When you attend your interview, you can find yourself in a situation where there are questions flying at you - left, right and centre. It can appear unbelievably bewildering. Try to stay focussed as your next few responses may be life changing. I once had an amazing interview that led to one of my most enjoyable jobs...
I had applied to be a teacher at a local preschool, and now sat across a table, being questioned by my prospective boss - the director of the school. "What would you consider your greatest weakness?" she asked, once the intros were made. "I am a very shy person when I initially meet other people," I answered, smiling a little. "It becomes a little detrimental, because it gets misinterpreted as conceited, or a better-than-thou attitude." She agreed and laughed softly. "I have had just the very problem!" She answered. "I have had countless people tell me that they thought I was a witch when they initially met me!" Of course, the "witch" word she was talking about had actually started with a "B".
So, you shouldn't be scared by your weakness and never be frightened of going with the truth. If you tell them what the issues are, you will naturally be more believable and come up with more interesting answers. If you just go with the old faithful answers, such as "I please too many people", then you risk being perceived as false and untrustworthy.
I would never have planned to land my sucker punch answer in the way that it turned out. The head mistress, paused and looked at me for what seemed like an eternity - she then asked me, with her steely cold stare - "If I wanted you to go into a room down the corridor for a few minutes and deal with the children that you didn't know in a room that you were unfamiliar in - what would you do?" I again went with the truth and laughed - I would just go mad with them and start playing hide and seek or something like that!
Amazingly, I was informed later on - after I had been employed as a teacher there for a few months - that the reply I had given to that question was what had landed me the post. Evidently, my strength was the crazy, unabashed manner I could embarrass myself in front of a bunch of kids! Who knew?
Once again, asking coworkers and family for advice on naming your strengths and weaknesses, will give you great insight into your candidacy. Ordinarily, you might have to put up with a little bit of teasing from them - especially when it comes to your weaknesses. Just laugh, and tell them to get serious - it is for a job you are looking into. Be sure, all the same, to limit your strengths and weaknesses to the business you are applying for. An interviewer at the local department store is not concerned with your strength to withstand tickling under your arms, just as much as they are probably not too interested in your weakness for cheese!
I had applied to be a teacher at a local preschool, and now sat across a table, being questioned by my prospective boss - the director of the school. "What would you consider your greatest weakness?" she asked, once the intros were made. "I am a very shy person when I initially meet other people," I answered, smiling a little. "It becomes a little detrimental, because it gets misinterpreted as conceited, or a better-than-thou attitude." She agreed and laughed softly. "I have had just the very problem!" She answered. "I have had countless people tell me that they thought I was a witch when they initially met me!" Of course, the "witch" word she was talking about had actually started with a "B".
So, you shouldn't be scared by your weakness and never be frightened of going with the truth. If you tell them what the issues are, you will naturally be more believable and come up with more interesting answers. If you just go with the old faithful answers, such as "I please too many people", then you risk being perceived as false and untrustworthy.
I would never have planned to land my sucker punch answer in the way that it turned out. The head mistress, paused and looked at me for what seemed like an eternity - she then asked me, with her steely cold stare - "If I wanted you to go into a room down the corridor for a few minutes and deal with the children that you didn't know in a room that you were unfamiliar in - what would you do?" I again went with the truth and laughed - I would just go mad with them and start playing hide and seek or something like that!
Amazingly, I was informed later on - after I had been employed as a teacher there for a few months - that the reply I had given to that question was what had landed me the post. Evidently, my strength was the crazy, unabashed manner I could embarrass myself in front of a bunch of kids! Who knew?
Once again, asking coworkers and family for advice on naming your strengths and weaknesses, will give you great insight into your candidacy. Ordinarily, you might have to put up with a little bit of teasing from them - especially when it comes to your weaknesses. Just laugh, and tell them to get serious - it is for a job you are looking into. Be sure, all the same, to limit your strengths and weaknesses to the business you are applying for. An interviewer at the local department store is not concerned with your strength to withstand tickling under your arms, just as much as they are probably not too interested in your weakness for cheese!
About the Author:
When I was preparing for my interview, I found this really useful website with some great interview advice on it. It was especially useful for doctors and medical students - but really anyone could use it for their interviews - medical interview advice
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