When it comes to job interview questions, the classic “What are your strengths?” is a softball. It’s an invitation to shine a spotlight on all the skills and experiences that make you a great candidate for the job. The curveball comes when you’re asked about weaknesses in a job interview.
“What are your weaknesses?” trips up many job interviewees, and it’s no wonder: How do you tell an interviewer about your shortcomings without sounding like you’d be hopeless on the job?
It’s tricky, but it can be done.
Key takeaway: How do I answer "What are your weaknesses?"
Choose a weakness that is not essential to the role, then provide an explanation for how you’re improving it and support it with a real-life example. Hiring managers want to see a willingness to learn and self-awareness.
How to approach the professional weakness question
Ultimately, you want to discuss your weaknesses in a job interview in a way that helps you gain ground rather than lose it. Keep in mind that what hiring managers really want to know is how you handle and overcome adversity on the job.
To start, think about the limitations that have challenged you at work. It’s a good exercise to make a list of your known shortcomings, and one way to gather material is from past performance evaluations and notes from supervisors about areas for improvement.
You also want to make sure to research the employer and the open position. Thoroughly review the job posting before the interview, so you don’t identify something as a deficiency that’s essential to the job. Reread the job description so you know what attributes and abilities are critical to the performance of the job. Those hard or soft skills shouldn’t be on your weakness list. Everything else is fair game: try to identify a skill that is adjacent to the role, but won’t dramatically impact your ability to do your job. If you're working with a recruiter in your job search, ask for some help in preparing for this potentially awkward question.
[Music] foreign question comes up quite a bit and it's very difficult to not fall into the Trap of just going with a canned answer of uh I'm an overachiever or I work too hard I work too many hours so many times I think it's good to find some weakness that is maybe a lot more humanized that you care too much or that you want only the best for your people something that involves more than just you even though the question is about your weakness show that you're self-aware of it that's the half the battle right there because they know you're working on it they know now how to manage you and how to guide you if you were to be their employee [Music]
Examples of weaknesses for a job interview
Below are some examples of strong answers you can use when employers ask about your weaknesses:
Inexperience with specific software or a non-essential skillTendency to take on too much responsibilityNervousness about public speakingHesitancy about delegating tasksDiscomfort taking big risksImpatience with bureaucraciesBeing overly detail-orientedDifficulty saying no to requests Networking or being slightly introverted
Note that these aren’t good choices for your answer if the job requires specific skills in these areas.
What to avoid in your answer
Your first reaction may be to say, “I have no weaknesses, and nothing will keep me from doing a great job.” But no one’s perfect, and hiring managers know that. If you respond to this question with an enthusiastic denial, the interviewer will probably write you off as someone with a lack of self-awareness or someone who is overconfident or unable to understand and learn from their mistakes.
Hiring managers are also wise to responses that attempt to frame a positive trait as weaknesses in a job interview. Classic examples include “I’m a perfectionist,” “I’m very competitive,” and “I work too hard.” Interviewers are on to these stock answers, but they can still be effective if you add details relevant to the job to show you’ve put real thought into it.
For instance, you could say something like, “I hold myself to very high standards and sometimes put too much pressure on myself. I’ve learned to recognize when I’m starting to do this, such as spending a little too much time on bigger projects like quarterly reports, and I’m usually able to keep myself in check.”
Need more advice on how to prepare for job interviews? Check out all of Robert Half's Job Interview Tips.
Weaknesses to avoid mentioning
These skills are essential in the day-to-day tasks for most roles, and you should avoid using them as your answer when asked about your weaknesses:
- Honesty
- Ability to work in a team
- Communication
- Punctuality/lateness
Put your weaknesses in a positive light
Once you’ve established your weakness, craft a response to put it in the most positive light. How do you do that? Here are three suggestions:
Emphasize the positive, avoiding negative words like failure or inept.Talk about how you’ve transformed your weakness into a strength.Show how you recognize where you need to improve and the steps you’re taking to better yourself.
What are ways you can improve yourself to address a weakness?
Take a class or complete a training course.Use tools and apps to track your time, schedule breaks or collaborate more smoothly.Work with a mentor.Engage in volunteer work to build a skill.Join professional groups or industry associations.
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Sample responses to ‘What are your weaknesses?’
The question gives you the opportunity to set yourself apart. How so? You can show the hiring manager you recognize the areas where you need to upgrade yourself and how you're taking steps to address them. Here’s a sample answer that takes this approach:
“Although I always met my deadlines, I used to have a problem with procrastination, and I’d end up working long days as a deadline approached. I decided that I needed to deal with the issue, so I took classes on project management and time management. I learned how to organize my days and attack bigger projects in manageable chunks. Now, I put together a plan as soon as I get a new assignment, and I often complete my projects ahead of deadlines.”
Another example illustrates how to use the requirements of the job to drive your answer. Let’s say you’re not a strong writer, and you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer. The job description emphasizes the need for production design skills and specific software experience but doesn’t mention anything about content creation. In this scenario, you could answer the question about weaknesses in an interview like this:
“I’ve always been on the visual design side of things and haven’t had much experience with the copywriting aspect of projects, so I’d say that’s a weakness for me. However, I’m a quick learner, and I believe I could improve my writing skills if I ever needed to for my job.”
Alternatively, if you’re applying for a position as a financial analyst and one of the requirements of the job is to give regular reports to upper management, you won’t want to emphasize to the hiring manager that you struggle with communication issues.
Why is the weakness question important?
Like most common job interview questions, “What are your weaknesses?” can be challenging to answer. But it’s not just an obstacle to clear or a pitfall to avoid. It’s an opportunity to show the employer how you can learn from constructive criticism, how you’re willing to make changes when you face challenges, and how you can pick yourself up and dust yourself off when you falter. Any employer would count those things as strengths. Practice your answer in advance, so you can respond confidently come across as professional and genuine.
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FAQs
What is the best weakness to use in a job interview?
The best answer to “what are your weaknesses?” is dependent on the role you are interviewing for – don’t use a weakness for a skill that’s essential to the job and try to position your answer in a way that conveys that you understand your shortcomings and are willing to work on them. Employers are looking for details on how you handle adversity; they’re not trying to pinpoint your every flaw.
Which weaknesses should I not say in a job interview?
Don’t use any weaknesses that are essential for the role you are interviewing for – for example, don’t highlight your lack of Excel skills in an interview for an accounting-focused role. However, it will look strange if you provide an answer that’s not related at all to the role. Instead, aim for a weakness that’s adjacent to the role – one that’s not a dealbreaker but one that you can work on and improve.
Is it okay to use “I’m a perfectionist” as a weakness?
No, you usually should not say that you’re a perfectionist in an interview. This often comes across as unauthentic and can signal that you lack self-awareness to some employers. Everyone has their flaws, and employers are looking for someone who is realistic and who can identify their areas of weakness.
Can I say that I don’t have any weaknesses in a job interview?
It is not recommended to say that you don’t have any weaknesses in a job interview. This can come across as being overconfident and lacking self-awareness. Everybody has some weaknesses – employers know this and are looking for an answer that shows self-awareness and has techniques for overcoming adversity.
