What Are Your Major Weaknesses?

Terminator

Its the question that always pops up at some stage in the interview.

Anything you say is just gonna make you look like a pillock and no doubt they'll keep it on your employment record to be brought out annually at your review.

So what can you say?

If you try to put a positive spin on the question and say "I guess I work too hard" then they're gonna expect you to work all hours if you get the job.

I suppose you could get all tongue-in-cheek and say "Kryptonite" difussing the question entirely.

tHE vAGGABOND

you could try the spud approach..

"Im a bit of a perfectionist actually!"

four_star

one of my friends actually said in an interview that he had no leadership qualities. they then said what about him being class rep. he said he didn't take it seriously at all. he also said he buckles under pressure.

seamus

I always find it really hard to think of something. No, really. The only things I ever managed to say in an interview were "I'm regularly a few minutes late", and "I work much slower when I'm bored". Still got the job though

Morpheus

this internet thingy!:cheeky:

Trojan

I've read all the usual bs advice you find on the jobsites, but I couldn't bring myself to say them. I just said I honestly didn't know what my weaknesses were, and that was a weakness in itself. Recursive interview techniques for the programmers out there!

Al.

SheroN

my major weakness is that when im being shown things i agree and nod my head whether i understand or not.

Trojan

Originally posted by SheroN
my major weakness is that when im being shown things i agree and nod my head whether i understand or not.

well don't bloody well tell them that one!

jeez...

Al.

Blitzkrieger

That's a bollox of a question. I reckon it's to try to trick you into admitting some of your faults (like bad spelling) - or maybe they just like to have a laugh at the answers they get.


I've been thinking of using "I stay calm under pressure". It really irritates people When I did my work experience my supervisor would come to me with a problem, and when I didn't panic, he assumed I either didn't understand or didn't care. He'd always waste time I could be spending on solving the problem explaining it four or five times. It also used to piss people off outside exams. They'd be ****ting bricks and I'd be relaxing.

Takes too long to explain tho

yellum

I got asked this at my last job interview and said that maybe I work too hard sometimes as I start and hour early frequently and finish late too.

She then said that that wasn't really a weakness, so I said I get disappointed if I wasn't able to help a customer with their problem (its a tech support job )

She then said that still wasn't a real weakness, so I said maybe I talk too much, she laughed at that.

I then said that I really can't think of one and she said, well thats fine then.

I think its just a test in case you say something really stupid, like under pressure you freak out. I got the job though.

Yurmasyurda

I used, "well I don't really know, it's never something I had to think of" I got both of my techie jobs with that one

bombidol

Thats a good one actually, you could say, " I dont know my own weaknessess(sss) so i usually give everything a shot".

I reckon that could work actually

bomB

SheroN

I suppose the fact I reckon i'm perfect in everyway shape and form could be seen as some by a weakness.

azezil

Originally posted by Blitzkrieger
I've been thinking of using "I stay calm under pressure". It really irritates people

lol i'm the same, my boss frequently got flustrated with me when i answered "no problem" to problems he thought major!

rymus

Major weakness? Dont have a degree in anything... need I continue?

WhiteWashMan

the one ive always used is
'well, i tend to focus on my main priorities, often at the expense of smaller issues'

they seem to like that

Loomer

When I was taught Interview techniques by this lecturer on a FAS course (which I must add was probably the most beneficial part of the course) he said this is a "classic" interview trick question. You should say "... blah blah used to be a weakness but I worked particulaly hard at improving this and now I consider this to be one of my strengths!"
Interviewers have always been impressed by this answer in my experience and can make you stand out from the rest of the candidates.
Basically one of the main points to remember in an interview is never represent yourself badly. Any leading question like that is an oppurtunity to turn it around to your advantage.

SantaHoe

Originally posted by Terminator
I suppose you could get all tongue-in-cheek and say "Kryptonite" difussing the question entirely.

Good thinking... I'll try that at my next interview

FreaK_BrutheR

Im an alcoholic.

Samson

My cocaine habit.

colm L

I don't panic much either and in my job that apparently comes off as laziness, cos i walk around with the look of someone whos somewhere else, and i nearly always have a smile on my face!!
plus the last guy who did my job was always red and running about the place.