Most people see it as a trick question with no good answer and end up trying to pass off good qualities as weaknesses. This isn’t an ideal solution, but rest assured that there is one!

Recruiters recommend being honest about your weaknesses when asked this question, and using the opportunity to talk about the way you manage them.

Need inspiration? Here are 8 examples of weaknesses you can use in an interview and how to explain them in a way that will impress recruiters.

1. Shyness

If you are a person who tends to be shy, you can use it as a weakness in a job interview.

Candidates who are shy have a very good chance of success in an interview. Simply prepare well for the interview, determine how best to present your shyness and consider how to overcome it.

Shyness is a lack of confidence when dealing with others. In the workplace, being shy might prevent you from speaking up in a meeting and sharing your ideas for fear of being judged.

During your interview, you can explain that you’re working on your shyness by trying to speak up more in meetings or taking more initiative in your work.

2. Impatience

Many people experience impatience at some point in their career. Impatience can be considered a strength in the sense that you like to get things done quickly, but it can become a weakness if you end up putting too much pressure on your peers to complete various tasks.

You can make your impatience work for you by using it to motivate rather than criticize. Explain to recruiters how you plan to put your impatience to good use.

3. Lack of expertise

When looking for a job, it’s important not to limit your search to positions that are a perfect fit for you. Recruiters strongly encourage applying for jobs that interest you even if you don’t have all of the necessary skills and experience. After all, you have nothing to lose!

However, if you’re offered a job interview, you’ll probably need to justify the gap in your CV.

It’s best not to deny your lack of expertise. Instead, highlight your motivation and ability to learn quickly in order to compensate for the skills you’re missing.

4. Ability to delegate

It’s normal to experience challenges in the workplace. We often want a task to be done quickly and in a particular way, and it’s easy to think that the best way to get it done is to do it ourselves.

However, it’s impossible for one person alone to take on tasks meant for a whole team. In an interview, explain how you intend to trust your colleagues and subordinates more and get things done in an efficient, cohesive way. 

5. Sensitivity

Sensitivity isn’t necessarily a weakness in and of itself, but it can pose challenges in the workplace. Employees who are very sensitive can have trouble accepting criticism and tend to take things personally.

However, sensitivity can work to your advantage in some professions. Someone who works in customer service, for example, needs to be empathetic and sensitive to the problems customers face.

6. Stress

These days, stress in the workplace is a problem more and more employees are facing.

Some find it easy to manage their stress and prevent it from affecting their work, but there are many people who struggle with it.

If that’s the case for you, rest assured that stress in the workplace is not necessarily a weakness. Experiencing stress means that you expect a lot from yourself and value hard work. You simply need to learn how to manage your stress and use it to your advantage.

If you can answer the question from this perspective in your interview, you will undoubtedly make a good impression.

7. Difficulty with work-life balance

Finding work-life balance is a challenge for many people. Those who don’t have children are particularly prone to pouring everything they have into their work. However, it’s important to find balance in order to avoid burnout.

If you tend to throw yourself into your work, try to learn how to set boundaries and let go of work on your days off. If you do so, your employer will see that you are working on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Ultimately, your performance will improve and you’ll be able to enjoy your job more.

8. Difficulty saying no

Having trouble saying no is very similar to the ultimate overused interview weakness—perfectionism. However, this weakness can be justified if you explain it properly.

If you try to say yes to everything, you may end up being less productive and more scattered at work. If you’re constantly stopping to help your colleagues, your own work will probably suffer. You may end up working overtime, which is a disadvantage for both you and your employer.

To explain how you’re working on this weakness in an interview, try talking about a time when you chose to say no and it ended up being a good thing. For example, you could talk about succeeding in setting boundaries with a colleague who was overly dependent on you.

Get more job search tips from Fed Supply

There you have it! Those were our best ideas for original answers to the classic interview question “What is your weakness?”

When answering this question, don’t try to avoid the subject by listing weaknesses that are actually strengths, such as diligence or perfectionism. It’s best to be honest about your weaknesses and explain what you’re doing to ensure that they don’t interfere with your work.

For more tips on how to find a job in the supply chain industry, check out the Fed Supply Canada blog or contact one of our specialized recruiters!