the dreaded "describe your weaknesses" interview question

[YourFoxyGrandma]

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"I WORK WAYYYYY TOO HARD"
"I accept being underpaid"
"I am just too efficient sometimes and I run out of work to do."

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Sometimes I catch myself working a little TOO hard.

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I think these "turn the weakness into a strength" strategies are a little too transparent...

The strategy Cubswin gave of giving an example of how you overcame a weakness seems like a good idea.

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i know, i was kind of mocking it.

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[JackThree]

i usually respond by saying i sometimes have a tendency for perfectionism

[gorgeous]

Stick it in her pooper.

[Cubswin]

Go ahead and identify a minor weakness you might have had and then discuss how you overcame it. An example from The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Interview:

"I used to have some difficulty staying organized on the road. But then I got into the habit of making journal notes immediately after each customer call. I just learned to take the time to do it -- then and there. Since then, I've always been together, in the home office or out on the road."

[whiskeytown]

"sometimes I'm a perfectionist" one is so BS - recruiters see right thru it these days - I had a really good one once but forgot it -

RB

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Frankly, if they're going to ask such a lame, unimaginative question, they deserve a stupid, unimaginative answer.

[whiskeytown]

how about "I think being disrespectful to the people hiring me and my bosses makes me seem like a stronger leader"

that'll work - [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[woodguy]

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Frankly, if they're going to ask such a lame, unimaginative question, they deserve a stupid, unimaginative answer.

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I've managed a few businesses and hired a bunch of people over the last 10 years.

I ALWAYS ask that question to see how creative the person is, and how good they bullshit on the fly (i.e. I work to hard gets a bad score from me)

My goal in asking that question is not the hear an answer, but to see how they react to being asked that question.

Regards,
Woodguy

[mmbt0ne]

I find it hard to take work seriously all the time when I make more money from poker than your salary.

*Note: I couldn't say it.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I just recently answered this question with this reply:

I think one thing that is my weakness is sometimes I restrain myself from taking the initiative to learn new things. I get so caught up in what I am doing that I don't think I can add anything else to my day, and I think thats a weakness for me because I think it is preventing me from reaching my full potential as a worker. I know I can learn these new things and adapt to the new work load, and I think that is something I need to start doing.