Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Know yourself
• Part 2 of 3: Talking about your weaknesses during a job application
• Part 3 of 3: Examples of reactions
• Tips
• Warnings

There comes a time in everyone's career (or more generally in everyone's life) when you are asked to identify your weaknesses. It is also a very common question in job applications, and is often difficult to answer because you have to identify a negative aspect of yourself. If you are not prepared for these kinds of questions, you may stumble over them and the answer does not come across in the right way. Learn how to get a better grip on your own weaknesses and how to properly communicate about them with others.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Know yourself

1. Understand what the question entails. If you are asked to state your weaknesses during an interview, especially when it comes to an application, it is usually not the weakness that is the most important. Rather, it is about whether you are aware of your weaknesses and what you are doing about them. If your answer is something like “I don't have one,” it immediately becomes clear that a lack of self-knowledge is your biggest weakness. It is also important to realize that being aware of one's own weaknesses is not the same as being weak. By knowing and compensating for your own weaknesses you show a strong side of yourself.
2. Be prepared. It's important to do regular self-assessment to identify your main weaknesses. If you don't know what they are, then it is impossible to properly convey them to others. If you already know the answer, then you don't have to go into indistinct stammering and will only rise in the esteem of the person sitting opposite you.
3. Analyze your weaknesses on a regular basis. As stated above, this is not a one-off. To begin with, do this every 6 months and if you find this to be too much, bring it back to every 6 months.
4. Be honest but also smart. For example, you can say "I am a perfectionist, and often demand too much from others," but if you are not at all, then this is not a good idea. If someone asks you about your weaknesses, be honest. But at the same time learn the best and most cost-effective way to showcase the truth (this is called "public relations"). This ensures that you come across as a candidate who appears more complete as a person.

Part 2 of 3: Talking about your weaknesses during a job application

1. Name a real weakness in yourself. Twisting your answer to make it seem like your greatest weakness is your best quality is not going to be well received. "My biggest weakness is that I am a perfectionist" will make many employers think that you are denying who you really are. If this is really a problem you are facing, make sure your answer is honest and that it can be related to the job description, such as, I sometimes have a habit of over-analyzing things, which keeps other tasks from being done or falling behind.
2. Be clear and concise. Do not exaggerate or elaborate. With this question, the interviewer looks for certain, specific answers.
3. Have your answer to the question immediately followed by a proactive solution. You have clearly indicated that you know what your weaknesses are, summarized this and showed that you understand who you are. Now you can indicate how you will work on your weaknesses.
   • “Sometimes I spend too much time on the details of the work I do, which can cause other tasks to lag behind. To prevent that, I consciously limit the time that can be spent on a review of a project. When that time is up, I will move on to the next task on my list of priorities. ” This not only indicates that you can indicate weaknesses in yourself, but also that you are able to use useful methods to deal with them.
4. Stop and wait. After you answer the question, stop talking for a moment. Wait for the interviewer to respond. You are done. You have answered the question and now you can wait for the response, even if it takes longer than you like.
   • The interviewer may deliberately take a longer break to see what you will do. Look the person opposite you in the eye with an expression on your face as if you are completely comfortable, and wait for feedback.
5. Prepare for the interviewer to keep asking questions. It is important to have three weaknesses of yourself and corresponding solutions at hand.The interviewer will likely ask the same question again and maybe even a third time.
   • If you get the question a fourth time, there is a good way to deal with it. “If I ask myself this every quarter, this list may change from time to time. I focus on no more than three weaknesses so that they don't overwhelm me. Ask me again in June and I may have a different answer for you. ”

