What’s Your Weakness 🤔!?

March 8, 2019


I am impatient, many times, and I do interrupt – especially when I try to finish someone else’s sentence (isn’t that annoying!) … not a good thing.   Short attention span!  What else … umm, let’s see … I tune off in a conversation!  When I can’t work further, I pack up and leave for home! … and I can go on and on.

However, when we’re interviewing candidates (and these are “Executive” level people) and my colleagues or I ask them about their weakness (and I still believe this is an important question … tell you why in a moment), answers range from –

  •       Oh, I can’t think of any off hand
  •       Lies irritate me
  •       Impatient when the work isn’t done on time
  •       Honestly, I don’t have anything major

(…and I can go on and on)

So, we’re human and does that makes us … perfect?  Errr, I don’t think so!
Don’t “lies” irritate or gall most of the 7 billion humans on Earth?
Generally, wouldn’t most people get irritated if the work assigned by them is not completed on time?

(On one skype interview, when I heard “I don’t have any”, I completely tuned off and that was the end of his candidature!)

I mean, these are not “weaknesses” per se, so why say it?  Why not be upfront and honest about your [personality] traits because [it] is going to be apparent to your bosses and peers within a week of joining! 

If you have a short attention span or if you anger easily or if you like to do work yourself or you don’t delegate … why not say it honestly?  This is not a rhetorical question- I truly don’t know why this happens (maybe it’s because I’ve always worked in the family business and never got on the job market)!

Why is this still an important question?  I believe it shows how communicable the candidate is, how open she is, how approachable she can be.  If she’s willing to share a character flaw, in my books, she’s worth taking on board because her open approach will benefit the team and her peers.  By mentioning your “weakness” one acknowledges we are human – and we are NEVER PERFECT.

Personally speaking, if your professional side is fine, I much prefer honesty up front rather than finding out a month later that you cannot take, say, criticism.

… as Commodus says in "Gladiator", "It vexes me ... I'm terribly vexed!"

(Image credit- https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+your+weakness&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgn8WT2fHgAhUBElAKHeViDLMQ_AUIDigB&biw=1422&bih=652#imgrc=sFBmXEqbT77SKM:)

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