Your resume made a great impression on the hiring manager, and now it’s time to prepare for the job interview. No matter how many times you’ve sat across the table from a potential employer, interviews are almost always a bit nerve-wracking, especially when they ask the dreaded weaknesses question. Employers ask about your weaknesses to see how well you can handle a difficult question on the spot. Don’t worry. With a little prep and support from the Patriot Talent Solutions team, you will be ready to walk into your IT job interview with confidence and handle the question with ease. Here are our top three tips for answering the question, “What is your greatest weakness?”
#1 Be honest but not too candid.
When answering the weaknesses question, an honest answer is the best answer, but that doesn’t mean you need to overshare. Before your interview, write a list of your professional strengths and weaknesses and separate them into hard and soft skills. Take a look at your weaknesses list and choose which one is associated with the potential IT job but not part of day-to-day activities. For example, if you are applying for a web development position and one of your weaknesses is not stepping out of your comfort zone in networking situations, you can talk about that weakness honestly without causing any concern that you can’t handle the core responsibilities of the task. Keep your answer succinct and mention a few strengths that accompany your weakness. If you are introverted at networking events, you can mention how you tend to listen more than you speak, but you want to get better about actively participating in the conversation.
#2 Talk about a skill you want to enhance.
Your weakness doesn’t have to be a personal trait. Many people default to personal weaknesses when answering this question, but your weakness can be a professional skill you haven’t yet mastered. If you are currently working on learning a new programming language or a new software system, you can talk about this as your weakness and mention the ways you are working to improve your skills. This shows that you are willing to learn, which is a trait employers look for when hiring IT professionals.
#3 End your answer with a question for the interviewer.
Many people start to ramble when they get nervous, especially in a job interview. Plan how you can round out your answer to the weaknesses question by asking a question. Following our two examples above, if you want to improve your networking skills, ask your employer if their company sponsors or actively participates in any local networking organizations. If you want to improve a professional skill, ask if the company offers any professional development or IT training opportunities. Asking a question at the end of your answer will minimize the possibility of the interviewer asking follow-up questions about your weakness, and it shows that you have an interest in learning more about the company.
Remember, the weakness question is just one question in the interview. Don’t let it get the best of you! At Patriot Talent Solutions, we help IT job seekers through every aspect of their job search. If you are an IT professional looking for contract or full-time employment in Tampa, Florida or Knoxville, Tennessee, we would love to chat with you about your career goals and help you take the next step! Contact us today to start the process.