In the nerve-wracking space of a job interview, you might find yourself sailing smoothly until the inevitable curveball: ‘What is your biggest weakness?’. It’s a well-known tactic to turn this question on its head, transforming a negative into a positive.
After all, no hiring manager genuinely wants an unvarnished tale of your failings, rather they seek to understand how you can be an asset despite them. Without preparation, this can be a daunting question.
One career expert has a solution for these tough moments. Anna Papalia, acclaimed author and public speaker, suggests arriving armed not just with one potential weakness but five — and her reasoning is solid.
Resisting the urge to rely on the cliché ‘I’m a perfectionist’, Anna advises to “go in prepared with at least a few weaknesses”. As CEO of Interviewology, she recounts experiences where interviewers have requested up to five weaknesses.
In a recent TikTok, she stressed the importance of this strategy: “That’s why I always encourage my clients to prepare three to five weaknesses that can be construed as strengths, that are professional, that you have thought about deeply, because trust me, I have never ever seen anyone come up with great weaknesses on the spot in an interview,” Anna elaborated.
So what should you say when asked what your biggest is? Anna has shared a number of examples you can use, including having trouble delegating responsibility, being fearful of providing constructive feedback to coworkers, or not being great with public speaking.
For example, Anna says you can say: “I sometimes find it difficult to delegate responsibility when I feel I can finish the task well myself. However, when I became manager in my last role, it became critical I learn to delegate tasks. To maintain a sense of control when delegating tasks, I implemented a project management system to oversee the progress of a project. This system enabled me to improve my ability to delegate efficiently.”
Or you could say: “Oftentimes, I can be timid when providing constructive feedback to coworkers or managers, out of fear of hurting someone’s feelings. However, in my last role, my coworker asked me to edit some of his pieces and provide feedback for areas of improvement. Through my experience with him, I realised feedback can be both helpful and kind when delivered the right way. Since then, I’ve become better at offering feedback, and I’ve realized that I can use empathy to provide thoughtful, productive feedback.”