What are your weaknesses?

I’ve been on a non-content related kick lately but I’ve just been coming across so much GREAT information, I can’t help it!  Here’s the latest item I’ve found.  Do you ever notice that one of the most difficult questions asked during a job interview is the one posed above?  If your experiences are similar to mine, the books I’ve read in the past coached job hunters to turn your strength into a weakness thereby presenting you in the best light possible.

What if this isn’t the best method?  A tad outdated, perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, here’s a new twist. :

Question: “What are your weaknesses?”

People usually try to list weaknesses that can actually be seen as strengths, such as “I’m too much of a perfectionist” or “I never say no when people ask for help.” These types of answers can seem canned and could make the interviewer wonder what you’re hiding.

What it really means: “How honest and self-aware are you?” and “How have you successfully dealt with a challenge in your career or adversity on the job?” Everyone has weaknesses, but not everyone will admit to it. Employers look for workers who can recognize their own weaknesses and also take steps to overcome them. Show the hiring manager you can do both. If one of your weaknesses is a fear of speaking in public, for example, you could point out how you had to speak in front of your executive team to present a project proposal. Although nerve-racking, the situation forced you to confront your weakness and take steps, such as first presenting at smaller meetings with your colleagues, to improve in this area prior to the big meeting. Since then, you’ve also joined Toastmasters International and continue to improve.

Question: “Would you rather work alone or in a team?”

This borders on being a trick question, because it’s rare that someone would be required to just do one or the other in today’s workplace.

What it really means: “Can you work with minimal direction?” and “Can you describe a time when you worked with a colleague or group to solve a workplace challenge?” Managers seek individuals who can take the ball and run with it. They may not always have the time to walk you through a project step-by-step, so you need to be able to work autonomously and devise solutions on your own.

At the same time, you need to be able to work with individuals from different levels, departments, offices or even companies, so the hiring manager is trying to gauge how well you can collaborate with others. You might cite an instance when you led a project team, for instance, to improve your chances of securing the job offer.

By knowing what types of responses interviewers truly seek with seemingly simple questions, you give yourself a much better chance of impressing the hiring manager. After all, he or she has probably gotten used to hearing the same responses over and over again. Distinguish yourself with a response that gets to the heart of the matter.

If you are as intrigued as I was, you may continue reading here.