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Old 05-30-2013, 12:28 PM
 
26,694 posts, read 14,465,319 times
Reputation: 8094

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Quote:
Originally Posted by groar View Post

take the ever popular "what are your weaknesses" question.

some interviewers want to hear a bs "i am a perfectionist and i work too hard" answer
some interviewers want to hear an honest answer and how you are overcoming/compensating for that weakness
some interviewers won't even ask the question because it's stupid (my favorite!)
The point of the question is to see if you truly know yourself and are willing to put up an effort to make a change.

If a candidate answers with a BS "I am a perfectionist", the person would have a less chance because of the arrogance.

If a candidate can't come up with anything, it's a problem because the person doesn't even know him/herself.
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Old 05-30-2013, 12:34 PM
 
7,380 posts, read 15,624,193 times
Reputation: 4975
Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeexplorer View Post
The point of the question is to see if you truly know yourself and are willing to put up an effort to make a change.

If a candidate answers with a BS "I am a perfectionist", the person would have a less chance because of the arrogance.

If a candidate can't come up with anything, it's a problem because the person doesn't even know him/herself.
that's the point to you, but i always answer this question honestly by talking about a skill that i have had issues with, but have found ways to compensate for. i give specific examples of what i do to improve and stay on top of it.

that has gone over really well with some interviewers, but REALLY BADLY with others (oddly enough, one of them was at a college career counseling office). some of them really do want to hear a non-weakness weakness. and there are a million different jobseeking guides out there that suggest that kind of answer.

and it's a question that's been poisoned by that expectation, honestly. i don't think it's worth asking. it's a double-edged sword for applicants, because they can either give the total nonsense answer (non-weakness or real weakness unrelated to the job) that everyone knows is dishonest, or they can risk having the interviewer think they're unqualified for the job because they gave an honest answer.
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Old 05-30-2013, 12:44 PM
 
26,694 posts, read 14,465,319 times
Reputation: 8094
Quote:
Originally Posted by groar View Post
that's the point to you, but i always answer this question honestly by talking about a skill that i have had issues with, but have found ways to compensate for. i give specific examples of what i do to improve and stay on top of it.

that has gone over really well with some interviewers, but REALLY BADLY with others (oddly enough, one of them was at a college career counseling office). some of them really do want to hear a non-weakness weakness. and there are a million different jobseeking guides out there that suggest that kind of answer.

and it's a question that's been poisoned by that expectation, honestly. i don't think it's worth asking. it's a double-edged sword for applicants, because they can either give the total nonsense answer (non-weakness or real weakness unrelated to the job) that everyone knows is dishonest, or they can risk having the interviewer think they're unqualified for the job because they gave an honest answer.
You wouldn't believe how many candidates stumble on this question. A lot of them couldn't come up with anything.

I would suggest not to list any specific skill as a weakness. Talking about personalities. For example, "I am an introvert. So sometimes I can be very quiet, which can be mistaken as being cold and indifferent. I have made a lot of progress opening myself up. Some of the things I have done are meeting coworkers at lunch more often and joining Toastmaster to polish my public speaking skills."

This would be a perfect answer, in my opinion.
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Old 05-30-2013, 09:16 PM
 
Location: NJ
17,574 posts, read 45,989,151 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeexplorer View Post
I have never seen a hiring decision is based on preferences in personal life. None at all. This is from hiring over hundred people and interviewed far more than that. Maybe in the job market where skills aren't really required.

The rule of the thumb in an interview is that we should leave the personal life out of it. It's a JOB interview, not a dinner with friends or sessions with psychiatrist. I am not kidding. I had a lady coming in, with a good resume, and preceded to tell me how her husband cheated on her and she was going through divorce. I had to stop her and dragged the conversation back to job related.
I didn't say just on that. You don't think if you have two equal candidates and one makes more of a personal connection they may not ave a better shot? I have personally seen it happen. And your story about the lady talking about her cheating husband is not what I'm talking about.

But hey, whatever floats your boat. Personally I go with the flow and I can adjust based on what I am seeing and hearing.
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:11 PM
FBJ
 
Location: Tall Building down by the river
39,605 posts, read 58,802,436 times
Reputation: 9451
A thank you does one of the things below

1. Make the interviewer like you more

2. Nothing at all
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