What are your qualities, what are your weaknesses? What to answer during a job interview.

What are your qualities and what are your weaknesses? This is a question which is often asked in interviews. But it is a question that a lot of people struggle with, and it is almost impossible to answer without preparation.

 But how do you find the answer? Ask the people who know you well such as your family members or close friends. They will be able to point out some qualities and weaknesses that you may not even have noticed. But if you don’t fancy exposing yourself to the criticism of others, try the mirror technique.

 Look at yourself in a mirror and ask yourself what would annoy you if you had to work with your clone? Think about feedback you’ve received in previous roles. Do not be afraid to report weaknesses as long as they do not directly contradict the position you are applying for. Don’t be like the majority of candidates who only think of “I am perfectionist”, “I am too involved in my work”. Then think about what would be good about working with your clone. Would this person be an interesting candidate for the position? Here are a few examples of good answers: Qualities No doubt, you will easily find qualities that describe you. 

Commitment, perseverance, discipline, creativity, leadership, problem-solving skills, loyalty, ability to handle criticism, ability to cooperate with others, punctuality, attention to detail, well mannered, high energy, success oriented, self motivated, determinate, are all terms you can use if they suit you. Weaknesses Give one or two. When you acknowledge one of your weaknesses make sure to qualify it and add a positive spin on it, or explain how you can overcome it. 

An example of a weakness could be that you lack a certain skill which is required for the role, but then you can go on to explain how you could learn that skill quickly. Or that you lack confidence in a certain area of the role but you are keen to push yourself and go out of your comfort zone to improve this. This is a really common question in interviews so make sure you spend some time thinking about good answers so you can be prepared for the job interview better that the other candidates!