What is your greatest weakness, and what are you doing to improve?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Focus Your Answer On
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

The interviewer wants to hear about your greatest weakness as a nurse to see that you are self-aware and can identify an area that needs improvement. When you admit you have a deficiency in a particular aspect of your profession and take steps to improve, it shows the interviewer that you are motivated and inspired to grow professionally.

Focus on a weakness that is related to your profession but not an essential job duty. For example, suppose you say your weakness is your verbal communication skills. In that case, the interviewer may pass you over for another candidate since that skill is essential to being an excellent nurse.

"My greatest weakness is my lack of experience in this field. I am improving this weakness by applying for this position. I just graduated college and received my bachelor's degree in nursing and only have experience from my practicals. My goal is to get chosen for the position to gain hands-on experience. I am a quick learner, and you will not be disappointed in my performance if hired for the position."

"My greatest weakness is my 'control freak' nature. At work, this can show up as reluctance to delegate tasks to others, as I want to complete all my tasks myself. This can cause unneeded stress for me during my shift. To work on this, at the start of my shift, I am working hard to huddle with the patient care tech who is assigned to my patients. I review any tasks that they might be able to help with, like baths, vital signs, or blood glucose checks. I follow up throughout my shift to make sure they can still complete any tasks they agreed to. I always thank the patient care techs at the end of my shift for all of their hard work. As I work to delegate more efficiently, I am able to better think critically about my patients' overall care rather than being task-focused at all times."