What is Your Biggest Weakness? (Ace this Interview Question!)

[@JeffSu]

So...what is YOUR biggest weakness? Like...honestly 😏 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 What is Your Biggest Weakness? 00:30 Avoid Dealbreaker Weaknesses 01:20 Mention a Skill found in someone senior 02:35 Give a Concrete Example 03:05 Use CARL instead of STAR Method 03:23 Sample Answer for Greatest Weakness Question 04:41 Why This Method Works

[@vivekprajapati4787]

becoming a people person is really tough for me , i worked is insurance sales and failed , Any method to resolve this?? Great content by the way

[@JeffSu]

@@vivekprajapati4787 You can position yourself as someone who thinks more about what action to take rather than reacting instantly to something (i.e. don't just say "I'm not a people person:"). You might also consider looking for roles where you can work independently!

[@aguynamedandre350]

A weakness I’ve shared in that past is my level of perfectionism. When designing or developing a site, I would spend quite a bit of time on it and I could potential come close to communicate deadlines. Thoughts?

[@JeffSu]

@@aguynamedandre350 I think it’s a good answer! You could also mention you dive too much into the specifics instead of using the word “perfectionism” since that could be misconstrued as a humble brag

[@JeffSu]

@patrick pierre That's a great idea Patrick! Thanks for sharing!

[@zoranrajner6228]

Quick note, I'm an Engineer: "It could be said I sometimes suffer from impostor syndrome. Sometimes I don't feel confident I'm qualified for my position or some new task I have been given. Luckily until now I had supervisors who were confident in my abilities and I always managed to finish what was required. Just needed a small push. With time I realized that I am quite capable handling tasks that seem overwhelming, but I need a bit of time to sort my head out."

[@JeffSu]

Wow, this is a fantastic answer! Thanks for sharing Zoran!

[@tristan6773]

“I lack leadership experience” “I have a hard time say no when people ask for help. this can sometimes overwhelm me” “I focus on every details and this can sometimes cause me stress when a project has tight deadlines” those are my favorites

[@JeffSu]

Those are some great ones Tristan! 😁

[@AgentMaayan]

This is a great breakdown! I always like phrasing it in a positive way, like "something I'm currently working on improving is..." and "I actually think this role could be a great place for me to keep improving in this field because..." to not only give the sense I know what my weaknesses are, but showcase how I'm using my current situation as a learning experience and how I believe I can continue to grow and improve in the role I'm applying for.

[@JeffSu]

Oh I LOVE how you put this: ""I actually think this role could be a great place for me to keep improving in this field because..." What a GREAT way to phrase it Maayan! Thanks for your input!!

[@brantlers]

The best answer to this I’ve seen. Calling out the fake non-answers is great. “i WoRk ToO mUcH” - yeah right.

[@JeffSu]

Hahaha thank yo u😁

[@Patriotusa44]

My weakness is sometimes feeling overwhelmed by a bunch of things to remember. An example of this was when I did not meet the minimum requirements for a warehouse worker at Lowe's as I felt overwhelmed at the beginning having to learn where product went but, due to the ability to learn rapidly, I was able to not only meet the minimum requirements but go even beyond. Not long after, I was confident enough to ask the Manager if I could come in early by myself to clear out the required space for our team in the back as it could take time to do so. They agreed and it proved to be such a success that they let me keep doing it. That company had an app to measure efficiency due to how many people are there and how much stuff the truck had. When we were done with the truck, we would get a score and so many times it was above %100. Like 121..142..130...and the best time turned out to be %189. Definitely one of the moments I am so proud of and now I look forward to bringing the many skills and lessons I learned from that place to your company here. This is what I thought about

[@rm5700]

Answering with a task that is a little above your level and that you're not expected to have mastered yet is genius! Thank you! I looked at a posted job description for the same company for a position 2 or 3 levels higher and contrasted it with the job description for the position I was interviewing for. I could quickly see some options for things I don't know yet but would like to learn. Bonus is that this answer shows the motivation to grow professionally. Thanks!

[@JeffSu]

you're welcome and good luck! 😁

[@emmi4638]

"I have noticed that sometimes I give too complicated instructions, but now I have paid attention to give them step-by-step. I have noticed that people are understanding then better."

[@JeffSu]

That works!

[@TheeLeeSwank]

“that’s a pretty strong answer, even if i do say so *myself*” wow, he’s brilliant, handsome, AND punny.

[@TheeLeeSwank]

“ that’s a pretty strong answer, even if i do say so *myself* “ wow, he’s brilliant, handsome, AND punny.

[@JeffSu]

You have no idea 😉

[@bealsprings]

This an excellent video, Jeff. I wrote an answer using CARL and your example as I took notes on your video. Thank you for the work you doing and the content you are providing.

