What No One Tells You About How To Answer To What Are Your Weaknesses And Interview Performance
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
The question, "What are your weaknesses?" is arguably one of the most challenging inquiries you'll face, whether you're navigating a job interview, a crucial sales call, or a college admission discussion. Many people dread it, but mastering how to answer to what are your weaknesses can transform a potential pitfall into an opportunity to showcase self-awareness, honesty, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. This guide will equip you with a strategy for constructing a compelling and authentic response.
Why do interviewers ask how to answer to what are your weaknesses
Interviewers aren't trying to trip you up when they ask about your weaknesses. Their primary goal is to assess several key qualities: your self-awareness, your honesty, and your ability to acknowledge areas for improvement [^1]. They want to see if you understand yourself well enough to identify developmental areas and, more importantly, what proactive steps you're taking to address them. This question helps them gauge your potential for growth and your coachability. A thoughtful response to how to answer to what are your weaknesses demonstrates maturity and a growth mindset, rather than simply identifying a flaw.
How can you identify genuine insights for how to answer to what are your weaknesses
Identifying genuine weaknesses requires introspection and an honest assessment of your skills and behaviors. It’s crucial to select a weakness that isn't central to the core requirements of the role or situation you're in [^2]. For instance, if you're interviewing for a detail-oriented job, admitting a weakness in attention to detail would be counterproductive.
The Art of Self-Awareness: Identifying Your Weaknesses
Difficulty delegating tasks
Being overly critical of your own work
Public speaking anxiety
Struggling with time management for non-urgent tasks
To pinpoint suitable weaknesses, reflect on past performance reviews, feedback from mentors or peers, or challenges you've faced in previous roles. Consider common challenges like:
The goal is to identify a weakness that is real, yet manageable, and for which you can demonstrate concrete improvement efforts. This self-awareness is key to mastering how to answer to what are your weaknesses.
What is the most effective structure for how to answer to what are your weaknesses
A structured approach to how to answer to what are your weaknesses can transform a potentially awkward moment into a confident display of your growth mindset. Follow this four-part framework to craft a compelling response:
Crafting a Compelling Answer
State the weakness: Clearly and concisely name your chosen weakness. Be specific but avoid over-explaining or rambling.
Explain why it's a weakness: Briefly provide context. How has this weakness manifested? What impact has it had? This demonstrates your understanding of the issue.
Describe actions taken to improve: This is the most critical part. Detail the concrete steps you're taking to mitigate or overcome this weakness. This could include courses, training, seeking feedback, implementing new strategies, or practicing specific skills. This shows initiative and a proactive approach.
Highlight learning and growth: Conclude by explaining the positive outcomes of your efforts. How have you improved? What lessons have you learned? Emphasize how your growth in this area will benefit the role or situation [^3].
This framework ensures your response to how to answer to what are your weaknesses is not just an admission, but a narrative of development.
What common mistakes should you avoid when preparing how to answer to what are your weaknesses
While preparing how to answer to what are your weaknesses, it's just as important to know what not to say. Avoiding common pitfalls can prevent your answer from backfiring.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Claiming no weaknesses: This suggests a lack of self-awareness or honesty. Everyone has areas for improvement, and denying it can make you seem arrogant or unreflective [^4].
Presenting a strength as a weakness: Phrases like "I'm a perfectionist" or "I work too hard" are often transparent attempts to disguise a positive trait as a negative one. Interviewers see through this immediately, and it can undermine your credibility.
Mentioning irrelevant or critical job skills: Do not list a weakness that directly relates to a core requirement of the role. For example, if the job requires strong analytical skills, avoid stating that this is a weakness. This would immediately disqualify you.
Being too vague or generic: A response like "I sometimes procrastinate" without context or a plan for improvement is unhelpful. Be specific and actionable.
Blaming others: Never frame your weakness as someone else's fault or a result of external circumstances. Take ownership of your development.
Focus on demonstrating growth, not just identifying a flaw when considering how to answer to what are your weaknesses.
How can you transform your challenges into positive examples when considering how to answer to what are your weaknesses
The true power of how to answer to what are your weaknesses lies in your ability to frame it as a story of growth. By providing concrete examples and actionable advice, you demonstrate your capacity for self-improvement.
Turning Weaknesses into Strengths: Examples and Advice
Here are a few examples of how to frame common weaknesses positively:
Weakness: "I used to feel very nervous speaking in front of large groups, which sometimes made it hard to articulate my ideas clearly."
Actions: "To overcome this, I joined a local Toastmasters club and actively sought opportunities to present in smaller team meetings. I also practiced specific breathing techniques."
Growth: "Now, while I still prepare thoroughly, I feel much more confident and can deliver engaging presentations, which has significantly improved my ability to lead team discussions."
