Bad interview questions and how to answer them - Part deux
I got a lot of feedback on my “The worst interview question ever - and how to answer it" so I thought I would make it the first of a series on how to answer bad interview questions.
What is your greatest weakness?
Asking this question is like begging for a cliché. What does the interviewer think he is going to hear? “Oh, well, let me tell you. I am perpetually late; I simply cannot get anywhere on time – not even to the office.” Right-on! No person at an interview is going to give that type of answer. Instead you would come up with something equally lame like the following: “Well, I am a consummate perfectionist; I must make sure that everything is perfect 100% of the time; so I expend extra energy to ensure things are done the right way.” Hmmm. That sounds like an answer you would give simply because you don’t know what else to say and you certainly aren’t going to provide a REAL weakness. You might be left at the starting line if you did that. Superficial answers will not work, though.
Consider this when answering the greatest weakness question. It might be ok to tell the hiring manager something that is not your strong suit. You should also follow it up with something you have done to improve. You are then not just telling someone what you are not good at, but you are also sharing information about the steps you have taken to change the situation. How you have addressed the problem or improved your confidence will serve as the basis for your answer.
Preparing to answer this question before the interview will help you. If you give the standard ‘perfectionist’ answer, you will seem disingenuous. You can even tell a story about a situation. That will uncover the weakness but also allow you to follow up with how you corrected the problem.
Conducting research about the company’s culture can help you to consider how you would answer the weakness question. If nothing else, you will also be better prepared for the interview. Depending upon the culture of the company, a weakness might be perceived as a strength and vice versa.
The bottom line: Telling a story will help you manage the weakness question while simultaneously allowing you to demonstrate how you proactively focus on improvement. Your preparation will ensure that you perform well during the interview and secure the job.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
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