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You’re sitting in a job interview, the atmosphere is tense, and you’re doing your best to maintain eye contact while answering those pesky common interview questions. You know the drill. Suddenly, the recruiter hits you with the age-old interview weakness question: “What’s your greatest weakness?” Your palms start to sweat, your heart races, and your brain scrambles to find the perfect response that showcases your self-awareness without sabotaging your chances of landing the job. Ring a bell?

The struggle of navigating the treacherous waters of job interviews is one we know well — we’ve been in those same shoes multiple times, wondering which could be good weaknesses for interviews. It’s nerve-wracking to be caught off guard, unable to find the right words.

No more of that, though! Recently, we came across a fun-packed Reddit thread that we couldn’t resist sharing with you. In this thread, users eagerly shared their humorous takes on how to answer the weakness question, while others divulged the more serious responses they used that actually helped them secure their dream jobs! To make things even more interesting, we’ve also included job interview tips and insights from the HR professionals who participated in the discussion, providing a unique perspective from the other side of the interview table.

By the end of this read, you’ll be prepared to answer the dreaded weakness question with confidence, grace, and maybe even a chuckle. And who knows? You might find yourself eagerly awaiting your next interview, armed with an arsenal of epic responses!

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#1

"I once got a job partly because of my honest answer to this: I need to know why I am doing what I'm doing. I don't like being told to do something without an end game in mind, without knowing the reasoning behind it. When I work, I need something to aim at. Some employers don't like this because they like their employees to be cogs in a machine they control. I don't like those jobs and I don't want them. The place I was applying to was not that kind of workplace, and they liked my answer. Ended up being a great job where my boss valued my input and trusted me to take the reins on a variety of tasks."

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    #2

    "My biggest weakness is the inability to think of good answers to bad interview questions."

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    #3

    "I always say that my biggest weaknesses are the ones I don't know about yet. Because the ones I do know about I can (and do) work to improve on. And then I segue into a conversation about how I take criticism very well and am always open to suggestions for ways in which I can improve my performance."

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    #4

    "I take words too literally."

    "Can you give an example?"

    "Yes."

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    #5

    owlsquid said:
    "I was asked this during an interview with Uber and I was completely caught off guard — I ended up fumbling and saying something along the lines of 'I cannot ride a unicycle.' for which I immediately regretted..."

    MeltdownInteractive replied:
    "I would have burst out laughing at that if I was interviewing you."

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    #6

    "Money. I'll work much harder if you pay me more."

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    #7

    "I have absolutely no patience for office politics, conspiracies, bullying, micromanagement, or corporate cheerleading. I want to work somewhere friendly and open and fair, where I can treat colleagues as equals and be pretty much left to do my job - in return, I can do it extremely well."

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    Fantastic Mr Fox
    Fantastic Mr Fox
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not a good answer. It’s requirements, wishes, preferences for the job, but not weakness. Weakness is something you would prefer not to have. You may work on improving or you may just know how to handle your weakness.

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    #8

    "I told them I was lazy. Then I went on to explain that if there's a simpler, more efficient way to complete a task, I was going to find it. This segued perfectly into a discussion of my skills in automation, scripting, and other development projects in which I streamlined some processes or others. After I was hired, the new boss told me my response had stuck with the interviewers after I left."

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    #9

    "I always mention a bad short-term memory, but I use list-making to fix it and ensure everything is addressed.

    They are usually I impressed that I gave a real answer AND had a solution for it."

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    Mike Y
    Mike Y
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They should repeat the question to see just how short term your memory is.

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    #10

    "I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I’ll hit someone with my car."

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    #11

    lolwutalan said:
    "Why do you want to work he-"

    "I'd say my greatest weakness is listening."

    Calan_adan replied:
    “What’s your greatest-“

    “Weakness? Finishing other peoples’ sentences.”

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    #12

    "I think this is related:

    For my current job interview, near the end, my (now) manager opened up the laptop, opened Excel, and asked me to do some equations there.

    Now, I didn't know ANY Excel at the time (even though the job description required it). I looked a little embarrassed at him and then told him: 'Okay, please bear with me...'

    Then I minimized Excel, opened the browser, Google, and how to multiply the excel equation, I sneak peek at him while I'm doing this and he was smiling.

    Then, I followed the instructions and completed the task.

    He was like: 'You got the job buddy!'

    Then he told me it was actually great to see me genuinely express my weakness in an area, and impressed by how I dealt with it.

    **He did end up sending to get a quick course on Excel btw."

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    #13

    "One of my actual weaknesses: when I get nervous/excited, I tend to speak really fast and breathlessly. This can actually have a negative influence on my job as I work in healthcare and have to respond/communicate during emergencies. For my next interview, I will bring this up, and say I have discovered that taking a second to collect myself and take a deep breath seems to calm my nerves and allow me to do/say what is needed in a more collected manner."

