Hiring managers want to get an honest sense of your strengths and weaknesses, and this usually gets a more honest answer than simply asking you to describe yourself. Also, they want to make sure you're honest and self-aware.

First, and foremost, be honest and try to give a genuine answer. The interviewer is trying to learn about who you are as a worker and a person when they ask this question. It's best to pick one or two traits that you feel are true and beneficial--especially traits that will benefit you in this employer's job.

"My past colleagues would describe me as a natural leader. I often take the lead on projects and facilitate communication between different groups to make sure we're all on the same page. This is why, on my last team project in college, the professor put me in charge of leading and coordinating our final project--which was submitted for a national award."