What is your greatest weakness?

The Greatest Weakness Question: A Hiring Manager’s Perspective

As a hiring manager conducting job interviews for over 15 years across various industries, I always make sure to ask candidates about their greatest weakness. It’s one of my favorite questions to help reveal aspects of a candidate's abilities, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills that you simply can’t get from traditional interview questions alone.

Why Employers Ask “What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

I ask the greatest weakness question first and foremost to assess a candidate's level of self-awareness. I want to understand their ability to reflect on their skills, experiences, and attributes - both good and bad - in an accurate, nuanced way. It demonstrates emotional intelligence and introspection - two critical qualities for success in virtually every job.

• How well does this person know themself and their abilities?
• How comfortable are they openly discussing weaknesses or development areas?
• Are they so self-assured that they struggle to identify any flaws or limitations?

Essentially, I want candidates who can strike the right balance between confidence and humility by being honest about areas needing growth while still emphasizing strengths. Candidates unable to name any weaknesses often lack self-awareness or feel too insecure for transparent discussions.

On the other hand, candidates who ramble about numerous weaknesses without showing how they’ve improved come across as low in confidence or qualifications. Neither extreme makes for an ideal hire.

Secondly, I ask this question to evaluate problem-solving abilities and the applicant's desire for self-improvement. I look closely to see:

• How substantial of a weakness do they choose to share? Is it meaningful or just a humblebrag?
• Do they take ownership for the consequences of this weakness?
• What specific steps have they taken to improve in this area?

Sharing a genuine weakness displays emotional maturity and accountability. But discussing the processes, tools, or strategies used to actively strengthen skills shows true growth-orientation. It demonstrates resilience amid adversity and commitment to excellence - exactly what I hope for in a candidate.

In summary, this question reveals so much about a candidate's self-perception, communication abilities, emotional intelligence, accountability, problem-solving, and improvement-orientation. It packs a punch despite seeming simple on the surface. Mastering an answer prepares candidates to excel in the role as much as impressing in the interview.

Why a Well-Crafted Response Matters

Coming across well when answering the “greatest weakness question” holds significant sway in the hiring decision for three key reasons:

It shows understanding of what employers actually want to know.
Recognizing why an employer asks this question in the first place demonstrates emotional intelligence itself! Savvy candidates expect this inquiry and come prepared with a response catered to the deeper issues hiring managers want to uncover.

On the other hand, candidates who get frazzled or caught off guard by this question likely haven’t spent enough time considering an employer’s priorities or perspective. Interview performance often reflects ability to make others comfortable and meet unspoken needs.

It displays the key qualities and capabilities hiring managers seek.
As explained previously, a well-crafted weakness answer hits on many attributes hiring managers look for in top talent: emotional intelligence, communication skills, humility, accountability, problem-solving abilities, resilience, work ethic, etc. Ticking so many boxes through one response makes a profoundly positive impression.

The question tests how one performs under pressure.
Let’s face it - coming up with an appropriate weakness example on the spot feels uncomfortable for most. The question inherently puts candidates on the defense. But talent must showcase grace under pressure and quick, strategic thinking. Impressive performers maintain poise and pull from their preparation, rather than crumbling under the spotlight.

In reality, hiring managers understand everyone has weaknesses, and we don’t expect perfection. We simply want transparency into limitations that could impact the role. Most importantly, we look for self-aware team players actively invested in their own development. Candidates able to package that story clearly and succinctly assure us they’ll thrive on our squad.

Common Variations of the Greatest Weakness Question

While most employers ask some version of “what is your greatest weakness?”, I may get more specific with follow-up questions as well, depending on the candidate’s initial response.

Here are some other formulations I’ve used:

• What would you say is your biggest area for improvement?
• Tell me about a skill you’ve struggled to master.
• Describe a work task you wish came more naturally to you.
• What’s something about your abilities that makes you feel insecure?
• What constructive feedback have you received most frequently from managers?

I’ll also sometimes ask candidates to share multiple weaknesses:

• Beyond your greatest weakness, what’s another skill you’re looking to improve?
• Tell me about three areas for development you’re currently working on.

