Discussing one’s weaknesses in an interview is extremely common. For many interviewees, what to say for weaknesses in an interview is truly difficult because they don’t know where to start.
How do you frame your weaknesses in such a way that they don’t render you wrong for the job? How do you discuss them at all with your future employer?
If you are wondering what to say for weaknesses in an interview, you can try some of these ideas below.
NB:Some weaknesses should not be mentioned in an interview because they could immediately disqualify you for the job. You should look out for weaknesses that can still be tweaked to sound positive.
What to say for weaknesses in an interview: When they are related to personality
01Lack of patience is a major weakness of mine. It usually comes out when I am working with teams that are slow or when a deadline is about to be missed.
It comes from fear and dislike for laziness at work that I have, plus the principle I live by that every project deadline must be kept.
In my previous positions, this helped me miss only one deadline in my career so far. But I also recognize that it sometimes makes co-workers feel terrible about themselves, which doesn’t help the project’s success.
That’s why I am now learning to appreciate and help my teammates more using different expert resources on teamwork.
Photo by Patrick Malleret on unsplash
02I would say, limited confidence in some situations. One of my less common weaknesses is that I tend to suffer from a lack of confidence in some work situations.
I’d say it comes from a childhood of being ignored and growing up shy without any incentive to be bolder.
On a few occasions in the past, I failed to speak up in board meetings and team meetings, yet I had the necessary material to contribute usefully.
That has obviously been regrettable. Yet, in many cases, being shy has also helped me avoid making rash comments and decisions without evidence.
Notwithstanding, I still value confidence at work, which is why I nowadays work with confidence coaches on a regular basis.
Photo by Polina Zimmerman under pexels license
03I love my independence. That is what I consider my biggest weakness. I like getting solo assignments and working alone despite knowing that teamwork is better.
It comes from my background of not fitting in when I was younger, which forced me to learn and get used to doing things alone.
I also spent considerable time in my past career deployments in solo positions. On some projects, it has helped me meet my deadlines faster and pursue my exact vision without distraction.
But I also acknowledge that teamwork is always better if you want a superior product or final result. That is why I now take considerable time and coaching lessons to learn how to work in groups.
I hope to get even more experience with group settings in this position.
Image from Startup Stock Photos under pexels license
04I take teamwork very seriously, which is why I think that my biggest weakness is my inability to acclimatize fast enough to different personalities on a team.
This is mostly because I am naturally reserved and quiet, so louder and unusual personalities tend to take over.
In the past, this forced me to alienate some co-workers on projects, triggering disappointing results. Sometimes, keeping to myself makes me the go-to person for alternative ideas, which has boosted a couple of projects I’ve been a part of.
It also makes me the go-to person for other shy or quiet people on the team. I have since started working on reaching out to new team members individually before a project starts to understand them better.
Photo by Fox under pexels license
What to say for weaknesses in an interview: When they’re related to skillset
05I still have some trouble asking for help on a project.
I attribute this weakness to the fact that I spent the bulk of my early years working alone entirely and receiving credit for it, which hampered my ability to reach out for help even when I needed it.
In many cases, this weakness delays projects because I take longer to come up with all possible scenarios.
In other cases, it has helped me complete my tasks faster because there is only one opinion to consider. I have done some of my best work solo. Nevertheless, I am all for teamwork.
These days, I always make sure to clear any awkwardness before a team project starts so that I can easily seek help from project partners when I need it.
06My biggest weakness is that I tend to give more of my time to work. I take my work very seriously, and sometimes in the past, that has meant doing it even during my personal hours.
Sometimes, I work all through lunch and across weekends when the project requires it.
No doubt, it has affected my personal life and work-life balance. It’s just that I always want to provide perfect work and I understand that that requires all the time possible.
I have done most of my best work by giving it all the necessary time, but I have also burned considerable personal bridges in the process.
So, I am now taking considerable guidance on how to balance my work life and my personal time, and so far, it’s working.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich under pexels license
07My weakness right now is that I could use more hands-on sales experience. I know that sales experience is the least necessary skillset for this job, but I also recognize that it’s still important to getting work done in one way or another.
I haven’t had much opportunity in the past to work in sales because all my earlier positions centered around marketing or communications.
But I am always open to challenges and I intend to learn on the job as much as possible because I consider every skill useful for this position.
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator on unsplash
What to say for weaknesses in an interview: When they’re related to habit
08My biggest weakness is that I find it hard to let go of projects once they’re completed. At my previous work positions, I have had instances where I still thought there was more we could add to a project or design before we submitted it.
On many occasions, it helped my team find errors they’d missed. But it also affected deadlines, which is why I am now learning to make up my mind faster.
Photo by Retha Ferguson under pexels license
09For my biggest weaknesses, I call out my perfectionism.
I tend to overthink every decision I make on a project and that has, on many occasions, slowed down a process, alienated project teammates or messed with a deadline. I also have to add that it hasn’t been entirely negative.
I tend to identify a number of last-minute errors and final touches that guide many of my projects to success.
My perfectionism also forces me to check small details others tend to miss. I take every project or assignment very seriously.
Image from Startup Stock Photos under pexels license
10Difficulty saying no is my current biggest weakness professionally. I don’t believe in work being a burden and I really like my job.
My bosses always trust me with new, important work and I take great pleasure in completing it to their desire.
Sometimes, my friends and colleagues seek my help on their own projects, which I offer. I believe it is always good to help another colleague where necessary.
But in many cases, this inability to say no has led me to drowning in work I can’t handle.
Sometimes, helping others affects my ability to complete my own work. Right now, I am working on saying no more.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio under pexels license
Conclusion
If you are heading out for an interview, expect to be asked about your weaknesses. And since every one of us has weaknesses, there’s no way out.
You’ll need to know what to say for weaknesses in an interview if you are to stay in the race. Try the samples above for what to say for weaknesses in an interview and boost your chances.
