How to Answer “What is Your Greatest Weakness?” (With 9 Sample Answers)

When interviewers ask “What is your greatest weakness?” they’re trying to throw you a curveball. They want to see if you can be honest and think on your feet.

Identifying a legitimate weakness that won't tank your chances feels harder than parallel parking a stretch limo.

So instead, people often nervously ramble off ridiculous answers like:

👉 "I'm too much of a perfectionist. I just can't rest until every detail is exactly right!"

👉 "My greatest flaw is that I'm a workaholic! I stay way too late finishing anything on my plate."

👉 "I care too deeply about my team's success. I lose sleep worrying that I've let someone down."

Please! Interviewers can smell those fake replies a mile away, and peg you as dishonest.

Let’s face it - nobody’s perfect at everything! Even superheroes have weaknesses (Kryptonite for Superman, remember!). 🦸

For real though, we all have stuff we need to work on - getting comfortable speaking up in meetings, giving feedback without hurting feelings, and balancing five projects at once.

But you also have to be careful about picking a weakness that is a critical skill of the actual job.

You want to show you can reflect in a real way without tanking your chances here.

It's kinda like walking a tightrope! But with some planning and honesty, you can use this question to show what makes you different in a good way. 💪

Why Do Interviewers Ask “What Is Your Greatest Weakness?”

Essentially, they are trying to assess two things: 👇

📌 First: Do you have the self-awareness to reflect on your skills and recognise areas needing improvement?

Can you take an honest review of your abilities to see gaps? Being able to self-assess shows maturity and an ability to learn.

📌 Second: Do you take active steps to manage and strengthen your weaknesses?

Interviewers want people who care about pursuing growth and self-improvement, not those who ignore their flaws.

So when answering this question, highlight weaknesses you have identified in yourself along with specific actions you’re taking to get better.

This shows the interviewer that if they hire you and gaps emerge, you will take responsibility for developing in those domains.

What Kind of Weaknesses Should You Share?

When deciding what weakness to share, first, ask yourself - “Would this completely prevent me from succeeding in the main parts of the job?”

For example, if you're applying for an accounting role, "I'm terrible at maths" or "I don't care about details" would be really bad weaknesses to mention.

Those raise red flags that you can’t perform the core duties. The interviewer might get a good laugh...as they show you the door!

Instead, pick weaknesses that: 👇

a) Won't prevent you from performing the primary skills needed for the job.

b) Show areas relevant to the industry where you can still improve.

For example, good weaknesses for many white-collar jobs include: 👇

• Public speaking/presenting
• Learning new software/systems quickly
• Time management
• Delegating tasks
• Giving constructive feedback

Just don't use the boring standard cliches that I mentioned in the beginning.

When you choose a weakness, show how self-aware you are by listing genuine skills that still challenge you even as an experienced professional.

And always follow up by explaining steps you are taking to manage and strengthen those weaknesses over time. This shows a desire to keep improving - very appealing qualities! 🌟

9 Common Interview Weaknesses with Sample Answers

Here’s a list of answers for the most common weaknesses that you can use. Customise it to fit your situation.

📌 Note: Avoid using any weakness that is listed in the job description of the role you’re applying for.

1. Public Speaking

"Presenting to large groups makes me nervous, even with solid expertise on the topic.

I start talking faster and lose confidence.

To improve, I have joined a platform that helps with public speaking skills and set a goal of presenting at 3 meetings per month.

The practice of controlling my rhythm and getting feedback has positively boosted my composure."

2. Time Management

“When juggling multiple projects, I sometimes struggle with procrastination and then have to rush at the last minute. This raises my stress and affects the quality.

To tackle this I have started scheduling blocks of time for big tasks by using calendar appointments and timers to stay focused.

This has helped me get better and I have also been successful in submitting key deliverables before the deadline."

3. Learning New Software

"Getting up to speed quickly on new software still takes me effort.

For example, if I’m learning a new system like Salesforce, it’s hard at first since I'm learning the workflows.

To combat this, I now spend more time on tutorials and take lots of notes on how features fit my daily tasks. This helps me learn key functions faster."

4. Taking Initiative

"I tend to be soft-spoken so proposing new ideas publicly has yet to come naturally.

But contributing more in meetings could benefit the team.

So I have set a goal to suggest 2 innovative ideas or improvements in each brainstorming session. This pushes me outside my comfort zone."

5. Delegation

"Handing tasks off to others has been hard for me.

I prefer owning my projects from A to Z whenever possible. However, I know delegating tasks is key as I advance to lead larger teams.

To improve, I now challenge myself to hand off at least 1 segment of any major project to the team and share ownership."

6. Giving Constructive Feedback

"Delivering critical feedback gently has been difficult, as I fear demotivating others.

But growth requires honesty, so I have been practising with a mentor to refine my language and tone when giving feedback."

7. Decision Making Under Pressure

"When facing pressure, I sometimes rush into decisions based on incomplete data instead of weighing options.

Now, if I am under a pressure situation, I take a few deep breaths, centre myself and ask questions that uncover key details.

This has helped me make informed choices even under tight deadlines."

8. Willingness to Receive Feedback

"Receiving critical feedback used to shake my confidence.

But I know that it’s a solid way to get better.

In my last role, I asked my manager for monthly development reviews. By listing my blindspots, I saw exactly which skills needed work. We made a plan to improve them through training and books.

I regularly track my progress and this has kept me focused on growth.”

9. Asking For Help

“One of my challenges is that I tend to think for too long before asking for help, trying to do everything independently.

Part of me worries I'll look less capable if I seek support.

But I've realised collaborating actually leads to better solutions faster.

Others have strengths that I lack.

When stuck now, I give myself some time to work on it solo. If still blocked, I reach out to colleagues for insight. This helped me complete projects quicker thanks to our collective talent.”

Wrapping it Up

At the end of the day, everyone has weaknesses even the recruiters.

So don't sweat this question too much!

For them, it's a great chance to see how you're committed to getting better every day!

Before your next interview, read the full job description carefully. Then choose a weakness that won't get in the way of doing the main duties of this job well.

It also helps to practice interview questions like these aloud with a mentor. 👥

This will make them flow smoothly when the pressure is on. And getting ideas or feedback from your mentor helps you ace these questions. ✔️

Here's a list of our top HR & Behavioural Mentors ready to help you ace your behavioural rounds with flying colours.

Stay positive, think of some genuine areas you work on, show how hungry you are to improve, and talk through some practice answers with a mentor.

Being honest and prepared means this weakness question won't be YOUR weakness after all! You’ve got this!

Related articles that you'll love: 👇

How to answer "What are your salary expectations?" (With Scripts)

Answering "Tell Me About a Time You Failed" - With Sample Answers