What are your weaknesses?
My answer to this question has evolved over the years. It still remains quite frustrating at times, because what we hear is, “Why shouldn’t we hire you?” It makes it seem like asking about your strengths is more like a setup question in order to ask about all of your short comings. But that is the wrong attitude to have toward this question. It is important for the company interviewing you to know the areas in which you require improvement so they can make the most out of your orientation and training period once you are hired.
My previous advice would have been to answer this question with a clever way of turning your weaknesses into a positive such as:
“I have a tendency to take on too much responsibility”. The strategy here was to send and underlying message that you are an extremely hard worker. This approach is tired, washed out and over with. It was limiting in its impact and I doubt it ever satisfied its intent or truthfully answered the question. If you answer this question in this manner, you will sound like everyone else and totally miss an awesome opportunity to differentiate yourself.
I now propose an entirely different approach that is bold and refreshing: BE COMPLETELY FORTHCOMING AND TRANSPARENT. Go ahead and tell them the areas you are challenged in. That’s right! If you aren’t detailed oriented, tell them. If you struggle staying organized, let them know. They are going to find out eventually when you are hired and you don’t want to be the new employee with damaged credibility two weeks in to the position because you fudged an interview question. So tell them your “weaknesses” but make sure to include this critical addition: explain what you are doing to overcome your weaknesses. Show them you are proactive and solutions oriented, by sharing the books you’ve read, the training courses you have taken and the tools and techniques you have acquired to improve your skill in this area and overcome this deficiency.
By openly sharing your areas of challenge and the steps you have climbed to overcome them, you establish integrity and display your willingness to invest in your own personal and professional development. Companies want to know that you are interested in growing, developing and willing to do the necessary to perform at your best.
This is the most effective way to turn a weakness into a strength.
Brooks Harper is an Author, Speaker and Career Expert. His company helps students and professionals discover, develop, market and sell their knowledge, skills and abilities that bring tangible value to the market place. We turn Learning Into Earning!
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join today!Brooks Harper energized the crowd at the South Carolina Career and Technology Education Conference with his Keynote message of Why Should We Hire Your Students? Brooks kept approximately 1400 conference participants on the edge of their seats during his entire presentation. His humor along with his straight-forward and common sense Read more...
Brooks spoke at our annual state conference for School Counselors. He was a fantastic speaker and had the whole room laughing throughout his presentation. He was relevant, energetic and inspirational.
You were everything Family and Consumer Science Teachers enjoy in a keynote and session presenter!
As Vice President and Chair of the SC TRiO State conference committee, I want to thank you for the amazing job you did as our opening speaker at this past year's conference in March down in Charleston. Please keep up the great work!
If you get the opportunity to see this guy speak or bring him to your school for your students, you better take advantage of it. He was awesome!
Brooks Harper was an amazing, dynamic and engaging presenter. I hope to have him back here again and again.
Brooks Harper is an excellent speaker for educators, students and adults. His real life stories, tips and techniques are right on target with what today's hiring professionals are looking for. I encourage anyone wanting to promote career readiness, job seeking and interview skills to work with him. You will not Read more...
Brooks' presentation to the Freshman Academy students at LDHS was totally awesome! I am so grateful to him for reiterating important values and skills our students need to be successful citizens. The students and staff thoroughly enjoyed his one on one follow up sessions in the classrooms after the assembly; Read more...
Brooks Harper is fantastic! He is caring, genuine and our students responded to him. If our students take just half of this information to heart, they will be successful."
Brooks Harper captures the room from the minute he hits the podium … his enthusiasm, energy and words of wisdom registered equally with not only the students but also their parents and other adult guests.
One of the best Keynotes I have ever attended!
I wanted to say thanks for such an excellent presentation yesterday. We had 175 college and high school teachers in attendance. I received nothing but positive comments about your message. They thoroughly enjoyed your entertaining approach to soft skills.
Brooks Harper is dynamic, engaging and his suggestions were right on target.
Brooks Harper is entertaining, down-to-earth and a very insightful speaker to listen to!
What a phenomenal job Brooks did at the 2016 NC FBLA State Leadership Conference! His keynote was on the Mark!
Our Staff loved you! Thank you so much for helping us kick off the school year.
After hearing Brooks one time I was hooked on what he delivers to our teachers and our students across the state of North Carolina. I highly recommend what he does!
Brooks shared such a powerful message with our 8th grade students. He was able to engage, excite, and motivate in a way that I have never seen before. I had students begging for his book.
I felt the spark. I'm ready to go back to my class and start a wildfire!
After 20 years of conferences, this was the most relevant!
Awesome presentation - I would love to hear it all over again.
This is one of the most energetic, passionate, engaging and relevant keynote presentations I've ever heard!
Brooks Harper
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E-mail: brooksharperspeaks@gmail.com
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