What is Your Greatest Weakness?

Sample Answers
When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to
complete the project well ahead of schedule.
Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I implemented a time management system
that really helped my organization skills.
I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little too much time
checking it. owe!er, I'!e come to a good balance by setting up a system to ensure
e!erything is done correctly the first time.
I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized
that scheduling in ad!ance makes much more sense.
"ometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or take on tasks personally that could
easily be delegated to someone else. #lthough I'!e ne!er missed a deadline, it is still an effort
for me to know when to mo!e on to the ne$t task, and to be confident when assigning others
work.
I had difficulty with calculus during college, but I perse!ered with tutoring assistance and
e$tra effort and completed % le!els with a B minus a!erage.
I'!e learned to make my perfectionism work to my ad!antage at work. I am e$cellent at
meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my work is correct.
I used to like to work on one project to its completion before starting on another, but I'!e
learned to work on many projects at the same time, and I think it allows me to be more
creati!e and effecti!e in each one.
Your answers can be:
&' (ne of my weaknesses as I percei!e is occasional compromise on time for quality and
perfection.
%' I feel I am not very detailoriented. I)m a person that wants accomplish as much as
possible. I realized this hurts *uality and therefore I+m trying hard to find a balance between
*uality and *uantity.
,' #t times e!en when I need help, I try to sol!e my own problems instead of asking a co-
worker who might know the answer. .his would sa!e me more time and I would be more
efficient. !"m workin# on knowin# when it would be beneficial to ask for help.
/' I'!e been told a few times !$m too much detail oriented. I do make it a practice of
checking my work at least once or twice to make sure that it's absolutely accurate.
0' I belie!e one of my weaknesses is my impatience. Whene!er I work in a team and any of
the team members don)t perform up to the e$pectation, I get impatient and annoyed. I
understand if they are working hard and if their portion is difficult, but sometimes a person
can)t do the assignment due to incompetence and laziness. I know I can help out by
e$plaining things to some people and encouraging lazy people by reminding them of
deadlines. ! know it"s bad to be impatient% but !"m definitely workin# on it.
&ob !nterview 'uestion: (ow )o You
(andle Stress * +ressure?
# typical inter!iew *uestion, asked to get a sense of how you handle on-the-job stress, is
1ow do you handle pressure21 3$amples of good responses include4
"tress is !ery important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. .he appropriate
way to deal with stress is to make sure I ha!e the correct balance between good stress
and bad stress. I need good stress to stay moti!ated and producti!e.
I react to situations, rather than to stress. .hat way, the situation is handled and doesn't
become stressful.
I actually work better under pressure and I'!e found that I enjoy working in a
challenging en!ironment.
5rom a personal perspecti!e, I manage stress by !isiting the gym e!ery e!ening. It's a
great stress reducer.
6rioritizing my responsibilities so I ha!e a clear idea of what needs to be done when,
has helped me effecti!ely manage pressure on the job.
If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress le!el, I discuss options for
better handling difficult situations with them.
I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most
creati!e work.
I'm not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I'm under pressure, I
focus, and get the job done.
I find it e$hilarating to be in a dynamic en!ironment where the pressure is on.
I find a past pace to be in!igorating, and thri!e when the pressure is on.
I'!e done some of my best work under tight deadlines, where the atmosphere was !ery
stressful.
I'm the kind of person who stays calm under pressure, and handles stress fairly easily.
It's a good idea to gi!e e$amples of how you ha!e handled stress to your inter!iewer. .hat
way, they get a clear picture how well you can work in stressful situations
Your answers can be:
1) Sir, I can handle pressure of work. Whenever there is pressure of work,
we need to tackle it from the mental and physical stand-point. Mental stand-
point would mean being in a state of relaation and composure so that I do not
feel stressed out during the course of my work and from physical stand-point!
I always prioritize my job in their eact order of merit and importance so that I
can dispose them o" #uickly and e"ectively.
$) I work well under pressure because I don%t panic. I use the pressure to
help me work more efciently. I maintain self control and work as e&ciently
as possible. 't times, I try to prioriti(e and plan as much as I can.
)) Workin under pressure has always been a learning eperience for me
because it helps me grow. I have always worked well during deadline, and I
always learned how to work more e&ciently afterward.
