Human Answer

TRAPS:

Beware - this is an eliminator question, designed to shorten the candidate list. Any admission of a weakness or fault will earn you an “A” for honesty, but an “F” for the interview.

PASSABLE ANSWER:

Disguise a strength as a weakness.

Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.”

Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it's so widely used, it is transparent to any experienced interviewer.

BEST ANSWER:

(and another reason it's so important to get a thorough description of your interviewer's needs before you answer questions):

Assure the interviewer that you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your performing in this position with excellence.

Then, quickly review you strongest qualifications.

Example:

“Nobody's perfect, but based on what you've told me about this position, I believe I' d make an outstanding match. I know that when I hire people, I look for two things most of all.

Do they have the qualifications to do the job well, and the motivation to do it well? Everything in my background shows I have both the qualifications and a strong desire to achieve excellence in whatever I take on.

So I can say in all honesty that I see nothing that would cause you even a small concern about my ability or my strong desire to perform this job with excellence.”

Alternate strategy (if you don't yet know enough about the position to talk about such a perfect fit):

Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and like least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is not essential.

Example:

Let's say you're applying for a teaching position.

“If given a choice, I like to spend as much time as possible in front of my prospects selling, as opposed to shuffling paperwork back at the office. Of course, I long ago learned the importance of filing paperwork properly, and I do it conscientiously.

But what I really love to do is sell (if your interviewer were a sales manager, this should be music to his ears.)

ChatGPT Answer

When answering the question "What are your greatest weaknesses?" in an interview,

it's important to be honest and also show that you are aware of your weaknesses and actively working to improve them. It's also a good idea to frame your answer in a way that highlights a strength or a positive aspect.

Here's an example: "One of my greatest weaknesses is that I can be a bit of a perfectionist at times. I tend to want everything to be just right, and I can spend a lot of time making sure that every detail is perfect. While this attention to detail is generally a strength, it can also make me a bit slower to make decisions and complete tasks. I have been working on this by setting realistic deadlines for myself and learning to let go of small details that aren't important. Another example,

"Another weakness of mine is that I can struggle with delegating tasks. I have a tendency to want to do everything myself, especially if I think I can do it better. However, I've come to realize that this approach is not sustainable and can lead to burnout. To overcome this, I've been working on building trust with my team and learning to let go of control.

I now make sure to delegate tasks to my team members and give them the opportunity to take ownership of their work. It has helped me to be more efficient and also helped my team members to grow and develop their skills." It's important to be honest and show that you are aware of your weakness, but also highlight how you are working to overcome them. Avoid to mention a weakness that is crucial for the job you are applying for, or that could be a deal breaker for the employer.