Get a Job!
By Mauri Schwartz
The View asked Hill resident and career expert Mauri Schwartz, President / CEO of Career Insiders, www.CareerInsiders.com, to answer questions from job seekers. Submit your questions to editor@potreroview.net.
Q: I’ve been preparing for an interview, but don’t know how to respond to a question that always seems to come up: “What’s your biggest weakness?”
A: This isn’t my favorite question. As far as I can tell, there are three reasons why it’s asked:
At some point it was placed on a list of standard interview questions; interviewers think they’re supposed to ask it, even though they may not know how to evaluate responses.
It can be used to see how a candidate reacts: what s/he says. In this respect the content of the response is unimportant.
It may come from a sincere desire to assess the candidate’s view of her/himself. However, given the competitive nature of interviewing, candidates must opt to present only positive traits.
It’s fascinating that many interviewers continue to ask this question, given that they themselves may dread having to answer it when they’re on the other side of the interview desk. Nevertheless, the question is often asked, and you need to be ready for it.
What NOT to say:
I don’t have any weaknesses. This is disingenuous, implying that you don’t take the question seriously.
I’m a workaholic. This response is intended to convey that you’ll be dedicated to your job, which really isn’t a weakness. It’s on the right track, but not a good response because even if it’s true, it may convey that you have an intense, rigid personality. More likely, the interviewer will assume you’re just taking an easy way out of answering.
What to say:
Think of some aspect of your work style or skill set that you’ve developed over the years as your job has expanded in responsibility. Here are a two examples:
Personality trait – Early in my career, as an individual contributor, I prided myself on being an expert problem solver. I would focus on an issue, analyzing pros and cons, until I came up with the solution. As I’ve assumed leadership roles, I’ve learned that it’s better to delegate. This has increased self-confidence in team members, allowed them to work better as a team, and has resulted in more creative solutions.
Job skill – I was hired by my employer although I had no experience using Excel. I got the job because I had other skills, and the job market was hot. Still, I recognized this was a weakness I couldn’t afford if I wanted to succeed in my job. On my own initiative, I took classes and spent many hours developing expert Excel skills. It was difficult, but now I’m confident I can learn any new skill if I try hard enough.
Answers such as these allow you to respond sincerely and not point out a current weakness. They also give you another opportunity to convey positive traits.