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    Fo An
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When I was a hiring manager I always appreciated it when someone would present a solution, or what they hoped was a solution when bringing me a problem

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    #14

    "I usually say my anxiety (which is true, I'm a functional basket case on the outside) and how I work around it and give specific examples. Like I have an endless amount of checklists and notes because I'm paranoid that I'll forget something important, and cheat sheets to help me remember important information. I get nervous in new places, so before I go somewhere new I look up the place on google maps, if it's a business I look to see if they have photos of the inside."

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    Fantastic Mr Fox
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh I would give that as a strength “I’m organized and well prepared” :)

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    #15

    "For entry-level interviews, I always said my lack of experience, but then followed up with my eagerness to learn."

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    #16

    "Terrible handwriting is my biggest weakness"

    "How so?"

    "You’ll never know what I wrote down. It looks like a blind man wrote."

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    FakeOptimist
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sóó many teachers asked if I was planning to become a doctor...

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    #17

    "As someone who interviews hundreds of people each year, this question stumps almost every person asked. The worst responses are: I have trouble being on time, I’m argumentative, I don’t get along with...

    I also don’t think disguising strengths as weaknesses is a good idea either.

    The best response I think I have heard (besides not being able to ride a unicycle) is: I make mistakes, but I am only human. I am sure I will make some mistakes along the way learning the ins and outs of this position, but as soon as I know I made a mistake, I try to fix it immediately and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

    Just my two cents."

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    Fantastic Mr Fox
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well why would they even ask this question? Assuming they are rational and have a reason, I’m thinking they ask to see if you are capable of introspection, of understanding yourself. If you don’t know any of your weaknesses, you can’t improve and you can’t mitigate them.

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    #18

    "I was honest and said that I feel frustrated when my talents and skills are wasted on doing mindless tasks. I’d rather be solving problems, thinking ahead, and doing good work."

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    #19

    "'What is your greatest weakness?' 'Ummmm probably that I have no strengths.'"

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    Lauren S
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh no. I don’t think you should have said that out loud.

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    #20

    "For my current job, I said that I had a hard time sharing my ideas with new groups."

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    #21

    "I interviewed a girl once and she said 'Honestly? Cake. I can never say no to it.'

    She was so genuine and the answer struck us all as honestly hilarious. We hate those corporate interview questions too---it was more about finding someone who could answer questions like a real person, and had some sort of personality show through. It's amazing how many people just couldn't answer certain questions, as though they were so nervous to get it wrong they froze up.

    In another interview, my boss asked a candidate 'Tell me about a time you screwed up at work.' She thought for a while and said 'Gosh I'm sorry, there are certainly times, but there's nothing major that comes to mind at the moment. I'll think on it while we do other questions.' That's what we wanted as interviewers---not a perfect answer, just people that seemed comfortable and normal lol."

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    Helena
    Helena
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You do realize when you have no income, interviews are a pressure-filled mine field, right? Nervous is appropriate

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    #22

    "Actual weakness: Taking on jobs by myself, and not taking time to train other people to do them. In the end, I'm usually "the guy" and find myself feeling burnt out.

    Probably could be worded better at an interview, but this could sound like you're a "go-getter". It might also encourage your employer to find opportunities for you to train other people to do things you particularly don't like doing."

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    Mark
    Mark
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah I have a hard time asking for help and gave damb bear tortured myself to exhaustion because of ut

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    #23

    rocknrollchuck said:
    "My biggest weakness is that sometimes in interviews, I have absolutely no idea how to answer some of the questions."

    AlwaysSupport replied:
    "What is your biggest weakness?"

    "Interpreting the semantics of a question while ignoring the pragmatics."

    "Could you give an example?"

    "Yes."

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    #24

    "I work too hard, I care too much, and sometimes I can be too invested in my job."

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    #25

    "'I'm weak at mental math, this means that I always use a calculator to double check any calculations.'

    Obviously don't use it for a job where lots of math is required.

    'My brain switches off during repetitive tasks and then I'm prone to making mistakes. In order to work around this I like to listen to music or audiobooks to keep my brain engaged for the duration of the task.'"

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    Nonya Business
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The excess stimuliin order to focus... have you been tested for AD(H)D? My brain does that too, which I live to call compulsive multitasking. Without the hyperactivity and with the gender stereotypes no one noticed I had ADD until I went to a doctor as an adult. With medication I realized how much of my time was spent just trying to cope.

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    #26

    "It's never about your weakness. It's about how you manage this question."

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    DennyS (denzoren)
    DennyS (denzoren)
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yep. This is a good point. The purpose is really to see how you're gonna address a weakness and if you took any steps to work on it.

