How to Answer: What do you think is your biggest professional weakness?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an University Administrator job interview.
13. What do you think is your biggest professional weakness?
How to Prep
It is critical to prepare a solid response to this question ahead of any interview. It is a go-to question for interviewers and is commonly used to test a candidate's authenticity. To prepare, take a few minutes to think of an area or two in which you know you need to improve. Perhaps you've struggled with standing your ground in the face of conflict recently. Maybe you're working to improve your public speaking skills. The goal is to identify an improvement area that is authentic for you and does not directly conflict with your duties as a university administrator.
If you cannot identify a weakness after 10 minutes of brainstorming, research common responses to this question to see if any of the examples feel true for you. Alternatively, it can be helpful to ask a trusted coworker, manager, or friend for insight into your weaknesses.
Written by Karrie Day on September 18th, 2023
How to Answer
The best way to answer this question is to be honest and provide a genuine weakness and/or opportunity for improvement. Candidates who try to dodge the question by framing a strength as a weakness run the risk of being perceived as inauthentic or even manipulative. Interviewers understand that nobody is perfect and an honest answer helps them to know where you might need support if hired for the job.
The key to success is to select a weakness that is not core to the job description you're interviewing for. For example, do not tell your interviewer that you cannot stay focused if the job requires long periods of focused work such as data entry. Finally, convince your interviewer that your weakness will not be a liability or issue if they hire you. The best way to do this is to prove that you're self-aware and are proactively taking steps to improve on your own.
Written by Karrie Day on September 18th, 2023
Answer Example
"I believe that my biggest professional weakness is my desire to want to help everyone even when I am stretched thin. I am a service-oriented person and it is natural for me to jump in when someone asks for assistance or when they appear to be struggling. Of course, I always lend a hand when time permits, but I have offered to help in the past at times when I didn't really have the bandwidth available.
I have learned that it is important to be clear about my availability and to only offer to help when I am in a position to do so. I have learned that saying no from time to time is necessary to ensure that my own work is completed in the highest possible manner."
Written by Karrie Day on September 18th, 2023