WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?
During an interview, this is one of the most common questions you'll be asked. When you're filling out a job application.
I've asked this question to a lot of people over the years, and the responses have always surprised me.
So now I'm going to show you how to properly answer that question.
Let's start with the things you don't do. So, when your company or interviewer asks you, "So, what are your weaknesses?"
Oh, I don't have any. Never say anything like that. It's a pack of lies. It's a lie you know, and it's a lie I know.
When individuals say that, I just tell them to get out of here and don't allow the door hit you on the way out if they say they don't have any. And don't say something like, "Well, I never considered it" or "No one ever asked me that."
Is it true that no one ever asked you that question? Perhaps you believe you're being clever with the ply. That is not something you should do. It simply demonstrates your dishonesty, as well as your lack of self-awareness. Those aren't very good answers.
Here are a few more that I hear all the time that are likewise a big no-no. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and a bit of a workaholic. Allow me to take a breather. When you're asked what your weakness are, don't try to spin it into something nice.
Oh, I love people, I love working with people, is another one I hear all the time. I honestly don't care for you right now.
That's not good at all. That's not your style.
So, how do you respond to the question, "What are your weaknesses?"
The important thing is not to make it about your personality. If you're going to share something, make it about a skill set you'd like to improve.
Here's what I'm talking about. When you tell an employer something about your personality, it can feel like, "I don't know if you could fix that," or "It's just who you are." However, if you make it about a skill set, it becomes something you can improve on. So let me give you an example: what are your weaknesses?
Well, you know, I'm more of an introvert, and I've noticed that when there's a room full of people, I'm hesitant to offer my thoughts.
Now, if you're an introvert, you'll realise why that's a smart response since here's what's on my mind. Okay, this person is shy and introverted, and that's fine, I'm thinking. As a result, in some situations, I may need to ask this person to speak up more.
What if I said, "Hey, you know what?"
What are your thoughts on this?
Or, in my mind, I'm thinking, well, maybe as this individual gets more comfortable with everyone else in the company, he'll be able to share more ideas.
That's exactly what's going through my head. This is something that can be fixed.
Alternatively, this person could join Toastmasters to gain confidence and improve her public speaking skills.
See, everything is fixable in my opinion. That's all right, that's all right.
Another possibility is as follows. If you offer anything about your weaknesses, not in terms of your personality, but in terms of your ability, as well as your strategy.
What have you been doing to address it, or how do you intend to address it?
So, let me give you an example.
Hence, what are your weaknesses?
Well, let me tell you something: I'm a highly creative person. I have a tendency to come up with a variety of ideas, and when I do, I feel very happy and want to share them with everyone, including my supervisors and coworkers, and I enjoy sharing just for the sake of it.
And what I've discovered over the years is that these ideas are sometimes good and sometimes not so good. As a result, I'm aware that I need to focus on prioritising and filtering some of these ideas. In fact, I've been reading a couple books recently. One is Dale Carnegie's "How To Influence People," and Napoleon Hill's "Think And Grow Rich."
And I've picked up a number of techniques and tools from the book. They're now assisting me in filtering out some of these ideas and determining how to prioritise if I'm working on something all the time. Of course, any guidance from you that can assist me channel my creativity into higher productions for the organisation is always welcome.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
You aren't boasting, and you aren't lying. You're basically saying, "Hey, I know I have this problem, I know I need to work on it, I know I'm working on it, and here's my plan," and then you're asking for coaching.
As a CEO and an employer, I'm aware that, first and foremost, you're reading books. That's a major plus right there. You're also growing, self-conscious, and aware of what you need to work on, as well as coachable. To me, that simple reply is a win, win, win, win situation.
So, what are your weaknesses?
What are you going to do if you get this question again? How are you going to respond? Please leave a comment below.
Share with me how you would answer if someone asked you, "What are your weaknesses?" to the best of your ability. Also, let's work together. See who can come up with the best response by leaving a comment below.
Let's go ahead and shovel it in.
I appreciate your time.