Boeing Mock Interview

Practice 38 Boeing interview questions covering technical depth, safety standards, and aerospace engineering leadership.

Question 25 of 38

What are your weaknesses?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
General
Entry Level
Experienced
Business Analyst
Project Manager
Software Engineer
How to Answer
Community Answers

Karrie Day

Karrie Day is a certified career coach and strategist with a passion for helping her clients define and reach their professional goals. She offers career advancement services such as brand development, resume writing and critiques, job search strategies,

Even though the recruiters at Boeing are looking for excellence, they know that any candidate they interview isn't the perfect candidate. The motivation behind a question like this is twofold. First, Boeing wants to know about any areas in which they may need to offer you additional support if selected for the role. Second, they are likely testing your integrity and looking for candidates who offer truthful and authentic responses.

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I tend to be a perfectionist, which means I can often get caught up in the details and get behind on deadlines. I am working on creating a better infrastructure for my days, setting reasonable goals, and planning. This method has helped me to manage my time and not lose time striving for impossible perfection in my work. Here at Boeing, I am confident that your team-based atmosphere will really help me curb my perfectionist approach, knowing that I'd have a great team surrounding me."

Karrie Day

"I think that an initial weakness I would have as an entry-level employee here at Boeing is that I have never worked in a large corporate setting before. I am unfamiliar with the culture and norms, and I will need to ask a lot of questions along the way. While it may take me time to get up to speed and figure out how things work, I am a fast learner and I am dedicated to being successful in any role that I take."

Karrie Day

"As a manufacturing engineer, I am knowledgeable of lean manufacturing principles. However, I am not Six Sigma certified, and I know there are specifics to Six Sigma such as the vocabulary and application of concepts that I would need to learn. I am dedicated to getting my certification as soon as possible if selected for the open role here at Boeing. I feel it would be a natural fit for me given my background."

Karrie Day

"I believe it is important for any business analyst to dive in and learn the detailed workflows and applications of their assigned business area or stakeholders. Even though I have been an analyst within the aerospace and defense industry for the past three years, I know my stakeholders here at Boeing will have their own specific way of working that I will need to come up to speed on as soon as possible. Additionally, I will need to review the data model for each system and understand how it moves through the tightly integrated data network here at Boeing. It can take a while to gather institutional and system-specific knowledge, but I enjoy this aspect of my work and I look forward to it if selected for the open role here at Boeing."

Karrie Day

"Relationships are key to success for a project manager. If hired, I will not have a strong network of relationships to lean on here at Boeing right away. It takes time to establish trust with teammates, customers, and/or stakeholders. While this may be an initial weakness, I am confident I can address the gap quickly. I enjoy meeting new people and I am a skilled networker. I am accountable and trustworthy and I have been able to develop strategic relationships quickly within my previous roles. I feel I will be able to do the same here at Boeing."

Karrie Day

"I have focused mostly on web application development in my career. I have limited Unix/Linux experience. I understand that the associate software engineer role within the Satellite Mission Software Products team requires three years of experience in this area. I have used Linux on several occasions, but I would not consider myself strong in this area. I am more than willing to put in the time to bridge this gap if selected for the position and I think you will find that my qualifications in other areas of to the role exceed the requirements listed."

Karrie Day

To successfully answer this question, you will need to be strategic. First, think of an area where you can improve that pertains to the job description for the role that you are interviewing for. For example, maybe you could do a better job of taking the initiative to solve problems before they become an issue, or you need to work on a skill they have listed as a nice-to-have in the job description.

Even though it may feel vulnerable to share a weakness, your self-awareness is a strength! Your insight that you know you need to grow in this area shows the interviewer that you know you have room for improvement and that you have a desire to grow.

Explain the gap and what you are proactively doing to improve. Make sure to not be hard on yourself. Show that you are dedicated to growing and learning from your weaknesses.

Interview Coach

Jaymie

A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.

Typically responds within 24 hours.

0 - Character Count

Anonymous Answer

I am very hard on myself. If I mess up or do not do something correctly I will get on myself. I feel this is from when I pushed myself so hard in sports to strive to be as good as I possibly could. I am trying to stop this as I know it is human nature to make mistakes and that if I do make a mistake my colleagues and employers are there to help me.

