Tell me about a weakness that might hinder your work in this role?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
Entry Level Example
Answer Example
Community Answers

One of the most common interview questions is about a candidate's biggest weakness. If the team at the United States Postal Service poses this question to you, this is a chance for them to gauge both your moral compass and your insight into yourself as a worker. They want to hear that you are aware of your weaknesses and have a plan for addressing them if hired.

To successfully answer this question, you will need to be strategic. First, consider an area where you may lack some direct experience or knowledge. Then, think about how you can explain what you will do to improve and get up to speed if you are fortunate enough to be offered the position. This insight shows you are perceptive to your shortcomings and have an honest and upfront approach as an employee.

"I would honestly be a bit nervous about mastering all of the responsibilities of a rural carrier associate, mostly because I know how important this job is and how many people rely on the person in the role to be accurate and timely. While I am nervous, I'm confident in my ability to learn quickly so I can be up and running soon after my start date."

"Over the past few years, I've been paying closer attention to the details in my customer interactions by noticing body language and listening closely to customers to identify problems. In this role with the USPS, I know I would have to learn a whole new world of customer service as a city carrier assistant, and I'm ready to put in the work through my training and orientation here."

Anonymous Answer

"My greatest weakness is that I can't say no. Once I had a daily customer who was totally broke and he asked me if could give him an item and told me he would pay me back. I gave him money from my pocket and asked him to buy it since I could not go against the company policy. He started using the same technique again but I realized that he was making a habit of it and I told him I might lose a job if I did it again. he understood and started paying for the item."

Kevin's Feedback

I've reworded you answer slightly slightly for clarity. See below.

"My most significant area of opportunity is being capable of saying no when I am unable to do something for someone. I always want to help people any way I can, so drawing that boundary is something I need to improve. In my previous role, I had a customer who asked me for free things nearly every day because he didn't have the money to pay for them. Since I could not give him free items, I would end up buying these items myself and letting him have them. When this became a pattern, I had to have a conversation with the customer about the situation. The customer understood and stopped putting me in that situation from that point forward."

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Anonymous Answer

"My weakness is difficult to understand American pronounciation in the general talking."

Stephanie's Feedback

From this response, it sounds like English is your second language, and you are still working to understand English better. To improve your response, I suggest listing the steps that you're taking to improve your English skills (example: tutoring, practicing conversation with native English speakers, an online learning program, etc.) If you're working to improve this skill, it stops being a weakness and instead becomes an area of strength!