Job Interview Weakness Used to Your Advantage

Job Interview Weakness Used to Your AdvantageJob Interview Weakness Used to Your AdvantageThis dreaded, seemingly trick question will no longer be difficult to answer in job interviews. Most job candidates are familiar with the Whats your biggest weakness? interview question, but few feel equipped to answer it with confidence.The next time youre asked the stress-inducing question in an interview, use these tips to provide a powerful response to discuss your weaknesses for interviews.Avoid faux weaknesses.Recruiters and employers dont want to hear that youre a perfectionist or any of those other faux weaknesses that can be turned into strengths. They actually want to know about an area youve struggled with, and most importantly, what youve done to overcome that limitation. Steer clear of the positive weaknesses and stick to sharing something thats genuine.Choose something work-related.This is not the time to discuss your fear of commitment or that you get awful road rage during rush h our. Focus on an area thats relevant to your professional life. For example, perhaps you struggled with multi-tasking earlier in your career but have become a master at it in recent years.Dont mention essential skills.Remember, the goal is to share a shortcoming that youve already taken steps to improve. This demonstrates to the hiring manager that youre not only self-aware, but youre dedicated to self-improvement. If your greatest weakness is a critical requirement for the job and youre still struggling in this area, then you may want to reconsider whether its the right role for you.Use the STAR method to explain.The STARmethod is typically used to respond to behavioral interview questions however, it can also be a great way to explain how youve overcome a weakness in a succinct, thoughtful manner. Heres what to doThink of aSituationorTaskthat youve struggled with in the past. This could be anything from having difficulty remaining cool under pressure, being afraid of public speaki ng, or getting too caught up in the little details of a project and missing deadlines.Identify whatActionsyouve taken to improve your skill-set or overcome this shortcoming at the office. For instance, if youve been too efficient for your own good in the past and ended up cutting corners, you can explain what measures youve taken to ensure you produce a high-quality, error-free product now.Discuss theResultsof your actions. Are you no longer struggling with this skill at the office? Have your customer scores or employee assessments improved? Are you performing better at your organization? Prove youre an accomplished professional by explaining the final success.Use this question as an opportunity to demonstrate to prospective employers your commitment to excellence and professional development. Remember, its not always about the strengths you possess, but the results you can achieve when the odds are against you.