“What are your weaknesses?” A question you should be prepared for during a job interview. How you answer the question is very important. For some of us, it might bruise our ego a little to tell people about our flaws, but a well thought out answer can to ace that job interview. Assessing your weaknesses should be part of your continuous personal growth and development as an individual.
Here are some examples of weaknesses commonly found in most people and how you can turn them into your secret weapons at work.
1. “I work too much…very much!”
Isn’t this a good ‘weakness’ for an employee to have from the employer’s perspective? It’s only a good thing with being a workaholic is when you actually deliver! Being workaholic can be your secret weapon, because you may finish the job faster than others and produce greater output. But don’t fall into the trap of sacrificing quality over quantity. There is no point in working too much if your output suffers.
2. “I don’t ask for suggestions from others”
Sometimes, too many suggestions will make tasks or decisions more complicated. The more people got involved, the harder it is to draw a conclusion. As the saying goes, “Too many cooks spoil the broth!” This might sounds harsh but it could actually be a secret weapon to nail the job by working independently. Trusting your gut feelings and your own experience could be something that’ll benefit you in the long run. Of course, we’re not saying that you should never ask for others’ ideas, but your lack of asking for others’ opinions can often be your strength. You can make decisions faster and be assured that the work can be completed on time.
3. “I am very critical on myself”
Being self-critical is related to self-awareness. Being self-aware gives you an edge as you know how to assess your abilities and then improve on them. After all, we all know people who have over-inflated opinion of themselves! You, on the other hand, have the somewhat rare ability to reflect on your performance, your personality, and constantly try to improve.
4. “I don’t delegate enough”
Being able to work with various kinds of people and letting others do tasks that you can do yourself may be a challenge to some, hence it is a skill. Skills can be learned and improved, right? Upon saying this during the interview, you may want to include that you are reading books/articles about leadership to educate yourself. Or that you are proactively observing managers or leaders around you to learn how to delegate.
5. “I am a procrastinator”
Yes, believe it or not, this so-called flaw can transform from being your weakness into your secret weapon! You probably experienced a lot of procrastination back in college because of coursework and exam deadlines piling up. Tweak the cards. Being a procrastinator effectively means you can work quickly, under pressure, and still deliver the work. Being a procrastinator is probably part of your personality, so make it a positive trait! You may be able to get done what should have taken a few days to complete within a few hours. Of course, this weakness can only become your secret weapon if you still manage to meet your deadlines and generate good results.
Having weaknesses makes us human. Like shiny swords used for battles, we are hammered and shined until we become our best versions. Having a weakness is expected, but how do you turn them into strengths? There are positive sides to almost anything. The main takeaway is that during interviews and throughout your career, you can improve on your weak points, or you can tweak the cards to emphasize the positive sides of your weak points- turning them into your strengths.
Find these tips useful? We have more career advice, workplace tips, and job search tips on our blog. Don’t forget to check them out!