[@JeffSu]

Thanks! Best of luck with your interviews 😁

[@MarielaInoaC]

A recommendation that I heard a few months ago is that it's better to avoid weaknesses that are related to your personality because those are kind of hard to change, maybe? 🤷‍♀️ So choosing a weakness related to a software or skill that you could learn is better, for instance "I'm not good at using Excel, but I started to take this course and blah blah..." (Of course, this only works if Excel is not a must have skill for the work that you'll be doing).

[@JeffSu]

Yup! That's a great point Mariela! Thanks for sharing 😁

[@ImprovementGang]

Nice! I just had a few mock interviews in school with a company's HR and this is good to note for some people. Mentioning the deal-breakers is key. Saying that there is no weaknesses just makes you sus; just make sure that the solution to the weakness is relatively easy to swallow. Tip: add as many numbers as you can like years of experience or results as it gives an assessment of your competency

[@JeffSu]

Great point!! Thanks for the input 😁😁

[@kristenzavo]

Ex consultant here! Great tips - I agree that it's bad advice to use a "fake" weakness; hiring managers see right through it.

[@JeffSu]

Glad to hear an expert vouch for this 😁

[@ryandanielclave9135]

Wow. I didn't know this. I have an upcoming interview and this would be my first formal job experience ever. My first formal interview also so I am pretty nervous. The pressure is also on as I desperately need a job. What was on my script for this question is: 'Sometimes I am having a hard time to manage my time. To overcome this, I started to hold a monthly and weekly planning to organize my tasks.'

[@JeffSu]

Best of luck!!!

[@JoaoSantos-qc4jm]

Hey Jeff! I really appreciate your videos and your succint and gentle way to breakdown the explanation. I'm preparing myself to a potential interview for a role that I've applied for (or for the next ones) and your videos are being crucial for me. Already made my resume and LinkedIn profile update based on your tips (already followed you in LinkedIn :-)) I'll keep you posted as soon as I have any updates on that job interview because I've seen so many of your videos that I already consider you as a close friend (I'm also reviewing your videos to practice my English as this is not my mother langue as well and your diction is damn good). Greetings from Brazil and have a great week.

[@JeffSu]

Wooohooo best of luck with the interviews João Santos!! I'm sure you're going to do great! Stay safe in Brazil!!

[@DemetriPanici]

Definitely was always concerned I was answering this wrong. Great stuff Jeff!

[@JeffSu]

Now you know you won't give a wrong answer again 😉

[@RonzuRerose]

A year late, but i think one of my weaknesses is my constant energy zone. I struggle with adhd but im able to focus my attention on work that interest me, like if i want to know the process of something or how exactly it works, i’ll sit there and study it until i figure it out and thats where all of this excess energy goes to.

[@JeffSu]

That's a perfectly fine answer! Although you might not want to say you can "only" focus on things that interest you (since all jobs have a boring component)

[@ushnishchakravarty]

I just honestly say in an interview that my excitement and nervousness kills me and I m constantly trying to improve on it. The way of covering up with a small and relevant example is a nice way of saying the entire stuff without have to pour every bit of information. Nice way of avoiding extra questions from interviewer and giving ourselves much more time to focus on other thing. Overall, I got a new idea of telling this answer. Thanks Jeff! Cheers!

[@JeffSu]

Yes great points there Ushnish! 😁

[@wyldeman0O7]

"In my past position I was in charge of hiring people, I tend to see the best in people, to a fault really. I would put a lot of effort into the success of my new hires. Sometimes it wouldn't work out but I would try very hard to make them succeed. This would sometimes reflect on me less than optimal but I would always be seen as motivational to my trainees"

[@JeffSu]

Good answer, but also give an example of how this played out!

[@alliecat889]

Hi jeff, thank you for the video. i was going to talk about how i get nervous in high pressure situations and i've taken steps to work on improving this such as practicing with a mentor and a peer. doing this has helped me maintain my focus, ensuring that i'm able to stay calm.

[@JeffSu]

That works! 😁

[@morpheus1530]

Interviewer: What are your weaknesses? Me- I don't think I have any Hired.

[@JeffSu]

Dam. I should have just said that

[@xYewtubeAccountx]

Great video! My personal weakness is sometimes I'll have trouble answering technical questions either from colleagues or clients on the spot and I need time to think about it. It's one of those things I overthink since I want to be careful with my words. So I need to work on trusting my expertise but at the same time if a question genuinely needs some research, I'll say 'Good question! Let me get back to you on that one'.

[@JeffSu]

That's a good answer!

[@megandesrochers1637]

This is spot on for me, too! I tend to put pressure on myself to know it all, right off the bat. Be able to answer on the fly. I've been reassuring myself that it's ok to say that you need more time to research/mull it over/test. I'd rather give a thorough answer than rushed.

