How to answer "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" in a job interview

You‘re in a job interview and all is going well – you’ve prepared your answers and are feeling confident. Then they ask, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” While it’s one of the most common interview questions, it‘s still easy to be caught off guard.

In this article, we’ll discuss why hiring managers ask this question, how to answer it, and how to frame your weaknesses in a positive light. 

Why are strengths and weaknesses important in interviews?

Asking about your strengths and weaknesses gives the interviewer insight into how well you fit the role and company. It's another way of gauging your skills and competencies. From your answers, the hiring manager will know how many of the role's key criteria you could fulfill and if they would need to provide any training. If there's more than one position available, they would have an idea of where your skills would be most valuable. 

You can also ask questions in an interview when talking about strengths and weaknesses. You could ask how the role would use your strengths and help you improve on any weaknesses.

Structuring your answer

It's important to structure your answer clearly. Being prepared for this interview question with an answer ready to go is a good way to get it right. There are a few different ways you might be asked about strengths and weaknesses, and each answer should be structured a little differently.

When asked about strengths and weaknesses together

If the hiring manager asks "What would you say your strengths and weaknesses are?" start with your weakness first then follow with your strength/s. This ensures the last thing the interviewer hears is positive, showing what you can bring to the role.

When you talk about weaknesses, mention how you are working to overcome them. You could also talk about how your weakness has helped you grow or led to a strength. When discussing your strengths, talk about how they are a benefit to your profession and the role you're applying for.

For example, if you say a weakness is that you’re not confident speaking in front of large groups of people, you could mention how you are working on your presentation skills, and that your written communication skills are where you shine. 

When asked about strengths and weaknesses in separate questions

If your interviewer asks in separate questions you can delve into more detail in each response. In this case, you can provide specific instances of how you use your strengths in everyday work life. For example: I'm a strong communicator - I often lead meetings and I liaise with clients daily, so I get a lot of practice speaking to different people.

When it comes to weaknesses, you can elaborate on how you are working on any areas of improvement. For example, if your weakness is a tendency to feel stressed during busy periods, you can highlight how you've been working on mindfulness and time management to help you stay calm and organised.

How to identify your strengths

Your strengths are the main focus of any job interview, so it's essential that you know how to identify them - and sell them. Often, your strengths are what you are good at and enjoy doing. For example, if you enjoy customer-facing roles, you are likely a strong communicator. If you have an analytical mind, critical thinking and problem solving are likely some of your strengths.

If you're not sure what your strengths are, consider your hobbies, your grades at school, or what others say about you. In your past jobs, at school, or even at family events, what are the compliments you’ve received? If you're still not sure, ask your friends and family what they think your strengths are.  

Highlighting your strengths

So, you’ve picked a strength or two, now how do you highlight them in a way that connects to the role? A common method for answering interview questions is the STAR technique: Situation, Task, Action, Result. STAR involves answering the question in a structured and easy to understand way. 

This is how it works:

• Situation. After you have mentioned your strength, bring up a situation where you needed to call on that strength in the past (ideally at work).
• Task. Outline the specific task you needed to do.
• Action. Explain the action you took.
• Result. End with the (successful) result of your action.

Here's what it might sound like:

One of my strengths is that I'm a good problem solver. Once I had an upset customer who wanted to return a product without a receipt (Situation). I needed to find a solution to keep them happy without breaking company policy (Task). I explained the policy to them, and gave them the option of a gift card for the amount of the item or an exchange (Action). They accepted the gift card option (Result).

What are your strengths? Examples & answers

If you’re still having trouble coming up with work-related strengths, sometimes it helps to look at popular strengths hiring managers look for. Here are some of the most common strengths that come in handy in the workplace.

• Adaptable
• Good attention to detail
• Excellent communicator
• Natural leader
• Team player
• Problem solver
• Positive attitude
• Good time management
• Calm under pressure
• Reliable
• Strong integrity
• Resilient
• Analytical skills

Choosing your strength to suit your role

Say you’re going for an entry-level administration job. Being creative wouldn’t be as valuable as being an excellent communicator or having strong attention to detail. If you were going for a management role, you would mention leadership and collaboration skills.

If you’re someone with a lot of work experience, you’ll likely have a long list of personal strengths to draw from. So when you’re answering the question, “What are your key strengths?” refer to the role and the job ad, and select the strengths that help show you’re a fit for the position.

Choosing weaknesses for job interviews

It can be uncomfortable sharing weaknesses, especially when you just want to focus on strengths. However, interview questions about weaknesses aren’t about finding fault, they’re more to do with self-awareness, and seeing if you're proactive about self-improvement. They also reveal where the employer might need to offer training. Your weaknesses should always relate to work.

What are weaknesses?

Weaknesses are any area where you need improvement to be more productive or confident at work. It could be a personality trait, like being easily distracted, being indecisive or overthinking things. A weakness could also be a lack of experience in a certain area or technical skills you need to work on.

