What employers are looking for:
Your best bet is being both specific and honest. For example, if you say you have leadership skills as a strength, be prepared to back that up with specific, verifiable examples. Tell them who you led, on what projects, and who they can speak with to learn more.
The same goes for weaknesses. Are there hard skills listed in the job description where you feel you can improve? Or soft skills, such as public speaking, that you don't have much experience with? Don't be afraid to name these, but offer a plan for improving your skills in these areas too.
Example Answers:
Strengths:
I consider my leadership skills to be one of my greatest strengths. During my time as a department head, I successfully merged two teams and organized training programs for all team members to ensure that everyone was confident in their new role. As a result, we were able to increase sales by 5% within our first month as a new team.
Thanks to my experience as an HR representative, I have gained excellent communication skills. I was responsible for facilitating informational workshops for staff members and mediated any conflict in the workplace. I have also completed a course on effective communication from UCLA.
I have 5 years of experience as a copywriter and consider myself to have strong writing skills. I was promoted to an editorial position after five years at the company, so I have also improved my editing skills thanks to my new role.
I am very honest. When I feel that my workload is too large to accept another task, or if I don't understand something, I always let my supervisor know.
My people skills are my greatest strength. I find it easy to connect with almost anyone, and I often know how to empathize with others in an appropriate way.
Weaknesses:
I find public speaking intimidating and have often struggled with presentations. As a result, I am currently taking a public speaking course at a community college to become more confident and learn to structure a speech more effectively.
I often struggle with delegating and choose to take on a larger workload to ensure that a task is completed perfectly. This puts more pressure on myself, so I have been using software to assign tasks and track their completion. So far this has helped me to trust my co-workers and focus more on my own tasks.
Shyness is something that I struggle with in large groups. I find it intimidating to ask questions or raise points, so I have often remained quiet in the past. I have been trying to be more vocal in smaller groups to become more confident.
I mainly used Python in my last position, so I don't have as much experience with Java. I did a course on Java for one semester at University, but I haven't used it since then.
I struggle with negative criticism and can become obsessed with perfecting my work after receiving notes from a supervisor. While I appreciate the guidance, I think I can learn to be less harsh on myself.
FAQs
Your strengths and weaknesses should reflect the requirements of the role. Ensure that you highlight your skills that are listed in the job description, and explain how you will gain or improve critical skills that you lack. In general, your strengths should be skills that can be supported through experience.
What are examples of strengths and weaknesses? ›
Why employers ask "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
| Strengths: | Weaknesses: |
|---|
| Entrepreneurial | Perfectionism |
| Flexible and versatile | Self-criticism |
| Honest | Taking on too much responsibility |
| Innovative | |
5 more rowsApr 9, 2024
Sample responses to “What are your strengths?”
- Collaborative. I am very collaborative. ...
- Technical know-how. I love staying up-to-date with trends in the tech industry. ...
- Detail-oriented. ...
- Positive attitude. ...
- Solving problems. ...
- Self-criticism. ...
- Fear of public speaking. ...
- Procrastination.
Here are the TOP 15 Strengths that will allow you to STANDOUT in your job interview.
- 1) Ability to Multitask. ...
- 2) Effectively Work In HIGHLY Pressurized Situations. ...
- 3) Attention to Detail. ...
- 4) Ability to COLLABORATE. ...
- 5) Resourceful. ...
- 6) Empathetic. ...
- 7) Self Motivated. ...
- 8) Take Initiative.
Match Your Skills and Experience. The first thing you should do when answering “Why should we hire you?” is to highlight any skills and professional experience that are relevant to the position you're applying for. You don't want to talk about skills that the employer isn't interested in.
How do you say strength and weakness in an interview? ›
Be Honest Without Oversharing. While it's important to put your best foot forward, you should also be honest when discussing your strengths and weaknesses. Don't exaggerate or outright lie, as that can come back to bite you later. The interviewer is trying to gauge if you're really a good fit for the role.
What are examples of threats? ›
Threat to Harm
Vague examples may be: “You better watch your back;” “I'll get you for this;” or “You're going to pay for what you did;” “Give me 1 more reason...” “This isn't over yet;” or “You'll /They'll be sorry.”
What is the best strength to say in an interview? ›
Example strengths for job interviews
- Public speaking.
- Recognizing patterns.
- Setting deadlines.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Switching between different tasks quickly.
- Self-motivating.
- Thinking critically.
- Working well under pressure.
Strengths are the tasks you do easily and well. Focusing on your strengths allows you to use those skills to perform at a high level and show your value to the company. Weaknesses are the activities and abilities that are less easy for you.
What is the best answer for "Tell me about yourself"? ›
Provide a Brief Highlight-Summary of Your Experience
The best way to answer "Tell me about yourself" is with a brief highlight-summary of your experience, your education, the value you bring to an employer, and the reason you're looking forward to learning more about this next job and the opportunity to work with them.
I am a hard-working and driven individual who isn't afraid to face a challenge. I'm passionate about my work and I know how to get the job done. I would describe myself as an open and honest person who doesn't believe in misleading other people and tries to be fair in everything I do.
Why do you want this job? ›
I am applying for this job because I believe it offers the perfect opportunity for me to utilize my skills and experiences to contribute effectively. The role aligns well with my career objectives, and I am enthusiastic about the prospect of working with a dynamic team in a stimulating environment.
How can I introduce myself in an interview? ›
To introduce yourself professionally in an interview, start with a polite greeting, state your full name, mention your educational background and relevant work experience, highlight key skills and strengths, briefly share your career objective, and express gratitude for the opportunity.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ›
"In five years, I see myself as an important part of this organization, having grown in my role and contributing to the company's success. I want to improve my skills in [mention specific skills relevant to the job], and take on more responsibilities, working with my team to reach our goals."
