What is your greatest weakness?

How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example
Community Answers

Pick a weakness that is not a core skill for this position. You can be candid in your answer; recognizing that you aren't great at something and acknowledging your need to improve. Be sure to have an action plan in place for improving on this weakness.

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 at a nearby community center. We are all human with our weaknesses, so don't be afraid to share yours!

"I believe I could improve on some technical skills including Excel and Word. 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/weekend workshop for the next six weeks. We will see how stellar my skills are after that course!"

"I know this will come off as cliche, but it's truthful. My weakness is in not delegating. I know what I want to be done and how I want it done, so it's often easier to do it myself. However, it can inhibit my ability to grow. I cannot take on every step of a project; I need to be able to give the task or a portion of it to another team member or direct report, let go of the control and know it will be taken care of. I've spoken with my current manager about it, and we've developed a system where he can call me out on the behavior since often I'm not aware of it. By bringing awareness to it at the moment, I find my propensity to hold onto control has decreased, so I'm certainly moving in the right direction."

Anonymous Answer

"I think my greatest weakness is that I'm a perfectionist. It often leads to me focusing too much on the details of a problem or being too independent because I worry that others won't complete tasks to the same level that I will. This can sometimes cause me to overwork and become burnt out. However, I have been working on improving this throughout nursing school and usually can find a balance."

Rachelle's Feedback

You have done a nice job breaking down your weakness, and you show the interviewer that you are highly self-aware. I recommend spending another sentence or two discussing exactly what steps you have taken to improve on this weakness throughout nursing school.