This may sound like the trickiest question that a recruiter can ever ask. It may feel really
awkward for you to talk about your weakness during a job interview when you are supposed to
be pitching yourself.
The confusing part of the whole question is how to actually talk about your weakness, but not
making it a big threat to the role that you are applying for.
When recruiters’ ask this question, they are not very much concerned about the answer, but
they are more concerned about how you answer the question. Many candidates tend to lie
about their weaknesses, it is not advisable for you to lie about your weakness even if you should
put it in a subtle manner.
When you are answering questions about your weakness, you should be careful not to give
cliché answers that are not close to being your weakness at all. Answers like “my greatest
weakness is that I am so much of a perfectionist, I love everything to be organized and
orderly at all the time.”
This answer looks perfect, but this is a common cliché that sounds really unrealistic and doesn’t
reflect a true weakness at all. This statement will guide you to answer this question well:
• Be self-aware: To answer this question well, you have to be self-aware to recognize
your real weakness. Be careful when choosing a weakness so that it does not affect you
getting the job.
• Be truthful: As much as you want to give a piece of information that will not affect the
job, you should also be sure that you are talking about a real weakness.
• Self-improvement/recovery: After telling the recruiter about your weakness, you should
also state the effort that you are putting in to manage the weakness that you stated.
Sample Answers
Sample 1
“I am really impatient working in a team (self-awareness)-I love to work independently and so it
is difficult for me to rely on others to complete a task. That is why I have pursued a position that
makes it possible for me to work independently (be truthful). However, I have also worked to
improve this weakness by enrolling in team building workshops. While I work independently, it is
important I learn how to trust my co-workers better.” (Self-improvement/recovery).
Sample 2
"Public speaking makes me really nervous (self-awareness). Even if I don’t have to do too much
of public in my role as a graphic designer, I nonetheless feel it is an important skill I have to get
used when communicating with others. (Truthful)
To overcome the fright, I spoke to my manager that I would love to give the introductory speech
during our team meetings. This has allowed me to be less nervous speaking to a group of
people and has also helped me communicate better with team members to do their jobs
effectively. (Self -improvement/recovery)
This answer works well because the candidate mentions a real weakness that does not affect
the candidate’s ability to do the job. Secondly, the candidate shows the eagerness to develop
strategies to tackle the weakness.