[@JeffSu]

@@megandesrochers1637 Love this!

[@mamaloveshercats]

Wish I saw your video sooner... 🥺 Great video! Thank you so much!

[@JeffSu]

I wish you did too 😉

[@frederikdyrup8062]

Hey Jeff, love your videos use them a lot. One of the weaknesses I have is my dyslexic, but I always say that it is one of my strengths, because for me it has make me a bigger work house and I always know that I have to put the extra mile in relative to my other co-workers

[@JeffSu]

Sounds good Frederik!

[@Patriotusa44]

I have an idea for an answer. One of my weaknesses is that I can feel overwhelmed with work if there are many steps to follow. Now when I first joined one of my previous jobs, I felt that way and was not meeting the minimum requirements of work. Despite it, I have the ability to Learn very quickly and I turned that job from not meeting the requirements to now even going beyond them. A little over a year later, I even volunteered to come in two hours earlier to clear out space in the back for the newer members to come in and then being to get right to work unloading trucks. That business had an app that measured the efficiency of the group and, depending on the amount of stuff in the truck and people working it, it gave an score when the job was complete. With how I was able to learn rapidly, I was able to work efficiently enough to get scores so many times above %100. Like 120..125..130.. and one time our best ever efficiency was 189. So I used my ability to quickly learn to turn not meeting requirements to a system that I volunteered for in coming a little early myself and this system was successful enough that the business continued to let me keep doing it.

[@riril6715]

After discovering your channel I'm gonna watch EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! They are so helpful and so much better than Stanford's career support :'(

[@JeffSu]

Hahaha I'm sure Stanford's career center is just as (if not) better! But thank you Erica, let me know how you find my videos 😁

[@CJ-03g]

This was a great video. I learned a lot and took several notes. Thank you so much for your insights. My biggest weakness is I have a tendency to doubt myself.

[@JeffSu]

Best of luck! And be confident in yourself, you got this 😁

[@Edg5mx]

This is the answer I give: In the most recent experience at !!!, they really focus on measuring the performance of the employees, they use several metrics to gauge the efficiency of the employee. I recall that they mentioned that I have to be more Consistent and less impatient, know when to defer tasks in order to prioritize, with their feedback I did an effort to be more detailed oriented, be more assertive, and to prioritize better my duties.

[@JeffSu]

That's a good answer Em! Sounds very honest! Make sure to give a concrete example too :)

[@Edg5mx]

@@JeffSu thank u so much

[@charanjeetkaurlabana1883]

Hey Jeff thanks for being my guru in this job search journey. Watching your vids and linkedin posts have helped me learn so much and be more confident. Thanks for offering so much high quality, meaningful, applicable, no BS content for freeeeeee. I’m sure I’ll owe my first job to you whenever I have it! So coming to the negtives, My mind tends to come up with negative scenarios first and point towards errors quickly rather than focusing on positives first. Could also be bcuz I have OCD. I wonder if thats a negative worth highlighting.

[@JeffSu]

Thanks for the kind comment Charanjeet! Regarding your question it's probably safer to stick with something professional-related, but that's just my 2 cents!

[@aileenmakesthings]

Hi @charanjeetkaurlabana1883, this may be a little late to comment, but I just wanted to say that my husband does the same thing - he comes up with everything that could go wrong first, but as an engineer, he sees it as part of his job to find where the weakness in the plan are or where things could fall apart, where the stress points are so that he can anticipate potential problems. You may want to think of your weaknesses as strengths and being prepared.

[@ScipioHun]

My greatest strength is my communication skill, and my weakness is to keep this strength "under control". So not to dominate my partner in a conversation. I am a bad listener. I think this approach is also very safe, because the recruiter will see you know yourself very well and you apply self-auditing. I think self-auditing is the skill of higher educated or intelligent people.

[@JeffSu]

Thanks for sharing!

[@eggrollin]

Thanks I actually have a second interview with a company today!

[@JeffSu]

WOOHOOO CONGRATS! AND BEST OF LUCK MY FRIEND 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@parimadloo3780]

You are the best jeff. Thanks for this wonderful content you creating.

[@JeffSu]

My mom tells me the same thing 😏. You're very welcome Pari!

[@jmhopejm]

Thanks for your awesome video (as always) Jeff 😀 So how I would answer this question: I would highlight that something I am working on is my public speaking skills. Due to my introverted nature, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed when having to speak to strangers/large crowds. Actions I take to improve myself: I read books on how to develop confidence and public speaking skills, watch TED Talks and take note of some of the things I feel are really well done by certain speakers. I also try to proactively take part in new projects and initiative outside of work (e.g. extracurricular activities during my time in uni) to use the chance to practice and speak with confidence. As a result: my friends and family around me notice my increased confidence and comfort in speaking up and projecting confidence. Through this experience, I learnt that sometimes, the best way to improve is to constantly practice.

