We had a recent client ask us- “Two of the most common interview questions in an interview are: what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?” “What is the best way to answer them in an interview?”
Let’s start with the Strengths:
Almost always this question will be asked and you should be prepared with specific detailed examples. Prepare in advance and think about 3-4 strengths stories you can tell that match the role and responsibilities in the job description.
Here are some Strength examples:
- Versatility
- Creativity
- Flexibility
- Focused
- Taking Initiative
- Honesty
- Dedication
- Integrity
- Continuous Learning
- Self-control
Now- let’s talk about your Weaknesses
No one is perfect, we all have things we are not good at. Try to think of weaknesses you can show you are working on. Be a good storyteller and showcase how you are working on overcoming this weakness.
Here are some examples:
- Self-criticism
- Insecure
- Extremely Introverted
- Extremely Extroverted
- Creative Writing
- Too detail oriented
- Financial Literacy
- A Particular Software
- Too sensitive
- Presentation Skills
The key is to provide a detailed example from the past(school, job or internship) which will showcase you have the strength necessary to be successful at your potential job.
We recommend you answer your stories in the following format:
- Current situation
- Challenge
- Solution
- End result
Knowing how to answer these questions will better set you up for success. Prepare in advance and practice!
