By Ganda Putra
Do you feel like you enter every job interview from a point weakness? When you have job interview weaknesses answers are usually much easier than you realize. Let us look at a few common weaknesses and how you can overcome them.
Job Interviews are Difficult Because You are Shy
The answer you usually get to this weakness is to get over it. That is not very helpful. The real answer is to embrace your discomfort and turn it into strength. If you are feeling shy or uncomfortable during the interview ask the interviewer for a moment. Explain to him you are feeling a bit shy because this job is really important to you. You feel slightly intimidated by his important position and hope you can someday learn to have their level of confidence and poise. You can even mention the fact you often start off shy but blossom when you get to know people.
Taking a moment to explain your weakness instead of letting it to just be an observation of the interviewer turns this weakness into a relative strength. You took action. You explained your behavior. You indicated the solution is already in place.
Your Biggest Weakness is Lack of Experience
In interviews for any competitive position experience can play an important role. Even though this may be one of your job interview weaknesses, answers are probably closer than you think. Experience does not always need to be exact experience. If you are interviewing for a job as a retail manager it does not mean you must have retail management experience.
Have a list of every time you have managed a situation, group, event, or employees. Examples could include managing a little league baseball team. Explain to the interviewer how your skills in determining the strength of each child athlete are similar to evaluating employee strengths. Talk about how you were required to schedule practices and games, communicate to parents, and keep everyone organized. It is the same skills required of a retail manager. Even point out how you researched to buy the baseballs, bats, team uniforms, and other items. It may not be exact experience, but it helps the interviewer understand you know what the job entails and what will be required of you.
You can overcome almost any lack of experience by either acquiring alternative experience, or pointing out similar experiences in your life.
You Were Fired From Your Last Job
One of the most dreaded job interview weaknesses is when you were fired from your last job. With some job interview weaknesses, answers require assertiveness. Beat your interviewer to the question. When you first sit down with the interviewer ask if you can address one problem right away. Bring it to their attention you were terminated from your last job. Tell them about how painful the experience was, and what you have learned. Explain in detail how this has positively affected your life. If you can express how this shocking event has helped you grow into a more reliable employee you will have overcome the perceived weakness.
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With most job interview weaknesses, answerers are as simple as being honest. Do not try to hide the weakness, embrace it and show how you can turn it into a positive.