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Interview question: "What is your greatest weakness"

Aber

Joined
8/7/15
Messages
91
Points
18
Hi quantnet.

Let me ask you something: What is your greatest weakness? :)

This question shows up to all intervew questions, and I never know what to answer. Sometimes I feel say something just to say something without being 100% honest. So let me ask you what your greatest waeknes is, and I can maybe get inspired to find my own answer :)
 
While I personally do not like this question, I can see two good things an interviewer can learn from it.
1. Do you know what are your weaknesses.
2. What do you do to solve a weakness (Hopefully you have done something about it).
The reason I do not like the questions is because I feel they want to hear specific weaknesses. Do not say something like 'I used to not get anything done', but you have to be honest. People will know if you are lying.
A good answer to the question will look something like this. I used to not being to good at writing documentation for my code. However, in my previous role I did xyz to work on this weakness. In fact, I got compliments for how my code was easy to read...

Hope it help!
 
I would say honesty is the best policy here. As long as your weakness is not that important for the job, like if you're applying for cpp dev position then say you're slow to learn programming language, then you should be fine. For me, what I usually say is I usually zone in when I work, so sometimes I might not check emails or communication for hours.
 
finkv said:
While I personally do not like this question, I can see two good things an interviewer can learn from it.
1. Do you know what are your weaknesses.
2. What do you do to solve a weakness (Hopefully you have done something about it).
The reason I do not like the questions is because I feel they want to hear specific weaknesses. Do not say something like 'I used to not get anything done', but you have to be honest. People will know if you are lying.
A good answer to the question will look something like this. I used to not being to good at writing documentation for my code. However, in my previous role I did xyz to work on this weakness. In fact, I got compliments for how my code was easy to read...

Hope it help!
Click to expand...
I like that answer. I used to be naive on attention to detail yet was allowed forgoe having my peers do data checks on my work in my current role during busy periods as my attention to detail is meticulous nowadays. That would be my take on your answer.

I'd always say aswell to listen to their tone and assess if it is to see how you are under pressure (which is ok if the role is front office and/or intense) or are they saying it for the sake of it. I've shammed interviews if I get a lot of questions for the sake of it and a lot of friends that are seniors have done the same. Hard to work out if we're making a mistake by shamming interviews but interviewing is more 2 way than people appreciate.
 
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Maybe they're testing your ingenuity in lying. No-one's going to tell the truth (assuming they know what their weakness is). No-one's going to say they can't control their alcohol consumption, they embezzle money, they visit prostitutes too often. Instead, "Well, I do have a weakness for chocolate digestives with my afternoon tea."
 
bigbadwolf said:
Maybe they're testing your ingenuity in lying. No-one's going to tell the truth (assuming they know what their weakness is). No-one's going to say they can't control their alcohol consumption, they embezzle money, they visit prostitutes too often. Instead, "Well, I do have a weakness for chocolate digestives with my afternoon tea."
Click to expand...
I might avoid that one. Too much of a risk I might say "Well I do have a weakness for shaven pussy" just for the laugh.
 
But in all seriousness here is the formula:

  • A weakness you had in the past that impacted your work
  • You STILL have the weakness
  • But since you know it exists you have a system in place to combat it, so it impacts your performance no longer


My go-to was always time management:
"
Back in 2013 I had to manage a bunch of projects and I was clearly prioritizing my work wrong which impacted delivery times. Since then I do "XYZ" first thing every morning which helps me focus on the correct projects. I know this is still something that I struggle with, but since I'm aware and prepared I actually find that this has since become one of my strongest qualities.
"
 
MRoss said:
But in all seriousness here is the formula:

  • A weakness you had in the past that impacted your work
  • You STILL have the weakness
  • But since you know it exists you have a system in place to combat it, so it impacts your performance no longer


My go-to was always time management:
"
Back in 2013 I had to manage a bunch of projects and I was clearly prioritizing my work wrong which impacted delivery times. Since then I do "XYZ" first thing every morning which helps me focus on the correct projects. I know this is still something that I struggle with, but since I'm aware and prepared I actually find that this has since become one of my strongest qualities.
"
Click to expand...
I could say that word for word, just change the year to 2009. Always have a file on my laptop with my to do list and checklist in the morning.
 
Overestimating your ability/underestimating complexity, for example in software.
 
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