How to Answer: What are your weaknesses?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Ralph Lauren job interview.
28. What are your weaknesses?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Spend some time reviewing Ralph Lauren's career site, and watching their "Life At Ralph Lauren" videos, and you'll see how their employees are passionate about everything Ralph Lauren does as a company, and that they're committed to working there for the long term. Their employees express a sense of belonging and are inspired by their brands, and by Ralph Lauren, the man. They all recognize each other for their achievements and they strive to grow in their careers. So, with this interview question, they want to know what your growth opportunities are, and what you've done to overcome them. How you answer might inform them of how well you know yourself, how emotionally grounded you are, how focused you are on your personal and professional development, and whether you take ownership of your growth opportunities. "Life at Ralph Lauren is more than a job. Life at Ralph Lauren is ours to design."
Written by Kevin Downey on January 25th, 2024
What You Need to Know
Ralph Lauren describes working for them as so much more than a job. On their website, they state that they are looking for employees who are interested in growing with them. "We are passionate about empowering you to create your own journey. From those who've only begun exploring opportunities to longtime family members, we are focused on tailoring your career path to your unique talents, skills, and dreams. Your career story starts here. Belong. Inspire. Recognize. Grow. Join."
Written by Kevin Downey on January 24th, 2024
Experienced Example
"Well, I would say that one of my weaknesses is sometimes struggling to find the right questions to ask. You see, when I started my career journey, and my supervisors were offering me advice, they just kept repeating that I should keep asking questions. But this wasn't very good advice, since my first question was hoping to learn what questions I should be asking. Now, I compulsively ask questions. But sometimes I get too focused on answering questions that hold less priority than what I should be asking right now. But my inquisitive nature is partly what fuels my passion to develop and grow and to find my direction. I liked what it said on Ralph Lauren's website, tailoring your own career path, by design. That's what I am doing. But I suppose sometimes I get too focused on answering those big-picture career questions and lighting the path to get there, that I lose focus on the more pressing short-term goals. But it is something I am focusing on, and have made a lot of improvement in since I started working on it."
Written by Kevin Downey on January 25th, 2024