OK, so what would be an acceptable weakness to disclose in an interview?

[raccoon]

HR people or others who’ve been in a hiring position, please check in here.

From “21 Things Hiring Managers Wish You Knew”

By ALISON GREEN

We need to know your real weaknesses.

Claiming that your biggest weakness is perfectionism and you work too hard is disingenuous. It looks like you’re avoiding the question. Candidates who can’t or won’t come up with a realistic assessment of areas where they could improve make me think they’re lacking in insight and self-awareness—or, at a minimum, just making it impossible to have a real discussion of their potential fitness for the job. I want to know about your weaknesses not because I’m trying to trip you up, but because I genuinely care about making sure you’re a good fit for the job

http://www.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/21-things-hiring-managers-wish-you-knew/6

[HereSince1628]

1. A fondness for milk??????????????????

[Xipe Totec]

2. I am honest to a fault

ETA: :sarcasm:

[PADemD]

3. Chocolate

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Only a fool would answer this question with a realistic assessment.

The weakness should be something real but minor and of no consequence to the job.

[gratuitous]

19. Exactly

Because as much as employers might protest in the pages of US News and World Report that they want a realistic and honest self-assessment, the truth and the reality is that anything you say can and will be used against you by a prospective employer, usually at a time of their choosing when it's going to hurt the applicant the most. It would be nice if everyone involved would agree that a realistic self-assessment would be informational only, that's not been my experience or the experience of people I've talked to.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Jeff Gannon

[Turborama]

6. Actually, being too honest can be considered a weakness

Being too honest has gotten me into trouble in the past.

[raccoon]

9. You and me both.

By the way, DU'ers, I am gainfully underemployed and not looking for work. Thank God/Goddess/FSM.

[tridim]

27. I've quit jobs because of dishonest bosses.

I suppose that is a weakness, depending if the people doing the hiring are honest or not.

[geardaddy]

7. What a crappy article. n/t

[meegbear]

8. Constantly fighting the urge to strangle people who ask personal questions

[Newsjock]

10. I tend to require pay that is commensurate with the job and my abilities

That weakness can make me darned near unemployable in this market.

[Cronus Protagonist]

22. ..and I won't work overtime for free either!

lol +1000

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. "I tend to develop an fanatical devotion to my employer."

[McCamy Taylor]

12. BS. "Perfectionism" and "work too hard" always work for me---and they are accurate, too.

Maybe if you are lying about it and are not a good liar, it will piss off HR.

You could try "I do not like to delegate" or "I am too competetive" or "I do not take off enough time to be with my family." Under no circumstances should you ever mention something that is really a negative. Once it gets written down on your application, it is there forever.

I guess if you are trying to appear extra-candid for some reason, you could mention a fault that has nothing to do with your job. In my case, that would be "I sometimes talk too fast." Since the interviewer has already noticed that, it is good for a laugh.

Or how about "I am sometimes impatient when co-workers/subordinates are not doing a good job" ?

[denverbill]

18. +1 on perfectionist. 'Work too hard' almost seems too obvious. n/t

[flvegan]

13. Kryptonite.

[kenny blankenship]

14. That you're a 'pleaser.' You can't say No to requests to work extra hours at no extra pay?

including running personal errands for the boss.

Bootlicking: a character defect that evolution is now heavily selecting for. In a hundred years we'll all be self-starting serfs, or else living under highway overpasses.

[rucky]

15. There's no answer to that question that's both honest and acceptable.

so you may as well crack a joke if they ask you.

or say what I just said.

[donco6]

16. I don't even ask that stupid question.

I prefer to put people into scenarios and ask how they would handle the situation. I learn a lot more about them that way.

[JuniperLea]

28. Me too...

I ask about the most difficult situation they've encountered, and how they figured it out. Then I give them a couple of scenarios.

[donco6]

41. Yes. That "what's your greatest weakness question" -

- should have been retired completely years ago. It's a waste of time.

