How to answer strengths and weaknesses interview questions well

During job interviews, there are certain types of questions that employers tend to ask, regardless of the position and company. One of the most popular interview questions is, “What is your greatest weakness?” which is often preceded or followed by, “What is your greatest strength?”

Just because interview questions are common doesn’t mean they are easy to answer.

Questions about strengths and weaknesses can provide an opportunity to show how your skills are a perfect match for the job—or they can be a trap. Give the wrong answer, and the interview might go south in a hurry.

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know

You may hear these questions phrased in different ways, but the underlying reason employers ask remains the same. They want to know what you see as your strengths and weaknesses and also observe how you respond to a challenging question.

The interviewer is looking for honesty, self-awareness, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

So, don’t give a cliched answer like, “I’m a perfectionist!” Hiring managers hear that one a lot, and they’ll assume that you’re either not aware of your actual failings or that you’re not willing to share them.

How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”

Strengths and weaknesses are different for almost every job. What could be a strength for one job applicant may be considered a weakness for another candidate. In general, there are some strengths and weaknesses you should—and shouldn’t—mention during a job interview.

• Examples of Strengths for Interviews: These include analytical, communication, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to collaborate and work as a team.
• Examples of Weaknesses for Interviews: These include hard and soft skills, plus tips on how to spin your weaknesses so that they don’t knock you out of contention for the role.

Interview Questions About Weaknesses

• What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers
• What part of the job will be most challenging for you? – Best Answers
• Tell me about something you would have done differently at work. – Best Answers
• What do people most often criticize about you? – Best Answers
• When was the last time you were angry? What happened? – Best Answers
• What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? – Best Answers
• What is the biggest criticism you received from your boss? – Best Answers

Interview Questions About Strengths

• What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers
• How will your greatest strength help you perform? – Best Answers
• What strength of yours will help you most to succeed in this job? – Best Answers
• What can we expect from you in the first 60 days on the job? – Best Answers
• What was your biggest strength as a student? – Best Answers
• What strength will help you most to succeed in the job? – Best Answers

Examples of the Best Answers

When answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses, always keep the job description in mind. Remember that these questions are essentially the same from different angles: the employer wants to know that you have the skill set, experience, and attitude necessary to get the job done.

These kinds of questions are also an opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness. The best employees are the ones who tackle their deficiencies head-on and keep learning throughout their career.

Frame your answer in a way that emphasizes the qualities the hiring manager is looking for in a candidate.

Show that you’re the best person to solve their problems and achieve their goals. These sample answers can help you make your case.

Show How You Handle Priorities

Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task or take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I’ve never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task, and to be confident when assigning others work. In my recent position, I implemented a project management tool that allowed me to easily oversee the progress of all the tasks I assigned, which helped me feel much more comfortable delegating work.

Why It Works: This answer is honest and reflects a real weakness, unlike an answer like, “I’m a perfectionist!” It shows self-awareness and the ability to learn and grow, but emphasizes that the candidate has always prioritized what is important: hitting deadlines.

Mention a Skill Required for the Job

I have extremely strong writing skills. Having worked as a copy editor for five years, I have a deep attention to detail when it comes to my writing. I have also written for a variety of publications, so I know how to shape my writing style to fit the task and audience. As a marketing assistant, I will be able to effectively write and edit press releases and update web content with accuracy and ease.

Why It Works: Not only does this answer mention a skill that (presumably) appeared in the job description, it ties the skill directly to what would make the candidate successful in the role. The way the reply is phrased also invites the interviewer to imagine the candidate in the job.

Show Your Flexibility and Willingness to Learn

I’ve previously used Microsoft Word processing and presentation software exclusively, and haven’t used Google’s online equivalents. Although I’ll have to learn a whole new set of keyboard shortcuts, I’ll devote time to reading blog posts that walk me through the differences between the two types of software, and I’ll watch online tutorials.

Why It Works: While not misrepresenting the candidate’s skill set, this answer shows that they’ve used similar software before—and more importantly, that they know how to learn new skills.

Interview questions weaknesses help and advice. How you respond to the job interview weaknesses question says a great deal about you and that’s why it’s been around so long.

It reveals a number of things:

• how well prepared you are for the interview
• your self insight
• your self-awareness and honesty

These are actually the qualities the interviewer is assessing, not the actual weakness itself.

List of Weaknesses for Job Interviews

Go through this list of weaknesses as they present in the workplace and decide which applies to you – everyone has a weakness or two!

• Look at the suggestions on how you can improve on your weakness
• Develop a constructive interview answer that acknowledges the weakness
• Go on to describe what you are doing to improve on it and what appropriate behaviors you use to compensate for it

Interview Questions Weaknesses

Procrastination

Misses deadlines, rushing at the last minute to complete tasks, needing help to complete tasks, unprepared for meetings, low productivity.

Frustration with others who perform at a slower pace or to a lower standard than you expect of yourself. Doesn’t accept mistakes easily.

Reluctance to delegate

Doesn’t assign tasks to others, lacks confidence in co-workers, doesn’t fully utilize other staff members, checks up on others.

Unassertive

Reluctant to speak up and contribute in group situations. Agrees with others despite own feelings. Allows others to take advantage. Difficulty in saying “no”. Puts other’s needs ahead of own.

Adverse to taking risks and trying new things, difficulty in accepting change, continually reviews all details before making a decision or starting on a task. Over-analyzes outcomes.

