What is your greatest weakness? (-_-;;;)

"What is your greatest weakness?"

I hate going to interviews and being asked this question. I am so unsure of my answer that I change it almost every single time.

I still haven't concocted an answer that is both honest and flattering.
What would you guys answer?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

"Being asked a particularly challenging question in an interview."

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Are we talking strictly work-world?

If so, I'd have to say my greatest weakness is distraction.

It's not a HUGE weakness, but I am easily distracted into other duties and tasks which sometimes makes it difficult to focus on one task for very long if I am inundated with other tasks.

It can effect my efficiency sometimes, but it's really not something that concerns me too much. A break from a task every now and again is GOOD for my productivity.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

"Kryptonite"

If they can't take a joke, then fuck 'em.

Most amazing jew boots

Sometimes I have a hard time accepting something is good enough and I want to perfect it.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Cheese.

Seriously, though, distraction is a pretty good answer. I just think too much, leading me to think about things unrelated to what I'm working on or supposed to be working on.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'm sort of a perfectionist, and that's come up to bite me in the ass in the past. Like RacinReaver, if I don't think something is good enough I will work on it to make it as perfect as possible, especially if it's school or work related. This is why I never worked well on group projects in grade school. My classmates were always like, "this is shit but we'll pass" and I was always the one going, "NO! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

A close second is that I'm very indecisive. I have extreme difficulty making some of the simplest decisions, yet at the same time I'll make decisions on really important crap without a second thought sometimes.

FELIPE NO

Standing up for myself.

I can do it when it's work related, or something not emotional. But when it comes to telling people I have an emotional investment in that I need/want something, I tend to just shut up and try to deal with it. I will even rationalize why I am wrong to expect something from them that they're not already doing.

Edit: Fuck, I am an idiot. I completely missed where you said this would need to be an interview answer. No, I would not say this emo crap to an interviewer. Fucking hell.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Bradylama

"Kryptonite"

If they can't take a joke, then fuck 'em.

Well, I'd make a horrible comedian. I can't even give myself that answer without twitching into laughter on the second syllable.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Adara

I'm sort of a perfectionist, and that's come up to bite me in the ass in the past. Like RacinReaver, if I don't think something is good enough I will work on it to make it as perfect as possible, especially if it's school or work related. This is why I never worked well on group projects in grade school. My classmates were always like, "this is shit but we'll pass" and I was always the one going, "NO! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

A close second is that I'm very indecisive. I have extreme difficulty making some of the simplest decisions, yet at the same time I'll make decisions on really important crap without a second thought sometimes.

You summed up my feelings exactly.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

My biggest weakness is that I'm extremely anal about being punctual, and therefore, I try to get things done as quickly as possible. Sometimes this leads to me overlooking things or cutting corners.

How ya doing, buddy?

Perhaps my greatest weakness is being able to admit I'm wrong. I just hate being wrong and I've caught myself on a few occasions going to rather ridiculous extremes just to cover up or to try and BS something to make it look like either I wasn't wrong or it was due to some unforeseen/uncontrollable circumstance that made me wrong. This is especially true of the smaller, trivial things in life, such as small details in movies and whatnot. My problem is especially bad because I love picking on people when they are wrong, I just rub it in their face, so when I'm wrong I find it doubly hard to swallow.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'm honest and say "Mornings."

I am not a morning person... at all. Of course, I havent been interviewed for any REAL jobs, so I doubt I'd say that.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Adara and Yeldarb, I'm in that boat too.

When someone does my work for me WITHOUT my permission, I get extremely pissed. I'd fix it myself and keep a constant watchful eye on whoever who fucked up my work to keep them away from my work. I like consistency as well as organization. I'm quite detailed at that when it comes down to having incentive to make it work.

I guess my interview answer is my best strength is also my worse weakness; which is attention to detail.

And that thing about being indecisive, man, I couldn't make up my mind about fucking fast food sometimes. I'd offer the choice to my husband numerous of times and he'd usually pick something I'd go with and sometimes not go with. ;\ And since that being indecisive can get so bad, I just put it off instead... I am so good at procrastination. :\

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

The internet which really ties in directly to distraction. Such as now, I should be doing two papers but instead I'm answering this thread. I'm also an insane perfectionist so I'm not sure how I'm able to function. I procrastinate since I'm so distracted with other things but when it gets to crunch time I go crazy since I want everything to be perfect (which it won't be since I'm doing it at the last minute).

I really need to refine my work ethic.

FELIPE NO

An intense desire to finish what I start. When working on a project, I often find myself neglecting less important duties in order to get it finished. I want it done and I want it done well, whether that means coming in early, staying late, not taking breaks or skipping lunch altogether until it's completed.

