What do you consider your greatest weakness?
"I would say my greatest weakness is that I sometimes am too self-reliant. In my last review, my supervisor told me I don't always have to go it alone and that it would help me to come to others for help from time to time. So I am working on that."
"My greatest weakness is being too hard on myself when I make a mistake. I hold myself to a higher standard, and when I slip up, which is rare, it takes me a while to recover. As a result, I never make the same mistake twice. I have gotten better about this, but it is part of my makeup, so I know these things sometimes take time."
Some view this as a trick question and are hesitant to share their self-perceived weaknesses out of fear that they are giving the interviewer what they need to know to not hire them, but not all weaknesses raise red flags. For example, telling the interviewer that your weakness is your attendance and that no matter how hard you try, you can never seem to get to work on time is a solid reason to not hire you. However, telling them your greatest growth opportunity is in trying to find a better work/life balance and that you often take work home with you will likely not be viewed negatively.
Showcase your weakness as a strength; take ownership of it. The interviewers are looking for a candidate who constantly takes charge of their professional development. As the Civil Service puts it, they expect their employees to "role model continuous learning and self-development, evaluating own effectiveness and growth and planning next learning steps accordingly."