[@JeffSu]

That's a REALLY good answer Hope! The only thing I would add is say how you practiced in a work environment along with a concrete example (doesn't have to be successful, you just need to mention something specific)!

[@jmhopejm]

@@JeffSu Thanks Jeff! OK to substantiate, maybe a concrete example would be how I volunteered to present the weekly findings/press coverage reports done during the course of my internship, in the process learning to hone my presentation and speaking skills.

[@JeffSu]

@@jmhopejm yup!

[@Linda-pk3fz]

When I ask my bosses about my weakness or what I can aprove, they've always say the same thing: that I doubt myself to much and low self esteem. If feels hard to bring that up on a interview thought, because you are supposed to be confident.

[@JeffSu]

The key is to show you're actively working on it

[@lucas_teo]

Perfect! I'm preparing for an interview that's on this Friday!

[@JeffSu]

oh AWESOME. BEST OF LUCK LUCAS!!!

[@lucas_teo]

@@JeffSu Thank you!

[@JeffSu]

@@lucas_teo Anytime!

[@Traumatised311]

Your channel is so so helpful Keep up the good work Jeff

[@JeffSu]

Glad to hear it! Thank you for the kind words 😁😁

[@andrea_dong]

This was really eye-opening :o I never thought about giving a senior skill as a weakness! Gonna keep this in mind, thanks Jeff! Funny enough, I was quite unprepared during the interview for my current internship so when asked that question, I I just directly told them what I considered to be my biggest weakness which is that I’m quite introverted so I tend to avoid conflict and people but thrive off of online interactions 😂 guess honesty paid off? Or maybe it just helped that the department I applied to mainly used email to communicate with clients haha

[@JeffSu]

Honesty does pay off haha, don't doubt the power of being up front and transparent 😁

[@janellee1349]

Hey Jeff! Thanks so much for posting this video!! :) I commented previously about my struggle with this question, and Im so glad you made a video about it. Please keep up the amazing work that you do!! :)

[@JeffSu]

Hahaha yes I remembered there was someone who asked for this! Glad you came across this video Janel 😁

[@rigosalazar8907]

I want to work in corrections but one of my biggest weaknesses is report writing how can I word this out if I was asked “what’s your biggest weakness ?” Thanks really enjoy watching your videos !

[@JeffSu]

You want to include as much information as possible (be detail-oriented) but you struggle with summarizing the top 3 highlights

[@kellyy3722]

Just discover your channel. Love your content❤️ gonna binge watch other videos as well :)

[@JeffSu]

I'm glad you're here Kelly! Thank you and let me know if you have any questions!

[@emperorfrozenbillrulerofan8767]

Hey Jeff. For weaknesses, I was planning to talk about my self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Basically me being concerned about if what I'm doing is good enough.

[@JeffSu]

That's good, feel free to back it up with specific examples

[@56038ymw]

Once I answered that my weakness is getting too hanging on a project and let go. unfortunately the hiring manager said there's constant change in their company and they are looking for candidates who are more adaptable 😅

[@JeffSu]

Ah I'm sorry to hear that! But hey, at least it was a learning experience right?

[@56038ymw]

@@JeffSu true. this interview question is definitely the most difficult one for me and I still haven't had a perfect answer yet.

[@tejasnakhate]

Thanks Jeff! Big help!

[@JeffSu]

You're very welcome Tejas 😁

[@Christian-ql4vw]

Wow great way to respond.

[@JeffSu]

Thanks 😁

[@w.w.sakbeh571]

Nice suit 🐧 and good advice. Loved the example. Thank you.

[@JeffSu]

Thank you! I've had this suit for...5 years now and it's held up pretty well 😁

[@bangkokbite]

As usual, loved your energy and smile 😆 Have a great one.

[@JeffSu]

Hahaha thank you JING 😁😁, you too!

[@Timanator]

Great videos man, you are killing it!

[@JeffSu]

Thank you my friend 😁

[@anjumanalam]

Glad you brought these kinds of videos back 👌

[@JeffSu]

Me too 😉

[@viewpointRG]

I usually say I over-analyze and I am learning to take a step back and look at the greater goal at hand, understanding there's a time and place for thoroughness. Should I change it?

[@JeffSu]

That sounds good to me! You want to back that up with a specific and meaningful example!