Being aware of your weaknesses is important for your own development and success in the workplace. When you know where you need to improve, you can make an action plan to address your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

The difference between a weakness and a strength

Put simply, a strength is something you're good at and a weakness is something you find difficult to do well. Some strengths come naturally, while others need to be developed. It's possible to turn a weakness into a strength by upskilling and practising.

Self-reflection and assessment: What is your weakness?

Identifying weaknesses may not be enjoyable, but it's worthwhile so you know how you can become better skilled and more competent overall. Self-reflection and assessment will help you measure where you're at, where you'd like to be, and how you can get to your goals.

Helpful questions for self-assessment

To reflect on your weaknesses, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you find the most draining in your daily activities and work life? Is there something you are doing or could do to make these more enjoyable, or is this not the path for you?
• When you have made a mistake, what led to this mistake? Did you leave things to the last minute, did you not pay attention to details or were you hesitant to work by yourself or with others?
• How do you respond to negative situations? Do you stay positive or slip into a negative mindset? Are you someone who is quick to be defensive when given constructive criticism?
• Are you not where you thought you’d be at this stage in your life? What could you have done differently? What can you do differently?

These are just some questions to measure how you feel and how your weaknesses could be affecting your happiness at work. Knowing weaknesses is the first step to overcoming them and turning them into strengths. 

Different methods of self-assessment

The above is just one method of self assessment. Some other methods can include:

• Periodical goal setting and analysing your progress
• Finding a mentor who can help give you an outside view on your self-assessment
• Reflecting on where you may have had your biggest challenges 

Find the method of assessment that feels right for you. Perhaps asking your colleagues for their perspectives works best for you, or maybe quietly reflecting by yourself is best.

Tools and resources for self-assessment

There are many tools and resources to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses, and help you prepare for a job interview. A popular tool for finding your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses can be a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis.

To do this, write four lists:

1. What strengths you bring to a role

2. Weaknesses that challenge you

3. Opportunities to better yourself

4. Threats (or hurdles) you need to overcome 

There are also online worksheets for finding and working on your weaknesses, helping you not only prepare for an interview, but better your skill set too. 

Overcoming your weaknesses

Once you have identified your weaknesses, now you start creating an action plan to address them. For example, if you know you find it difficult to work in a team, look at what specifically makes it challenging for you. Perhaps you find it hard to trust others to do a good job or maybe you struggle to communicate with others. Identifying exactly what your challenges are will help you overcome them.

Strategies to overcome weaknesses

Once you know your weaknesses, you can tackle them one at a time. List them in order of priority, with the most important one on top. Write a plan of action for overcoming that weakness, with an ultimate goal and steps to take along the way. SMART goal setting is a great way to make an action plan.

For instance, if you have a technical weakness, like software skills or grammar, set a goal to enrol in a course, then spend 30 minutes a day or an hour or so a week working on it. If it’s a soft skill you want to work on, like collaboration or communication, focus on activities that force you to practice those skills. Ask for feedback and guidance from coworkers to measure progress.

Discussing your weaknesses in the interview

Whenever you talk a weakness in an interview, also mention how you plan to overcome it, or any steps you've taken to improve. It shows you’re self-aware and proactive in your own professional development, which makes a good impression on potential employers. 

Tips for framing your weakness in a positive light

One of the key things to keep in mind when speaking about your weaknesses is a positive tone. Show that you see your weakness as an opportunity for growth and that you’re working to turn it into a strength.

For example, if you’re not used to working as part of a team, you might say, “I have mainly worked autonomously, so I don't have much teamwork experience. But I do enjoy collaborating with others, and I find that working with others in the past has made me a better communicator, so I'm looking for role where I can collaborate more.”

You could also try replacing the word "weakness" with a more positive alternative, like challenge. For instance, instead of saying My weakness is Excel, say I still find creating pivot tables in Excel challenging, but I'm getting better at it with regular practice.

Example list of weaknesses & answers

Acknowledging and identifying weaknesses for a job interview can be tricky. Here are the most common weaknesses for job interview examples:

• Public speaking anxiety or nervousness
• Difficulty prioritising tasks or managing time effectively
• Struggling with delegating tasks or relying too heavily on doing things independently
• Feeling overwhelmed under pressure
• Difficulty adapting to change
• Struggling with accepting criticism or feedback
• Inability to set boundaries, leading to overcommitment
• Lack of software skills
• Difficulty working in a team
• Tendency to be overly self-critical
• Indecision
• Lack of confidence in certain areas

Many of the most common weaknesses are to do with communication, whether that’s in public, responding to feedback or within a team. While poor communication is a significant weakness, it is relatively easy to work on, because you can practice getting better at it every day.

Example answers for weaknesses

When speaking about any weakness, whether a soft skill or a hard skill, always add specifics about how you’re working on that skill. For example, if you have a tendency to be overly critical of yourself, you could say, “I find it a challenge to not be overly critical of myself, but I am learning how have a more positive mindset through mindfulness practices.” 