Part 3 of 3: Examples of reactions

1. "I don't take the initiative often enough to my liking.’ Employers generally like people who take initiative. One reason is that they don't have to act as babysitters while you wait for an assignment. Second, it means that you are constantly thinking about how you can add value to the company. Here is an example of how you can convey this weak point of yours.
   • "I don't take initiative as easily as I would like. In my last job it was very important to carry out tasks to the letter, there was no room for improvisation. I realized that I was gradually starting to shy away from independence. doing things because I was getting a little careful not to upset my boss or undermine company policies, all the while realizing that most appointments, and this one in particular, require a certain amount of initiative. wants to be absolutely sure of the expectations of a project before starting it so that I can approach it from different angles or follow different leads without deviating from the path. "
2. "I don't always manage my time equally well.’ Managing your time is crucial for employers. They are looking for people who can ideally do most of the work in the shortest time possible. It is important to give this answer in the right way immediately if this is a point you choose to say. But at the same time, many people are bad at planning their time, so don't think you're telling the interviewer anything new.
   • “I don't always manage my time properly. To be honest, sometimes I can get so absorbed in a particular part of a project that I completely forget that there are more tasks to complete. get it right the first time, sometimes at the expense of other tasks. This in turn can lead to me falling behind with a project. Over time, I've learned better to complete projects when it gets done. seems like other projects are lagging behind, without using quick fixes or getting rid of them. I am learning to plan ahead and ask the right people for help when needed, in addition to finding more efficient, equally effective ways to get the job done. "
3. “I tend to take on the role of the leader when I'm not asked to.’ This weakness is the opposite of # 1, not daring to take the initiative. Employers can get nervous about over-ambitious employees who set themselves up as leaders. Reassure them that you know you are doing this and are learning to take on the assigned task and role within a team when prompted:
   • “I have a tendency to take on the role of the leader when I'm not asked to. Sometimes this has created tensions between the team leader and myself, which is completely understandable because he or she is just trying to do his or her job. I'm learning to trust people in their responsibilities, and not burden a project with my own ego. I realize that by letting people play their assigned roles within a team, this team can be much more successful in the long run, even if there are start-up problems at the beginning. I'm focused on becoming a better team player by letting everyone do their own job, helping if needed. "
4. "I talk too much.’ Obviously, this is not a point of weakness that you can use to your advantage if you come across as introverted or shy. In other words, make sure you are who you say you are. Employers want someone who is focused on the work that needs to be done, not telling fun anecdotes or finding out what everyone did over the weekend. Reassure the employer that you are very good at setting priorities when it comes to communication:
   • "I talk too much. I am very outgoing and social, which in practice means that I do not always interact in a work-related way with others in the workplace. I am in the process of changing this and focusing on a different way of working. I let talking about the weekend until the breaks and also learn to first listen quietly before I speak. I know that I have a tendency to shout out others, so I now ask colleagues to cut me off if I dominate a conversation or deviate from the subject. "
5. "I don't like to speak in public.’ This is a kind of response where you usually shouldn't expect a lot of trouble, because in most cases there is no need to deliver speeches to a large audience. Usually people are not unwilling to do so. Again, make sure to highlight the positive aspects of this problem.
   • I don't like to speak in public. I slam when I have to speak in front of a larger group. I start to sweat, stumble over my words, and it seems like there's no way I can convey my ideas. It is not so much a phobia as it is a fear that people will judge my fluency. I understand that functioning in a larger group is an important part of this appointment and, although I don't handle it perfectly yet, I do have the feeling that things are getting better. I signed up for public speaking classes to confront myself with giving speeches more often. I also force myself to speak more often in smaller groups. where I focus more on what I say and how, than "whether I did it right". "
6. “I'm not as orderly as I could be.’ Certain professions, such as that of an accountant or secretary, really depend entirely on consistent organization. If you are applying for such a job, please think twice before giving this answer. Other professions, on the other hand, require less organizational talent, especially when it comes to "creative" professions, to get the work done.
   • "I'm not as orderly as I could be. I've never used organizers or making appointments because I never thought it was that important. I could come along at school because I kept the timetable in my head and it wasn't. was bad to miss a few times. Over time I discovered that lack of planning and order causes unnecessary mistakes and creates communication failures that are not acceptable. Now I am teaching myself to write down every contact, and every meeting and keeping the project goals on a schedule. I'm a lot stricter now about organizing those things that allow me to do my job, and cross out anything that doesn't have to do with it. "

Tips

• Use the previous exercises to get to know and improve your weaknesses and set yourself goals for the future.
• Remember that strengths and weaknesses often go together. For example, a tendency to over-commit could be an expression of dedication to a project or helping other team members.
• You can use your strengths in a cover letter. These are the points that you bring in for your own benefit and it certainly makes a good impression to know what your strengths are.
• If one or more of your weaknesses actually make you unfit for the job you want to apply for, it might be wise to look for another job.
• Once in a while, take notes about how well the compensation techniques you are using work (or don't work at all) so that you can adjust them to your liking.
• Make sure your final self-analysis is not too cumbersome. It must be presented concisely and clearly:
• If you have staff, it can ensure that they can use this tool, give you an excellent tool to assess how best to leverage their strengths and leverage their weaknesses in other, less business-critical areas .

Warnings

• Don't ignore what you can't improve right away. Pretending that your weaknesses don't exist just because you don't know how to deal with it isn't a good idea. Write these points down and start thinking about them. It is not advisable to elaborate on this during a job application, until you know how to come up with a solution.
• Be aware that this technique is only as useful as the person sitting in front of you. Not everyone agrees that admitting that you have weaknesses is a sign of a strong personality (some people will think less about you or even use your weaknesses against you). It is always important to properly analyze a situation and adjust your strategy accordingly. There is no such thing as the ideal response mode that works in every situation.