Adriana Herrera, Interview Destiny FounderUse this Example of Weaknesses and Strength in a Job Interview article to help you impress your interviewer.

If you want everything you need to ace your interview, click here.

Adriana Herrera, Interview Destiny FounderUse this Example of Weaknesses and Strength in a Job Interview article to help you impress your interviewer.

If you want everything you need to ace your interview, click here.

Example of Weaknesses and Strength in a Job Interview

by | Last updated Feb 8, 2022

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Are you getting ready for an interview? Struggling to think of examples of your weaknesses and strengths?

Job interviews are not easy, but they don’t have to be hard either. The key to a great interview answer is preparation! This article provides you with examples of weaknesses and strengths to share in a job interview, personality strengths and weaknesses, and suggestions on what to say when asked about your greatest strengths and weaknesses.

By the time you are done reading this article, you will have all the information you need to confidently answer weakness and strength interview questions.

Your dream job is waiting so let’s get started with examples!

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Example of Weaknesses and Strength in a Job Interview

Four weakness example answers:

  1. An example of weakness in a job interview is if you have a hard time taking criticism. You might say something like…”I am always looking to improve and I take critiques very seriously. I know that I need to work on this area, but overall I think that I am a strong critic.”
  2. An example of weakness in a job interview is if you have trouble multitasking. You might say something like, “I can get overwhelmed easily when there are too many tasks on the table so it’s important that those tasks are broken down into manageable chunks.”
  3. An example of weakness in a job interview is if you have a hard time dealing with stress. You might say something like, “In high-stress situations, I have been known to shut down and not know what the best course of action is.”
  4. An example of weakness in a job interview is if you have a hard time taking direction. You might say something like, “I am very independent and I like to have control over my own destiny. However, I can also be flexible when needed.”

Four strength example answers:

 

  1. An example of strength in a job interview is if you are punctual. You might say something like, “I am very punctual and committed to my work. I always arrive early for meetings or interviews.”
  2. An example of strength in a job interview is if you are able to stay calm under pressure. You might say something like, “I am able to stay calm under pressure and I never let my emotions get in the way of my work.”
  3. An example of strength in a job interview is if you have great organizational skills. You might say something like, “I am very organized and always come prepared for meetings or interviews. Having a good system helps me stay on top of things.”
  4. An example of strength in a job interview is if you are a great communicator. You might say something like, “I pride myself on my ability to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. I always make sure that everyone is on the same page before moving forward.”

Strength and Weakness in Interview

Interviewers ask questions about your strengths and weaknesses to understand if you are the best person for the job.

When interviewers ask about your strengths, they want to know if you have any areas that stand out. They are looking for specific skills and abilities that prove you would be a great fit for the job.

When interviewers ask about your weaknesses, they want to know if you have any areas that need improvement. They are not looking for you to say things like “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too hard.”

When you talk about strength and weakness in an interview, be:

 

  • Specific, provide a specific weakness or strength with an example from your previous job
  • Honest, provide a truthful answer
  • Relevant, provide an answer that relates to the duties of the job
  • Clear, explain your answer with details
  • Concise, prepare, and practice your answer to prevent rambling

Personality strengths and weaknesses

To help you brainstorm below are 10 examples of personality strengths and weaknesses you could possibly share in a job interview.

When asked the “What are your strengths?” interview question you could answer one of the personality strengths below and provide an example from your work history.

Personality Strengths:

  1. Passionate
  2. Driven
  3. Resourceful
  4. Persistent
  5. Creative
  6. Analytical
  7. Organized
  8. Strategic
  9. Confident
  10. Enthusiastic

When asked the “What are your weaknesses?” interview question you could answer one of the personality weaknesses below, provide an example from your work history, and what you learned and how you are improving the weakness.

 

Personality Weaknesses

  1. Micromanaging
  2. Inflexible
  3. Can be critical and judgmental of others
  4. Perfectionist tendencies
  5. Often put work before relationships
  6. Lack of self-awareness
  7. Low emotional intelligence
  8. Difficulty with change
  9. Procrastination
  10. Underestimating time needed to complete tasks

What is Your Greatest Strength Answer Samples

If your greatest strength is your passion you might say something like…

“My greatest strength is my passion. I work very hard and I am always looking to improve, but my passion drives me and keeps me going.”

