What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?
I know it's difficult to share a weakness because you might feel that it will turn the interviewer off. But interviewers know that nobody is perfect. Everybody has flaws. It's a matter of how aware you are of it and what you are doing to address it.
"I am not a good public speaker. Put me in a room with 10-15 people, and I'll be fine. But ask me to deliver a commencement speech and I will be a ball of nerves. Working for a school has helped me to overcome that slowly since I am constantly surrounded by people. Meeting new faces regularly helps in building my confidence. But definitely, I still have a lot to work on."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I am not always comfortable working collaboratively with others and sometimes procrastinate with tasks that I perceive are difficult. In the past, I have learned to be self-reliant and have not trusted others to come through for me when asked. This is a result of being let down time and time again when having to work collaboratively with others.
However, as I have had the opportunity to experience positive outcomes in relation to collaborative efforts during my time in education, I have learned to trust those I work with because we are all professionals and are working towards a common goal and that belief has allowed me to trust others in the workplace.
Rachelle's Feedback
Although very honest, this response may be too transparent, creating red flags for the interviewer. Try to focus on the parts that are less negative sounding (being let down time and time again sounds like you're often disappointed in others). Try putting a bigger spotlight on what you are doing to improve your areas of weakness.
"I have learned to be self-reliant in the workplace, even at times when it wouldn't hurt to ask for a bit of help. I enjoy co-worker collaboration and look forward to more positive experiences when it comes to leaning on my team."
Anonymous Answer
I believe my greatest challenge is my level of confidence. I recognize that my confidence has grown since first graduating, and I'm aware that the more learning experiences I have and professional development I take advantage of, the better I feel about my knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Stephanie's Feedback
You are very self-reflective and do a good job of identifying an area for growth. To improve your response, I would suggest being a bit more specific about what you are actively doing to grow your confidence (example: have you challenged yourself to be more assertive in meetings, to present in front of a large group, to not question yourself after making a decision at work, etc.)
Anonymous Answer
My greatest weakness this year has been self-care. I am so busy between managing a family, teaching full time, and going to grad school. But, I have learned to look for signs when I know I am feeling overwhelmed. When I notice these signs, I make it a priority to practice self-care. I know that once I graduate, I will have more time for myself.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! This is a good weakness to discuss because it also indicates that you work really hard and throw yourself into your work and schooling. What are the signs you look for? What methods do you use to practice self-care? The interviewer will be curious to learn additional details about the steps you've taken to improve this aspect of your life so be sure to add this in. Great job!
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