Interviewing Inadequacies

Job Seeker's Story

Randy, an Engineering Technician, had been unemployed for more than a year. Although he had gotten several interviews over that period of time, none of them transitioned into second interviews or job offers. Randy was perplexed but attributed his job search track record to strong competition and a struggling economy.

When Randy was contacted about an interview with a mid-sized company his hopes were renewed. The interview was scheduled for the next day with the Human Resources (HR) Manager, so Randy spent his time researching the company, its background, and its products. He took copious notes and reviewed them the morning of his interview. As Randy got ready to go, he felt sure he would make a great impression with his knowledge about the company.

The HR Manager was indeed duly impressed. He even commented about the thoroughness of Randy's information, including a recent press release that the interviewer had not yet seen. The interview seemed to be going well. Then the HR Manager asked, “What would your boss say are your weaknesses?”

Randy immediately responded, “My boss would tell you I have no weaknesses. I am the best of the best, the cream of the crop.”

With that response Randy settled back, quite pleased because there would be nothing to blemish his candidacy. The interviewer jotted down a note, without replying. Then the HR Manager asked another question: “What do you think your weaknesses are?”

Randy was getting irritated by this line of questioning. Why would he want to admit to any weaknesses? That seemed counter-productive. It did seem strange, he thought, that on almost every interview he got asked this question. Interviewers were surely not choosing candidates based on their weaknesses, were they? With these thoughts running through his mind, Randy answered, “I would agree with my boss. I am the best of the best. In fact, engineers at different levels have come to me for advice and guidance.”

As the HR Manager made note of Randy's comment, he responded, “If you are that good, how is it that you have been out of work for over a year?”

Randy shook his head and mumbled, “I don't know.”

The interview ended abruptly after this exchange, and Randy did not hear from this interviewer or the company again.

Job Seeker's Stumble

Randy's assertion that he had no weaknesses, either perceived by himself or his former boss, strained believability. Every job seeker has weaknesses, and to claim “perfection” raises red flags about an inflated ego or, at the very least, lack of self-awareness. Compounding the claim of no weaknesses, Randy appeared to be irritated and defiant when answering these two questions. Apparently, Randy had not done his research well enough. If he had, he would have discovered the “weakness” question is very typically asked by interviewers, and perhaps he would have prepared far better answers.

Job Seeker's New Strategy

Knowing that possible questioning about weaknesses could happen in the interview, strive to appear appropriately human and humble by admitting a weakness in such a way as to lessen the negative impact on your candidacy. In any case, you and your former supervisor should agree on one weakness you will discuss with interviewers. Here are some alternative categories of weaknesses Randy could have used, as well as strategies for handling the “weakness” interview question:

• • Not Relevant: Select a weakness that has no bearing on the job. Carefully review the job description to become familiar with needed skills and strengths for the position. Then pick a weakness that has no involvement with the job. For example, Randy might have said, “I am not as strong as I might be in dealing with international customers, since all of my past experience has been with local and regional customers. That's an area I would be eager to learn.” In his research Randy had ascertained that this company was regional in scope, with no immediate plans for international growth.
• • Needs Improvement: Choose a skill or knowledge area that you feel needs improvement, but be sure it is not a critical one for the job. Then talk about what you are doing to get better. Thus, Randy's response could have been, “My computer skills involving Microsoft Excel were a bit out-of-date, so I took two courses at the local community college in the latest version of Excel, as well as the Advanced Excel class.”
• • Already Apparent: If you are lacking one of the requirements or a preferred/optional requirement for the position and this is already apparent to the interviewer via your résumé and your interview responses, do what you can to less the impact of this “missing” requirement. For example, Randy could have used this diversion statement: “I feel my weakness at this point is that I have a bachelor's degree and you prefer a master's degree. However, if I may review some of my accomplishments with you, I believe you will see that I have the real-world experience equivalent of Master's-level knowledge.”
• • Strength as a Weakness: Disguising a strength as a weakness is probably the least-effective strategy, as it has been over-used by so many applicants. But, if this is a true weakness that you and your supervisor have agreed on, you can authentically claim it. Randy's thoroughness was an actual weakness, but he could have talked about this weakness this way, “I tend to be very thorough with the projects I am leading or participating in and sometimes that means it takes longer than anticipated. However, I have always been complimented by customers for my attention to detail and quality. I have even won quality awards in the past.”

Any one of these types of responses to the “weakness” question should put you in better standing than Randy's answers did. Avoid mentioning skills and knowledge that are essential in the performance of the job for which you are applying - at all cost. You do not need to supply the interviewer with reasons for appropriately screening you out!