What's Your Greatest Weakness?

This interview question typically comes from interviewing amateurs who have a list of similarly useless and uncomfortable questions in their arsenal. It measures your skill as an interviewer and your ability to handle stress more than your fit for the job.

It might give you great pleasure to say something like:

“My greatest weakness is that I get really annoyed with interview hacks who ask these kinds of questions that have little to do with the job.”

But if you want to get past the initial interview rounds, you need to be prepared to answer it more professionally and respectfully. So here are three suggestions for handling this question.

Keep Your Composure

Be aware of the emotions that unprepared candidates would display. These could include fear, anger, annoyance or embarrassment. You’re on-stage here. So play the part of confident, self-assured executive. Be the person who keeps their cool while others are losing theirs.

Turn a Negative into a Positive

Take a lesson from politicians. When asked a difficult question, they avoid a precise, direct answer. Instead they give an indirect yet related answer. And, one that is carefully polished and rehearsed.

Example

Here’s a great answer from Liz Ryan of Human Workplace

INTERVIEWER: What’s your greatest weakness?

YOU: Great question! I used to obsess about my weaknesses when I was younger. I took classes and read books like you wouldn’t believe, and then over time it occurred to me that I should be focusing on the things I do well, like designing financial reports. Other things — graphic design, for instance – aren’t for me, so I steer myself toward the work that jazzes me and where I can make the biggest impact.

Liz’s answer masterfully provides a positive answer to a request for a negative trait. Plug you own best attributes into the end this script. Practice it. And deliver it with confidence and a smile.