The Deadly Bouncer

If there is a complicated or a trap question then this is the one. We know the basis of your selection for a job is your strengths not your weaknesses then why should the interviewer even bother to ask a question like, “What are your greatest weaknesses?” The fact is this too is a question which is asked quite frequently. There is a 50:50 chance you will be asked this question and more often than not it will be lobbed at you in an ever so lighthearted, easygoing manner. If you are not prepared for it you will be hit by this bouncer. Like they say you will not be knocked out by a a hard knock but by the one you did not see coming. Chances are this is the one which will catch you unawares.

This is normally an eliminator question and the purpose it serves is to shorten the list of candidates for the final round of selection. The psychology behind the elimination seems to be why should you even talk about your weaknesses? Why be negative? Some people (usually psychologists) even suggest if you are aware of your weaknesses why have you not worked on them already and got rid of them. So the best strategy to deal with such a question is not to talk about your weaknesses. If you do the interviewer will probably give you credit for honesty but assess you negatively for your being aware of your weakness for sometime and not taking effective steps to improve. Don't even ask me why they do that. I am not a psychologist. All I can tell you is that they do.
One very old, tested and quite acceptable strategy to deal with the question is to disguise one of your strengths as a weakness. Though it has been extensively used by trainers to train candidates for interviews it works most of the time simply because it insures you do not talk about any weaknesses. Of course it occasionally produces hilarious results especially in campus recruitment as sometimes the entire batch of say twenty or even thirty candidates are asked the question and each one invariably talks of the same strength 'disguised as a weakness'. For example they would say something like, "I am so focused and determined to get the job done on time that I drive my people too hard. I am this A type personality and I work with such a sense of urgency that I sometimes forget that not everyone is at the same wavelength."
Interviewers also have fun with this and the moment they realize the batch is prepared with it they twist the question and sometimes ask," OK is your weakness also the fact that you drive them too hard?" The experienced interviewer will obviously know that you will not talk about your weakness and that is how it should be.
The best way to deal with this question in an interview again focuses you on finding out what exactly are your interviewer's needs because you can state them in answer to this question and assure him that you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your performing the functions that need to be performed in the job you are being interviewed for. Remind them of what they are looking for and show them you have those skills and traits. For example you could say, " Well, I am sure there will be shortcomings in me but based on what I know what qualities are required for this job, I believe, I will be the best choice. I know when you hire people for a job at this level; you are looking for the right qualification and the right kind of motivation to do well. You can see from my records I have both the qualification and a willingness to pursue excellence in whatever I do. So I feel I there should be nothing that could come in the way of my performing well if given the opportunity."
And of course don't end up repeating this passage verbatim. Try and understand what you are doing and convey it in your own language. This will require practice and practice sometimes is boring. Remember, spectacular success is always preceded by a lot of not-so-spectacular practice. If you still do not feel up to it for any reason or you are still not very sure about the qualities the interviewer is specifically looking for, you could confess to a small weakness which is not really a weakness. If you can match it with the requirements of the job so much the better. For example if the position you are being interviewed for is in the PR department, you could say I like people and one of my weaknesses is that I like to party. If it is a teacher's job you are applying for, you could say that one of your weaknesses is that you do not seem to be able to finish off your work in the class room. Students tend to trust you so much that they continue their contact with you even after the class and keep coming to me for advise and guidance. That takes a lot of my time and my family sometimes has a problem with it. Sometimes you could just say with a touch of humor that your biggest weakness is coffee or perhaps chocolates.
The idea is not to focus on weaknesses and be prepared to talk about he interviewer's need and your strengths and how they make a perfect match.

Prepare to talk about your strengths

We all know that you are going to be recruited for your strengths and not your weaknesses. Here is another question which is very straightforward and in sync with what the interviewer is looking for. You need to be aware of your strengths and what is going to be your unique contribution to the job and the organization if you were to be offered the job. This is another one of those innocuous little questions which could throw the candidate out of contention if he or she were to come across as some one who is arrogant or egoistic. Some candidates hit the other extreme and end up being too humble and spineless. Both extremes are undesirable.
This might seem to be an oft repeated theme but it is so true it bears repeating. We learnt earlier that your first and foremost strategy is to find out what does the interviewer want the most before you even begin to answer any questions. The best way to do that is to do your research and if there is still something you need knowing; ‘ask’. You need to do your homework and be prepared for answering this question. Know what your greatest strengths are. Be prepared to talk about your strengths and site examples and instances from your life to substantiate your claim. It is easy to understand ones reluctance to talk about oneself as we have been trained from the very beginning not to blow one’s own trumpet. In most people’s mind it goes against the basic tenant of edification which says you can edify anybody else in the world except yourself. Yet you need to prepare yourself mentally to talk about yourself and your strengths and achievements in an edifying manner without coming across as someone who is pompous and egotistic. The best way to do that is to state your achievement or your strength in an even tone and immediately get down to narrating an incident or a stating statistics to illustrate your strength or achievement. The more recent the example the better it is.
The secret to responding successfully to such a query is to prepare for it. The preparation obviously starts at home. You should take some time out and write down some of your strengths and achievements which are similar to what the employer is looking for in a candidate for the job you are being interviewed for. Then think back and also write own some incidents, statistics, or anecdotes that will illustrate or reinforce your claim that strength or achievement. This is another one of those innocuous looking questions which unless you are prepared for it will cause a few problems. Once again chances this question will be lobbed at you in one form or the other. The interviewer wants to find out whether you have introspected or not. He also wants to see where is your self esteem is at. Can you talk about your strengths and achievements without being boastful? Or do you swing to the other extreme and act so humble and self effacing that you become part of the furniture? The focus of the interviewer is as much on your tone and posture as it is on your strength and achievements. Being prepared for this question will require a bit of effort and sometimes some change in attitude. Are you the kind of person who takes the entire credit for your self or will you give credit to others where it is due?
Generally speaking some of the strengths employers are looking for are what every, well socialized young person already has and one does not have to ponder too deeply about them. For example character traits like honesty, integrity, sincerity, loyalty, commitment and a strong work ethic are all prerequisites that are non negotiable. No amount of talent, skills and enthusiasm and motivation will compensate for a little bit of lack of honesty. In fact there is no such thing as a little lack of honesty. One is either honest or not. You either have 100% integrity or not. Yet interviewers will want to see some of these strengths and achievements illustrated. If you have proven track record of being an achiever it helps the interviewers take appositive decision. Employers are looking for someone who is intelligent yet humble, someone who is an achiever and yet a team player who will fit into their corporate culture, someone who will be comfortable around other people, someone who is dedicated and will walk an extra mile in pursuit of excellence, has clear cut personal goals and targets which can be aligned to the goals of the company and of course someone who has appositive attitude and looks to the future with optimism and expectation.
So the best way to tackle this question is to be prepared for it. Preparation is done at home and is sometimes quite boring. But remember spectacular success is always preceded by some very unspectacular (read boring) preparation. Another similar question which needs solid preparation is what your greatest weaknesses are. More about it in the next post.