|
Job Interviews: Answering Whats Your Greatest Weakness?Many interview guides advise candidates to answer the common "What's your greatest weakness?" question with a positive trait disguised as a weakness. For example, "I tend to expect others to work as hard as I do," or "I'm a perfectionist." That would be a mistake. Why? Because interviewers have heard these canned answers over and over again. If you use one of them, it will likely backfire on you. Because the hiring manager will think: So state a true weakness! No one is perfect, so don't try to convince anyone (especially yourself) that you don't have any weaknesses. However, I cannot overemphasize the importance of not listing a key element of the position as a weakness! If you do that, you might as well send yourself the rejection letter. Pick a neutral weakness about something that's not critical to the job. Mention that. Then emphasize what you've done to overcome the weakness. This shows that you are honest, that you recognize areas in which you need to grow, and that you are actively seeking ways to improve yourself. Sample Answers: "I honestly can't think of any weakness that would prevent me from doing an outstanding job for you in THIS position. But in the past, I've had some trouble delegating duties to others. I felt I could do things better and faster myself. This sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I've taken courses in time management and effective delegation, and I've managed to overcome this weakness." [NOTE: You would not want to use this example for a supervisory position] "I honestly can't think of any weakness that would prevent me from doing an outstanding job for you in THIS position. But I'm very weak in math and have to rely on a calculator even for basic computations. I always have one with me just in case a calculation is needed." [NOTE: You would not want to use this example for an accounting position or one that requires math skills!] This question really isn't so tricky, once you know what to expect and how to respond. Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.Best-Interview-Strategies.com |  | | | RELATED ARTICLES 5 Tips for Customizing your Resume Gone are the days of the bland, generic one-page resume. Employers these days are more impressed by a resume that is customized and they tend to give jobs to interviewees that have a bit of knowledge about the company. Career Change - Emotional Intelligence for Knowledge Workers? Nowadays we can expect to survive the second half of our lives and as our work is knowledge-based - we knowledge workers are not finished after 30 years on the job - Are we merely bored? Seven Steps to Making a Successful Career Change My first job was secretary to Moses. Having to transcribe and make 2,430 copies of the Ten Commandments convinced me I was on the wrong career path! OK, maybe I'm not quite THAT old. But I did start out as a secretary. While I didn't mind the work, eventually I decided it wasn't very satisfying. I often felt like a "tool" that helped others contribute to the organization's success. I wanted to make my own contributions, to find creative ways to make a difference. It took me about 12 year to come to that conclusion, decide to do something about it, and change my life. Five Powerful Tips for Interns Interning is about more than earning money during summer break. It's a wonderful way to gain work experience and lay the foundation for your future career. But to get the most out of it, you have to do more than just land the job, show up for work and collect your paycheck. Here are some tips that will help you get the full benefits of interning: Ten Things To Do When You Really, Really Hate Your Job 1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape. When you find yourself sharing the latest horror story, stop in mid-sentence and say, "What I want to have is..." How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages Salary and Benefits Negotiation Five Fabulous Resume Tips for College Grads (or Anybody) Fluffy clouds. Chirping birds. Green trees. Colorful flowers. It's springtime! All of these things bring thoughts of joy and serenity to most people, but to you, dear college senior, it is usually a hectic time, full of final exams, decisions to be made, Graduation Day, and looking for a job. Sure, the job search is a major thing on your to-do list, but having fun, studying, and exams usually take the top spots as the months wind down and Graduation Day nears. Unlimit Your Life! Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes? Unemployment Survival: Creating a Sense of Security In a time of economic downturn, international turmoil, company restructuring and corporate mergers run amok, thousands of people are either out of work or fearful of losing their jobs. Conflicts With Your Boss Are Inevitable, But Can Be Healthy If you are a pro-active, get-things-done type, sooner or later you will come in conflict with your boss. The same sort of assertiveness and confidence that leads you to have a mind of your own has helped him to earn his position. Do You Need Help Writing A Winning Cover Letter? Your cover letter is critical to your success. It sets the tone. It is read before your resume and includes vital information about you that every potential employer needs. If you don't have a cover letter, or if you have one that is poorly written, you're setting yourself up for failure. Knowing the crucial elements of a cover letter is imperative to getting in doors and moving your candidacy forward. The Top 10 Ways to Achieve Balance in Your Life 1. Define Success for Yourself Recruiting Excellent Job Candidates An independent recruiter, recruiting agency or executive search firm is charged with tracking down excellent potential candidates for available job positions. Despite the fact that there are innumerable people seeking positions of employment in the 21st century, it often seems to a typical recruiting agency that qualified men and women are few and far between. Resurgence of the Time Sheet: Why You Should Write Down Your Workday Activities One day I walked into my boss's office and said, " I think all staff should do a time sheet, including you, from now on." I definitely surprised her but the results of thisrequest certainly got the attention of all of our staff. Im just me - An Overview of an Web er.. Designer, Developer, Consultant and Friend I am going to give you a breakdown of my ... er ... work ... playtime .... income .... Where Did All The Farmers Go? Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the development of farm land in our area. These complainers consider it a crime that so much of our farm land has been converted to housing, business, shopping, etc. They seem to consider the farmers and developers to be criminals. How To Find A Job As A Copy Editor Jobs for copy editors may seem like they are hard to find, but really you can find them and you can do so with many of the qualifications you already have. But, if you do not have any qualifications, this may be the first step in finding the copyediting job that you have been looking for. Jobs in this field are available, but it takes a good, solid portfolio and set of skills to get them. Here are some things to get you going in the right direction though. Continuing Professional Development Continuing professional development (CPD) is promoted by the CIPD to support the systematic development and accreditation of its members. The aim is that the continuing search to improve knowledge and skills through exposure to new experiences benefits both the individual and the business. The CIPD actively encourages CPD along with other bodies for professionals such as lawyers, accountants and surveyors. Change Your Career, Change Your Life Change Your Career, 7 Deadly Cover Writing Sins Don't start off your job search with one (or more) strikesagainst you by committing any of these common cover letterblunders. Each is easy to avoid, but they can sink yourchances of an interview if you include them in your letter. |
|
|
Copyright © Advancing Women (TM), 1996- 