There are certain questions that a candidate knows (or should know) are going to be asked during a job interview. Some of them include facts regarding their previous working experience or education; some others might be related to their field of knowledge as well as their skills.
However, the most asked question during a job interview is probably the following:
“What is Your Greatest Weakness?”
Of course, recruiters are aware that candidates know before-hand that at some point during the interview they will have to deal with that question. Therefore, they have probably prepared the answer at home, so recruiters have other ways to rephrase this question so they catch the candidate off guard.
Here are just some examples:
• Tell me one thing your boss didn’t like about you in your previous job.
• State something about yourself that you would like to improve.
• What do you reckon your strengths and weaknesses are?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
And why do recruiters keep on asking this question?
They basically want to learn four things about you:
1. If you are honest and trust-worthy: If the recruiter sees any signs of lying, be certain you are not going to get the job.
2. Whether you are self-aware of your flaws or not: You should let the recruiter know that you are self-critical and you accept negative feedback.
3. If you are taking steps in order to improve: Are you making an effort to tackle your weaknesses or are you not?
4. If you can deal with unexpected questions or problems: Are you able to react quickly and effectively when facing a problem?
Now that you are aware of the various ways this question may be asked during your job interview and why recruiters ask that over and over again, it is time to know how to answer it.
Basically, there are two possible answers to this question and still be able to land the job afterwards:
1. State a Weakness that DOES NOT Interfere with Your Future Job Duties
One good example for this could be stating that you are not a very analytic person if you are applying to a post for a more “creative” job.
2. State an Actual Weakness that You Are Working Hard To Improve
Briefly mention your weakness and then move on to how you are tackling it and the results you are achieving so far. You can also refer to previous work experience and the lessons that you learnt. For instance, you can explain in few words that you do not like to delegate tasks. However, you ended up getting a leadership role at your previous job that helped you decide which tasks were relevant and which you had to prioritise. Therefore, you learnt how to delegate some responsibilities to your team.
So, now that you know how to deal with this question at your next job interview, why don’t you start applying to some offers? At Europe Language Jobs http://www.europelanguagejobs.com/jobs/ we have hundreds waiting for you.
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Europe Language Jobs http://www.europelanguagejobs.com/ is an exciting job board that specialises in candidates with languages. It forms a meeting point for companies seeking to recruit multilinguals and candidates looking for a challenge abroad. With a presence in 48 countries and offers requiring more than 33 languages, we provide a unique opportunity for motivated young people to work and travel across Europe. Our target is recent graduates and young professionals between 20 and 35 years old, passionate about languages and willing to relocate.
However, the most asked question during a job interview is probably the following:
“What is Your Greatest Weakness?”
Of course, recruiters are aware that candidates know before-hand that at some point during the interview they will have to deal with that question. Therefore, they have probably prepared the answer at home, so recruiters have other ways to rephrase this question so they catch the candidate off guard.
Here are just some examples:
• Tell me one thing your boss didn’t like about you in your previous job.
• State something about yourself that you would like to improve.
• What do you reckon your strengths and weaknesses are?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
And why do recruiters keep on asking this question?
They basically want to learn four things about you:
1. If you are honest and trust-worthy: If the recruiter sees any signs of lying, be certain you are not going to get the job.
2. Whether you are self-aware of your flaws or not: You should let the recruiter know that you are self-critical and you accept negative feedback.
3. If you are taking steps in order to improve: Are you making an effort to tackle your weaknesses or are you not?
4. If you can deal with unexpected questions or problems: Are you able to react quickly and effectively when facing a problem?
Now that you are aware of the various ways this question may be asked during your job interview and why recruiters ask that over and over again, it is time to know how to answer it.
Basically, there are two possible answers to this question and still be able to land the job afterwards:
1. State a Weakness that DOES NOT Interfere with Your Future Job Duties
One good example for this could be stating that you are not a very analytic person if you are applying to a post for a more “creative” job.
2. State an Actual Weakness that You Are Working Hard To Improve
Briefly mention your weakness and then move on to how you are tackling it and the results you are achieving so far. You can also refer to previous work experience and the lessons that you learnt. For instance, you can explain in few words that you do not like to delegate tasks. However, you ended up getting a leadership role at your previous job that helped you decide which tasks were relevant and which you had to prioritise. Therefore, you learnt how to delegate some responsibilities to your team.
So, now that you know how to deal with this question at your next job interview, why don’t you start applying to some offers? At Europe Language Jobs http://www.europelanguagejobs.com/jobs/ we have hundreds waiting for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe Language Jobs http://www.europelanguagejobs.com/ is an exciting job board that specialises in candidates with languages. It forms a meeting point for companies seeking to recruit multilinguals and candidates looking for a challenge abroad. With a presence in 48 countries and offers requiring more than 33 languages, we provide a unique opportunity for motivated young people to work and travel across Europe. Our target is recent graduates and young professionals between 20 and 35 years old, passionate about languages and willing to relocate.