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    #27

    JesseTBaker said:
    "If you are changing industries, your biggest weakness is not knowing the industry... yet.

    If you are younger, say inexperience.

    Anything to show your willingness to learn and develop."

    User No 2 replied:
    "I got my current job after I said this. The interviewer asked me if I had any questions or concerns about the position. I said, "I'm a quick and eager learner but, I'll be honest, I have absolutely no experience in this industry so training me will need to be from the ground up. Will that be an issue?""

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    #28

    m4vis said:
    "Depends on the position, but I will sometimes say that I have trouble delegating when I know I can perform a task well. I’d rather just do it myself and know that everything will be done correctly."

    bertie_bonez replied:
    "I’m the same way. I’d be afraid to say this in an interview though because it could be interpreted as 'not a team player'.

    I wouldn’t say I’m not a team player, but I do have a hard time working with a lazy team that does s****y work."

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    #29

    CuntyMcGiggles said:
    "Honesty."

    "I don't think honesty is a weakness."

    "I don't give a f**k what you think."

    User No 2 replied:
    "I need to say this in an interview before I die."

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    #30

    charmedgal833 said:
    "If you are a shy, quiet person like myself, mention it. I let them know upfront that I am a naturally quiet person, especially around new people, and it sometimes comes off the wrong way. People tend to think I am in a bad mood, have a rude personality, or just don't like them. Then when they get to know me they do a 180.

    So I let them know from the beginning that I am quiet, but it doesn't mean I'm in a bad mood or don't like them or anything. I just don't talk much until I get to know people."

    fluidmind23 replied:
    "I printed out a card that says sometimes I over-prepare and handed it to them when they asked for it. I got the job."

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    #31

    "I’ve had good results with saying 'I have a hard time resisting playing devil’s advocate.'"

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    Oliver Kettle
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very relatable but only to a certain extent, even that has its limits.

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    #32

    "I interview a lot of people. There is no magic answer here. Just be open and honest. Those that ask it are looking for some self-awareness, and it is important that you be able to respond to that weakness. Ideally, you are looking at this position because it minimizes one of your weaknesses and plays to your strengths. Not liking rejection is great for some positions, and horrible for others. Getting bored with my monotonous tasks is good for some jobs, and horrible for others.

    And for what it's worth, I think it's a bad interview question."

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    Nicholas Hammond
    Nicholas Hammond
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Best I ever received was a woman that said 'i have resting b*tch face' She wasn't wrong.

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    #33

    "I'm pretty normal but have a dark sense of humor. If I remember right that makes me really weak to fighting."

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    #34

    "I'm lazy. If I can find a faster and easier way to get the same outcome, I'll do that."

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    #35

    "As a professional recruiter, I rarely ask this question. But if I do, I’ll get annoyed by canned answers like 'I’m a perfectionist' or 'workaholic.' Why? Because it’s a self-serving stock answer that leads me to distrust the rest of the answers I’m getting. I’d rather hear something genuine that actually tells me something about that person. Something like, 'My workspace tends to get messy so I really have to focus on keeping an organized workspace - it helps me to prioritize.' Or, 'prioritizing can be a challenge for me, so I have to pay particular attention to that - like making a list in the morning or asking my boss what his/her most important items are for the day.'"

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    #36

    somanysheep said:
    "I have a hard time saying no..."

    Firefly0037 replied:
    "But you just did..."

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    #37

    "I'm a big fan of this one:

    'I tend to rely on others to double-check my work a bit too much, at first. I hesitate to assume processes or tasks until I am sure I get it right.'

    It is honest, and is a weakness - trainers get a little annoyed with constantly checking up. But it also shows that you are determined to do a good job, and can be relied on to not make huge mistakes early on."

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    #38

    "I'm Spanish, but I don't speak it. Employers love that answer. It is a weakness, but not reflective of my work skills or ethics."

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    #39

    "My greatest weakness is identifying weaknesses."

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    DennyS (denzoren)
    DennyS (denzoren)
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please don't use this...I know it's funny but don't. This isn't a weakness that you want lol.

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    #40

    "I said 'I don't like letting go of unfinished projects' during my interviews.

    I feel like it shows that I'm dedicated to the work I take on."

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    #41

    "I'm terrible at interviews."

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    #42

    CharlieChooper said:
    "I work in healthcare and always say 'Not speaking Spanish' and odds are the interviewer is also not fluent in Spanish so it comes across as not really a weakness. WIN WIN."

    xtremelycoldsun replied:
    "I’ve heard this is the best answer, and to follow it up with something like, 'But I’m still trying to improve that language'"

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    #43

    "Weak against fire and sharp objects."

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    #44

    "Frame it in terms of something you're looking to improve. 'Well, at my last performance evaluation, I received some constructive criticism regarding X, so since then I've been doing Y and Z to focus on improving in that regard.'

