While expressing outward stress or frustration over missed deadlines can be considered a weakness, employers value workers that place importance on deadlines and strive to keep projects within the planned timeline.
Strengths and Weaknesses To Discuss in a Job Interview
At some point during the interview process, you may be asked to describe your personal strengths and weaknesses. Many job candidates are unsure how to answer this question. However, by establishing the appropriate context, you can give hiring managers an honest, thoughtful answer that highlights both your self-awareness and professionalism.
Preparing ahead of time for this question is a valuable use of your time before the interview. Even if you aren’t asked about your strengths and weaknesses specifically, scripting out your response to this common question will give you a candid yet compelling description of what you bring to the table and how you wish to grow in the future. With these talking points at the ready, you’ll be able to confidently answer many common interview questions
I have trouble saying “no”
Helping colleagues on projects and properly managing your workload is an artful balance. From an employer’s perspective, someone who accepts all requests seems dedicated and eager—but can also be someone who doesn’t know their limits and ends up needing help or deadline extensions to finish their work.
If you’re so eager to take on new projects that you can’t bring yourself to say “no” to them, share how you’re working to better self-manage by organizing your tasks and setting more realistic expectations with yourself as well as those around you.
Example: “My greatest weakness is that I sometimes have trouble saying ‘no’ to requests and end up taking on more than I can handle. In the past, this has led me to feel stressed or burnt out. To help myself improve in this area, I use a project management app so I can visualize how much work I have at any given moment and know whether or not I have the bandwidth to take on more.”
More Examples of the Best Answers
Example Answer #1
Organization hasn’t always been my strongest point. I’ve always been inclined to prioritize tasks that directly impact the bottom line, and maintaining a pristine desk or an organized inbox didn’t seem to truly move the needle in terms of my output. Over time, I’ve learned that keeping a clean workspace—both physically, and digitally—does support my ability to focus and enhance the efficiency of my workflow. I’ve implemented a time management system that enables me to stay organized without encroaching on my other responsibilities.
Example Answer #2
When I’m working on a project, I don’t just want to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of its due date. While this means I never miss a deadline, it also means that sometimes I can find myself rushed when I’m working. I’ve since learned to slow down, be more patient, and give each project the careful attention it deserves.
Example Answer #3
I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense. I’m now much more proactive about scheduling meetings, and this allows me to plan and segment out my work for the week without having to guess at when I’ll need to leave time for meetings.
Example Answer #4
Sometimes I spend more time than necessary on a task or take on tasks that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I’ve never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task and to be confident when assigning others work. In my recent position, I implemented a project management tool that allowed me to easily oversee the progress of all the tasks I assigned. This helped me feel much more comfortable about delegating work.
Example Answer #5
I used to like to work on one project to its completion before starting on another, but I’ve learned to work on many projects at the same time, and I think doing so allows me to be more creative and effective in each one.
Sources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/interview-question-what-are-your-strengths-and-weaknesses
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/list-of-example-weaknesses-for-interviewing
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-your-greatest-weakness-2061288