Rachelle's Feedback

It's good that you have shown what you are doing to move away from this weakness.

Anonymous Answer

In the past, I have had an issue with time management. I went on a management course where I learned about the Eisenhower matrix. I use this method together with my mobile phone time management app to improve my time management.

Lauren's Feedback

Great response! Your experience with training courses makes you a stand out candidate. All the trainings you have attended should be reflected on your resume. Be ready to name another weakness in the event you are asked in an interview.

In the past, I struggled with time management. When I notice deficits, I try to better myself through continued education and training. I took a Management course that introduced me to the Eisenhower Matrix, which was very helpful and I use on a daily basis along with a mobile time management app. I took the necessary steps to better that particular weakness.

Anonymous Answer

I tell bad jokes when I'm nervous.
I have gone through phrases of being too self-critical and a bit sarcastic, this I've realized doesn't help me with my confidence or the people around me. And now value an optimistic outlook and have surprised myself on what I can do, but at the same time still work hard not to be complacent and strive for perfectionism but not necessarily reaching it.

Kristine's Feedback

Good answer! The interviewer will appreciate your honesty and explanation of how you have worked to improve yourself. I reworded your response to assist with clarity.

Sometimes I tell sarcastic jokes when I'm feeling nervous or self-critical. However, I've realized this reaction doesn't help my confidence or the confidence of the people around me. Now I value an optimistic outlook and have been surprised by the difference it makes to respond with optimism instead of sarcasm. It's helped me achieve more goals.

Anonymous Answer

I'm too focused and independent in problem-solving and sometimes find it difficult to ask for help, especially when I feel I can finish the task myself. I have worked on overcoming this weakness by implementing project management techniques that help me connect with other experts and team members when help is needed.

Kevin's Feedback

Very well said. This question can be tough to answer, but you have done so well. You show what you are doing to improve, and the weakness you provide is not a core skill for the job at hand. I've cleaned it up a bit and added in a little more content to emphasize your key points and really drive the messaging of your answer home.

I can become too focused and independent of my problem-solving and analytical tasks. I really focussed and good at this aspect of my job and too often feel I can do it faster and better on my own. But when it comes to prioritizing this among my other tasks too often, I’ve found it difficult to ask for help, or to delegate it when appropriate. Even though I was already aware of this compulsion to over-achieve in this regard, it caused me to underachieve in other areas where I otherwise shine. I’ve since overcome this weakness by implementing several project management techniques which help me connect with other experts and team members when help is needed or where delegating makes more sense when priorities are shifting.

Anonymous Answer

Spelling. Spelling is not a skill that comes easily. As I'm looking for a position in Aerospace, I have also become aware that my writing skills could be sharpened. I have already enrolled in an online college course for business writing. It is important to me when I'm aware of my weaknesses that I find a way to better myself.

Rachelle's Feedback

Being aware and then taking action steps is precisely what the interviewer will want to see in your response. The approach you take is good, so long as spelling and writing are not critical skills for this role with Boeing. If that's the case, you may want to highlight another area for improvement.

"My spelling and writing skills could be sharpened. I have already enrolled in an online college course in business writing. It is important to me when I'm aware of my weaknesses and that I find a way to improve."

Anonymous Answer

I'm too detail-oriented and sometimes it causes difficulties in prioritizing tasks. For example, I can dig too deeply into the baseline analysis, while the deadline is becoming near, and it would be better to create preliminary repair analysis then get back to the details.
However, I know about this weakness and I'm working on improving myself. I've read a couple of books about time management and productivity such as Getting Things Done by David Allen and Way of Jedi by Maxim Dorofeev. These have helped me to structure my everyday work and taught me how to be more productive.
Now, I break down big tasks into smaller ones and have a better process of focusing my time to achieve my daily goals through the use of a focus timer. After each working week, I analyze my to-do list to improve my productivity and manage my goals for the next week.

