FBI Mock Interview
Master 40 FBI interview questions covering security clearances, investigative scenarios, and ethical judgment.
Question 13 of 40
What is your greatest weakness?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Focus Your Answer On
What to Avoid
Remember To
Entry Level
Experienced
Community Answers
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Preparing for this question requires self-awareness and strategy. You can be candid in your answer, recognizing that you aren't great at something and acknowledging your need to improve. Focus on a weakness that you could turn into a strength or share something you are taking action to improve, choosing a weakness that is not a core skill for this position. Be sure to have an action plan to improve on this weakness and mention it in your response.
Perhaps you are watching TED talks to gain skills in a particular area, reading the latest-and-greatest book on the subject, or maybe you are taking a seminar. We are all human with our weaknesses, so don't be afraid to share yours!
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Instead of spending a lot of time focusing on your weakness, focus on how you will turn that weakness into a strength. A positive ending will stand out to the interviewer more than focusing solely on your weakness, and it shows the interviewer that you have goals to improve yourself.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Avoid describing a weakness and not having a plan to improve. If you have no plan, the interviewer will think you lack the drive and motivation to succeed and think you are complacent and tolerate mediocrity. Those are not common traits for a Special Agent, so they will most likely pass you over for another candidate.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Remember to choose a weakness that is not a core skill for the position and could preclude the interviewer from hiring you. For example, suppose your weakness is your temper, and the bureau wants a Special Agent who is calm, cool, and collected at all times. While you could take anger management classes and work with a therapist to address your temper, the interviewer might believe it will take a long time to correct and think you could potentially be a liability for the bureau if hired.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"I believe I could improve some of my 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 myself in an evening workshop for the next six weeks. We will see how stellar my skills are after I complete that course."
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"I know this will come off as cliche, but it's a truthful answer to an honest question. My weakness is not effectively delegating. I know what needs doing and how I want it done, so my sense of urgency compels me to more often to do it myself, rather than take pause and thoroughly explain why the task is important as well as why it has to be done the right way. However, I recognize that this sense of urgency and my compulsion to spring into action takes more time than slowing down. In this regard, I can be my own worst enemy. I've recently recruited help from my teammates and superiors to call me out on the behavior. By correcting me at the moment, I am able to pause and move in the right direction."
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
To be speaking frankly and I suppose introspectively, I may be too far critical of myself and put undue pressure on myself in a specific situation where my end goal is not just to complete but supersede usual expectations of the average. This may be a byproduct of my upbringing where good wasn't always good enough and to push yourself till you or the team in mention, is sufficiently ahead of the pack and succeed. I have been working on this in recent years to grow out of this troupe.
Krista's Feedback
It's great that you mentioned you've been working on this weakness. Try going into detail on what steps you are taking to improve. Overall, this answer shows a lot of self-awareness. Good work.
"I may be too critical of myself and put undue pressure on myself in situations where my end goal is not just to complete tasks but supersede expectations. This weakness is a byproduct of my upbringing where good wasn't always good enough. I was taught to push myself until I was sufficiently ahead of the pack. I have been working on this in recent years by {describe how}."
Anonymous Answer
At times I tend to take on too many tasks, especially if someone close to me asks for my assistance. I won't bite off more than I can chew, but I can stretch myself thin at times. I work on overcoming this by sometimes having to tell people I am not available to assist but will point them in the right direction.
Krista's Feedback
It's a very difficult thing to learn to say no. Great that you recognize this in yourself and that you are working to improve. Have you used any resources to learn how to draw healthy boundaries? (i.e., podcasts, books) If so, you could include in your answer, also.
Anonymous Answer
When working on an individual project that doesn't require collaboration with others, at times, I tend to be hesitant to ask for help when I need it. I have learned that it is much more beneficial both for me and the organization to reach out when I do not understand something or feel burned out with my workload. I now also understand that many experts around me have specific knowledge and skills that can make my work better. While I am still working on it, I have been able to produce more high-quality work as a result of getting help from those around me.
Krista's Feedback
This is a tough lesson to learn for many of us, but it sounds like you are making stride, which is great! Good response.
Anonymous Answer
My greatest weakness is public speaking. During my time as a graduate student, public speaking was a weekly task that I dreaded. Even though it was a weekly task, it wasn't until I started enjoying what I would speak about that the fear of speaking went away. I realized when I am dedicated and passionate about a topic, the fear of speaking in front of people goes away. I have tried to channel my passion for learning and wanting to show what I can contribute to a topic and use that to be less fearful of public speaking.
Krista's Feedback
This is an incredible realization and a great answer! You highlight this weakness, but the primary focus of your response is on what you are doing to overcome.
Anonymous Answer
My greatest weakness is wanting to control every outcome. I am a go-getter, and I love getting things done, and sometimes this causes me to want to control every aspect of an issue so that I can guarantee a successful outcome. I am working on trusting others with goals and not trying to do everything myself.
Krista's Feedback
Your answer is sincere and shows insight. It evident that you look beyond the surface when it comes to your character and habits. You mention that you are working on trusting others, etc. I recommend including details on your action plan. We have a guide that addresses this particular question, which you may find helpful (Q#3): https://www.mockquestions.com/articles/InterviewTypes/HowtoAnswer5ofTheMostCommonInterviewQuestions/
Anonymous Answer
My biggest weakness is that I oftentimes spread myself too thin. I will say yes to assisting with too many tasks where I can not work to the best of my ability for all of them. At my current job as an ironworker apprentice, it is my job to assist the full-time workers with their tasks. I sometimes say yes to too many people and then they get upset when I can not dedicate enough time to their task. I have recently begun focusing on watching my workload. If I am swamped with work and somebody else asks for help I will tell them no or offer to help them at a later time.
Krista's Feedback
Good. It's important to show awareness and a working plan for addressing the weakness.
Anonymous Answer
Sometimes I get too caught up in trying to finish all tasks at once. I am a multitasker. However, at times I need to tell myself to take a break as that is important for one's mind and well-being.
Krista's Feedback
I understand what you are trying to say, but I have provided a suggestion in the "Revised Answer" box below for how this response might be restated for clarity.
I pride myself on being a multitasker, but one area for growth is learning how to say "no," and learning how to better allocate my time so that I don't get caught up trying to finish all of my tasks at once. I am highly motivated and tend to embrace every new opportunity that comes to me professionally, but it's also important for me to find balance. For me, it's helpful to take little breaks as needed and give myself a chance to recharge, as this is important for my productivity and my wellbeing.
Unlock All 40 FBI Questions
Prepare for rigorous behavioral and situational questions FBI interviewers use.
Get StartedJump to Question