Strength in Weaknesses: Navigating an Honest Interview

There are niche interviews all across the job market. However, there are standard interview questions we all prepare for as we get ready to sit across from our (hopefully) new boss and sell our skills, trying to strike the perfect balance between humble and confident. 

These questions can take many forms, but as a rule of thumb, there will be something to the effect of: Tell me about yourself? Where do you see yourself in ten years? What are your best strengths? Weaknesses?

For all of these, your answers serve a singular purpose: relaying a consistent message of “this is me, and I am your perfect person.” Through that lens, it can be natural to make every response a positive one. However, an important piece is authenticity and that only comes in with intentionality. When it comes to discussing your weakness, this means you need to be honest.

             I work too hard.

             I care too much.

             I am too perfect.

These responses are junk and not just because some arbitrary article says so. Hiring managers and interviewers can see right through these responses. Once used, you become another name in a pile of all those before you who said the same, did not stand out, and shot an opportunity right in the foot to show your true self.

So what is a good answer? In short, you want to share a true issue that applies to the work environment, which you are proactively addressing, and that does not have a significant impact on your ability to do the work.

In practice, here is a great example (not related to any persons either living or dead unless you count myself):

I am hyper-organized. I time block to the max and structure each moment of my work day. While this sounds like a bonus that makes sure things get done, the problem comes in the form of unexpected asks, emergencies with my kiddo, or anything else that slightly bumps a block into the time-slot of the next task.

My tendency then is to let it all go and say “well, now the day is botched so may as well throw in the towel and try again tomorrow.”

However, I recognize this in myself, and I have developed a new habit that combats these thoughts. I start my day by writing down The Big 3. These are the three key items that, once complete, mean I can lay my head down at night and be satisfied with my accomplishments of the day.

In starting my day with The Big 3, I have seen results even among chaos, ensuring key items are accomplished that otherwise would have been thrown to the trash bin until the next day.

On the other side of the desk, my (I mean the anonymous and no relation) interviewer is hearing a candidate who recognizes errors in themselves, sees how it applies to work, proactively addresses the concern, and brings solutions that can contribute to their company.

Now, instead of another generic interview, there is more authenticity, creating an opportunity for you to match with an employer who is truly a good fit for you.

This is the tactic you want to bring to all those fun curve balls that come up in an interview. This is especially true when asked to speak about your less shiny qualities. If properly relayed, true authenticity will have a significant impact as you continue to interview.

Happy hunting.

Sidney is a Transition Specialist with the Serving Spouses Team at Hire Heroes USA where she has supported more than 400 military spouses and veterans in finding meaningful employment…so far. She is a military spouse herself, married to a USMC veteran and has personal experience navigating the balance between career, family, and military life. She has a diverse professional background across the social work field, including child welfare, domestic violence survivor support, and homeless employment empowerment. Since joining Hire Heroes USA in 2018, Sidney has engaged with clients individually as their personal Transition Specialist and in groups by facilitating more than eight virtual workshops. While she has always helped with behind-the-scenes projects, her passion is social advocacy through building unique relationships with clients to ensure they have all the tools and support to achieve their career goals.

If you found this post helpful, check out How Do I Approach Employment Gaps on My Resume and A Guide to Crushing Your 2021 Career Goals.