How to Answer: What is your greatest strength as a Mental Health Counselor?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Mental Health Counselor job interview.
1. What is your greatest strength as a Mental Health Counselor?
How to Answer
This interview question is common, and it can be incredibly challenging to answer. The interviewer wants to know, specifically, what makes you good at your job. As a Mental Health Counselor, there are many skills and qualities that you should possess. These include being a great listener, exercising empathy, and being highly observant. Aside from the foundational skills required to succeed as a counselor, what strength do you believe sets you apart from others?
Before your interview, take the time to discover the needs of the hiring organization. Then, tie your greatest strength into their requirements. For instance, if the organization is in search of counselors who focus on cognitive-behavior therapy, and your most significant talent is in CBT approaches such as problem-solving training, and relaxation training, it's a great idea to make these connection points in your response.
Written by Ryan Brown on August 11th, 2014
Entry Level Example
"My greatest strength is my empathetic nature. I'm very good at listening and seeing a person's intentions versus their actions. I believe that, as a new Mental Health Counselor, my strong empathy levels will help me to grow an effective therapist. I saw in your job description that you seek a counselor who can help your clients to feel understood while also feeling respected. As a truly empathetic individual, I will always respect your client's feelings by giving responses that appropriately reflect the client's situation and mood."
Written by Rachelle Enns on August 15th, 2020
Answer Example
"One of my greatest strengths as a Mental Health Counselor is my knowledge of the cognitive-behavior therapy problem-solving approach for clients with mental health concerns. By using a variety of problem-solving techniques, I can quickly get to the heart of the matter and help my clients to heal at a consistent pace. This strength takes practice and education, and it is an area where I am well-skilled. I understand that your clinic is exploring more therapy methods related to CBT, such as problem-solving, social skills training, and cognitive restructuring. I use solution-based counseling methods to get my clients to a point where they display good decision-making skills and feel empowered. I have completed additional training in cognitive behavior therapy, and I believe my approach will be an excellent complement to your clinic."
Written by Ryan Brown on August 11th, 2014
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Stephanie's Feedback