[@lordsparky4020]

Thanks for the vid Jeff! Perfect timing too 👌 as always superb vids and looking forward to more 😎

[@JeffSu]

Thanks mate! You got interviews coming up? 😁

[@lordsparky4020]

@@JeffSu no.. but a friend of mine does so I will recommend this vid for sure along with the other vids you made on interviews. 👍

[@JeffSu]

@@lordsparky4020 Ah got it. Well I hope your friend lands the job!! 😁

[@lordsparky4020]

@@JeffSu thank you !!

[@myung-giji1409]

Thanks very much for this great video. Two days later I will have an interview with Meta. Hopefully, I will get good results :)

[@JeffSu]

Good luck! Let me know how it goes Myung-Gi 😁

[@myung-giji1409]

@@JeffSu Unfortunately, I didn't get offer :( They said they will let me know when the job that will start in August is posted. I guess they want person who can work it right away.. or not, maybe some other reasons :( so sad.

[@JeffSu]

@@myung-giji1409 I'm sorry to hear that!! But hey, chin up, this could be a blessing in disguise. Keep going 😁

[@myung-giji1409]

@@JeffSu Thanks for your words!! :)

[@clarissadasilveiraesilva6387]

I have a private folder on KZbin called "Jeff Su" 😂 - love your tips!

[@JeffSu]

Hahahahaha NICE

[@asgharandish3865]

We can also mention the skills, as our weakness, that are not relevant to the job we are being interviewed for.

[@JeffSu]

Yes that's a great point! Thanks for the input Asghar! 😁

[@JMS98989]

Loving this snappy lil vid! Hope you are ok! 💙

[@JeffSu]

Thanks James! I'm starting off 2022 pretty well so far, how about yourself?

[@rfrancoi]

Great information as usual Sir.

[@JeffSu]

Thank you 😁😁

[@anao.s.6404]

Hi Jeff!! Just found out about your channel and watching all of your videos as I prepare for behavioral interviews. Looking at your example, wouldn't "lack of confidence" hurt you if you are applying for a Sales role or a role where you have to present often?

[@JeffSu]

Yes, that's why you want to be selective about the weakness/example you give 😁

[@erinwalker9173]

If I'm not applying for a management position but I have management experience, could I say, "I have been working on giving more freedom to those who work under my supervision. Recognizing those who need more guidance and those who do better work with more freedom is a skill I'm still honing."

[@JeffSu]

That's a great answer Erin! It implies that you're still not super comfortable with delegating but you're working on it 😁

[@omnamha]

Hi Jeff, I am going to have an interview on Friday morning for a Workplace Trainer job. could you please help to come up with a weakness that I could mention in the job interview? love your videos and hoping to get a answer from you. regards and love from Australia.

[@JeffSu]

What skills would your manager need to their his/her job?

[@omnamha]

She is the operation manager of the company and she is going to interview me.

[@JeffSu]

@@omnamha then you might want to mention a weakness unrelated to and not expected of someone in operations

[@ANKITPAREKH-w5x]

Hi Jeff, Would it be ok, if I answer this question as: I am lacking the ability to say No to my Seniors & due to this I am taking some extra burden, quite a few times which is affecting my performance some times. I am working towards it to say No in a positive manner when my plate is already full.

[@JeffSu]

Sounds good, just need to refine it a little bit!

[@ANKITPAREKH-w5x]

@@JeffSu Thanks Jeff :)

[@Ed_Jones2]

Jeff, this is GOLD

[@JeffSu]

Glad to hear it Edward! Let me know how your interview(s) go!

[@Ed_Jones2]

@@JeffSu went well used this method today and it was well received. Used the senior level responsibility with a couple of examples. GOLD!!!

[@vishals742]

Hi Jeff, Great video, you are doing some exceptional work here. Indeed this is very helpful Appreciate it. Please help me with my ans. My Weakness is Delegation. I always felt that if you want to do something right, you do it by yourself. I had never handled a team before, and this became a huge educational exp for me in many different ways. I realized I was slowing things down and the task was taking much time and we were spending too much time on One project. So I went up to my manager for feedback of the first quarter and On the basis of his feedback, I created an Action list 1) I collaborated with my team and asked for their feedback. 2) I signed up for a Management skill training course for the next 2 quarters. I went on to learn a lot and could see a huge change in our approach and results. though I still believe this is a work in progress but I can happily see a positive change in my approach.

[@JeffSu]

This is a really good answer! Only feedback I'd say is work on the "Learnings" part a bit more and give some concrete thoughts as opposed to a vague "im still working on it"

[@alexalbaugh8829]

I was recently laid off from a company so I am finding your videos very helpful, thank you! I am curious on your thoughts of this answer (or something similar to this): I am a person who has a great sense of urgency and needs to jump on a situation or project right away because I don't like things hanging around to be completed. A weakness would be that I can sometimes get frustrated with people who don't share the same sense of urgency and take longer to begin a task at hand, or fail to communicate with the invested parties in a quick manor" and then explain I don't show the frustration or create conflict but just that I expect others to work with a sense of urgency.