*) Well I believe I work the same if there%s pressure or not. I try and take the
emotional factors and work hard regardless of down time. I always prioritize
and oranize my work and hence that gives me a +sychological advantage
over pressure. 't times whenever time becomes a constraint I put etra e"ort
and time to meet the deadline. !o pressure has nothin to do with my
work.
"Why do you want this job?" Sample Job Interview Answer #1:
I chose to apply for this position because it meets everything I am looking for in a job. I want
a job where I can be creative and work on a team, and this seems to be a great match. After
researching XYZ company, I was impressed with your services, and I would be proud to be a
part of the business. I truly believe that that the key to job happiness is to find something that
you are passionate about, and I am truly passionate about XYZ company.
"Why do you want this job?" Sample Job Interview Answer #2
his position is my ideal job because the responsibilities are e!actly what I"m looking for. I
want a position where I can #insert job responsibility here$ and #insert second job
responsibility here.$ I researched A%& company, and I am very impressed. I desire to work
for a company that has a strong reputation, and I know that A%& company is known for it"s
'uality products. In addition, I feel that this job fits my personality best.
"Why do you want this job?" Sample Job Interview Answer #:
I like the reputation that ()* company has in the business community, and I would be proud
to be part of it. I desire to have this position as #insert job title here$ because it will allow me
to use my skills such as #insert skill here$ and fits my personality. I like the fact that ()*
company has been around since (+*,, and that the job turnover rate is low. -rom what I read
online, employee morale appears to be high, and it sounds like a great environment to work
in. I feel that this job suits me well, and I would be thrilled to be a member of the team.
,Why do you want this -ob?,
.his is not only a fine opportunity, but this company is a place where my
*ualifications can make a difference. #s a finance e$ecuti!e well !ersed in the new
stock options law, I see this position as made to order. It contains the challenge to
keep me on my toes. .hat's the kind of job I like to anticipate e!ery morning.
I want this job because it seems tailored to my competencies, which include sales and
marketing. #s I said earlier, in a pre!ious position I created an annual growth rate of
%% percent in a flat industry. #dditionally, the team I would work with looks terrific.
I well understand that this is a company on the way up. 7our Web site says the launch
of se!eral new products is imminent. I want be a part of this business as it grows.
a!ing worked through a college business major building decks and porches for
neighbors, this entry-le!el job for the area's most respected home builder has my
name on it.
#s a dedicated technician, I like doing essential research. Being part of a
breakthrough team is an e$perience I'd lo!e to repeat.
.his job is a good fit for what I'!e been interested in throughout my career. It offers a
nice mi$ of short- and long-term acti!ities. 8y short-term achie!ements keep me
cranked up and the long-term accomplishments make me feel like a billion bucks.
I want this job selling theater tickets because I'd be good at it. I'm good at speaking to
people and handling cash. I would like a job with regular hours and I'm always on
time.
#lthough some companies are replacing #mericans with imported low-wage workers,
you are standing tall. .his company's successful strategies, good reputation and !alues
make it heads and shoulders abo!e its competition.
I'd fit right in as a counter clerk in your fine drycleaners. I ha!e obser!ed that the
counter clerk position re*uires competence at handling se!eral acti!ities in *uick
order -- customer ser!ice, payments, bagging and phones. I like multitasking and, as a
homemaker, I ha!e a lot of practice in keeping all the balls in the air.
.he work I find most stimulating allows me to use both my creati!e and research
skills. .he buzz on this company is that it rewards people who deli!er solutions to
substantial problems.
