What is your biggest weakness? (How to answer what is your biggest weakness interview question)

In this guide you will learn how to answer the really difficult interview question, “What is your biggest weakness?”

If you have a job interview coming up soon for any role or any organization, they will ask you this question, and if you answer it incorrectly, you will not get hired.

Make sure you read this article from start to finish because it will give you the perfect answer to this interview question.

What is your biggest weakness?

To help you pass your job interview, this guide will cover the following three things:

• 3 live examples of how not to answer the interview question, what’s your biggest weakness? If you answer it in any of these three ways, you will not get hired.
• 5 brilliant live example answers in an interview to the question what’s your biggest weakness? This example answers will impress the hiring manager.
• 5 top tips for constructing the perfect response to this interview question, “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Let’s now take a look at five really great tips for answering the question “what’s your biggest weakness?”

5 TIPS FOR ANSWERING THE INTERVIEW QUESTION WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS?

TIP #1: Do not say you don’t have any weaknesses. This is a big mistake and if you do say that, you will fail your interview.

TIP #2: Do not give a weakness that is a match for the job description. This is really important. Before you attend your interview, get a copy of the job advert. Make sure you read the skills, the qualities and the experience required to do the job properly and do not give a weakness that is a match for any of them.

TIP #3: When you give your answer to the interview question “what is your biggest weakness, make sure you tell the interviewer what you are doing to improve. It is OK to have weaknesses, but what you must do is demonstrate in your answer you are the type of person who is always trying to improve.

TIP #4: Don’t give a weakness that shows you can’t work with other people. Most jobs require strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with others. So, if you say your weakness is that you easily get irritated by people, or you don’t like communicating with customers you won’t get hired.

TIP #5: Make sure you only give one weakness. Don’t be tempted into giving multiple weaknesses because if you do, the hiring manager will feel you are not suitable for the role or their organization.

3 Live examples in an interview of what you should never say to the interview question, “What’s your biggest weakness?”

If you use any of these, you will not get hired.

Example 1 – Don’t say this:

“I don’t have any weaknesses. I believe I am a perfectionist and everything has to be done to a very high standard and nothing else.”

Example 2 – Don’t say this:

“I would say my biggest weakness if I’m being really honest, is the fact that I get bored really easily and I tend to move around jobs. But on a positive side, I think that means I’m always on the go and doing things which could help your company.”

Example 3 – Don’t not say this:

“I would say my biggest weakness is the fact that I get irritated quite easily by people. I prefer to work on my own, which I think could be a really good thing for your company because if you need me to focus on tasks, I can do it myself and they will always get done properly and on time.”

So there’s three example answers that you should never use in your interview to the question, “what’s your biggest weakness?” If you use any of those, you will not get hired.

The question now is, “how should you answer the question what’s your biggest weakness?” Let now look at the five brilliant responses, safe responses that will impress the hiring manager.

How to answer what is your biggest weakness

Below are 5 brilliant live example answers in an interview to the question, “what’s your biggest weakness?”

Question: Can you tell me “What is your biggest weakness?”

Answer option 1:

“My biggest weakness is the fact that I tend to focus too much on details. In my previous role, my manager praised me for my collaboration and discipline skills but they said they wanted me to focus less on details and more on output.

So I took on board their comments and since then I have been trying to improve in that area. So I am being more mindful. However, naturally I am a detail orientated person but I do appreciate that doesn’t always work for every scenario.”

Question: What is your biggest weakness?

Answer option 2:

“My biggest weakness is the fact that I am not yet very good at public speaking or giving talks or presentations to groups of people. I did try to give a presentation in my previous role and I prepared really well for it. However, my nerves got the better of me.

I do want to improve in this area and recently I’ve bought a book online and I have been reading and studying it and if the opportunity came up in this role to give a talk or a presentation, then I would love to give it another try.”

Question: What’s your biggest weakness?

Answer option 3:

“My biggest weakness is the fact that I’m not very good at saying no to people. I tend to say yes to everything before assessing my capacity to carry out the work required. This is because I’m naturally a people pleaser and I never let people down.

However, I do need to learn to assess my workload before saying yes to additional duties and responsibilities.

So I am the type of person who will always take on board feedback. I will assess my own performance with a view to improving.”

Question: What is your biggest weakness?

Answer option 4:

“I would say my biggest weakness is the fact that I don’t yet have any leadership experience, so I’ve never led on an important task or project. Whilst I don’t believe this would hinder my performance.

In this role, if the opportunity does ever come up within your organization to lead on an important task or project, then I would love to give it a try to improve my skills in this area.”

Question: Can you tell me, “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Answer option 5:

“I would say my biggest weakness is that I’m not very good at giving people constructive feedback. I tend to shy away from confrontation, so I don’t tell people when they’re wrong.

However, I do appreciate and understand that you have to be honest in the workplace because that enables your coworkers to improve and develop and I am trying to be more confident and mindful in situations like these.”

There’s five (5) best and powerful top scoring answers to that really challenging interview question, “What is your biggest weakness?”

I wish you all the best for passing your job interview.