[@JeffSu]

So it's probably safer to talk about a weakness that doesn't shift the "blame" on others (trust me I empathize with you, I hate people who are inefficient). So you would probably want to phrase your answer around how you can better cater to others, and you are working on "coaching" or teaching them instead of being frustrated with them

[@vincenzovangone5768]

Hello for a senior channel manager (food beverage market) which weakness you suggest?

[@JeffSu]

What's a skill your boss has that you don't? Use that one :)

[@parimadloo3780]

incredible content! Thanks jeff

[@JeffSu]

You're very welcome my friend 😁

[@airasupe2182]

Hi Jeff! Do u think I will sound pretentious if I say that I overthink too much as a weakness? It's like a subtle way of saying that I focus too much in details that it affects my productivity (w/c is true) let me know, I'm preparing for a behavioral interview, wish me luck! 🤞

[@JeffSu]

Depends on the story you give! You need to make it realistic and show it has definitely "hurt" you professional but you are bouncing back from it 😁

[@ggmu7992]

Hi Jeff , great video thanks... I have an interview lined up wiht a FAANG company and am planning to give the below 2 weaknesses would you be able to share your thoughts? Thanks 1. Delegation. I have recently been promoted to a more senior role and in of our presentations i have noticed an error while presenting to the stakeholders. Ever since i have been pretty thorough in investigating reports submitted by my junior engineer and sometimes avoided handling him more complex tasks . And as we are doign more and more of this reporting, i am slowly trying to get the Junior more skilled and start to devleop more trust by assigning smaller tasks and appreciating when doign well. 2. Another weakness that I am aware of personally is i sometimes tend to struggle with workplace politics. Maybe i am being too naive but I do not take credit for the good work that me and my team do and sometimes just expecting them to appreciate without me communicating. Nowadays i am working on communicating some of our achievements through regular interaction and explain some of the complex issues we had to solve the problem .

[@JeffSu]

I think the first one makes more sense since noone can avoid workplace politics completely. Good luck 😁

[@ggmu7992]

@@JeffSu thanks for your response and your videos Jeff. I have been shortlisted by the HM and moved to the final interview with an Assistant Director. One such question the HM asked (TPM role) which blew my mind was to rate my Project Management skills out of 10 ( I thought for a few seconds and ended up going with 8 with the intention that I couldn't go much lower based on my exp and did not want to get filtered out because my metric would be too low compared to the rest of the candidates interviewing) . He looked at me in disbelief when I said 8 but I tried to justify why I thought so. Let's hope all goes well in one final round.

[@rohanshah959]

Hi Jeff Thanks for this video. Do you the example given in the video can be used when you are trying to apply for a consultant role where it would be client facing role and we discuss with the client on different aspects ? Before watching the video I was thinking about putting my weakness such as “I’m not very good at giving people feedback.” or “I find it hard saying no to people.” Can you please share your thoughts on this ?

[@danielyan2802]

Hi Jeff, Thank you so much for your mind-blowing advice! I'm wondering whether "the worst possibilities would always first come to my mind when being given work that I'm not that familiar with" is a deal-breaker or not for a business analyst role. Thank you!

[@JeffSu]

That's a great answer actually, but you want to spin it in a way that your "paranoia" isn't affecting the end outcome

[@danielyan2802]

@@JeffSu gotcha! I suddenly got to know how to wisely organize my answer! Thanks a million!

[@kyhawkeye]

How to best display to an employer that, although I'm an adult with ADHD, I can use that 'disability' in a positive manner (intense focus on projects, energetic approach) that doesn't set off massive sirens?

[@JeffSu]

Give specific examples where it resulted in a positive quantifiable impact! 😁

[@mahaanwar6312]

Such an informational video! This is how I usually answer the question: 1) Speak about my biggest weakness, in my case since I am a fresher I speak about the lack of leadership experience I have 2) Specify what I've been doing to combat this, such as asking my manager if I could lead a very small part of the current project 3) Share the result of my efforts to combat the weakness, i.e how well was I able to lead that part of the project by mentioning numeric values. What do you think about this, Jeff? :)

[@JeffSu]

That is almost a PERFECT answer Maha! Depending on time, after 3) you can talk about what you would do differently during the NEXT small project you get to lead!

[@mahaanwar6312]

@@JeffSu Noted, thank you Jeff!

[@klarazymonova7057]

Can I mention as my biggest weakness low self esteem? I am applying for Event Coordinator job in english speaking country which is not my original language. That is why I am a bit shy and not confident in comparison to natives.

