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Interview Question-What are your weaknesses?

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crazymotorbik...
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PostPosted: 22:18 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Interview Question-What are your weaknesses? Reply with quote

Hey,

I've got an interview tommorow and i am preparing the best i can for it.

One of the question that always gets me is: What are your weaknesses?

My answer so far is this:

I tend to look at the overall big picture and not spend so much time on the minor details. For example in my current position i will place alot of my time and effort into getting my order accurately entered into the system, i then tend to place the smaller tasks to the back of my mind. This sometimes leaves me little time to complete these smaller tasks. However in order to correct this i have started taking a minute to refresh my memory of my days schedule and deadlines enabling me to give more times to the smaller tasks.

What do you think?

Shaun.
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Silver
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PostPosted: 22:33 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not neccessarily a trap, but it's definitely lazy. However, they're probably more interested in the manner of your answer than your actual answer. Personally, I'd keep the answer as short as possible.
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Harold_Shand
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PostPosted: 22:36 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just about every where seems to want these twatty answers. What a world, you have the technical skills and qualifications, but can you just drop your trousers, please? Just pop yourself up on the desk. You see, we can't possibly take you on without seeing if you are a complete cunt. So, off you go. See how many buzz-words you can pop into your answer to impress us, and impress us it will. Then and only then will we decide when it is clear you are capable of the job and an EXPERT at sucking up to us will we give you the job. Thankyou. And a round of blow jobs for all of us, please, whilst reminding us, particulary Andrew from HR how dreadfully important we all are.
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Pie-Roe
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PostPosted: 22:55 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds too prepared IMO
I'd subsidise that to:
'I sometimes can be a bit focused on the big end result as apposed to the little bits that can need fixing on the way, meaning when I slow down and fix them it just takes a little more time'

If I was you I would make something else up, this makes it seem like your organisation skills in general are poor. (from an employers point of view)

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Silver
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PostPosted: 23:17 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hetzer wrote:
Try "I have no weaknesses. Except the one I've just displayed, complete arrogance." Laughing


That's better than the "porn and cocaine" answer that was running through my head... Laughing
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Dischord
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PostPosted: 23:19 - 21 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hetzer wrote:
Try "I have no weaknesses. Except the one I've just displayed, complete arrogance." Laughing


lmfao Laughing
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Phoenix
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PostPosted: 03:59 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's some adverts on local radio stations at the moment giving interview advice, this was one of them.

When you're in an interview, you've got to remember it's also a chance for you to interview them aswell. So when he asks you what is your biggest weakness, answer straight back with '"What's your's lame brain?".

Obviously these adverts are meant to be comical and are offering real interview advice if you ring them.
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McGee
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PostPosted: 04:34 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just answer truthly.

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Fast moving vehicles which are aimed at you.

Wink
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colin1
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PostPosted: 05:43 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ive done interviewing as a job, and basically, you cant tell who is gonna be good, you just want to be sure someone isnt crap.

You give them the chance to incriminate themselves, and its amazing how many will tell you why you shouldnt employ them.

All you have to do is not incriminate yourself. Those who incriminate themselves just hand the job to the confidant bullshitter who may actually do a worse job.

So you think to yourself, I know my weaknesses but Im not going to tell you them.

A favourite of getting round this question is to give a failing that is actually a strength, ie im a workaholic, perfectionist etc
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Zen Dog
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PostPosted: 09:25 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

colin1 wrote:
A favourite of getting round this question is to give a failing that is actually a strength, ie im a workaholic, perfectionist etc


Ergh, I've been on both sides, and i hate people who say that...

How about -
"A tendency to respond to trick questions with immediate and sustained violence..."

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Shaun
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PostPosted: 10:10 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

colin1 wrote:
A favourite of getting round this question is to give a failing that is actually a strength, ie im a workaholic, perfectionist etc


I was discussing this with my quite hot recruitment consultant yesterday and I suggested the perfectionist routine as a weakness and she dismissed it saying whilst it can be good if the last person they employed was a perfectionist and they didn't like them for it then they'll be put off you, so use something that isn't related to you as a person.