My goal with these variations is still to assess self-awareness, accountability, and improvement orientation. However, requesting additional examples allows me to better gauge depth of one’s reflection on their abilities and limitations.

It also tests transparency – if candidates shared an innocuous weakness initially but have trouble naming others, I question their genuineness. Lastly, asking for multiple examples reduces reliance on a prepared “pet” answer. Spur of the moment responses reveal unfiltered truths.

How to Best Answer “What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

When tackling this job interview question, strive to prove self-awareness, accountability, motivation, and abilities to self-correct through a two-part answer:

• Describe a meaningful skill in need of development.
• Aim for an authentic weakness reasonably tied to the role you’re pursuing, without suggesting inadequate qualifications. Relevant examples demonstrating capability for self-critique typically suffice here. Perfection isn’t the goal - everyone has legitimate weaknesses!

Just stay away from:

• Strengths framed as weaknesses (ex. “Sometimes I stay late to ensure every detail gets addressed.”)
• Personal qualities disguised as skills (ex. “I’m too much of a team player.")
• Strong capabilities required for the job (unless describing how you've improved)
• Explain the active steps you’re taking to improve.

This part is critical! Outline current/future actions to enhance this area through training, mentorship, tools, etc. Provide specific examples whenever possible. This showcases growth orientation, accountability, and problem-solving needed to overcome professional challenges on the job.

Lastly, keep answers 1-2 minutes max. Be concise yet thorough. Interviewers look for communicators able to self-reflect meaningfully in a few sentences. Effusiveness raises red flags.

3 Interview Answers That Will Impress Any Hiring Manager

Now that you know the rationale behind this question and how to craft an impressive answer, let's apply those guidelines to a few examples.

Here are 3 responses demonstrating self-awareness, accountability, problem-solving, and determination to take candidates to the next level:

The Early-Career Applicant

“My greatest weakness is public speaking. I haven’t yet had opportunities to present often in my previous roles. While I feel comfortable talking through concepts one-on-one or contributing during team discussions, speaking formally to a large audience makes me visibly nervous. I end up talking quickly and sometimes losing my train of thought, which prevents me from getting key messages across clearly or effectively.

However, realizing this has been a barrier to landing leadership roles, I’ve made improving my public speaking abilities a top developmental goal. I’ve joined Toastmasters to practice presenting in front of an audience. I’m also volunteering to lead more team meetings and presentations for internal audiences first to continue getting more reps in a lower-stakes environment. My aim is to become relaxed and compelling discussing our work in front of any audience.”

Why it works: This early-career candidate chose a weakness directly tied to advancing (public speaking) and shows accountability for the negative impacts it’s had so far (missing leadership opportunities). However, we also see strong self-awareness of exactly where anxiety exists (large audiences) and how it manifests (rushed, scattered verbal delivery). Rather than make excuses, they've begun hands-on training to methodically strengthen skills through Toastmasters and volunteering to increase exposure. This step-by-step action plan convinces me they’ll make rapid improvements to maximize their career potential.

The Industry Switcher

“Transitioning from pharmaceutical sales to high-tech, my biggest gap is on the technical side. Learning software programming has been slow going for me. Memorizing code patterns doesn't come intuitively like picking up medical terminology. I’m dedicated to carving out several hours a week for practical training, though.

Just this month, I finished an introductory Python course to better grasp basics. It helped me practice applying core concepts to build functional scripts. Moving forward, I’m supplementing independent learning by shadowing a senior engineer teammate during initial project phases. Observing his programming approach has already accelerated my abilities to think through efficient solutions. Over time, increasing hands-on experiences like these will allow me to speak programmer language fluently!”

Why it works: We feel this candidate’s authentic frustration with the learning curve making a major industry pivot. They don’t inflate current abilities or try softening the inconvenient truth. However, they demonstrate accountability for ramifications on technical execution. We also see evidence they aren’t sitting idle - aligning dedicated personal development time, taking formal training, and seeking expert peer mentorship. This three pronged effort to directly target observable gaps tells me they’ll reskill efficiently to pull their weight technically.

