How to Answer “What is your Greatest Weakness?”

When answering the question, “What is your greatest weakness?” state it clearly and then elaborate by giving relevant background information. Here’s a methodical approach to responding to this typical interview question:

1. Select a weakness that is (mostly) unrelated

While it is acceptable to discuss professional rather than individual weaknesses in your response, make sure the flaw you choose doesn’t significantly affect your ability to do your work. 

An accountant should not claim to be weak at Excel.❌

Rather, consider a vulnerability that is somewhat related to the position or the industry as a whole. An example of this can be

An accountant can say that he lacks communication skills and struggles to explain complicated finance topics in layman’s style. But he is trying to overcome it by interacting more.✅

Even though it isn’t that necessary for their work it demonstrates the candidate’s awareness about himself and willingness for personal development.

2. Make it a genuine flaw

Your weakness shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but it also shouldn’t be a covert strength like perfectionism. Think about the aspects of your career that you could do better. It could be something that you regularly avoid because you feel that you’re not good at it. Just make sure it’s a real flaw that affects your professional talents in a minimal way.

3. Give an example

With this kind of question, like with other interview questions, it helps to provide some context. Tell a tale of how you missed a deadline because you were editing a paper for the fifth time, rather than merely stating that you pay too much attention to details. 

Remember this: Behaviours are a better approach to characterize your weaknesses rather than adjectives. Although your interviewer already holds views about what a “shy” employee looks like, it seems far more reasonable and understandable when you explain that you find it difficult to voice your opinions to superiors. Above all, it eliminates any possibility of misinterpretation.

4. Close with improvement

Whatever your choice of weakness is, always end your response with an assurance to get better. This could indicate that you have already resolved the issue, are actively working on it, or have made firm intentions to get better. Here is an example.

I plan to improve my skills. ❌

I’ve started taking online courses to cover gaps in my HTML knowledge.✅

People often get asked about their weaknesses in interviews. This question is not as easy as it sounds. And many also wonder why recruiters ask it. Some take it otherwise and answer very honestly which is good but not every time. Whereas others answer that they don’t have any weaknesses which is also not a good all the time. So, how to answer this question? Don’t worry! We have got you covered. In this post, we will help you understand why interviewers ask this question, tell you the best way to explain your biggest weakness, and also provide some sample responses for you. Let’s dive in.