Or, if your weakness is a tendency to take on too much work, you may phrase your response like this: “I sometimes find it challenging to say no when people ask me to do things, but I am practicing setting boundaries. I’ve realised that I can't do my best when I take on too much, and that it's okay to tell people I can't help them this time.”

Common mistakes to avoid

While you should be honest when answering an interviewer’s question about your strengths and weaknesses, there are some things you should avoid doing. For instance, don’t say you have no weaknesses or that you don't know, and don’t minimise them either.

Avoid ingenuine responses

Resist the urge to mention ‘positive’ weaknesses, like “I'm a perfectionist” or “I am an overachiever.” These aren't really weaknesses and using them won't reflect well on you. Just be authentic about your weak points and how you’re working on them.

Avoid being too self-critical

There's no need to go into detail about your weaknesses. By being too self-critical (perhaps due to nerves), you may end up coming across as lacking confidence or having a negative mindest.

In summary, avoid:

• Pretending you don’t have any weaknesses or minimising them
• Saying 'I don't know'
• Mentioning a ‘positive’ weakness
• Seeming self-critical or negative

Answering follow-up questions

Being ready to answer the question about your strengths and weaknesses, means you also have answers prepared for any follow-up questions. Here are some additional answers to prepare:

• Specific examples about your strength or weakness, where you have applied your strength or where your weakness has affected your work
• Other strengths and weaknesses you have (have 2 or 3 of each in mind)
• How you would use your strengths in the role
• Areas you’d like to improve on and plans you have to overcome challenges

Interviewers don’t ask about your strengths and weaknesses to trip you up. While there are questions interviewers can’t ask, this is a perfectly normal one that many hiring managers ask. It’s important to be honest and show a positive and proactive attitude when talking about weaknesses, and mention strengths that directly relate to the role. Most important of all: be prepared for your interview so you can answer any question with confidence.

FAQs

Why do interviewers ask about strengths and weaknesses?

Interviewers ask about strengths and weaknesses to assess someone's suitability for the role and company. The response helps them see if the person is proactive in their self-development and is aware of any gaps in skills or knowledge. It can help them make any changes to onboarding or training for any upskilling you may need.

How do I identify my strengths and weaknesses?

To identify your strengths and weaknesses, it’s important to self-reflect and assess your performance is past jobs. A good way to find strengths is to reflect on what colleagues, bosses, friends or family have said you’re good at, and what tasks you enjoy doing. To find weaknesses, reflect on what duties challenge you or what you don't enjoy doing at work.  

Should I focus more on my strengths or weaknesses in my answer?

You should address both your strengths and weaknesses if asked about both, but focus more on your strengths. When you talk about your weakness, highlight how you’re working on them to become better. Throughout your interview, focus more on strengths that relate to the job role.

Should I be completely honest about my weaknesses?

Be honest about your weaknesses, but don't dwell on them. When you mention a weakness, talk about how you're addressing this shortfall and what actions you plan to take to work on it. Show enthusiasm for improving in that area.

Can I use the same answer for every job interview?

You can use the same core answer for different job interviews, but your responses should be tailored to the role and company. For example, two similar roles might require slightly different skill sets, so you should emphasise your strengths that match that particular role.

What if I don't have any weaknesses to talk about?

Everyone has weaknesses, even if they feel small or irrelevant. If you feel you have no weaknesses, ask a former colleague or even a friend or family member and ask them what they feel you could work on. It could be something like taking feedback or attention to detail. Another tip for identifying your weaknesses is to self-reflect and assess what may make you feel challenged or drained of energy.

Should I mention weaknesses that are not relevant to the job?

It’s best not to mention weaknesses that are not relevant to the role, as those don't affect your ability to do your job. You should choose a weakness that lets you demonstrate how you’re proactive with self-development and that one day the weakness will be a strength that will benefit the employer.

How do I avoid sounding arrogant when talking about my strengths?

If you’re concerned about sounding arrogant while talking about your strengths, focus on making your tone genuine and humble. Don't overstate your abilities and don't talk about them for too long. A sentence or two on your strengths and how they help you do your job is enough.

Is it better to provide examples or just talk in general terms about my strengths and weaknesses?

Provide examples whenever you can. Sharing an example of how you used your strength in a professional setting shows your overall competency - not just that you have a skill but that you know how to use it in the workplace.

When discussing your weaknesses or challenges, providing an example gives the interviewer more context. For example, if you say indecision is a weakness, giving an example of how it affected you in the past and how you're working on overcoming it now shows that you are on a 'journey' of self-improvement.

Can I ask for more time to think about my answer to this question during the interview?

Yes, it’s fine to ask for a moment to think about a question or pause to gather your thoughts. Taking a moment shows the interviewer you’re genuinely thinking of a response. When you’re feeling nervous in an interview, take a deep breath and don't try to rush. It's always better to take it slow than to say the wrong thing.