How to Answer: What is one of your professional weaknesses?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Project Manager job interview.
40. What is one of your professional weaknesses?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is a favorite of many interviewers and you will likely be asked about your weaknesses at some point throughout your job search. This question feels like a trap to many interviewees, and it is important to prepare a solid response in advance of any interview.
There are two main purposes for asking you to describe your weaknesses. First, your interviewer wants to know which areas you perceive you need to grow professionally. Hiring managers, peers, stakeholders, and teammates play a critical role in the professional development of project managers. It is important for your interviewer to learn about your weaknesses to assess how they will impact the teams you will lead and whether or not they can offer you a supportive growth environment.
Secondly, many interviewers use this question to test the integrity of a candidate. Your interviewer wants to know if you are willing to be authentic with them even though you've likely just met for the first time during the interview.
Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2023
How to Answer
The first step to nailing this potentially difficult answer is to take the time to reflect on your most recent role and identify areas in which you could improve. Most every professional should be able to generate a list of at least three growth areas. Here are a few ideas specific to the project manager role:
- Difficulty saying 'no' to customers with important needs
- Lack of knowledge of a particular technical skill, system, or process
- Difficulty letting go and transitioning clients to support groups
- Lack of experience with executive communication
- Difficulty trusting your intuition
- A nice-to-have skill from the job description you are not yet an expert in
Once you have identified a few authentic candidates, spend time thinking about how you can best frame the weakness. While some experts suggest inverting a strength and presenting it as a weakness, it is best to answer exactly what your interviewer asked. Many interviewers know about this technique and view it as a manipulation.
A solid approach is to state the weakness, provide a bit of context, and then describe the proactive steps you are already taking to reduce the impact of the weakness going forward. This will demonstrate your self-awareness and dedication to professional growth. Additionally, it can be helpful to describe how the open position provides an opportunity to leverage your best strengths while providing a supportive and complimentary environment to grow within.
Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2023
1st Answer Example
I am currently working to improve my data analytics skills. I am very comfortable working with the tools used in my current role, but there are a number of powerful business intelligence tools I would like to work more with in the future. I have used Tableau and Microstrategy, but I know there are features I am not yet an expert on. I like to encourage my teams to use a data-supported approach when making decisions, and the process is more valuable when you have the system experience necessary to find the right information at the right time.
I saw in the job description that experience with Power BI is nice-to-have. While I do not have in-depth experience with that specific tool, I have recently invested time in learning more about it. I feel confident I can apply the experience I have in this area, and I am excited to jump in and learn more if hired.
Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2023
2nd Answer Example
My most significant professional weakness is that I sometimes have a hard time stepping away from the detailed tasks of my team members. I wouldn't label myself a micromanager, but I used to work in several of their roles and I have a lot of valuable knowledge to share. However, I realize that it is important to let them find their own way and learn so that they can grow professionally. I now take pause before getting involved and ask myself if not jumping in would cause any significant harm. If the answer is no, I take a step back and let them work it out on their own. I have my own important work to focus on, and I know that projects run more smoothly when everyone is allowed to fully leverage the skills and expertise they bring to the table.
Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2023
3rd Answer Example
One of the professional weaknesses I am working to improve upon is learning when to trust my intuition. As a former analyst, I prefer to have all of the information possible before deciding to go in one direction or another. As a project manager, I do not always have the luxury of time to perform analysis. Instead, I have to rely on my instincts and experience to help me decide which way to go. That can be uncomfortable for me, but I have found that it gets easier and easier as I go.
One of the reasons I am excited about the opportunity to interview here today at XYZ company is that the role requires quick decision-making. I love turning weaknesses into strengths, and working in a role that requires me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable is a perfect opportunity for me to grow in a valuable way.
Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2023
About the Author
I began my professional career as an IT Business Systems Analyst. I enjoyed the role, but I knew early on that I wanted to explore project management after moving through the analyst ranks. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to partner with several talented project managers while I was working to grow my own skill set. I learned a lot from them about how to approach strategic planning, communication, conflict resolution, and how to motivate various personality types to perform their best under pressure. I learned even more from their failures.
It was clear that project management was as much an art as a science, and I eventually got my shot at taking everything I had observed over the years and blending it into my own style for steering projects and programs successfully. While project management was not my ultimate career goal, I greatly value my time managing projects. I have utilized the skills I worked to refine in project management in every position I have held since. For example, I use the communication, strategic thinking, and tactical planning skills I regularly leaned on as a project manager each time I work with one of my coaching clients.
Whether working as a project manager is a career goal of yours, or you fell into it through circumstance, you’re in good company. Over 16 million professionals claim the title of project manager, and project management isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the number of project managers is expected to grow by 7% over the next 8 years according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to the Project Management Institute, the global outlook is even more impressive boasting up to 33% growth through 2027. Regardless of the specific location, there will likely b a strong demand for project management skill sets in the years to come.
As a coach and writer for MockQuestions, I want to help you successfully navigate your upcoming interview for a project manager position. While some project manager skills are specific to the industry, location, and types of projects involved, many skills and behavioral traits are universally applicable to project management roles. This article will help any project manager prepare for a successful interview, and I encourage you to check out all of our sets dedicated to project management listed below.
Learn more about Karrie Day