DISCLAIMER: The above answer is complete bullshit, but that's what I'd say in a job interview. My real weakness is not having the cojones to tell chatty women to get the hell out of my office so I can get my work done. *sigh* Women talk way too much.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

My first reaction was "sex/women" but then I saw it was the interview version of this question.

Overanalyzing.

I will sit and think about how to do something for about twice as long as I should. Sometimes this works to my advantage, as it allows me to plan more fully and visualize more realistically the end result and how to get there. But sometimes it screws me over because I accomplish, in twice the time, exactly the same thing I would have accomplished if I had just jumped in and started doing it.

Also, stubbornness. I can't abandon a project once started, until it's complete - even if more important things are waiting. Unless they're monumentally important.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I remember being asked this two weeks ago. And I think I gave the wrong answer. My supervisor told me that during interviews you should give out a weakness that will also make you sound good, just like what Alice's bullshit. And I was told that my "pivotal" interview will happen today, so I think the weakness I'll tell them is either distraction or accepting too many projects and not being able to finish one project at a time because I tend to "jump" around and not just focus on one task at hand.

Which is also complete bullshit.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I don't have any real problems when it comes to this question being asked because I've been to quite enough interviews in which this question is asked and to me I try to answer as honestly as possible. Its never about what is the universally right answer its what you think personally and the things you need to work to make yourself a better employee in the process.

I guess in a sense I've been grateful that for the majority of the jobs I have had, my employers have been respectful enough to realize that perfection does not exist. They don't expect every employee to have a flawless record and be ignorant to the fact that they will never make a mistake.

In my experience all they really expect is that you try your best to work hard, and to work on the things that you feel are a bruden to yourself or that could be a burden to the company. There is always room for improvement for every individual human being can always do something to try their best to improve themselves.

In regards to the question, I've always answered with the same response that I've always had for the longest time and that is my biggest weakness is that I have big issue with own level of self confidence. I have a hard time accepting credit because I don't want to anyone to make me more important than anybody else. Its just a personal issue I've had for a very long time.

Every employer is absolutely different and is probably expects different things from different people. I always find with this question, an additional question is always followed along the lines of How do you feel this company can help you improve your weaknesses. I think its that response that'll help you in the interview because you want to show them that you do take the job very seriously and your willing to work hard and prove yourself to them.

I'll give you an example, the current job I'm working at now. My employer was very cautious about giving em an opportunity but he felt that I could work on self confidence if he kept putting me in situations that would build up my self confidence. I had to put up with a lot of crap from him at first and I didn't get made a full time employee until after 11 months. Usually you get made full time status after three months.

I endured a lot of crap during that first 11 months, and I felt that I did not get treated as well as what I could be but instead of whining about it. I endured through it. Now I have everything I could ever want or expect out of a job.

I make $23/hr, I get to fly home once every three months to see my fiance, I get a company vehicle, I get full benefits and a full retirement package. I get a $750.00 housing allowance every month to help accomodate for my stay here and hopefully this coming may I have a chance to transfer back home for a full time position.

In terms of my greatest weakness, I just believe in being honest and not manipulating any facts about myself. I just think its important to prove to yourself that you'll work hard and that they'll be making the right choice when they hire you.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I would tell them my one weakness is sweet, delicious candy! Uh and cute animals... and on occasion crying people. Damn them all to hell.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Elegy

I would tell them my one weakness is sweet, delicious candy! Uh and cute animals... and on occasion crying people. Damn them all to hell.

I think your biggest weakness is not reading threads.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I can't think of one. So I guess you could put Egotism.

I might actually try that if I apply for a proper job.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I usually pick something related to the job I've applied for. If its something I think I might need extra practice or training on. Such as cashier, because two things I hate dealing with are people and money. I suck at math and I don't like people because their stupid.. My greatest weakness in interviews is responding to them when they say 'Tell me about yourself.' If only it were that easy, 'Okay, WTF do you wanna know? I need money for one thing. So lets cut the bullshit and hire me.'

FELIPE NO

My greatest weakness is spirituality. I believe in God, but that's about it. All these people around me (mostly religious) are very dedicated to whatever religion they are, and are nearly certain of their beliefs. I feel like I like the ability (perhaps maturity) to develop this kind of a comfort and assurance of religion. As a result of this, something I am very weak at is participating in religious rituals like praying outloud around others. I'm scared to death of this.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Our HR professor states how is this a terrible question, not only for being cliched but not very insightful, and with good reason. Obviously everybody will try to concoct the best answer, and it's not a very intuitive question.

I would probably answer honestly with my fixation on failure/imperfection after the fact. I tend to think about things for a long time afterwards and it's hard to shake off especially if the action was not very favourable, or resulted in something easily avoided.

If I were asked to name three weaknesses, I'd be stuck, or amplify small things which would end up making me look like a complete failure and a terrible hire all put together.

Jam it back in, in the dark.