What is the best way to describe my strengths and weaknesses during the interview?

In almost every job interview, sooner or later the question of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses arises. As this is one of the central points of the interview and you as the candidate through a self-confident and critical reflection of your personality and (any) past professional activities, it is worthwhile to think about this topic in advance of the conversation make.

Question yourself to find out your strengths and weaknesses

• What are your characteristics as a person?
• Which activities do you like? What do you enjoy doing at work?
• What goals are you striving for, both professionally and privately?
• Are you good at working in a team or do you prefer to work alone?


3 Skilfully presenting weaknesses at the job interview - tips

The question about 3 of your weaknesses during an interview serves the ...

Ask others for their opinions and compare them with your own.

• Where are there overlaps?
• Where can discrepancies be found?
• Is it possible that you have misjudged yourself completely?

• This quickly gives a comprehensive picture. Your main focus should be on your strengths; after all, you want to sell well. Don't show off, but be confident. Do not just list catchwords such as resilience or good teamwork, but link them to successes or experiences from your (professional) life. In this case, tell your counterpart about a successful project in your last job that you mastered in collaboration with your colleagues under enormous time pressure.
• Try to turn supposed weaknesses into strengths! If you have not had much work experience so far, you are literally burning with zest for action and want to get used to it and perform as quickly as possible. If you are perhaps grumpy in the morning, you are disciplined and punctual every day and after a cup of coffee you are also up to date.
• Be aware of your weaknesses and bring them up on your own initiative. While of course some weaknesses disqualify you immediately (“I get angry quickly when criticized and throw office supplies around”), you can also make “normal” weaknesses sympathetic. Perhaps, like many others, you are difficult to remember names or have a disastrous sense of direction. (But beware! In some professions this would be devastating.)

One more general word about job interviews: make yourself aware that you have already cleared the first hurdle; you have been invited to a personal interview. If you give yourself naturally and do not pretend, this obstacle should also be overcome.

Skillfully name strengths and weaknesses in the interview

• At first glance, you probably think that your strengths will be more interested than your weaknesses. Make no mistake about that. Communicating weaknesses in an advantageous manner so that they are not actually blamed on you as weaknesses is the fine art of job interviews.

• But let's start with the easier part, your strengths. You can think of two or three qualities that others praise in you or that you know yourself are particularly good at. These can be skills, for example being able to organize well, but also pure character traits such as determination or reliability.

• Before your interview, work out three to four strengths internally and formulate them in full sentences. For example: "My way of working is characterized by absolute reliability and independence." Then put your strengths in order. Remember that the first and last strengths are likely to be the most listened to. You should place your two most important strengths accordingly.

• The question of your weaknesses in the interview is tricky. Every HR manager, every boss knows, of course, that the applicant does not want to talk about his weaknesses. After all, you want your job and yourself to appear in a good light. Nevertheless, you have to answer this question about weaknesses in the interview.

• As with the rest of the interview, the same applies here: Be authentic, but diplomatic. Nobody needs to know that sometimes you have absolutely no desire to work, sometimes partying sick or like to gossip about colleagues. Better to think of something charming, humorous. For example, that you couldn't live without chocolate.

• Whatever is okay: indicate weaknesses in the interview that actually aren't. However, you won't be the first to sell ambition or perfectionism as a minor weakness would like, and the boss and the HR manager will be just as good as you know that this is a weakness that has been pre-arranged is. Not bad, but not very authentic either.

• Refrain from mentioning weaknesses that are incompatible with the job advertisement. If you are applying for a communication profession, for example, your weakness should not be to work independently and outside of a team.

Score in the interview

• If you are invited to an interview, you should always present yourself in the interview situation in an accessible and open manner. Therefore, pay attention to your body language, which largely determines your liking. Do not cross your arms in front of your body and sit upright. Always look your interlocutor in the eye.
• Do not avoid the questions, but also answer unpleasant questions. You can respond briefly to the questions and then bring another, positive aspect into the conversation.
• When asked about your weaknesses and strengths, there is no point in not indicating weaknesses or only those that are professionally irrelevant. HR professionals know this scam and will find your answer to be implausible.

Work on your weaknesses

• You do not have to and cannot be a hero in everything. First of all, it is important to accept this fact. Nevertheless, it can be very helpful to have an idea of ​​many things and to improve on your weaknesses. Give them a name and think about where it makes the most sense to do something.
• Strengths compensate for weaknesses. But if you have the impression that your weaknesses predominate, then your personality becomes unbalanced and this can have psychological consequences. Dissatisfaction with yourself negatively affects your feelings and ultimately your behavior. Work on yourself and never give up. Few things cannot be learned.
• When self-confidence and positive thinking accompany all learning processes, you have a much greater chance of success. Pessimism and lethargy block any opportunity for improvement. So your thoughts are important. Check yourself more often in this regard. In this way, you can minimize your weaknesses and develop your strengths in order to be successful and satisfied with them.

Always remember: the new employer wants to get to know you, not test your character. You are at the job interview under no interrogation, take it easy!

Other authors: Felicitas Schmidt, Anna-Maria Schuster, Sonja Huysecom