8 Finest Answers to “What Are Your Weaknesses?”

You have been selected for an Interview in your dream company. As a well-informed candidate, you’re preparing your answers to the commonly asked questions during an interview. During the process, you stumble upon the question “What are your weaknesses”. Now, you don’t want to respond, “I tend to work too hard”, or “I am too much of a perfectionist”. These answers can easily come across as insincere and show lack of self-awareness at your part. At the same time, you don’t want to respond with a weakness that might prove to be a roadblock for you in getting the job. 

In that case, you have to answer that question strategically. In this article, we will discuss 8 finest answers to this question. But first, let us understand the motive of the interviewers behind this question. 

Why do Interviewers ask “What are your weaknesses?”

The interviewer may ask you this question due to the following reasons:

  • To check about your self-awareness.
  • To see how you handle tough situations.
  • To find out if you can learn and adapt. 
  • To verify if you are honest about yourself.
  • To understand how you face professional challenges.
  • To hear a real and honest response from you.
  • To encourage you to think about your career and find gaps that need improvement.

Now that you are aware of the possible reasons an interviewer may ask this question in an interview, before we move on to discussing the finest answers to this question, let us talk about some common mistakes that candidates make while answering this question. This knowledge is important in order to understand what points to avoid. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid while answering This Question

Below are a few mistakes that you can avoid while answering this question in an interview:

  • Do not try to dodge or avoid the question all tighter. Also avoid providing an answer that is overly positive. Doing so, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to showcase self-awareness and growth. 
  • While it is advised to not give an overly positive answer, it is also advised to avoid painting a totally negative picture of yourself. This will lead to the interviewer having doubts about your application, leading to possibly missing out on the job opportunity. 
  • Avoid providing weaknesses that are outside the radius of work. Do not start rambling about any weakness you may have in your personal life. Strictly focus on mentioning something that is related to your professional work and offers valuable insights for growth.
  • DO NOT give cliché answers such as “I do not have any weakness”. This is a sign of arrogance and is not appreciated in interviews. 
  • Avoid providing the interviewer with a list of weaknesses that come to your mind. This will distract the interviewer from your positive aspects. It is effective to focus on one or two relevant weaknesses only. 
  • After you are done speaking about your relevant weakness, make sure to demonstrate how you are actively working on it to improve it. Failing to do so will leave the interviewer with concerns about your ability to grow and adapt. 

You have understood the logic behind an interviewer asking you a question about your weakness and now you know what mistakes to avoid. Let us now go through some sample responses to this question that you can use. 

Best Answers for “What are your weaknesses?”

  1. I lack patience when working in a team

Reason

This answer works because the inability to be patient when working with a team doesn’t hinder your ability to perform well in the role. You can display an eagerness to learn to control yourself to combat your weakness, which will highlight your ability to improve. 

Sample Answer 

“I do not have a lot of patience when working with a team. I am incredible when I work on my own, but when I know I have to rely on others to complete my work, I tend to lose patience. I know this is not a good trait that I have, which is why I am actively working on improving myself. I have enrolled myself in team-building workshops and attend them regularly. I am trying to learn to trust my colleagues and ask for help outside when necessary, instead of taking on everything all by myself.”

  1. I tend to over-analyse things

Reason

Overanalysing can lead to delayed decision making. Acknowledging this demonstrates self-awareness and a commitment to streamlining processes for more efficient decision making. 

Sample Answer

“Over the past few months, I have noticed that I tend to over analyze situations that sometimes lead to delays in decision-making. While I understand the importance of thorough consideration, I also know how crucial it is to be more efficient in decision-making. This involves recognising when detailed analysis is necessary and when it’s more beneficial to make timely decisions, particularly in fast-paced environments. I have been actively reminding myself to improve this habit. Whenever I find myself in a situation where I am excessively analysing everything, I change my thinking process and look at things with a different lens.”

