What are Your Strengths and Weaknesses? Suggested Answers

This questions are are set of 'wahala' questions in that appropriate answers can often make or break an interview.

So what is the best way to answer this question?

Assessing Your Strengths

Assess your skills, and you will identify your strengths. This is an exercise worth doing before any interview. Make a list of your skills, dividing them into three categories:

1. Knowledge-based skills: Acquired from education and experience (e.g., computer skills, languages, degrees, training and technical ability).
2. Transferable skills: Your portable skills that you take from job to job (e.g., communication and people skills, analytical problem solving and planning skills).

3. Personal traits: Your unique qualities (e.g., dependable, flexible, friendly, hard working, expressive, formal, punctual and being a team player).

When you complete this list, choose three to five of those strengths that match what the employer is seeking in the job posting. Make sure you can give specific examples to demonstrate why you say that is your strength if probed further.

Assessing Your Weaknesses

This is probably the most dreaded part of the question. Everyone has weaknesses, but who wants to admit to them, especially in an interview?

The best way to handle this question is to minimize the trait and emphasize the positive. Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome your weakness. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate more on professional traits. For example:

"I pride myself on being a 'big picture' guy. I have to admit I sometimes miss small details, but I always make sure I have someone who is detail-oriented on my team."

Scripting Your Answers

Write a positive statement you can say with confidence:

"My strength is my flexibility to handle change. As customer service manager at my last job, I was able to turn around a negative working environment and develop a very supportive team. As far as weaknesses, I feel that my management skills could be stronger, and I am constantly working to improve them."

When confronted with this question, remember the interviewer is looking for a fit. He/She is forming a picture of you based on your answers. A single answer will probably not keep you from getting the job, unless, of course, it is something blatant. Put your energy into your strengths statement -- what you have to offer. Then let the interviewer know that although you may not be perfect, you are working on any shortcomings you have.

Wishing u the very best...

Adapted from MonsterJob & EzineJobs

Oh Yinka we owe u a lot ......God bless u.
Cheers.

Yinka u re the man

I was once confronted with a questions about my weakness in an interview and i anwser something similar to what you said but one smart interviewer just said that "my friend that's your strength" and both of us just laugh...

Another question is that;
what kind of question do you ask your interviewer???

Thanks for ur comments..na God..
U should something about the company that would have difficult to find on the net..probably about their performance..if they have plans to expand...that kind of thing.
A more general question u can always ask after a thank u @ the end of the interview is when u can expect to hear from the company. ;D

Wishing u the very best

I was once asked this question in an interview. After telling the interviewer much about my strengths, I added that in my weakness lies my greatest strength. I studied myself very well and realise that sometimes I procastinate. This make me to do everything I have to do at once and if I cant do it at that instant I delegate it to someone that can do it at that instant. I also set deadline to accomplish a task for myself and I start early. This has helped me in so many ways even during my research for my final year project, I finished before my colleagues despite the fact that I have a vey difficult and too detailed project supervisor. When I finished I noticed that 2 of the interviewers nodded and the last kept a straight face.

Thanks Yinka.Now i know.

Thanks Yinka God bless you so much.I will soon face an interview very soon so u av given me an edge ahead.Thanks so much.

MEEEN INTERVIEWS CAN BE FUNNY O!

I ATTENDED ONE RECENTLY AND I WAS ASKED NOTHING WE JUST TALKED ABOUT GENERAL ISSUES.

BUT NOTHING BAD IN KNOWING ALL THESE TIPS THE ONLY FEAR IS HOPE ONE IS ABLE TO REMEMBER THEM ALL AT THAT CRUCIAL TIME.

GOD BLESS

TBABY i get ur jist jare,with all the tension one might forget even what u just learnt b4 u go in to meet the sharks.(except u are given a warm welcome of course).but all the same its good to av this things in mind u just might unconciously use it,and yinka tnx a lot.

I just keep reading this posts over and over. Threads like this are cool. Tanx 2 y'all.

Thank u Yinka. I've really learnt a lot and that has given me more confidence.

God bless you.

YINKA'S POSTS ARE TIMELESS

I GO OVER ANYONE OF HIS POSTS EVERYDAY TO MAKE SURE IT SINKS IN.

I RECOMMEND THE SAME TO EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH YINKA FOR SHARING
GOD BLESS

Thanks for the comments oh..all na God...wishing us all the very best in all we do