The Senior Leader

“One trap I constantly work to avoid is micromanaging my team once goals are delegated. I think stemming from my engineering background, I’m wired to map solutions thoroughly from start to finish. While advantageous for directing overall strategy, I risk overprescribing rigid processes that inhibit creativity or autonomy among the talented folks I empower day-to-day.

Recently, this tendency surfaced again during launch of a new product. I found myself critiquing tactical details around testing parameters and documentation standards. Thankfully, a peer noted they felt I was inhibiting velocity and teamownership unnecessarily due to my persistence. I took a step back and realized she was right – they didn’t need another process-obsessed manager gumming up the wheels. Being receptive to that feedback helped me shift to an advisory role. I participated when teams specifically requested my expertise versus defaulting to directives. That shift empowered faster high quality execution."

Why it works: This leader demonstrates deep self-awareness of a common pitfall among formerly individual technical contributors promoted to management (micromanaging). They openly acknowledge negative team impacts of this tendency when it recently resurfaced, rather than rationalizations. We also see evidence of implementing behavior change in response to feedback on two fronts - increased self-awareness of current management style and the ability to adapt a more empowering, team-oriented posture. These signs bode very well for senior leadership success.

Tips for Acing Your Weakness Answer

Beyond these strong examples, here are several tips for formulating your best response possible:

• Avoid weaknesses ubiquitous in your domain. Overly common answers come across lazy, unreflective, or irrelevant over time.
• If struggling for inspiration, review previous performance evaluations. Consistent feedback areas make great themes.
• Tie responses clearly to success requirements shown in the job description. Make connections for the interviewer explicitly.
• Focus on improving weakness impacting current goals, not those in past roles no longer relevant. Look forward, not backward.
• Use non-technical language. Avoid industry jargon confusing for those outside your domain. Define acronyms.
• If changing industries/roles, highlight transferable skills still applicable from your background. Downplay hard technical abilities not carrying forward.
• For recent graduates, detail how you’re actively working towards mastery of academic concepts through workplace application.

Master these tips when preparing your answer, and interviewers will surely take notice of your maturity, sincerity, and determination.

Go-To Greatest Weakness Examples with Explanations

When trying to uncover your own biggest development area, don’t fret exploring a few common themes. Here are 10 weaknesses I frequently hear as a hiring manager with guidance on fitting them to various experience levels:

1. Public Speaking / Presentations

   • Entry-level Fit: Highlight limited opportunities thus far but willingness to seize more exposure. Discuss joining Toastmasters or volunteering for work presentations first.
   • Mid-level Fit: Note discomfort escalated as higher stakes presentations expected. Share how you identified anxiety triggers (audience size, length of talk, Q&A) and are methodically facing each fear through repetition.
   • Senior-level Fit: Detail how early technical expertise didn’t require this skill but current leadership role does more regularly. Share when lacking polish has hurt key messaging/vision-setting for the business and steps working to prevent repeats.

2. Unfamiliar Technology / Software Platforms

   • Entry-level Fit: Reference still learning applications commonly used in most business settings. Share specific helpful training courses completed or plans to shadow tech-savvy colleagues.
   • Mid-level Fit: Call out industry/company specific platforms you haven’t utilized much day-to-day. Highlight how you proactively created sandbox environments to self-teach missing skills nights/weekends without prompting.
   • Senior-level Fit: Note today’s pace of technology change means nearly everyone falls behind platforms popular with youngerStaff. You make it priority to stay conversantemerging digital tools through hands-on testing, external conferences, reading.

3. Delegation / Empowering Others

   • Early-Career Fit: If lacking direct reports, detail tendency to retain vs share work you feel you’ll do faster on your own. Set goal to delegate smaller instances first to jr colleagues for mentoring/capacity building.
   • Manager Fit: Admit still working to loosen tendency to prescribe methods beyond stated objectives. Share observed benefits letting team self-organize more through a recent successful project.
   • Senior-Level Fit: Callout long habit as technical expert still recovering from responsibility bias - hard for specialists to release when used to doing differently. Point to growth repoing complex initiatives to cross-functional upstarts for fresh perspectives.

