interview questions

[ill-matic]

the question - "what would you say are your weaknesses".

i want to answer this in a positive way, but without sounding tacky and forced.

how?

 

[PuffnScruff]

i hate that question. i usually just come up with some quality that i think i need to improve on

if you really want to flip it on them, ask the interviewer that same question about the company when it is your turn to ask questions. i have gotten feedback from HR guys in recent interviews that that is a great question and nobody has every flipped on them before. sometimes it even gets hard for them to answer

 

[PuffnScruff]

just to add to this, i just had an interview where i was asked to give 2 weaknesses i see in myself or others would see.

the man doing the interview was telling me why he asks that question. basically it doesn't matter what you really say. if you don't say anything at all or you say something like "i dont have any weaknesses" it tells the person doing the interview that you can't take criticism etc

so just say anything, even if you are bullshitting. i usually say something like i feel that i could improve on communicating better or be more of an out going individual. some bull shit like that.

 

[Illuminattile]

Say "Kryptonite".

 

[Sebastian]

^

I wanna be your superman,
I'm trying to save our love the best way that I can,
Cause these girls they're like kryptonite,

I had to do it.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I be on dat Kryptonite
Straight up on dat Kryptonite
I be on dat, straight up on dat
I be on dat Kryptonite

That post triggered that song off in my head.

 

[Jokerman]

Always cite a weakness that you're currently working on correcting, and that's not needed for the job but might come in handy. Like, "I've always felt that not knowing another language was a weak point for me, so about 6 months ago I started studying Spanish, you know, on my own, listening to tapes and watching programs. And when I get the chance (*money from this job*) I intend to take a course.

Interviewer thinking: *I bet this bastard got that answer from Jokerman. Still, that's one of the best ones I've heard.*

But this could backfire if you say, "I started studying Arabic after 9/11 by watching bin Laden and al Qaeda tapes."

 

[S O F I]

^lmao.

 

[keco52]

I was asked that once....
I said I'm a perfectionist and I once I start something I don't like to leave it unfinished...something like that...It was a horrible horrible lie. I start a lot and never finish anything

 

[masta247]

I usually said a weakness that is actually an advantage in moral terms or job you're choosing etc. for example : "people tell me that my biggest weakness is that if I start doing a work I just can't stop and that's bad for my health, and that I should think more about myself, but work is most important to me" or "I want everything done perfectly without any flaws" or "I care more about other people more than about myself". Of course don't say literally what I wrote above as you would sound suspiciously. Say something similar but in more polite, modest way. I just gave an example. Turn your weakness into advantage. Saying stuff like that your boss won't feel endangered as you'll sound kinda humble.
BUT if you're trying to get a higher position you have to sound a little cocky, self-centered, respectful but with a dose of leadership, intelligence, responsibility and caring about other people. You can be a bit of a know-it-all kind of guy but don't cross the line with your arrogance.
You just have to know and feel how to act at the moment because you can't say or do too much. You have to create a vision of a great, respected man - a born leader but also a loyal, helpful guy. It's hard to explain - in short you have to be a good actor and possess big empathy skills to balance those features. And don't be mean!! - it's most important, whatever your future job will be.

 

[ill-matic]

thanks for the tips guys, but i ended up saying my breath, and the dude agreed and added that it was like someone crawled in there and died.