How to Answer: What are your weaknesses?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Product Manager job interview.
4. What are your weaknesses?
The Goal
The interviewer is looking to see if you are aware of your shortcomings, something we all have. They want a candidate who sees them as an opportunity to learn and grow, not as something that holds you back.
Written by Tiffany McPherson on May 10th, 2022
Pro Tip
The interviewer may ask this question using different phrasing. The questions below are still asking you to discuss a weakness.
- What professional skill or skills do you most want to improve on this year
- If you could access training in any area, what would you choose to learn
- Are there skills listed in the job description that you need to refine
Written by Tiffany McPherson on May 10th, 2022
How to Answer
Show the interviewer you have self-awareness and can identify areas for self-improvement. Be honest about your weaknesses, but choose one that is not a core skill for the position. Discuss your interest in professional growth and development, maintain a positive tone, and show confidence in your ability to improve.
Written by Tiffany McPherson on May 10th, 2022
Manager Example
"I believe my biggest professional weakness is delegating. If I know I am the most experienced person at a task or that I can do it the fastest, I will often jump in and do it myself instead of taking the time to train someone or risking re-work down the road. This can lead to me taking on too much, and it also inhibits my team's ability to grow and learn. I've been working to change this habit by looking at delegating as an opportunity to train my team on new skills as well as a chance for me to become a better manager. I will delegate the task or tasks to the team and instead of fixing their work, I spend time coaching them on the necessary changes and then I ask them to try and make the corrections themselves. I had once worried doing this would slow a project down. Instead, I am finding it frees up my time for other higher-level tasks that keep us on track, and my team has felt empowered with the new opportunities they are being given."
Written by Tiffany McPherson on May 10th, 2022