of a people-pleaser, you can assert that while you still love to make people happy, you develop a strict daily work schedule to make sure you stay focused on your own work. Once you can ask yourself, “Is this still even my greatest weakness?” then your employers can have the same positive perspective…and you’ve got the answer the infamous “greatest weakness” question! Wasn’t that hard, was it?