Weaknesses for Interviews

What are your strengths and weaknesses is one of the most frequently asked interview questions. You probably won't need any help with the 'strengths' part, but with the weaknesses, you have to be a little diplomatic, being honest at the same time. He will probably be your next employer and will find out about all your strengths and weaknesses as time passes, so you cannot lie. But if you are purely honest while answering the questions, chances are that you may not get employed at all. A catch-22? Not really. There are ways in which you can be perfectly honest with your interviewer while framing your weaknesses for job interviews in such a way that they don't show you in bad light. Read the following list of weaknesses, and some tips to get the drift.

"I like to get things done as early as possible and I get irritated if my colleagues focus on things other than the work at hand"
This is one of the most common weaknesses but serves you well. It shows that you are not the kind of employee who will indulge in or support office politics. It also shows that you will achieve your targets in time.

"I'm not much of a socializer. Although I can work in harmony in teams but I seldom make close friends at my workplace"
This shows that you are kind of a loner but you would not let that get into the way of your work. Though employers want their employees to bond, they don't want them to become best buddies and waste the work time hanging out and making jokes.

"I am very particular about finishing one task properly before starting with any other task"
What this really means is I cannot multi-task. But look at the way it has been disguised to seem as though you chase down every task, complete it and only then move to the next one. But this may have a negative impact if your job is all about multi-tasking!

"I can be a little unorganized sometimes but that happens because I get a little too engrossed in my work, but I am still working on it"
Again, the 'weakness' highlights that you get engrossed in your work. So you can really concentrate on your work. And even if the interviewer has a problem with the 'unorganized' part, you have mentioned that you are working on it.

"Sometimes I may get a little too involved with my teammates and would deal with their problems as if they were my own"
Say it only if it is true because it may be considered seriously against you. Although you look like a very good team player and a caring person, the company would not agree a lot with the employees getting too involved.

The key, as you may have deducted from the examples of weaknesses, is to cover your weakness in such a way that it appears as though your weakness could be beneficial in some ways. Here is a good tip - never mention a weakness that has a direct bearing on your job profile. But at the same time honesty is of utmost importance along with the usual pre-requisites of an interview, like self-confidence, proper and comfortable attire, good communication skills, knowledge of the company history, achievements, etc. I hope the above interview weakness examples give you some ideas on forming your own weaknesses to speak out in front of your peers. All the best.