Uncompromising or stubborn

Inflexible, difficulty in adapting to changes, resistant to different ideas, one way communication.

Strong willed or controlling

Single minded on own goal achievement, does not take direction easily, can be insensitive to feelings and needs of others, wants to be in charge. Tries to control other people’s activities.

Distracting and distracted, indiscreet, does not get the job done, wastes time, often away from desk.

How to answer “What are your weaknesses?”

When disclosing job interview weaknesses avoid focusing on something that is a core competency for the job. Rather describe general behaviors that impact on a number of areas of your life – personal, home and work.

Respond to interview questions weaknesses with answers such as:

“My family tell me I am impatient. I acknowledge this is a weakness of mine at home and sometimes in the workplace – I like things to be done promptly and in the way I regard as best. When that doesn’t happen I get frustrated.

I am making a conscious attempt to see it from the other person’s point of view, recognize that people approach things differently and not impose my own methods and expectations on others. I find if I provide constructive help rather than getting impatient it improves the situation.”

This answer provides honest feedback while positively highlighting that you are a results-driven person.

Be aware of your interview body language when answering questions about your weaknesses.

Sample weaknesses interview answers

Example of weaknesses interview answers. Sample interview answers when your weakness is:

Choose from these sample answers to the weakness interview question and get ready to impress as an insightful and considered job candidate.

“What are your strengths?”

Go here to view a comprehensive list of strengths that can be used to successfully answer this interview question.

Find out how to determine your own strengths using this personal strengths finder

For free interview answers to the interview question What are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

During job interviews, there are certain types of questions that employers tend to ask, regardless of the position and company. One of the most popular interview questions is, “What is your greatest weakness?” which is often preceded or followed by, “What is your greatest strength?”

Just because interview questions are common doesn’t mean they are easy to answer.

Questions about strengths and weaknesses can provide an opportunity to show how your skills are a perfect match for the job—or they can be a trap. Give the wrong answer, and the interview might go south in a hurry.

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know

You may hear these questions phrased in different ways, but the underlying reason employers ask remains the same. They want to know what you see as your strengths and weaknesses and also observe how you respond to a challenging question.

The interviewer is looking for honesty, self-awareness, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

So, don’t give a cliched answer like, “I’m a perfectionist!” Hiring managers hear that one a lot, and they’ll assume that you’re either not aware of your actual failings or that you’re not willing to share them.

How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”

Strengths and weaknesses are different for almost every job. What could be a strength for one job applicant may be considered a weakness for another candidate. In general, there are some strengths and weaknesses you should—and shouldn’t—mention during a job interview.

• Examples of Strengths for Interviews: These include analytical, communication, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to collaborate and work as a team.
• Examples of Weaknesses for Interviews: These include hard and soft skills, plus tips on how to spin your weaknesses so that they don’t knock you out of contention for the role.

Interview Questions About Weaknesses

• What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers
• What part of the job will be most challenging for you? – Best Answers
• Tell me about something you would have done differently at work. – Best Answers
• What do people most often criticize about you? – Best Answers
• When was the last time you were angry? What happened? – Best Answers
• What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? – Best Answers
• What is the biggest criticism you received from your boss? – Best Answers

Interview Questions About Strengths

• What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers
• How will your greatest strength help you perform? – Best Answers
• What strength of yours will help you most to succeed in this job? – Best Answers
• What can we expect from you in the first 60 days on the job? – Best Answers
• What was your biggest strength as a student? – Best Answers
• What strength will help you most to succeed in the job? – Best Answers

Examples of the Best Answers

When answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses, always keep the job description in mind. Remember that these questions are essentially the same from different angles: the employer wants to know that you have the skill set, experience, and attitude necessary to get the job done.

These kinds of questions are also an opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness. The best employees are the ones who tackle their deficiencies head-on and keep learning throughout their career.

Frame your answer in a way that emphasizes the qualities the hiring manager is looking for in a candidate.

Show that you’re the best person to solve their problems and achieve their goals. These sample answers can help you make your case.

Show How You Handle Priorities

Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task or take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I’ve never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task, and to be confident when assigning others work. In my recent position, I implemented a project management tool that allowed me to easily oversee the progress of all the tasks I assigned, which helped me feel much more comfortable delegating work.

Why It Works: This answer is honest and reflects a real weakness, unlike an answer like, “I’m a perfectionist!” It shows self-awareness and the ability to learn and grow, but emphasizes that the candidate has always prioritized what is important: hitting deadlines.

Mention a Skill Required for the Job

I have extremely strong writing skills. Having worked as a copy editor for five years, I have a deep attention to detail when it comes to my writing. I have also written for a variety of publications, so I know how to shape my writing style to fit the task and audience. As a marketing assistant, I will be able to effectively write and edit press releases and update web content with accuracy and ease.

Why It Works: Not only does this answer mention a skill that (presumably) appeared in the job description, it ties the skill directly to what would make the candidate successful in the role. The way the reply is phrased also invites the interviewer to imagine the candidate in the job.

Show Your Flexibility and Willingness to Learn

I’ve previously used Microsoft Word processing and presentation software exclusively, and haven’t used Google’s online equivalents. Although I’ll have to learn a whole new set of keyboard shortcuts, I’ll devote time to reading blog posts that walk me through the differences between the two types of software, and I’ll watch online tutorials.

Why It Works: While not misrepresenting the candidate’s skill set, this answer shows that they’ve used similar software before—and more importantly, that they know how to learn new skills.