What is your greatest weakness?
We are all human with our own weaknesses, and Danone understands this. There is no reason to fear sharing your weaknesses. That's the point of this question. This tests your ability to dentify your growth opportunities and take ownership of them. However, be filtered. Having a professional filter is a positive trait, and if you lack the wisdom to be filtered and over-share your negative traits, the interviewer will identify it as a red flag. It's best to frame your greatest weakness as an asset in its own right. Being hard on yourself when you occasionally make a mistake can be viewed as a weakness. Similarly, this quality can be seen as a benefit to a company. Think about the self-assessments you may have done before previous performance reviews and consider whether any of those growth opportunities can be applied. Above all, exhibit self-awareness and a motivation to continually develop yourself and your career.
"I believe I could improve some technical skills, including Excel and PowerPoint. Currently, I am at a beginner to intermediate level; however, I would be more comfortable at an advanced level. I have enrolled in an evening/weekend workshop for the next six weeks. We will see how stellar my skills are after that course!"
"Sometimes, I have difficulty asking for help from co-workers. I like having control over my daily tasks and taking on new projects, but I'm not always willing to admit when I have taken on too much. When I made a mistake because I was juggling too many projects, I learned it's okay to ask for help. I'm learning to organize myself better and communicate what I need from my team. This skill has helped me be more effective at my job and helped my team work together better than before!"
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
My greatest weakness is that "I tend to focus too much on the details, which means I sometimes get curious and distracted by the small points of a project "“ I can end up spending three hours reading something that's only very slightly relevant to the project.
I think it's very important to be organised and prioritise, so that will help with making sure I only focus on the finer points when I'm able to.
Rachelle's Feedback
Getting lost down the rabbit hole is a common weakness. Staying prioritized and knowing which tasks you need to complete, and when, is a great way to overcome distraction.