If your greatest strength is your focus you might say something like…

“I can stay laser-focused on a task until it is completed. I am excellent at multitasking and always making sure that everything gets done.”

If your greatest strength is being a strong team player you might say something like…

“I pride myself on my ability to work well with others. Everyone’s ideas are important and all voices should be heard, the best solutions are the result of different perspectives. I have a natural knack for being able to connect with others and naturally take on a facilitator role in a team to ensure no one person dominates.

What Are Your Weaknesses Examples

If your greatest weakness is that you are a perfectionist you might say something like…

“I am a perfectionist and I often have trouble completing tasks because I want them to be perfect. This can sometimes slow me down, but overall it’s a strength because it means I always put in my best effort.”

If your greatest weakness is that you work too hard you might say something like…

“I often have trouble taking time off and relaxing. I love being productive and working, so sometimes I push myself a little too hard. But overall this is a strength because it means I am always willing to put in the extra effort.”

If your greatest weakness is that you are not very strategic you might say something like…

“I am not as strategic as I would like to be. Sometimes I jump into tasks without thinking about all the potential consequences. But I am always willing to learn and take on feedback, so I am working on this weakness.”

Strength and Weakness in Interview (FAQs) 

What is your weakness best answer?

The best way to answer “What is your weakness?” is to:

  • Clearly communicate your weakness,
  • Provide an example of how you improved the weakness, and
  • Explain how the improvement adds value to the company.

For example, you could say…

“One weakness I’ve had is getting frustrated easily if things didn’t go the way I planned. To overcome this frustration I took a management course on adaptability. The course taught me how to see change as a new opportunity and provided me with tactics to be flexible in times of uncertainty. Now, I stay calm under pressure. Because this company is young the position has a lot of uncertainty. That excites me for many reasons including my ability to help prevent the team from becoming frustrated when things don’t go according to plan.”

What is your strength best answer?

The best way to answer “What is your strength?” is to:

  • Clearly communicate your strength,
  • Provide an example of how your strength has added value at a previous job, 
  • Explain how your strength relates to the duties of the job you are interviewing for and adds value to the position and company.

For example, you could say…

“One of my strengths is being able to think on my feet. In a previous job, I was put in a situation where the company’s biggest client threatened to leave. My boss and I met with the client and within minutes we had crafted a proposal that saved the contract. Because this position has contact with clients I know that being able to think on my feet will be a tremendous asset.”

What can I say are my weaknesses in an interview?

In an interview you can say your weaknesses are:

  • A lack of experience
  • The ability to be too much of a perfectionist
  • Working too much

Relate each of the weaknesses to the job you are interviewing for and provide details on how the weaknesses are really assets.

For example, if you are interviewing for the position of a Payroll Manager you might say something like, “I haven’t had a chance to run payroll for more than 10 people before so I don’t have experience with enterprise ATS software. Given the chance, because I am a perfectionist I know I will dedicate time to learn the ins and outs – even on my own time. My weaknesses…working too much and perfectionism…are very helpful when I need to quickly learn something new.”

What are some strengths for a job interview?

Strengths for a job interview include:

  • Passion, 
  • Drive,
  • Resourcefulness, 
  • Persistence, 
  • creativity, 
  • Analytical, 
  • Organization, 
  • Strategic, 
  • Confidence, and 
  • Enthusiasm.

When providing a strength in a job interview, be specific. Provide an example of how the strength was a benefit at a previous job and how the strength relates to the duties of the job you are interviewing for.

Conclusion

The examples provided in this article should help you develop a stand-out answer to any questions a future employer might have about your weaknesses and strengths.

I hope the insights and examples shared have boosted your interview confidence and given you the information you need to ace your interview!

What weakness or strength stood out to you? Leave a comment below with what you think is the best weakness and strength to share in a job interview.

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