She told me to use a skill as a weakness that isn't related to the job, for example when applying for credit control I could say I'm not great at sales ledger as I don't have much experience in it, whilst I admit I'm crap at something it isn't part of the job description and therefore irrelevant to their choice in hiring me.
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bazza
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PostPosted: 12:38 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Weakness, eh? I suppose my criteria for suffering fools glady have been eroded by constant exposure to the dullard mentality that tolerates Personnel staff re-branding themselves as Human Resource Associates. Would you class that as a weakness?"
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LeeR
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PostPosted: 13:05 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Colin here you can turn it around without sounding smarmy. As in "...well I can't say I consider them weaknesses but if I do have any it's usually an exaggeration of a strength, i.e. I'm methodical and thorough which can be mistaken for perfectionism at times." etc, etc...

Any way it's a bit late now, but I hope the interview goes/went well. Thumbs Up
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V2
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PostPosted: 13:22 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got asked that once, I just said "I havent got any" then smiled haha
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trevoriv
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PostPosted: 17:15 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Q: What are your weaknesses?

A: Things that im not very good at.

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nick606
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PostPosted: 17:27 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got asked this and i said "I don't like getting up in a morning". It must of worked i got the job.
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Kara
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PostPosted: 17:48 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

brewer wrote:
I got asked that once, I just said "I havent got any" then smiled haha


They probably also smiled as you walked out of the interview, shirt inevitably back to front with a large stain of growing something on your tie thinking "apart from dressing yourself and general life issues".*

*I know this is fact. Mr. Green
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instigator
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PostPosted: 18:05 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shaun wrote:
colin1 wrote:
A favourite of getting round this question is to give a failing that is actually a strength, ie im a workaholic, perfectionist etc


I was discussing this with my quite hot recruitment consultant yesterday and I suggested the perfectionist routine as a weakness and she dismissed it saying whilst it can be good if the last person they employed was a perfectionist and they didn't like them for it then they'll be put off you, so use something that isn't related to you as a person.

She told me to use a skill as a weakness that isn't related to the job, for example when applying for credit control I could say I'm not great at sales ledger as I don't have much experience in it, whilst I admit I'm crap at something it isn't part of the job description and therefore irrelevant to their choice in hiring me.


I'd say she's wrong. Sort of. OP has a perfectly good answer.

Problem with the approach the consultant has mentioned is that you have a weakness but are not doing a thing about it (could be related to professional development - Is he a plod along type or is he a go-getter). So it seems like you don't want to better yourself, however irrelevant it may be. What should be done is as the OP has done, start off with a weakness you had identified in the past (Back in University, I wasn't terribly good with timekeeping) but then you go on to detail how you are improving yourself (keeping a diary etc). Lame example but you know what I mean.
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colin1
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PostPosted: 19:08 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

They have to have some way of sorting out the good from the bad.

They want the bad people to let them know they are bad, and the bad people to let them know they are crap.

What often happens is the good people focus on their weaknesses and sell themselves short, and the bad people think they are great and exude confidence and get the job.

The interviewer needs to be reassured that picking you is the right thing to do. They want a feeling of confidence in you.

I know the interview has been and gone now, but still.
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lozzypop1
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PostPosted: 21:20 - 22 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about:

"What are your weaknesses?"

The things I intend to improve as they become evident. Smile
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scorps
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PostPosted: 19:21 - 23 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

in response to phoenix i prefer the broken fingers one Laughing

and like brewer i informed them i didnt have any Very Happy but i was sure that somone else may well feel they could put their finger on one, i got the job though.
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colin1
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PostPosted: 19:40 - 23 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

lozzypop1 wrote:
How about:

"What are your weaknesses?"

The things I intend to improve as they become evident. Smile


Interviewers dont like a smartass, from experience we find that they usually are a nuisance later on.
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Silver
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PostPosted: 21:47 - 23 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

colin1 wrote:
Interviewers dont like a smartass


And the award for most obvious comment of the day goes to...

Laughing
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Zen Dog
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PostPosted: 08:42 - 24 Jan 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

colin1 wrote:
Interviewers dont like a smartass, from experience we find that they usually are a nuisance later on.


And yet they still gave you the job it seems... Razz

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