I hope this will help you a great deal.
Q: What are your strengths?
A: This is one question that you know you are going to get so there is no excuse for being unprepared. Concentrate on discussing your main strengths. List three or four proficiencies, for example, your ability to learn quickly, determination to succeed, positive attitude, your ability to relate to people and achieve a common goal. You may be asked to give examples of the above so be prepared.
Q: What is your greatest weakness?
A: Do not say you have none - this will lead to further problems. You have two options - use a professed weakness such as a lack of experience (not ability) on your part in an area that is not vital for the job. The second option is to describe a personal or professional weakness that could also be considered a strength and the steps you have taken to combat it. An example would be: "I know my team think I'm too demanding at times - I tend to drive them pretty hard but I'm getting much better at using the carrot and not the stick."
Tommy
From South Africa, Johannesburg
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Q: What are your strengths?
A: This is one question that you know you are going to get so there is no excuse for being unprepared. Concentrate on discussing your main strengths. List three or four proficiencies, for example, your ability to learn quickly, determination to succeed, positive attitude, your ability to relate to people and achieve a common goal. You may be asked to give examples of the above so be prepared.
Q: What is your greatest weakness?
A: Do not say you have none - this will lead to further problems. You have two options - use a professed weakness such as a lack of experience (not ability) on your part in an area that is not vital for the job. The second option is to describe a personal or professional weakness that could also be considered a strength and the steps you have taken to combat it. An example would be: "I know my team think I'm too demanding at times - I tend to drive them pretty hard but I'm getting much better at using the carrot and not the stick."
Tommy
From South Africa, Johannesburg
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Benjamin,
What Bibhutosh Bhadauria, Ezekwem, and others have shared is very practical. The strength I find in you is when you ask a question by itself! Being open to accepting what you do not know and being willing to seek others' help. Being courteous to those who offer help is essential. What you say should be contextual and specific to the position for which you are being interviewed.
Seema's response reminds me of "sandwich feedback." You are asked to give feedback on yourself in a sandwich format, starting with your strengths (soft bread on one side of the sandwich), stating your limitations or weaknesses (spice/meat in the middle of the sandwich), and ending by sharing the efforts you are making to overcome them (soft bread on the other side).
Warm regards,
Rajrm
From India, Bangalore
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2What Bibhutosh Bhadauria, Ezekwem, and others have shared is very practical. The strength I find in you is when you ask a question by itself! Being open to accepting what you do not know and being willing to seek others' help. Being courteous to those who offer help is essential. What you say should be contextual and specific to the position for which you are being interviewed.
Seema's response reminds me of "sandwich feedback." You are asked to give feedback on yourself in a sandwich format, starting with your strengths (soft bread on one side of the sandwich), stating your limitations or weaknesses (spice/meat in the middle of the sandwich), and ending by sharing the efforts you are making to overcome them (soft bread on the other side).
Warm regards,
Rajrm
From India, Bangalore
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In a group, things that others don't have and you possess are your strength, and vice versa.
This should be your answer because, in some cases, your strength becomes your weakness, and your weakness becomes your strength.
From India, Haldia
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This should be your answer because, in some cases, your strength becomes your weakness, and your weakness becomes your strength.
From India, Haldia
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This question looks to be very simple at first sight but is a tricky one from the organization's point of view. When talking about your strengths, avoid saying "I am honest" or "I am hardworking" as it seems very traditional. Analyze yourself to identify the positive points that make you stand out from others and how you could help the organization with them. Your weaknesses shouldn't be such that they affect your interview. Be tactful while addressing your weaknesses.
Regards,
Pratik Khurana
From India, Jaipur
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Regards,
Pratik Khurana
From India, Jaipur
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Hi Poonam,
By the rule of thumb, candidates should not speak of too many weaknesses as it would have a negative effect. Talk about your strengths, but only those that you genuinely feel you possess.
Poonam
Pune
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By the rule of thumb, candidates should not speak of too many weaknesses as it would have a negative effect. Talk about your strengths, but only those that you genuinely feel you possess.
Poonam
Pune
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It should be seen in two ways.
1. A person's GENERAL strengths and weaknesses, as per his SWOT analysis; this describes him as an INDIVIDUAL in society. One should do his own SWOT analysis to retain his place in society.
2. A person's PARTICULAR strengths and weaknesses, as per the JOB FUNCTIONS, for the position he is attending the interview. Most interviewers look for this answer and NOT the candidate's general strengths and weaknesses, since even the interviewer cannot assess them from the answers. So, prepare yourself by learning the ideal job functions for the position applied for. Assess yourself and decide what job functions are possible for you and tell them that are your strengths. Whatever you feel you can't execute immediately but can learn and do later - tell them that are your weaknesses.
I think this suffices your request. For more details, you may contact me at ekancs@gmail.com.
Eka
From India, Hyderabad
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1. A person's GENERAL strengths and weaknesses, as per his SWOT analysis; this describes him as an INDIVIDUAL in society. One should do his own SWOT analysis to retain his place in society.
2. A person's PARTICULAR strengths and weaknesses, as per the JOB FUNCTIONS, for the position he is attending the interview. Most interviewers look for this answer and NOT the candidate's general strengths and weaknesses, since even the interviewer cannot assess them from the answers. So, prepare yourself by learning the ideal job functions for the position applied for. Assess yourself and decide what job functions are possible for you and tell them that are your strengths. Whatever you feel you can't execute immediately but can learn and do later - tell them that are your weaknesses.