[@JeffSu]

I'd recommend against that since Event Coordinator usually means you'll be interacting with a lot of different parties (internal and external) so low self esteem might negatively impact your chances of landing the job

[@SirTheo89]

Hi. As a mechanical design engineer would it be ok to use communication skills as a weakness? I am at an acceptable level but not a great one

[@JeffSu]

Yup that works!

[@califordamax]

Is being too perfectionist/ocd on steroids when it comes to details, a good weakness? To the point that i help out on a project/task even if it's not assigned to me.

[@JeffSu]

Depends on the story you tell

[@califordamax]

@@JeffSu getting my answers ready by tomorrow's interview

[@i_Arshdeep_Singh]

What was you answer can y share it​@@califordamax

[@Anonymous-ym6st]

how about weakness as "concise communication for internal people"? context: I am pretty senior and interviewing for both high level engineers as well as manager roles. One feedback I got recently I really feel reasonable is that I should also do concise communication even with my internal team members (I do good when communicating outside, but tend to speak more to internally in hope it would help provide more context for them - they always tell me they want more context but it does not always work well as they understand it). But how about saying this in interview given my roles?

[@Anonymous-ym6st]

also how about "Being hesitant to speak up or advocate for yourself"? and the improvement is to advocate for team instead of myself?

[@JeffSu]

That's a good one!

[@bobbyblankson2715]

Hi Jeff. I’m not sure you will be able to see this. But if you do please let me know if i can say that my biggest weakness is that i find it hard to give feedback on senior level colleagues like my manager. Thank you

[@JeffSu]

You can totally say your biggest weakness is not being confident enough to voice disagreements, but you have to support that with a story whereby you show you're working on it!

[@bobbyblankson2715]

Thanks a lot Jeff 🙏🏾

[@JeffSu]

@@bobbyblankson2715 You're welcome!

[@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7]

my biggest weakness is writing about myself. BOOM. Has zero to do with my ability to do my job for whomever. ... and also supports why I have my face in your videos.

[@JeffSu]

Hahahaha that's a good answer too! Don't forget to give a specific example!

[@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7]

@@JeffSu I'm my own worst cheerleader. 🤷‍♂️

[@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7]

@@JeffSu is there a better example ? Any suggestions ?

[@sawsankadbieh7673]

Hi, i wanted to ask, how you find this answer. What ist your biggest weakness? Well. Sometimes I have too many ideas at once. While this can lead to creativity and innovation, it can also make it challenging to focus and prioritise. I try to manage this by reading books on productivity like „Getting Things Done“ by David Allen. Through the books I’ve read, I’ve picked up a lot of techniques and tools. For example, I keep an ideas journal where I jot down all my thoughts. Later, I review and organize them based on priority and feasibility. Now this is helping me to filter out some of these ideas and determine how to prioritize projects. But of course, I’m always open to any coaching.

[@JeffSu]

That's a good answer!

[@SergioTrujillo11]

CPG brand management. Weakness: have only managed a team of up to 4 marketers. Opportunity to build out this skill set and take responsibility for larger teams. Reframe?

[@JeffSu]

Perhaps focus on why you think managing a team of 4 is a weakness

[@antygona-iq8ew]

What about decision making related to team working process ( information analyst role).

[@JeffSu]

What is the specific weakness you're referring to?

[@antygona-iq8ew]

@@JeffSu I seek to consult my boss on certain "decisions" to make sure, she is fine with the way I want to proceed. I give you an example, currently I work in administration, i was asked to ensure the correctness of particular staff records but there was not reference what's so ever to do this. I was told that the reference, I wanted to use can be trusted to be correct and I should not use it. She actually was a bit upset I suggested those. Going further, to my knowledge the only way to make sure I have correct records, was to either email HR team or email every employee directly and ask them to confirm the information I needed. ( purely job related, not confidential). What come a bit unprofessional as we should know what I was going to ask about. When I started to talk about this, she told me is not hers but mine job and hr has nothing to do with this and I should not email employees but try otherwise to check the records. I really exhausted possibilities. Nevertheless after few similar conversation I feel a bit stuck when is coming to proceed with action that involve people outside of my division. I think, my real problem is to be able to judge when to involve my boss and when to not or to evaluate how the action will reflect on the admin team.

[@JeffSu]

@@antygona-iq8ew you summarized it pretty well Leo. You might want say you’re a bit over eager, so sometimes you might not know you should have consulted your boss until it’s too late

[@antygona-iq8ew]

@@JeffSu thank you:-)

[@jaredwilson7460]

That’s a very long winded answer! 😂 lol

[@JeffSu]

I try to keep it within 2.5 minutes 😁

[@jerichodahilan]

I think my biggest weakness is having little to no tolerance to people's bs 🤣

[@JeffSu]

Hahahahaha I think we all think some version of that inside 😉

[@nicoleyu7710]

My biggest weakness is chocolate, Happy holiday!

