Job Interview question - What are your weaknesses?

Pawnless Endgame · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:03

Nanoman said:
In my first 1st line interview they asked me where I would see myself in 5 years, I just replied 2nd line.

Yeah that's what I did too when I had an interview for 1st line recently.

The most annoying stock interview question for me is - "Why should we employ you over the other candidates?"

[FnG]magnolia · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:04

gambitt said:
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."

It's not idiotic. It's a very, very common question to ask - almost mandatory, actually - but I agree with your point about it not being about actual weaknesses. It isn't. At best, you get a fair and reasoned response from the interviewee (this is a good thing) but at worst, you get the whole "but I turn this into a positive!" fiasco.

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."

More damaging than you know.

R0B75 · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:05

My personal answer to this question is always. "My weakness is that I have a tendancy to take on more work than I should because I have difficulty in saying no, but being this way has made me very good at prioritising and organisation."

gambitt · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:10

[FnG]magnolia;16967135 said:
It's not idiotic. It's a very, very common question to ask.

Just because it's common that automatically means it can't be idiotic? Argumentum ad populum.

[FnG]magnolia;16967135 said:
More damaging than you know.

How exactly? So you don't get the job that you weren't keen on anyway. What are they going to do, use their magical powers to stop you getting a job elsewhere?

[FnG]magnolia · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:14

gambitt said:
Just because it's common that automatically means it can't be idiotic? Argumentum ad populum.

My point was that it is asked for a good reason, hence why it is so common.

How exactly? So you don't get the job that you weren't keen on anyway. What are they going to do, use their magical powers to stop you getting a job elsewhere?

Well, you're not far off. I'm not in the Agency trade but I deal with them regularly and the amount of personal information that is shared between different agencies and, more worryingly, clients, is shocking. Sure, peeing off the interviewer might give you a buzz but it is not at all clever. They talk.

gambitt · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:16

Who said anything about agencies? :confused:

[FnG]magnolia · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:18

gambitt said:
Who said anything about agencies?

You're right, I assumed this was through an Agency. If it's not then being the smart **** is not so important for future prospects.

robgmun · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:40

[FnG]magnolia;16967182 said:
My point was that it is asked for a good reason, hence why it is so common.

No, it's common because it's extraordinarly lazy. And i quickly lose respect of any interviewer that asks me this question. Quite honestly it should be banned

cm1179 · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:43

i'm a perfectionist!

jimferno · 17 Jul 2010 at 23:47

Got asked this in an interview a few years back. I told the truth "I eat too much", interviewer cracked up laughing and I ended up with the job.

PardonTheWait · 18 Jul 2010 at 00:25

The question is ONLY about giving you enough rope to hang yourself with.

It's not about the right answers, it's about the wrong answers.

They get way too many applicants for every job, especially lately. These questions are there to give you an opportunity to talk yourself out of the job, to cross yourself off the short list so they don't have to.

"What are you weaknesses?"

Don't tell them a real one. Give them something minor, say how you've improved it. Or say that you DID have a major one and you fixed it by doing such and such. DON'T say anything bad.

"What would you change about your last job?"

You moan, you're out. Lie. Be positive. Just give them something, a tidbit. Again, don't tell the truth, don't say 'I'd sack the management team and start over'.

They're just giving you a way to strike yourself off their list. With these questions, if you're not sure, keep it trivial and forgettable.

[FnG]magnolia · 18 Jul 2010 at 01:24

robgmun said:
No, it's common because it's extraordinarly lazy. And i quickly lose respect of any interviewer that asks me this question. Quite honestly it should be banned

Asking an interviewee to name their less than positive attributes is not lazy. It can show their honesty, integrity and self-perception. The fact you don't like it being asked is fine but to not ask the question is lazy on the interviewers behalf.

I'm astounded by the negativity, tbh. People prepared to pay you a salary need to get a good understanding of who they're dealing with. This question can help with that. The negativity in this thread speaks volumes.

meghatronic · 18 Jul 2010 at 02:22

I prefer (in terms of hatred) the "If you could be an animal, what animal would you be".

I point out that we are animals and I'm surprised when they don't call back. They could improve their question by saying "another animal"... but no..... They like to be inaccurate.

Tombstone · 18 Jul 2010 at 02:24

Tell her to say "My weakness is that I have a tendency to repeatedly have sex with my boss"

I guarantee she will get the job

markwombat · 18 Jul 2010 at 22:01

Tombstone said:
Tell her to say "My weakness is that I have a tendency to repeatedly have sex with my boss"

I guarantee she will get the job

I've told her what she must say

johnny6 · 18 Jul 2010 at 22:39

I was once interviewing a candidate for a job in our complaints department, and one of the set questions is along the lines of:

Can you describe a time you have made a mistake at work and how did you deal with the situation?

Without hesitation the candidate said one time she was dealing with a customers complaint over the phone and she got into an agrument with them, told them to **** themselves and slammed the phone down.

Needless to say she didn't get the job.

gambitt · 18 Jul 2010 at 23:14

There are only 2 possible answers to this question. The first is to answer the question honestly which probably means telling them something stupid that you did which will ensure that you don't get the job.

The alternative is to reel off some contrived response about how you're a bit of a perfectionist (oh look, that's not really a weakness is it :rolleyes:

) or that you used to have a problem with something but now you've worked on it and it's sorted (even though that's not what they asked you).

[FnG]magnolia · 18 Jul 2010 at 23:22

"My time management isn't as good as it could be. I'm aware of this and try to counter it but it needs to be improved. I'm working on this and would like it included as an objective in my personal review, were I to be offered the job."

Honest and shows that you're serious about improving whatever the problem is, without being contrived.

gambitt · 18 Jul 2010 at 23:25

You really think that admitting you have a problem with time management will help you get the job?

They will instantly think "this guy is unreliable" and no job for you.