(ence when asked about salary% you can say:
9I)m sure the company has already established a salary range for this position. :an you tell
me what that is2;
.r
9I want an income commensurate with my ability and *ualifications. I trust you)ll be fair with
me. What does this position pay2;
- !f you have some idea re#ardin# the pay for the position% then -ust state somethin# a
little hi#her with a small ran#e included as
9Based on the information I ha!e about the position, a salary in the range &0<<< = &><<<
would reflect the e$perience and e$pertise that I would bring to the role.;
.r
9I know the a!erage pay for this position is roughly around &0<<<. But because I ha!e two
years of e$perience, I would like something around &0<<< = &><<<.;
!f the salary ran#e is already stated in the -ob description% then you can answer that
you are willin# to consider any offer stated in the -ob description as:
9.he job description says that the salary will be around &0<<< = &><<<. I think it)s a fair
range.;
- !f you want to play safe% you can answer as:
9I would e$pect to be paid competiti!ely and commensurate with the le!el of skill,
e$perience and responsibility that this particular job re*uires;
"ample #nswer4 9I)m sure that your company offers a fair, competiti!e salary for someone
with my education ? training, skills and e$perience. I am also willing to negotiate for the right
position.;

"ample #nswer4 9I will need more information about the job and the responsibilities before
we can discuss salary, but it would be great if you could gi!e me an idea of the salary range
you ha!e budgeted for this position.;
1Why should we hire you over other candidates?1
./
,Why should we hire you over the others waitin# to be interviewed?,
Your answers can be:
&' 7ou should hire me because !"m the best person for the -ob. I realize that there are
likely other candidates who also ha!e the ability to do this job. 7et I bring an additional
*uality that makes me the best person for the job - my passion for e0cellence. I am
passionately committed to producing truly class results.
%' I belie!e I)m the perfect fit for this position. I)m !ery detail oriented, and I organize my
work and time !ery efficiently. But what makes me uni*ue2 If I were in your position !
would hire myself because of the passion for this industry and my optimistic personality. I
want to make more of an impact than just doing my job. ! don"t want to blend in with the
company1 ! would rather want my addition to improve it.
,' .here are two reasons ! should be hired. 5irstly, my qualifications match your needs
perfectly. "econdly I)m e0cited and passionate about this industry and the position and will
always gi!e my &<<@.
/' You should definitely hire me. I ha!e a pro!en track record of success throughout my
education. 8y education graph always kept roaring with time. .his position re*uires
someone who has the ability to sol!e problems *uickly and who can logically add !alue to
the job. I belie!e my skills and abilities matches perfectly with the re*uirement and what
makes me the unique candidate is my passion towards my work and industry. "o I)m
confident I)ll be the best candidate for this position.
0' I)m a perfect fit for this position. ! have three years of e0perience in this technolo#y and
my skills enable me to develop better products in less time. (n top of that I)m a great team
player that gets a long with e!eryone.
A' .his position seeks a Buality #ssurance 8anager, I)m confident !"m the best person for
this -ob. I ha!e earlier worked with $yz "oftware :ompany and I was in charge of a team
that was responsible for the *uality of three different applications. ! have adept knowled#e
in 'uality assurance% +roduct support and even some creative processes that will benefit
a quality assurance team. I lo!e mentoring junior employees since I belie!e in sharing
knowledge to e!eryone in the company who work with me. "o I strongly belie!e that I)ll be
the best candidate due to the combination of my e0perience, my management skills,
abilities and my desire to pro!ide growth in employees.
S,-./01,
1) I am a hard worker and because of this ability I can work for additional
hours to accomplish my tasks.I am commitment oriented and hence I
always enjoy the trust and con"dence of my team mates which
enables me to perform my duties #ery easily.
$) I am adaptable, so I can handle any type of people and situations and
also bring out the best from them in spite of con2icting situations or
opinions. I am a $uick learner% so I can any subject $uickly and
analyze my job and add #alue to it as well as I can identify the
problem and solve them faster and better.
)) 3y strength is that I ha#e #ery stron #alues and ethics and a
#ery ood eye for detail. I believe in strong relationships and have a
very supportive family and very good friends.
*) I%ve always been a great team player and therefore I can work
efciently to produce $uality work in a team environment.I can
accomplish a large amount of work within a short period of time hence I
get things done on time.
2. What are your career #oals and where do you see yourself five years from now? .he
key here is to focus on your achie!able objecti!es and what you are doing to reach those
objecti!es.

"ample #nswer4 9Within 0 years, I would like to become the !ery best mechanic your
company has on staff. I want to work toward becoming the e$pert that others rely on.
opefully, this will allow me to take on greater responsibilities with the company if the
opportunity arises. I am also working towards additional certifications in the field to enhance
my career potential.;
(ow )o You (andle Stress and +ressure?
I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creati!e
work.
I'm not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I'm under pressure, I
focus, and get the job done.
I find it e$hilarating to be in a dynamic en!ironment where the pressure is on.