[@JeffSu]

Hahahaha that's mine too 😂

[@joyboy6535]

Lol give us short examples ? that last one was a whole essay 😅

[@JeffSu]

Any answer less than 2 minutes would be okay 😁

[@vinay.jacobsinfrarao8032]

🔥💯👍

[@JeffSu]

🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@matpikachu]

So does that mean you are answering the question without really answering b/c you're answering what weakness you don't have in a higher position (that you are not interviewing for)?

[@JeffSu]

Hi Matthew! I would you're definitely answering the question as long as you are trying to make concrete steps in improving yourself regarding the skill you don't have. For example right now one of my very real weaknesses is managing large teams. It's not expected of me, but I'd like to know how to effectively manage a large team. Does that make sense?

[@matpikachu]

@@JeffSu Yes, thanks!

[@JakeMcClake2]

This question is FAR more of a lie detector, than anything else. In short, the interviewer, will be very skeptical of any answer you give them, that even remotely resembles some kind of attempt to hide the truth. The interviewer has heard all the lies before and has some idea when someone is lying. So you need to think about this question before you get into the interview, and be as honest as possible. Also, it is an opportunity to explain what you are doing regarding this weakness. Explain, how has this weakness dominated, and changed your view of things, in an attempt to create a new you. You are telling the interviewer, that you know about the weakness, and are attempting to change or minimize it. Above all, you need to emphasize your honesty and thoughtfulness.

[@JeffSu]

Great points there Jake!!

[@anthonywang393]

Jeff I got that sweater too from the black Friday deal nvm not that important thanks for sharing

[@JeffSu]

wait what sweater 😂

[@Traumatised311]

There is a proffesionsl Coursera course on corporate email writing 🤐🤐🤐🤐

[@JeffSu]

Wait what

[@Traumatised311]

@@JeffSu , yup Employers now judge you on the basis of your email id and name in email id And how good you're at email writing 🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐

[@xyfd04814]

It’s so hard for me.

[@JeffSu]

How so? 😧

[@xyfd04814]

@@JeffSu but I should never give up, your videos helped me a lot, especially the LinkedIn section, I appreciate it.

[@Kian_Mah]

Do I have to say my *biggest* weakness? Or just one weakness?

[@JeffSu]

The trick is to share a safe weakness but convince the interviewer that's your biggest weakness 😁

[@ZeonBe]

I will copy everything lol

[@JeffSu]

Sounds great! Best of luck 😁

[@Rutuja_K3]

Junior financial analyst....what shld i say...

[@JeffSu]

What qualities does your boss have that you don't?

[@tomitmy9886]

two days? thats plenty of time

[@JeffSu]

😁

[@clementperdana290]

Thanks, Jeff. I'm always not sure to answer this question. So here is my plan on answering it. I was thinking of talking about my inability to multi-task, then sharing how I handled it by breaking down the task to focus on one minor task at a time, finish it quickly and then move on to the next. It will look like multi-tasking for a more extended period. Breaking down the task also trains me to set milestones better by learning which job can be done faster and which needs more time. !t would be great if you can comment on it. Thanks!

[@JeffSu]

This is actually a great way to go about it! Although you might not want to say "inability" since that means you really can't. But it's obvious to me you're working on improving it! Make sure to give a specific concrete example though!

[@AlternativeTakes]

can i say my weakness is that i am bad at interviewing lol

[@JeffSu]

You probably want to stay away from that answer haha

[@DanKeeley]

this is such a garbage quesiton to ask as an interviewer tho. If they do ask it, it's generally a red flag, and a sign that they havent prepared and/or it's just a pipeline of interviews and they're just doing the same thing day in day out. also not good!

[@JeffSu]

I guess we gotta hate the game, not the player 😂

[@tasty_ai]

Was expecting more of a quality answer. Sorry but this is not as good as other videos....

[@JeffSu]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@jdsheleg8332]

What a bunch of nonsense. Nothing but cliches. "I am so shy" "I don't like to speak in public"! Please, come up with better examples. There is a lot of people out there that are simply solid candidates, who can actually can perform better than the person who is going to be his boss. There is nothing negative about that.

[@JeffSu]

Thanks for the feedback 😁

[@akmikki3251]

wtf if wrong with you HR people.. why do you expect everyday people to be HR professionals?

[@JeffSu]

I'm not in HR though 😂

[@akmikki3251]

@@JeffSu You might as well be 🤣

[@rudrajaiswara9851]

1st

[@JeffSu]

Yesss!! 😁