Chad's Feedback

This is excellent - it is evident you are self-aware, and you clearly outline the strategies you have learned and put into practice to improve your time management and prioritization of tasks. Good job!

Anonymous Answer

I've always had supreme confidence in my ability to get a job done but by doing this there were other tasks that I didn't complete in a timely manner because of the time-consuming job. To solve this, I've taken a course in time management and learned to delegate to others. Now I'm able to accomplish my deadlines in a timely manner.

Chad's Feedback

Your answer demonstrates a healthy level of self-awareness and honesty in identifying multiple weaknesses, and you clearly identify a concrete plan to grow and improve your time management and ability to prioritize tasks. Good job!

Anonymous Answer

I tend to feel uneasy working with hostile people especially when they become quite aggressive. Although I know that they are just trying to make their points to be known thinking it is for the best of everybody, I find it quite challenging to deal with them without making them feel upset or offended. However, I am trying to improve my attitude towards them by being more understanding and acknowledging their perspectives, and by communicating with them in a more collaborative manner to avoid arguments.
Another one is, I tend to become impatient when I am running behind my schedule. Sometimes, it is inevitable to get stuck in something that consumes more time than I thought. And that makes me feel quite aggravated to myself for failing to recognize those kinds of setbacks ahead. However, I am practicing to be more self-forgiving, realizing that some things are out of my control, and giving myself more allowance to rectify my situation. I also try to find more ways to manage my time wisely to avoid any further delays of my activities.

What are your weaknesses?

38Boeing Co. Interview Questions & Answers

1.What do you know about Boeing?

2.What makes you qualified for this role at Boeing?

3.Tell me about your experience working in this field. How can this experience apply to this role at Boeing?

4.Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team to solve a problem. What role did you play on the team in this situation?

5.What are some ways you have worked to improve yourself over the past year?

6.Tell me about a time when you reached a goal within a tight deadline. What did you learn from this situation that you can bring to our team at Boeing?

7.What does success mean to you in your career?

8.Tell us about a time you successfully navigated conflict in the workplace.

9.What are your strengths that you would bring to the team at Boeing?

10.How have you made a positive impact on your team in the past?

11.Tell me about a time when someone gave you difficult feedback on your work. How did you handle it?

12.Describe a time when you had to quickly adapt to a change at work. How will you be adaptable to change here at Boeing?

13.How would you be able to manage the stress that comes with this role at Boeing?

14.Tell me about a time when you had to work with another team to accomplish a goal. What did you learn from that experience that you can bring to Boeing?

15.How would you handle a coworker here at Boeing who was not doing their job?

16.How would you handle a situation here at Boeing in which you were presented with new material or a new task that you didn't understand?

17.What steps would you take to make an important decision on the job here at Boeing?

18.How have you demonstrated leadership when you were not in a formal leadership role? How will this benefit the team here at Boeing?

19.How would you deal with a difficult client at Boeing?

20.How would you describe your work ethic that you would bring to the Boeing team?

21.Tell us about a time when you faced an unexpected challenge at work. How did you handle it?

22.How often do you think of innovations that will improve your work performance?

23.How would you communicate with someone who has a different cultural background than you?

24.When you're leading or participating on a team, what steps do you take to get team members to contribute ideas?

25.What are your weaknesses?

26.Boeing values applying Lean principles to all that we do. What familiarity do you have with Lean principles?

27.Rate your problem-solving skills that you would bring to the Boeing team from 1-10. How do you justify your rating?

28.Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your previous job. How did you overcome it?

29.At Boeing, how would you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

30.When have you shown great integrity at work?

31.If hired at Boeing, how will you earn the trust of your new coworkers?

32.At Boeing, we have a steadfast commitment to our company's equity, diversity, and inclusion plan. What does our commitment to D&I mean to you?

33.Give me an example of a time when your communication style helped you to be a more effective leader on the job. How will your style of communication help you in this role with Boeing?

34.How would your most recent manager describe you?

35.Safety is our top priority in the workplace at Boeing. How have you prioritized working under strict safety protocols during your career?

36.Tell me about yourself.

37.Why should we hire you?

38.Why do you want to work for Boeing?