This
is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any
admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F”
for the interview.
PASSABLE
ANSWER: Disguise a strength as a weakness.
Example: “I
sometimes push my people too hard. I
like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the same
wavelength.”
Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a
flaw, but it's so widely used, it is transparent to any experienced
interviewer.
BEST ANSWER:
(and another reason it's so important to get a thorough description of your
interviewer's needs before you answer questions): Assure the interviewer that
you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your performing in this
position with excellence. Then, quickly review you strongest qualifications.
Example: “Nobody's perfect, but based on what you've
told me about this position; I believe I’d make an outstanding match. I know
that when I hire people, I look for two things most of all. Do they have the
qualifications to do the job well, and the motivation to do it well? Everything in my background shows I have both
the qualifications and a strong desire to achieve excellence in whatever I take
on. So I can say in all honesty that I see nothing that would cause you even a
small concern about my ability or my strong desire to perform this job with
excellence.”
Alternate
strategy (if you don't yet know enough about the position to talk about such a
perfect fit): Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and
like least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the most
important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is
not essential.
Example: Let's say you're applying for a teaching
position. “If given a choice, I like to spend as much time as possible in front
of my prospects selling, as opposed to shuffling paperwork back at the
office. Of course, I long ago learned
the importance of filing paperwork properly, and I do it conscientiously. But
what I really love to do is selling (if your interviewer was a sales manager,
this should be music to his ears.)
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