How to Answer the Weakness Question in an Interview
To answer the weakness question in an interview, start by brainstorming your past challenges. For example, ask yourself what areas you'd like to improve upon personally or professionally, or what are some issues you've had in past jobs. Once you pick 3 weaknesses, look for examples of how you've grown in these areas. For example, maybe you failed to finish projects on time at your last job because you took on too many at a time, but now you've learned how to focus your energy on completing 1 task at a time.
Brainstorm your weaknesses and past challenges. If you're preparing for an interview, you've probably already spent a lot of time thinking about your strengths. Now, take a little time to think about some of the major challenges you've faced in previous jobs or in school. If you're not sure where to begin, ask yourself: What sorts of issues have come up on past employee evaluations? Were there any recurring problems that your supervisor regularly brought up with you? What were some things you really disliked about your last job and would like to avoid in future jobs? What are some areas where you'd like to improve, personally or professionally? Make note of habits or personality traits that could be weaknesses. Consider how your personal attitudes and behaviors may have affected your job performance in the past. Don't judge yourself harshly – just consider your personality objectively and try to think of a few concrete examples. For example, do you: Try too hard to please others? Get frustrated easily when a project is not going as well as you would like? Procrastinate too much? Avoid asking for help even when you need it? Lack confidence in yourself or your wok? Assess your interpersonal skills. Being able to work well with others is an important part of most jobs. Think about what sorts of issues you might have faced in this area, and how those issues affected your work. Consider some of the following: Do you have a hard time dealing with conflict? Do you ever have a hard time communicating with others? Do you struggle with being confident and assertive when speaking to a group or communicating face-to-face? Do you get frustrated with your co-workers easily? Look for deficiencies in your job-related skillset. Look carefully at the job description, and think about areas where you lack experience or confidence. For example, are you familiar with current technology and software in your field? Does the work match well with previous job experience you've had? Were there some areas of your last job where you particularly struggled and would like to improve (e.g., grant writing or research)? Write out a list of your weaknesses. Once you've had time to think about your weaknesses, write them down. Include both general weaknesses (e.g., issues with confidence or interpersonal skills) and weaknesses more specific to the type of work you would like to do. For example: “I have a hard time dealing with conflict.” “I second-guess myself too much, which can make me indecisive.” “I don't have very much experience with grant writing.” Prepare to talk about 3 of your weaknesses. Some interviewers may ask you to address more than one weakness. Before you go into an interview, decide which weaknesses you want to talk about. Pick one primary weakness to focus on, but be prepared to address a couple others as well. For example, you might plan to talk primarily about how you've had to work hard to build your confidence as a public speaker. You could follow up by addressing your lack of experience with making spreadsheets, and your tendency to take on too many projects at once. Stick to weaknesses that aren’t critical to the job. Avoid bringing up any weaknesses that might be seen as preventing you from doing the job you are applying for. Instead, focus on issues that are peripheral to the job's core functions, and that you are already working to resolve. For example, if you are applying for a job as a lecturer, don't emphasize a fear of public speaking. Find examples of how you have grown from past challenges. Think about how your weaknesses have affected your ability to complete tasks or reach goals. How did you deal with those situations? How would you handle a similar situation now, based on your experience and growth as a person and a professional? For example, maybe you failed to meet a project deadline at a previous job because you took on too many projects at once. Did you become better at prioritizing your tasks after that? If you were faced with a similar situation now, would you ask for help from a colleague or supervisor instead of trying to handle it all yourself? Describe how you are managing and improving your weaknesses. Once you've identified your weaknesses, come up with some specific steps you are actively taking to improve in those areas. This could include things like taking classes to close gaps in your skillset, adopting strategies to help you stay better organized, or getting coaching to improve your communication skills. For example, “I lack on-the-job experience in grant-writing, but I've taken several online grant-writing classes, and I'm working toward earning a certification.” Write a script. Before going into the interview, figure out exactly what you want to say and write it down. You don't need to memorize every word, but practice it enough so that you can confidently touch on all the points you want to address. For example, you might write something like: “In my last job, I had a tendency to take on too many projects at once, and I had a hard time admitting when I needed help. After I missed an important project deadline, I started making an effort to select my projects more carefully and manage my time better. I worked with my supervisors and co-workers to split up our responsibilities in a more logical and efficient way. Because of that experience, I now have a much better idea of what kind of workload I can handle effectively.” In case you have not already taken any steps to address your weaknesses, you can write down possible steps to improve yourself in the future. “I have just done the minimum to get by in college. I have not pushed myself to do my best, either academically or in campus events/ clubs etc. When I look back, there are so many opportunities I have missed by being lazy. From now on, I intend to make the most of every opportunity I get in life!” Be confident. Avoid sounding apologetic or overly negative when you talk about your weaknesses. There's no shame in having, or admitting to, a weakness. Everyone has them. Your potential employer wants to know that you are self-aware enough to recognize yours, but also confident and proactive enough to work on overcoming them. Don't make light of the question, but answer it in an upbeat and self-assured manner. Keep it brief. There's no need to go on at great length about your weaknesses. Don't go into excessive detail or allow yourself to get overly emotional about it. State what your weakness is in a clear, concise way, and quickly move on to what actions you have taken (or are taking) to overcome that weakness. Be honest. Your potential employer is trying to get a sense of who you really are. They also want to know that you are forthright and sincere. Be straightforward about your weakness, and show them that this is something you have thought about want to improve on. Avoid clichés and “humble-brag” answers. Don't give answers that attempt to spin a good quality as a weakness, such as “I dedicate too much time to my work,” or “I'm a perfectionist.” These types of answers come across as phony and insincere, and potential employers will not be impressed by them. 
Brainstorm your weaknesses and past challenges. Make note of habits or personality traits that could be weaknesses. Assess your interpersonal skills. Look for deficiencies in your job-related skillset. Write out a list of your weaknesses. Prepare to talk about 3 of your weaknesses. Stick to weaknesses that aren’t critical to the job. Find examples of how you have grown from past challenges. Describe how you are managing and improving your weaknesses. Write a script. Be confident. Keep it brief. Be honest. Avoid clichés and “humble-brag” answers. 