Job Interview question - What are your weaknesses?

markwombat

markwombat

markwombat

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Hi everyone,

So my girlfriend has a job interview on Monday for a teaching assistant. We're just working through some typical interview questions in preparation, and the classic question of "What are your weaknesses?" has stumped us both.

I've recently been through the interview process so know most of the textbook answers of "List one that does not affect your ability to perform the job in question", however, for a teaching assistant we feel most skills are useful for the role...

So I thought I'd open it up to you guys and see what the masses think.

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

MW
 
Think of a genuine weakness then turn it around and make it a positive.

"My weakness is I over analyse a problem in a given situation. An example of this is when... The end result was... However, I've learn't to combat this weakness and still deliver excellent results which often surpass expectations."
 
I tend to say something along the lines of that I have a tendency to focus too much if a problem is very complex in order to solve it and also that a high level of organisation does not come naturally - and then go on to say however that by recognising the above I have managed to develop certain working habits to mitigate them, primarily through effective diarisation and time management and consciously taking the time to tend to filing and administrative tasks.
 
My genuine weakness that can also be positive is that "I overwork myself under pressure and barely rest until the job gets done properly. When I am passionate about what I am doing, I become a perfectionist, however, I have always managed to get the job done in time."
-Just think of a negative that can also be a positive
 
Not what you asked but be sure to prepare for example questions like:

Give me an examples of when you.. "exceeded a customers expectations / showed leadership skills / went beyond the call of duty / etc"

What was the situation?
What did you do?
What was the outcome?

From the interviews I've had recently it seems everyone's HR department has adapted this naff method of interviewing..
 
Where do you see yourself (number) years from now?

And usually in my head will be saying "Not here, this is a crappy low paid part time job, do you really think I give a **** about career prospects" i'll usually say "Well I'm interested in the management training oppurtunitys you have to offer" or something but I struggle to say it with a straight face.
 
Do you see yourself as having any weaknesses?

Oh, yes, 'cause, like, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, actually! Yes, I am. See, for me, it's got to be the best, or it's nothing at all. Like things get a bit dodgy, I just cannot be bothered.
Click to expand...

:D
 
"Sometimes, when I'm high, I like to use children as chips when gambling with paedophiles during working hours"
 
The absolute key with job interviews is to be 100% honest throughout. If they ask you "where do you see yourself in 5 years time?" and your considered answer is "either incarcerated or sectioned" then you make sure you say this. They will appreciate your honesty here.





*may not be good advice
 
In my first 1st line interview they asked me where I would see myself in 5 years, I just replied 2nd line.

For the weaknesses question you should say eczema.
 
Honestly, just say you have no weaknesses that would take away from your ability to do this particular job, hence why you saw fit to apply to it. But if you had to say: then name one that actually doesn't matter whatsoever... "I make chips too fat..." or something ridiculous, haha.
 
The most idiotic interview question ever. The only context it should be asked in is for specific gaps in your technical knowledge (say your Unix skills need some work).

It's not a test of your actual weaknesses, but a test of your methods of coping with idiotic interviewers who do not have the imagination to ask proper questions and have to rely on clichés.

I can't stand that "turn it around to make it a positive" rubbish, it's contrived and unnecessary. Luckily I've never been asked this stupid question in an interview but if I wasn't that keen on the gig anyway it would be something along the lines of "listening to inane questions from incompetent interviewers."
 
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