    Honestly though, if an interviewer asks you that ridiculous cliched question either they have no idea what they're doing and/or don't give a sh*t, or they aren't looking for an answer but just want to see how you respond to being pushed."

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    #45

    "In my most recent interview (got the job) I answered 'I don't like to stay late.' I'll come in half an hour early at the drop of a hat, but if you tell me I'm off at 4 and then work conspires to try to keep me longer, I will not be staying. Work stops at 4, period. Depending on the job and culture, this can break your chances of getting the job, but pretty much anyone can sympathize with not wanting to stay later, and it doesn't come off as one of that smart one 'I'm a perfectionist' answers. It also tells them that you probably won't be racking up that expensive overtime."

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    #46

    "My greatest weakness is the inability to answer this question."

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    DennyS (denzoren)
    DennyS (denzoren)
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For me that's fair, I'd mark this as a successful answer. I don't ask greatest weakness in my interviews though.

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    #47

    "One you actually have."

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    #48

    "I have a weakness for sweets..."

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    #49

    "Figure out a skill that's not required for the job you are applying for, but is required for the job two promotions above that job. Then say it's your big weakness but that also you are looking to learn and develop that skill from people who are strong at it.

    Alternatively, if you're far enough along in your career that you have had several promotions and have reports/people to delegate to, you can say you were never as good as other people at [skill someone below your job level must do], but that's why you've learned to delegate it."

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    #50

    applebrush said:
    "My weakness is I can get too focused on a task trying to perfect it, and waste time trying to get a 96 to a 97 when 90 is acceptable. On the blueprints we get they say there is a plus-minus tolerance of 3mm for my measurements. That is way too huge, and I insist on trying to get it down to at least 1mm."

    lostonpolk replied:
    I often say something similar, like 'I get too focused on one particular problem, and sometimes have to just step back and leave it be for awhile.'"

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    #51

    "I say that sometimes I'm scared to ask questions when I start a new job because I don't want to look dumb. It's perfect, because then if they do hire me, I have a built-in excuse for asking stupid questions."

    m777z Report

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    #52

    I usually say: 'I tend to take on too many tasks at once and don't focus all of my attention fully on one task, but instead multiple tasks have my shared focus. This is something I am working on at my current positions and will continue working on if employed here.'

    This always gets a great response, because they appreciate you wanting to do more with your time as well as that you are working on fixing the weakness."

    anatoliii Report

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    #53

    "The weakness can be anything as long as it's not a major character flaw or obvious deal breaker. The key is to state your weakness AND immediately address how you've been working on improving it. Include any success stories or progress you've made so far and your weakness becomes a testament to your self-awareness and willingness to improve and learn. Example: 'I struggle to communicate clearly with my coworkers over email or IM. I find that I'm often misinterpreted and the problem becomes more difficult to solve because of the misunderstanding. To address this, I have been working with my trusted coworker to proofread important emails. I've also been asking my coworkers for help in pointing out when I'm being unclear. Finally, I am rereading my emails before sending them to catch any obvious errors. If the email is important or I'm emotionally invested, I'll wait an hour, reread and make any necessary changes, and then send it. My coworkers have remarked on my improvement and I feel much more confident communicating over email."

    AmbidextrousTurtle Report

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    #54

    "Age."

    readysorted Report

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    #55

    "Being loyal to a fault."

    eacomish Report

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    #56

    "When I was graduating college I got interview tips from my dad who was heavily involved in the hiring process at his company for his department. His advice on this one, which I’ve used ever since and has gone great, was:

    The whole “say a weakness that’s actually a positive” has been done to death and is such common knowledge that it’s no longer a clever “trick” and is now seen as avoiding the question. People want to see some self-awareness, obviously don’t bring something absolutely terrible up, but mention a real flaw and most importantly what you’ve done to address or work with it.

    For example, the one I tend to use is that I can be forgetful so I now keep multiple sets of calendars, reminders, notes, etc to cover as much as possible."

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    #57

    "idk anything about this job."

    MasterOfArmsIsGood Report

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    #58

    "Could you say 'My weaknesses are getting to work on time and sober, not stealing from the company and awkward interview questions' as a facetious reply to a dumb question?"

    Pusc1f3r Report

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    #59

    "Asthma"

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    #60

    RudegarWithFunnyHat said:
    "Asbestos."

    User No 2 replied:
    "If you or a relative has been diagnosed with mesothelioma..."

    RudegarWithFunnyHat Report

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    #61

    "Hyperfocus to absolutely no focus at all also ADHD is something I put as a weakness and strength."

    knz06 Report

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    #62

    "Well, it takes me a long time to learn anything, I'm kind of a goof-off... little stuff starts disappearing from the workplace."

    TmoBeyGee Report

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