[Cronus Protagonist]

17. Reframe from weakness to "could be improved"

"I could improve as there's always room for improvement in all areas. As for weaknesses, I could never live with a known weakness without working hard at turning that area into a strength."

[jp11]

20. I've read that you are supposed to list something then show how you have or are overcoming it.

[Llewlladdwr]

44. This is what works for me.

My stock answer to the question "Describe a weakness" is "German Chocolate cake with a big ol' glass of milk. Can't pass it up". Then when the laugh is over (most interviewers are polite enough to laugh at any joke you make) I share that I have challenges with time management but that in order to deal with it I've developed a series of successful strategies that include voluminous note taking, frequent list making and a healthy dose of self-discipline. So far it seems to go over well, haven't had an unsuccessful interview since 1998.

[Fumesucker]

21. I'm too sycophantic .. n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

25. ...that's a nice tie you're wearing

It would look better on a shirt than a blouse, though... :)

[pitohui]

23. there is no acceptable weakness

that article is bullshit, there's no such thing as an "acceptable" weakness, and "i genuinely care about making sure you’re a good fit for the job" seems to be code for "i can't admit the real reason i'm not hiring you is because you're old, female, have kids, black, etc. so give me some words out of your own mouth to hang you with"

the traditional answer that "sometimes i'm a perfectionist and don't know when to relax and take a break" is perfectly fine, any other answer is just handing them a gift-wrapped excuse to hire their nephew that they really wanted to hire in the first place

interviewers who ask "gotcha" questions and then pretend it's the fault of the interviewee for not playing "gotcha" are pretty much sociopaths, but since you have to deal w. sociopaths in the workplace, you can't just tell 'em, "come on, you and i are both too intelligent to think that's a reasonable question," so you just have to fall back on the reliable, "i work too hard, and on my last job, it made some of my colleagues who couldn't keep long hours feel a little uncomfortable"

any "weakness" you confess to MUST be a strength, simple as that, or your major weakness will be pretty clearly reviewed to be stupidity (not YOUR problem but anyone who took that article at face value has to rate pretty low in the intelligence sweepstakes -- some editor somewhere commissioned that piece of shit and some publisher somewhere paid that writer good money to make up that crap)

[county worker]

24. I took an interviewing class. We studied the 12 most asked questions and learned the best answer

to each question. I figured if someone asked me on of the 12 most asked questions they were not a very good interviewer and only copied what "the book" said to do. I was ready with the best answer just in case. So neither if us were original and just did what we were taught so nothing was really said in my opinion.

[Fumesucker]

26. Wasn't there a DUer a while back who said..

"I was born a poor black child"..

And was white, and got the job because it cracked up the interviewers who recognized the quote?

[MindPilot]

34. LOL! That was me.

That was in answer to one of the other worst interview questions, "So, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

I suspect by that point they knew not to even ask the "what's your greatest weakness?" question. :evilgrin:

[Fumesucker]

40. How's the job working out?

Your post that time cracked me up, that was one of the funniest things I have read on DU.

[MindPilot]

47. Very well. It was a temp position at the time.

The guy I was filling in for had been out on crazy leave--wreaked marriage, stressed out, etc--for several months and it was a literally day-by-day employment for me. I could simply come in one morning an find him back at his desk, and would back out in the job market. Every day was "Bill's coming back tomorrow" or "Bill will be back on Thursday."

Then one day I come in to "have you heard? Bill's in jail."

"Whoa! What for?"

"GTA, felony evasion, hit & run, and possession of a controlled substance. He's probably not coming back."

I'm not totally comfortable with this happening as a result of someone else's bad choices and misfortune, but I am just a few days--maybe even hours--from being permanent full-time employee.

edited to add: Thanks for asking, BTW

[Oregone]

29. "Ive never been sufficient at answering canned questions"

[TexasObserver]

30. "I can't stand answering stupid questions in interviews."