I think this suffices your request. For more details, you may contact me at ekancs@gmail.com.
Eka
From India, Hyderabad
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Dear BEN JAMIR,
Good evening.
With reference to your query, you need to understand the nature and behavioral science. Interviewers ask this question and study your body language. They discover all the chemical reactions to this question. Hence, be honest and give positive feedback on negative traits. Like some of the negative traits such as bad handwriting, errors in spoken English, etc. These traits can be improved during training; do not express the traits as permanent in nature, which are not trainable. Best of luck.
I hope you'll find the above useful.
Warm regards,
R K Panda
From India, Mumbai
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Good evening.
With reference to your query, you need to understand the nature and behavioral science. Interviewers ask this question and study your body language. They discover all the chemical reactions to this question. Hence, be honest and give positive feedback on negative traits. Like some of the negative traits such as bad handwriting, errors in spoken English, etc. These traits can be improved during training; do not express the traits as permanent in nature, which are not trainable. Best of luck.
I hope you'll find the above useful.
Warm regards,
R K Panda
From India, Mumbai
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You need to be careful when answering questions like this in an interview. Often they are set as traps!
When answering questions about strengths, try to find a strength you have that matches something in the job criteria and then back up your answer with examples. For example, if the job criteria mention initiative and you are a person that uses initiative, then if you are asked to name a strength, give that as your answer and then tell them about a time you have used your initiative to good advantage at a previous employer.
When it comes to weaknesses, BE VERY CAREFUL how you answer this question. The accepted method of answering this question is to take a weakness you may have had in the past and turn it into a strength. My advice to people is to study the job description very carefully and find something which is not in any way relevant to the job and use that if necessary. I once was asked this question and after taking some time to pretend to think about it, replied that I was unable to speak a foreign language - something that was not required in the position. The reason for asking the weakness question is to eliminate candidates - many people shoot themselves in the foot by not thinking about it.
From Australia, Melbourne
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When answering questions about strengths, try to find a strength you have that matches something in the job criteria and then back up your answer with examples. For example, if the job criteria mention initiative and you are a person that uses initiative, then if you are asked to name a strength, give that as your answer and then tell them about a time you have used your initiative to good advantage at a previous employer.
When it comes to weaknesses, BE VERY CAREFUL how you answer this question. The accepted method of answering this question is to take a weakness you may have had in the past and turn it into a strength. My advice to people is to study the job description very carefully and find something which is not in any way relevant to the job and use that if necessary. I once was asked this question and after taking some time to pretend to think about it, replied that I was unable to speak a foreign language - something that was not required in the position. The reason for asking the weakness question is to eliminate candidates - many people shoot themselves in the foot by not thinking about it.
From Australia, Melbourne
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Examples of Strength:
1. Team building, working with others, and appreciating their contributions without criticizing and finding fault.
2. Support and assistance, being able to help others achieve their targets.
3. Friendliness and approachability.
4. Ability to make positive, result-oriented changes against conventional practices.
5. Being analytical is a good strength, but some people may consider it a weakness because analytical individuals are never in a hurry. They take time to go through the lines, read between the lines, dot every "i," and cross all the "t's." In the end, the result is complete and unquestionable. Most people become impatient with those considered too analytical. Note: Frauds have often been discovered by analytical individuals because they were careful not to simply approve documents. They have an investigative approach, asking a lot of questions such as how, why, where, when, and what.
6. SMART attitude: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Planning your activities in line with this acronym is a strong strength.
7. Multi-tasking and having diverse knowledge are also strong points.
8. Teachability and self-developmental ability.
The list could go on endlessly, but essentially, you should develop your strengths. Our natural personality strengths come from the background of our individual temperaments. When you examine your temperament, you will see your innate strengths and weaknesses.
Regarding examples of weaknesses, look through the above points and try to find their opposites.
Take care and remain blessed.
From France, Courbevoie
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1. Team building, working with others, and appreciating their contributions without criticizing and finding fault.
2. Support and assistance, being able to help others achieve their targets.
3. Friendliness and approachability.
4. Ability to make positive, result-oriented changes against conventional practices.
5. Being analytical is a good strength, but some people may consider it a weakness because analytical individuals are never in a hurry. They take time to go through the lines, read between the lines, dot every "i," and cross all the "t's." In the end, the result is complete and unquestionable. Most people become impatient with those considered too analytical. Note: Frauds have often been discovered by analytical individuals because they were careful not to simply approve documents. They have an investigative approach, asking a lot of questions such as how, why, where, when, and what.
6. SMART attitude: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Planning your activities in line with this acronym is a strong strength.
7. Multi-tasking and having diverse knowledge are also strong points.
8. Teachability and self-developmental ability.
The list could go on endlessly, but essentially, you should develop your strengths. Our natural personality strengths come from the background of our individual temperaments. When you examine your temperament, you will see your innate strengths and weaknesses.
Regarding examples of weaknesses, look through the above points and try to find their opposites.
Take care and remain blessed.
From France, Courbevoie
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Reason for this question: How much do you know about yourself? What is your attitude towards weakness? Is your weakness really a weakness?
This is not a direct question, so you may say, "Life is strength. Death is weakness," which indirectly speaks to you being a self-confident person.
From India, Madras
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This is not a direct question, so you may say, "Life is strength. Death is weakness," which indirectly speaks to you being a self-confident person.
From India, Madras
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