  1. I lack organisation skills

Reason

This is a common problem that many people face. This answer works because it is relatable but also a fixable weakness. You note that this disorganisation does not interfere with your productivity levels, but you acknowledge this weakness. You can mention steps that you have taken to improve your organisation skills. 

Sample Answer

I struggle to keep myself organised. While this hasn’t hampered my performance, I’ve noticed my messy desk and cluttered inbox interfere with my efficiency. Over the time, I have learned to organise my physical and digital space whenever I notice it being messy and cluttered. Doing this has improved my efficiency levels as well.”

  1. I find it difficult to delegate tasks

Reason

This answer works because it is not something that can potentially lead to bad performance on your end. This is also a weakness that can be controlled over time. This answer also works because in a way it shows how you hesitate in asking help from others which is a common problem freshers face in their initial years. 

Sample Answer

I have noticed I find it really hard to delegate tasks. I am often consumed by the guilt of passing my work onto someone else and feel as if they’ll judge me for simply not doing my work. I understand this is a quality that is not justified expectedly if I’m hoping to grow in my career. I have understood this can also lead to me underperforming as I’ll be trying to manage everything that is not an ideal situation. To change this habit of mine, I have started asking for help from my teammates.”

  1. I think I lack tactfulness

Reason

Oftentimes, it is seen that one aspect of our personality helps us in some situations whereas hinders us in others. What makes you different from the crowd facing the same issue is your ability to identify this trait and willingness to solve it. This is a weakness that can be solved by keeping a constant check on ourselves, and hence works fine to include in this answer. 

Sample Answer

“My blunt and straightforward nature has allowed me to succeed in my career over the years as a team manager because it allows me to get things done effectively. However, lately, I have realised that my bluntness doesn’t always end well with my team members, especially when I am delivering feedback. To combat this, I have worked to develop empathy and keep a check on my words while giving feedback to my team. Additionally, I took an online leadership management course and worked with the professor to develop my ability to deliver feedback in an improved manner.”

  1. I have a fear of Public Speaking

Reason

This is a common problem that a lot of people face. By quoting this as your weakness, you mention qualities that aren’t applicable to the role, but which you nonetheless are working to improve. This also shows your desire to meet more business needs than necessary in your current role, which is admirable. 

Sample Answer

I have a fear of speaking in public and it makes me really nervous. While I don’t need to indulge in much public speaking in my role, I still feel this is an important skill that I should improve, especially for times when I want to offer my opinion during a team meeting. To improve this, I have taken several courses on public speaking. I even participated in a lot of events during my college and performed on stage to help with the anxiety that I faced. That practice enabled me to relax and see public speaking as an opportunity to speak to the masses. Even though I have improved significantly, there’s still a long road to cover. 

  1. I have weak analysis skills

Reason

With this weakness, you show the interviewer a legit weakness that you have, but are willing and working to improve it. Data analysis is a skill that often helps organisations and it’ll show the interviewer that you’re dedicated to making yourself a valuable asset for the company. 

Sample Answer

I am not really great at analysing data or numbers. However, I recognise this flaw can prevent me from understanding how my content is performing online. In my last role, I set up monthly meetings with the SEO manager to discuss the analytic part. Additionally, I have enrolled myself in the Google Analytics Programme to improve my skills.”

  1. I tend to be too Self-Critical

Reason

Being overly self-critical can impact your confidence and morale. Acknowledging this weakness demonstrates self-awareness and a commitment to fostering a healthier self-perception. 

Sample Answer

I have often observed a tendency to be too self-critical, which can impact my confidence. While I understand the importance of self-reflection, I am actively working on cultivating a more balanced perspective. This involves acknowledging my achievements and focussing on continuous improvement without being too critical of myself.”

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you are bad with numbers, are bad with organisation skills or have a fear of speaking in public, there’s always a scope of improvement in every weakness. Make sure to highlight your learning attitude and how you are actively working on improving your areas of weakness. No matter which of these answers you share with the hiring team, they’ll be more than happy to help you grow and exceed the expectations of the role.

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