how to answer ‘what is your biggest weakness?’

It’s the one question that nearly everyone dreads. It comes up so often, yet it can still be completely disarming. We mean, of course, ‘what’s your biggest weakness?’. How have you planned to answer it? To make things tougher, some interviewers follow up and ask for three examples. Then, what’s your cover?

Have you thought about it? Bear this in mind. While there’s a trend to phase out this question, it continues to stick around as a favorite for many hiring managers. The perfect storm you could anticipate on a day when you put up your best self.

You will almost certainly run into this question at some point in your career. That’s why you need to present an answer that doesn’t send waves of boredom across the interview table. Why? This question is a chance to display your ability to turn adversity into an opportunity.

Let’s walk you through those much needed pro tips. In this article, you’ll learn how to express your weaknesses productively that adds meaning to your interview conversation and offers actionable solutions to tackle those grey spots.

1. don’t deny the answer when you’re aware of your weakness.

​This question is a real test to your self-awareness. Interviewers want to see the ownership you have on the pockets of improvement in yourself. Remember, they’re not looking for a perfect answer. They want an answer that sums up your personality.

In fact, if you try to get away with it by denying your weakness, it’s a staringly visible red flag. Denying you have anything to improve just shuts down the conversation. So, can you single out areas you need to brush up on?

Moreover, it shows a lack of preparation or self-awareness. In conclusion, you don’t want to come across as someone who lacks depth and insight. That’s why you must make time before your interview to perfect your response.

What’s the solution, then? Before you even walk into the interview, try to pin down three potential weaknesses. This gives you strategic flexibility. Furthermore, you’ll have a set of answers you can fall back on.

This equips you with your unique answer fitting the space and broadens the room to chat further about it. Plus, it keeps you from clamming up under pressure. In a nutshell, it’s the best way to stay sure of not getting stuck when put on the spot.

2. don’t give too candid an answer.

You must walk a fine line here. Some weaknesses can come across as professional deal-breakers. While you want to be honest, you don’t want to give away too much. You have to think from the shoes of a hiring manager. Pay heed to what they’re expecting.

For instance, if you bring up punctuality as a weakness, your evaluators might conclude you’re always late. Moreover, there’s a risk of you coming across as unreliable during ambiguity. The hiring manager might just write you off as someone who can’t be counted on when it comes to punctuality.

Hence, it’s not the kind of weakness you want to be drawing attention to. Your answer must be one which doesn’t sabotage your chance of getting hired. Therefore, during your prep, run through the possibility of disappointing your hiring manager and create a list of weaknesses you must avoid mentioning.

3. choose something that can be improved.

The best way to tackle this question is to pick out a weakness you can actively work on. Let’s say you sometimes struggle to switch off from work. Now, if you touch on the challenge of work-life balance, you must immediately pivot to the solution.

Lay out an immediate action plan. Furthermore, mention how you’re making an effort to get away from desk and which parts of the day you dedicate to your personal commitments. When you spell out these steps, you display that you’re proactive and adaptable, a quality that makes you stand out.

4. keep your answer brief.

You don’t need to go on and on about your weakness. So, don’t drag on for more than 3-5 minutes about your pain areas. You’re aiming to come across as self-aware, not helpless. Opt for a balanced framework you can fall back on.

First, identify the area you want to get better at. Second, give out a quick, concrete example. Third, spend most of your time laying out the specific steps you’re taking to improve. After you flesh out this last part, be mindful of summing up the narrative in under one minute.

5. avoid cliché answers like ‘I’m a perfectionist’ or ‘I take on too much responsibility’.

Start my assuming that the hiring manager and recruiter have heard every cliché. That's why you need a different approach. Also, don’t pull off the “my weakness is my strength” trick. That said, don’t fall back on a weakness that’s really a strength in disguise.

However, this tactic often backfires. It won’t come across as authentic, as hiring managers have caught on to it. What really makes an impact is courage. Fessing up to a real weakness shows you have it, and hiring managers will pick up on that.

6. insert examples in your answer.

Once you figure out which weakness to talk about, you need to dig up a specific example. Try not to give out a one-word answer such as ‘time management.’ Then, the interviewer will be left to make their own assumptions.

Don’t commit to leaving your interview to fill in the blanks on their own. Why? They might end up thinking you can’t follow through on deadlines. That’s why, a concrete example helps you take over the narrative.

Here’s a sample answer we can break down. You could start off by saying, “I sometimes have a tough time with time management.” Then, follow it up with a specific example. “I’ve had a tendency to take on too many projects at once, which can stretch my schedule thin.

Then, describe the fix. “I’m now making an effort to be more selective. I’m committed to being intentional to communicating my bandwidth more clearly.” An answer like this comes across as both honest and proactive.

7. don’t stress yourself out.

It’s tough to open up about your weaknesses. That’s why this question makes so many people freak out. It’s normal to harp on your flaws more than anyone else does. Just stick to a simple formula. All you need to do is show up as self-aware.

Then, elaborate the steps you’re taking on to improve. If you can pull that off, interview normalcy is a sturdy promise.

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