That ought to do it.


In the 1978, a friend was looking for a job with a law firm in downtown Houston. In one interview, she was asked "do you have any lasting regrets about not having been on the Law Review?" She replied "only that I have to answer questions such as this one."

She didn't get that job, but she got a job as an enforcer for the Texas State Securities Board.

[Turbineguy]

31. I wasn't smart enough

to become a nuclear physicist.

[Duer 157099]

32. But perfectionism *is* my biggest weakness

It's truly awful and debilitating, I wonder why people think it's disingenuous to admit to it?

In some jobs, perfectionism is sought after, and in others, it can be a real liability.

[Brickbat]

33. Shyness -- it's something everyone understands, and if you're outgoing enough in the interview, it

shows you can deal with it.

[Fumesucker]

38. In my experience extroverts don't have a clue about shyness..

They just think you are arrogant..

[fishwax]

35. often one's greatest strength is also their greatest weakness

I (and others I've known) have generally had success building an answer to the "weakness" question around that idea. It allows you to talk about your strengths without sounding cocky and allows you to acknowledge (but mitigate) a weakness; at the same time doesn't seem like your ducking the question and suggests self-awareness.

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

36. Pictures of donkeys wearing cowboy hats.

I'd still hire the guy/woman.

[treestar]

37. How about, I'm creative and sometimes my ideas don't work out

Then let them prove what great risk takers they are!

[liberal N proud]

39. Chocolate

You can't leave chocolate alone

[Burma Jones]

42. Butter.........

[patrice]

43. perfectionism/working too hard IS the truth about some of us, but maybe we could say that in a

more specific way.

It's not so much "perfectionism" with me, but more an obsession with completeness. If I pick up something to do, the most immediate task objectives WILL be affected by any past or previous objectives that were left either incomplete or that need updating, so you can see that I make myself a victim of "mission creep".

It doesn't HAVE to be perfect, but ALL of it DOES have to be there.

[riderinthestorm]

45. I say something that's ridiculous but true. "I'm not mechanical".

If something breaks down, I don't even try to fix it mechanically. I tell a humorous joke about making the toilet worse when I even try to plunge it (true). I'm pretty clear that if I've screwed up the coffee machine I know enough about myself to get help rather than try to fix it myself.

It's usually a transferable "weakness" that you can use when interviewing for virtually any job from the office to labor.

Most management types SHOULD recognize that this is a virtue rather than a detriment. Most places have experts on call, on staff to handle broken shit and would rather employees didn't go all initiative on them with that kind of stuff. I've had some pretty stupid employees try to fix something they really didn't know anything about, and make it ten times worse! Every systems analyst can relate to some idiot trying to "fix" their own computer problems. Every HR person has horror stories of workmen's comp claims by idiots trying to fix some piece of machinery themselves etc. etc.

Of course, if you are interviewing for the mechanic's job, then this isn't applicable. If you were hiring for one of those kinds of jobs, I'd say that my biggest weakness was that I couldn't walk away from a job until it's done. And that sometimes that would require overtime (management hates paying out OT) and so curbing that "terrible" (cough) instinct is your greatest challenge.

[PCIntern]

46. I made a mistake: "I once said, 'nobody's perfect'." n/t

[Xithras]

48. This is a question that has no correct answer. It's intended that way.

Interviewers aren't stupid, and an obvious dodge will simply get your interview notes pegged with an "Evasive" comment, which can be far more damaging than any real answer you might give to that question.

As someone who has been on both sides of the interview table many times, I can tell you that the BEST answer is to name a legitimate weakness of yours, but not one that is damning. More importantly, follow the admittal up with an explanation of the things you do to counter your weakness: "I tend to over-focus on a single project when I have multiple things to do, which can lead to time management difficulties. To keep this from being a problem, I have learned to plan my projects meticulously, schedule appropriate amounts of time for each, and ensure that I follow those schedules throughout the day. By using proper time management techniques, I have managed to meet every project deadline given to me by my last employer in the past four years."