4. Time Management / Prioritization

   • Entry-level Fit: Note learning how long professional quality output truly takes with workplace pressures/standards . Share how daily/weekly planning, tracking tools increased thoroughput.
   • Mid-level Fit: Admit still struggling balancing multiple complex projects effectively. Began blocking focus time daily for strategic thinking to ensure devoting attention to right goals based on company objectives, deadlines.
   • Senior-level Fit: Stop habit of getting dragged into every problem without refocusing team on core goals and vision for their own development. Start saying “this seems more appropriate for X team than me” despite temptation to intervene.

5. Constructive Feedback / Difficult Conversations

   • Early Career Fit: Highlight less experience delivering constructive feedback from internships/campus roles. Share eagerness to take management training and get repetition practice through peer mentorship program.
   • Mid-level Fit: Note early tendency avoiding candid criticism with direct reports stalled development. Recently better prepared factbased feedback pre-discussions and gives next steps for change management.
   • Senior Leader Fit: Callout lifetime technical roles left discomfort navigate sensitive chats regarding conduct/ performance issues. But management prowess now requires ability to kindly coach/counsel even long tenured experts on required change. Will lean into this leadership capability gap rapidly since growth absolutely mandates it.

6. Impatience / Frustration Tolerance

   • Entry Level Fit: Describe known tendency get irked over slow progress/picky decisionmaking stemming from competitiveness. But learned through past internship ensuring calm presence and positivity inspired team spirit/momentum regardless of speed bumps
   • Manager Fit: Cite heightened urgency improve customer satisfaction scores sometimes hastens frustration when relies on partners. Thus focus becoming better change agentthrough influence vs demands.
   • Senior Leader: Remain overeager “raise the bar” verbally before crossfunctional teams absorbpace lift realistically. Working apply more emotional touch understanding team bandwidth constraints already on plate before layering aggressive targets.

7. Dependency / Slow Decider

   • Entry Level Fit: Self-admit reliance on extremely structured academic environment made independent problem solving difficult initially. But workplace ambiguity spurred more proactivepeer collaboration, upskilling online to fastdecision effectively solo.
   • Manager Fit: Leadership roles require resolving employee escalations decisively despite uncertainties. Tendency tripleverify conclusions risks indecisiveness. Now set timers for selfdeliberation to build confidence voicing direction earlier.
   • Senior Leader: historic tendency review exhaustive data prior to strategy shifts bogs enterprises navigating complexity. Today’s speed necessitates calculated risks combining sound intuition with imperfection action. Work remain patient here.

8. Grammar / Writing Skills

   • Entry Level Fit: Clarify verbal skills surpass writing talent early on. But professional roles demand fluency. Embarrassing lesson from sloppy client email kicked off concerted efforts like drafting practice, editorial templates, peerreview process get up to speed quicker.
   • Mid-Level Fit: Earlier technical path didn’t prioritize strong writing compared to analyst roles. How formally overcommunicate vision now through presentations, docs. Recently sought respected colleague writer critique memo intended rally department toward unified mission. Help surfaced gaps taken seriously.
   • Senior Leader: Earlier engineering track perfect formula/requirements documents but not every audience cares precision specs. Adjusting comms style storytelling so connects hearts not just minds. Running important corp emails by strong writers amongst staff supports this critical leadership capability build.

9. Uncomfortable with Confrontation / Conflict

   • Entry Level: Growing up conflict avoidance left blindspots navigating workplace disputes early. Now forging tougher skin speak up through tactics like writing concerns ahead time, roleplaying rebuttals.
   • Mid Level: Naturally lean towards harmony building vs heated debate when collaborating crossfunctionally. But hearing critical feedback team held back ideas to avoid confrontation showed overcorrection stifling innovation. Working find right balance tone/venue voicing dissent professionally.
   • Senior Leader: Struggle receiving unvarnished criticism personally when so much identity still wrapped up career achievements. Risk of defensiveness high displaying unproductive fragility. Yet talent retention necessitates modeling nonjudgmental receptivity towards dissent, aligning teams positively amidst disagreement. Journaling self-talk minimizes kneejerk reactions. Will continue requesting blunt leadership feedback from Board, family, and ask what behaviors observed that inadvertently invalidate others amidst tension. Vision is leading amid controversy with grace.

