It's time for a refresher course on that most dreaded interview question: "What is your weakness?"
Here are a few answers you should not give:1. "I tend to work too hard. This makes the rest of the team dislike me, as I keep raising the standard for productivity."
2. "I can't help being totally honest. I always try to be very tactful, but I have to tell the truth."
3. "Learning is my weakness. I go after every job as a chance to learn, and that keeps me super-focused. My powers of concentration are incredible when I'm learning new things."
4. "I have a lot of trouble being on time. I hope you don't mind if I use an estimated time of arrival to start my workday."
5. "I don't know a thing about computers. I've been hoping to limit my jobs to positions that don't require technology."
Nos. 1 and 3 are not believable, and that's the nicest thing you can say about them. They are also self-aggrandizing, which is an unappealing quality.
Nos. 2 and 4 give the employer fair warning, but who wants to take on someone with these character flaws? And, yes, total honesty is a character flaw, as is "total" anything, despite the noble sound it may impart. This is a good example of a trait that the candidate means as an asset, but it can imply something unintended, such as rigidity or poor judgment.
And No. 5? Any fixable weakness that is offered by the candidate as a permanent flaw is the same as a neon sign shouting, "I'm not planning to improve myself for this position!"
To answer the weakness question, apply the same strategy you would to any other question. Start by asking yourself: "What is the interviewer really asking? What does he or she need to know in order to choose me as the candidate?"
However the question is phrased, the interviewer actually is asking, "What is your weakness when it comes to performing this job?" Every answer you give in an interview should be placed in context to that job.
Here's one possibility for a position as a customer service rep: "I would say my weakness for this job is my unfamiliarity with collections. I understand that a small part of my work would involve contacting clients for past-due payments, and I haven't done that before."
The candidate realistically assesses his or her ability and reveals knowledge of the job and its requirements.
When possible, give a solution to the problem you've just named. In this case: "I did notice that the community college has an evening course on collections that starts next month. I think that class would catch me up pretty quickly."
The candidate shows that he or she researched the position, analyzed his or her shortcomings for the job and looked for solutions.
One more rule: When possible, avoid the word "weakness" when you respond. Instead, use a positive spin to describe something you will learn or improve. In our example: "One thing I'm looking forward to improving is my knowledge of collections. I understand that a small part of my work would involve contacting clients for past-due payments, and I haven't done that before."
- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.