How to Answer ‘What Is Your Greatest Weakness’ in Interviews

Hiring managers and recruiters often ask “What is your greatest weakness?” in interviews to learn more about candidates and their core competencies. Answering the weakness interview question by acknowledging flaws can demonstrate humility and self-awareness to the hiring team. Candidates can also use this question to discuss their work ethic and development opportunities. Most importantly, the question invites you to show a unique side of yourself that can give you a competitive edge in your job search.

This job interview question can be challenging, but candidates can share a list of weaknesses that still showcase soft skills and hard skills. Follow the career advice below to see how to best answer this common interview question:

1. 1. Give examples of weaknesses that won’t inhibit your hiring chances. Only share weaknesses not part of your job description. For example, if you are applying for a supervisor role, management skills should not be a weakness. If your weakness is using Excel, and that skill is not necessary for the job, you might share that information.
2. 2. Respond with genuine weaknesses. You’ll want to be honest and forthright with this answer, which means sharing real weaknesses. Example answers may include harsh self-criticism, being a perfectionist, or learning to say “no” while multitasking.
3. 3. Share improvements. Choose good weaknesses that show room for development. You can share a weakness you have overcome or one you are working to improve. Maybe public speaking was your weakness in the past, but you've overcome your fear of public speaking by leading team members in meetings and watching self-improvement videos about orating.
4. 4. Turn weaknesses into strengths. If you have a hard time letting go of a project, turn that weakness into a strength. You might say you are detail-oriented and care about your projects, but you are working to give up control and delegate.

Job seekers should prepare for the weakness question before interviews, along with common questions, like “Why do you want to work here?” and “Why should we hire you?”

When discussing areas of improvement in a job interview, consider the following sample answers for the biggest weakness question:

• A habit of taking on too many tasks
• Hesitancy to take risks
• Inability to delegate tasks
• Inefficient at maintaining a work-life balance
• Inexperience with specific software
• Lack of confidence in presenting
• Poor spelling and grammar

Employers will see some answers to this question as red flags. Avoid the following in your interview answer:

• Clichés: Certain answers, such as “I work too hard” or “I can only turn in quality work,” are nonspecific and often ingenuine, turning off recruiters.
• Personal life details: Oversharing details from your personal life can be unprofessional when answering the weakness question. Keep the conversation pertinent to the workplace and ask follow-up questions to show your interest.
• Skills in the job description: If your weakness is your work ethic, teamwork skills, or time management, you should consider whether those weaknesses will be amenable to this job’s requirements.

Heed these tips to best answer this frequent interview question:

1. 1. Be brief. Have a pithy answer prepared; keep it short and snappy. You may tell a quick anecdote to support your answer, but keep the answer to under a minute.
2. 2. Come prepared. Some interview questions you won’t expect, but since this is a common one, you’ll want to prepare it in advance so you have an answer at the ready.
3. 3. Keep it light. Interviewers can read your nervousness, so maintaining a comfortable and easy but professional tone will be critical to your success.

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