10. Cultural Awareness Gaps

    • Entry Level: Campus provided limited exposure interacting across cultures. But workplace diversity development demands lifelong learning here. Actively reading inclusion guides, signing up allyships trainings, seeking exposure multi-cultural social events, asking more clarifying questions around unfamiliar references.
    • Manager: Having managed regional domestic team many years, actualizing globalization requires extra sensitivity adapting leadership style suit new team makeup abroad. Commit embracing discomfort rapid global aptitude growth through choosing talent partnerships spanning multiple locales worldwide to lead inclusion by example.
    • Senior Leader: After recent unflattering industry publicity regarding insensitive executive remarks on a public platform, I'm reflecting deeply on blindspots communicating such a pluralistic employee base tuned into coded language that breeds exclusion. This stresses urgency amplifying my cultural awareness as the face this organization - I owe customers and staff that dignity. Expect tap employee resource groups educate me historical issues facing marginalized groups. I vow listen first, speak second moving forward.

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering This Question

Equally as important as providing a strong example are missteps to avoid. Here are 10 common ways candidates trip up on this inquiry:

• Share a weakness completely irrelevant to the job pursuit or your level. Makes the audience question self awareness or candor on abilities required for the role.
• Say “no weakness” or struggle naming one at all. Red flag someone unable to self critique lacks self awareness or transparency expected on teams.
• Use a strength thinly veiled as weakness (overly detail focused). Savvy interviewers spot disingenuity raising questions on honesty.
• Focus on improving a past irrelevant weakness no longer applying to pursuits ahead. Raises doubts onjudgment on abilities now paramount for future.
• Share weakness previously raised without evidence working to change still. Signals lack accountability change behaviors/skills not progressing still.
• Discusscomplex project management weakness as entry level candidate. Overscopes relevancy that stage and floods too advanced detail missing forest for trees.
• Cite “poor technical skills” on programming role. Fatal conceding core competency gaps believed tablestakes in field.
• Ramble on multiple weaknesses excessively. Misses exercise demonstrating tact on limiting transparency sharing just enough for purposes of role.
• Criticize employers or others visibly demonstrating weakness reflects external locus of fault vs self accountability piece.
• Answer using cliches like “work too hard”. Signals lack of creativity framing transparently, relying on eyeroll trope.

Be careful not to make any of these common blunders candidates often do! Vet your weakness answer carefully against this checklist.

Weakness Answers to Absolutely Avoid Due to Poor Perception

In addition to overall response mistakes above, some themes predictably fail making the wrong impression for hiring managers. As you can see, certain themes clearly telegraph disaster potential in key areas so universally important across roles. Carefully avoid them!

1. Detail Mixups

   “I don't pay close attention to details", “I can be careless with numbers/data”, “I don't triplecheck my work”.

   Translation: This person will be sloppy completing critical meticulous assignments required in our methodological work. Hard pass.

2. Communication Limitations

   "I struggle articulating thoughts verbally or in writing clearly”, "I have difficulty tailoring messages across audiences”

   Translation: They lack ability zone communicate suitably crossorganization plant seeds not persuade. Major liability.

3. Prioritization & Organizations Flaws

   “I procrastinate early project phases” “I don’t manage time wisely”, “I’m easily distracted by email”

   Translation: This person will delay delivering on critical tight deadlines that keep business operating. Unreliable.

4. Teamwork Gaps

   “I prefer working independently”, “I avoid group projects”, “I debate back defiantly when I disagree”

   Translation: They’ll resist collaborating amidst our highly matrixed, fastmoving structure needing alignment. Toxic.

We all have weaknesses we battle privately at work daily. What empowers candidates to stand out is the wisdom and wherewithal converting those humble vulnerabilities discussed publicly into strengths over time through self-improvement. I wish everyone the best doing so and look forward to seeing your growth story unfold!