Strengths and weaknesses for interview preparation: Tips and strategies

Contents

1. Please do not copy these 4 strategies! 
2. Answer the question about strengths and weaknesses correctly
3. List of weaknesses: Examples for your next job interview
4. Conclusion: Preparation is the be-all and end-all for your job interview 

Spoiler alert: Recruiters do not ask you about your strengths and weaknesses because they want to know about your strengths and weaknesses. So why do they still let you stew? It's very simple. To work well, you need to know your limits. And it is precisely this ability to think self-critically that they want to test you on with their question.

Depending on his strategy, the interviewer may also want to test your resistance to stress at the same time. You can tell if he's asking you directly about your strengths and weaknesses - or keeping it chatty with a veiled question. Whether they are open or hidden, common interview questions are seeking answers. Preferably without standard phrases. And truly honest.

Weaknesses in the job interview: Please do not copy these 4 strategies! 

Strategy #1: The Soul Stripper

What it looks like:

Desperate shaking of the head, sighs. "Where do I even start? You know, I think I get attached to other people too quickly. My therapist has already hinted at it, but never said as much... Maybe she's just afraid of hurting me. Because I also see her as a close confidante, you know. But after the tragedy in my family, I guess it's normal to seek closeness with other people..."

Why it's a flop:

Your private weaknesses and mistakes have no place in an interview. If you mention them anyway, you are signalling to the recruiter that you cannot separate your professional and private life. In the worst case, you will scare him with facts that he does not want to know about you at this point. So stay away from strategy #1 in your job interview - there are much better ones out there for you!

Expert interview tip: Although honesty pays off, you should not reveal every private detail of your personality. Less is more here. You can always tell your colleagues private details once you have the job in the bag.

Strategy #2: The Flawless One

What it looks like:

Looking straight in the eyes: The recruiter should know that you accept the challenge. "I have no weaknesses worth mentioning."

Why it's a flop:

Everyone has their faults. Asking about your strengths and weaknesses reveals whether you are aware of them. So with such an answer you show a lack of self-reflection instead of courage. And that's exactly what you can write down as your first weakness. So it's better not to act too confidently.

Strategy #3: The Clown

What it looks like:

A sly "Can you repeat the question? I don't always listen." Or "Chocolate and wine are my greatest weaknesses."

Why it's a flop:

Humour often wins you sympathy points. But not when it comes to the question of strengths and weaknesses. What is needed here is a serious and honest examination of oneself. Depending on the atmosphere of the interview, you can start with a joke - but you should still follow up with a serious answer. So save your jokes for your next show with Chris Rock.

Strategy #4: The Perfectionist

What it looks like:

Instead of presenting your real weaknesses to the recruiter, you spin your strengths as a weakness. Like this: "I am such a perfectionist", "I work too much" or "I am impatient and always do my tasks before the deadline".

Why it's a flop:

Remember the statistics at the beginning of this article? Turning your strengths into supposed weaknesses is not only dishonest, but also does not give you an advantage over other applicants. Apart from that, perfectionism, workaholism and impatience are not particularly pleasant character traits. So watch out here!

Answer the question about strengths and weaknesses correctly

Keeping quiet, fibbing, flattery: You might do well on the "The Bachelor" TV show and make it to the final. In your next job interview, however, you should demonstrate other virtues.

Expert tip: According to a study by University College London, your chances increase five-fold if you are self-critical and authentic during the interview. You should also communicate your weaknesses as weaknesses. 80 per cent of recruiters prefer candidates who openly and honestly admit their weaknesses to those who turn a strength into a perceived weakness. Honesty pays off, as strategy 5 illustrates:

Strategy #5: Credibility

What it looks like:

"I have two weaknesses. The first is that I need peace and quiet to be productive. It is also important to me to communicate with colleagues. For longer, concentrated work, I prefer to be alone. Unfortunately, I tend to leave documents on my desk in disarray and work through tasks one after the other, even though it would make much more sense to prioritise. This characteristic also irritates me greatly, of course. That's why I've been using digital to-do lists for several months and have got into the habit of always leaving my workspace clean in the evening."

Why it could work:

The two-weakness strategy makes you look very authentic, objective and, above all, thoughtful. In this way, you declare your shortcomings as a challenge from which you can learn. Our secret tip: Words like "sometimes", "now and then" or "occasionally" weaken the intensity of your weakness. So give that a try!

List of weaknesses: Examples for your next job interview

Even if you are working on it, it is better not to mention weaknesses that would hinder you in your future job. A surgeon cannot be experimental, but a graphic designer can. So how do you balance honesty and professionalism?

Ideas for weaknesses

Which weaknesses your employer can accept and which ones will score you an own goal at the interview depends on the job. We therefore cannot make the final decision for you. But we want to help you with the groundwork. Here you can find examples of weaknesses that you could use in your interview:

Finding the right strengths

Just like your weaknesses, your strengths need to be tailored to the job. We have collected a list of strengths for you that you can bring up in the interview without hesitation:

• Determination
• Creativity
• Resistance to stress
• Willingness to learn
• Acceptance of responsibility
• Persuasive power
• Decisiveness

Conclusion: Preparation is the be-all and end-all for your job interview 

You have to prepare intensively for a job interview. In the process, make a list of your weaknesses. Friends and family can certainly provide some devastating facts about you if you can't think of anything else.

As a second step, read the job advertisement again. Cross all weaknesses off your list that are essential for the internship, the student job or the entry-level job. From the remaining points, choose a first weakness that is relevant to your job but will not interfere with your daily work. The second weakness should potentially hinder you in your job. So think about which solution strategy you have used or want to use for this so far.

Remember: honesty and self-confidence will get you much further than cheating. So choose our two-weakness strategy, take another look at the job posting and head for the interview!