Acknowledge a real problem. Explain your solution to the problem. Detail how your solution has worked in the past. Hiring managers and interviewers eat it up. And you won't be pegged with that dreaded "Evasive" label.

[DirkGently]

49. Hate these "psychological profile" questions. They're

dishonest, really. Designed to put you in a Catch-22 and see how you react. Any approach is a trap.

1. Reveal a real weakness, like substance abuse or laziness or what have you = Zzzpt. You're toast.

2. Claim to have none or not be able to think of one = You're a dishonest egomaniac

3. Suck up, e.g. "I'm a workaholic / too honest, etc." = You're a spineless brown-noser.

You can't win.

[Vickers]

50. As a joke I replied to that one with, "I suppose my fondness for hair metal."

I'll be there 4 years next month.

:P

[MindPilot]

56. Ha! you interview like I do.

:hi:

[damntexdem]

51. I get nervous during interviews?

I have an obsessive love of (fill in company name)?

[shanti]

52. being a perfectionist

;-)

[librechik]

53. chocolate covered cherry cordials

messy, but irresistible. If you don't like em, send em to me.

[CTyankee]

54. If I was applying for a job that includes a lot of creative writing

and has very few technical aspects of it, I would admit that I don't have an aptitude for any math beyond algebra and geometry. I would then quickly point out (truthfully) that I had only gotten an A in college math by strategically working with a "study buddy" every week on class homework, discussing with her the problems I had understand each assignment, and seeking help from outside sources, such as books. You've just turned a natural weakness into a strength of "overcoming."

Since they are unlikely to give you highly technical math problems to deal with and if you can come up a REAL story of coping with a weakness, it shouldn't be much of a problem in getting the job, unless the job was writing technical stuff and I wouldn't apply for that in the first place.

[MindPilot]

55. "I'm sorry, I just can't stop staring at your breasts."

What was the question?

[JHB]

57. A stack of pancakes with plenty of butter...

...and as much maple syrup as I want (not just one or two of those packets they use in diners).

Taste heaven, carb and sugar hell.

[CTyankee]

59. Uh, oh. Problem for employer: potential diabetic. Can't control appetite for sweets.

he'll drive up my insurance costs! Can't have this guy!

[MattBaggins]

58. I thought that was the "kiss of death" question

They only ask that when they have already decided not to hire you and want an excuse to exclude you.

[Jim__]

60. Anticipating the question is the real game.

If they catch you cold with that question, you're probably going to blow it. If you anticipate the question before the interview, you'll hit it out of the park.

[j420norcal]

61. I try to have sex with my co-workers

and I can become violent with my supervisors, but only if they ask me to do stuff, attempt to stop me from stealing things or stop me from having sex with my co-workers.

Where should I send my resume?

[backscatter712]

62. I fucking hate that question.

It's your typical HR bullshit question that ends up testing your ability to come up with your own bullshit to counter HR's bullshit.

[raccoon]

67. ITA. nt

[Rex]

63. Dam I can only pick one vice...hey did I ever tell you about

how I don't cut my toenails very often, wanna see? Okay, how did I do, do I get the job?

[KansDem]

64. You're a push-over to accommodate unreasonable demands from your boss?

Always worked for me! :D

[lunatica]

65. Don't admit to a weakness but turn a strength into a weakness

For example, I always say this, which happens to be the truth. I say that I like to end my projects. I love to end things at work. I like to have a clear desk at the end of the day if I can and I get nervous if I can't meet this goal, but that I'm trying to not let it bother me so much.

They love to hear this because this is the reality for a lot of people.

[j420norcal]

66. On a serious note

If I said "I would like to improve on my ability to focus on a single task and not try to do everything all at once." which is actually a honest assessment of myself; do you think that meets the requirements of that bullshit question without being too damaging?