Example 1: Public Speaking Anxiety
Weakness: "In the past, I found it challenging to delegate tasks effectively, often preferring to do everything myself to ensure it was done 'just right'."
Actions: "I've since taken a project management course and worked on building trust with my team members by clearly defining expectations and providing thorough guidance. I also learned to identify tasks that truly require my direct involvement versus those that can be successfully handled by others."
Growth: "This has allowed me to better manage my workload, empower my team, and significantly increase overall team productivity, understanding that effective delegation is a cornerstone of strong leadership."
Example 2: Difficulty Delegating
Be Honest and Authentic: Your answer should reflect genuine self-awareness and a willingness to improve [^3].
Use Specific Examples: Illustrate your weakness and your efforts to address it with concrete stories [^4].
Highlight Improvement Actions: Detail courses, training, or strategies you're using.
Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your answer to ensure confidence and clarity.
Actionable Advice:
How can you adapt how to answer to what are your weaknesses for various professional scenarios
The fundamental approach to how to answer to what are your weaknesses remains consistent across different settings, but tailoring your examples and emphasis can make your response more relevant and impactful.
Applying Your Answer Across Different Scenarios
Job Interviews: Focus on a professional weakness that is not a core requirement of the role, and emphasize how your improvements directly benefit the company or team. Show how your growth aligns with professional development.
Sales Calls: While less direct, a sales professional might address a "weakness" in their approach (e.g., "In the past, I tended to talk too much and not listen enough") and pivot to how they've improved their active listening to better understand client needs, leading to more tailored solutions. This builds trust and rapport.
College Interviews: Students can discuss academic or personal weaknesses (e.g., "I used to struggle with procrastination on long-term projects") and highlight how they've developed better time management and organizational skills, showcasing readiness for the rigor of higher education. Focus on how you learn from challenges and grow as an individual.
In every scenario, the core message should be: "I am aware of my areas for development, I am proactive in addressing them, and I am committed to continuous improvement." This is the essence of mastering how to answer to what are your weaknesses.
How Can Verve AI Copilot Help You With how to answer to what are your weaknesses
Preparing for interviews, sales calls, or other high-stakes communication can be daunting, especially when tackling questions like how to answer to what are your weaknesses. Verve AI Interview Copilot offers a revolutionary way to practice and refine your responses. With Verve AI Interview Copilot, you can simulate real-time conversations, get instant feedback on your tone, word choice, and confidence, and identify areas for improvement. It’s like having a personal coach helping you perfect your delivery for how to answer to what are your weaknesses, ensuring you present yourself as self-aware and growth-oriented. Using Verve AI Interview Copilot can give you the edge you need to confidently articulate your developmental journey. Visit https://vervecopilot.com to learn more.
What Are the Most Common Questions About how to answer to what are your weaknesses
Q: Should I pick a personal or professional weakness?
A: Focus on professional weaknesses that are not critical for the role, or a personal one that impacts work (e.g., time management).
Q: How many weaknesses should I mention?
A: Just one. Detail it thoroughly with actions and growth, rather than listing multiple issues.
Q: What if I truly can't think of a weakness?
A: Reflect on feedback you've received. Everyone has areas for growth; denying it suggests a lack of self-awareness.
Q: Is it okay to mention a weakness I've already overcome?
A: Yes, especially if you can clearly articulate the journey from weakness to strength. This showcases your improvement process.
Q: Should I be completely honest, even if it's a big weakness?
A: Be honest about a real weakness, but select one that is not a core competency for the role and that you are actively working to improve.
Q: How long should my answer be?
A: Keep it concise, typically 60-90 seconds. Focus on the structure: state, explain, act, grow.
Embracing Growth and Improvement
Mastering how to answer to what are your weaknesses isn't about confessing flaws; it's about showcasing your self-awareness, proactive mindset, and commitment to continuous improvement. By following a structured approach, avoiding common pitfalls, and demonstrating genuine efforts to grow, you can transform this challenging question into a powerful statement about your character and potential. Embrace the opportunity to highlight your journey of growth, and you'll leave a lasting positive impression.
[^1]: Coursera. "Strengths and Weaknesses Interview." https://www.coursera.org/articles/strengths-and-weaknesses-interview
[^2]: Indeed. "List of Example Weaknesses for Interviewing." https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/list-of-example-weaknesses-for-interviewing
[^3]: Dovetail. "Good Weaknesses for Job Interviews." https://dovetail.com/employee-experience/good-weaknesses-for-job-interviews/
[^4]: Bright Network. "How to answer: Strength & Weakness Questions." https://www.brightnetwork.co.uk/graduate-career-advice/telephone-video-interviews/how-to-answer/strength-weakness-questions/
