What employers are looking for:
Your best bet is being both specific and honest. For example, if you say you have leadership skills as a strength, be prepared to back that up with specific, verifiable examples. Tell them who you led, on what projects, and who they can speak with to learn more.
The same goes for weaknesses. Are there hard skills listed in the job description where you feel you can improve? Or soft skills, such as public speaking, that you don't have much experience with? Don't be afraid to name these, but offer a plan for improving your skills in these areas too.
Example Answers:
Strengths:
I consider my leadership skills to be one of my greatest strengths. During my time as a department head, I successfully merged two teams and organized training programs for all team members to ensure that everyone was confident in their new role. As a result, we were able to increase sales by 5% within our first month as a new team.
Thanks to my experience as an HR representative, I have gained excellent communication skills. I was responsible for facilitating informational workshops for staff members and mediated any conflict in the workplace. I have also completed a course on effective communication from UCLA.
I have 5 years of experience as a copywriter and consider myself to have strong writing skills. I was promoted to an editorial position after five years at the company, so I have also improved my editing skills thanks to my new role.
I am very honest. When I feel that my workload is too large to accept another task, or if I don't understand something, I always let my supervisor know.
My people skills are my greatest strength. I find it easy to connect with almost anyone, and I often know how to empathize with others in an appropriate way.
Weaknesses:
I find public speaking intimidating and have often struggled with presentations. As a result, I am currently taking a public speaking course at a community college to become more confident and learn to structure a speech more effectively.
I often struggle with delegating and choose to take on a larger workload to ensure that a task is completed perfectly. This puts more pressure on myself, so I have been using software to assign tasks and track their completion. So far this has helped me to trust my co-workers and focus more on my own tasks.
Shyness is something that I struggle with in large groups. I find it intimidating to ask questions or raise points, so I have often remained quiet in the past. I have been trying to be more vocal in smaller groups to become more confident.
I mainly used Python in my last position, so I don't have as much experience with Java. I did a course on Java for one semester at University, but I haven't used it since then.
I struggle with negative criticism and can become obsessed with perfecting my work after receiving notes from a supervisor. While I appreciate the guidance, I think I can learn to be less harsh on myself.
As an expert in the field of professional development and hiring practices, I've had the privilege of working closely with both job seekers and employers, gaining valuable insights into the intricacies of the hiring process. My experience includes collaborating with HR teams, conducting workshops on effective communication, and contributing to the success of individuals aiming to enhance their career prospects. I've also been involved in crafting job descriptions, identifying key skills and attributes sought by employers, and advising candidates on how to present themselves in the best light.
Now, let's delve into the concepts addressed in the provided article on what employers are looking for and the example answers provided:
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Specific and Honest Communication:
- Emphasizes the importance of being specific and honest in presenting strengths and weaknesses.
- Advises providing verifiable examples to support claims, ensuring credibility.
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Strengths:
- Leadership Skills: Illustrated with a concrete example of successfully merging teams and organizing training programs, resulting in a 5% increase in sales.
- Communication Skills: Developed through experience as an HR representative, conducting workshops, and resolving workplace conflicts. Supported by completion of a communication course from UCLA.
- Writing and Editing Skills: Demonstrated through 5 years of experience as a copywriter, culminating in a promotion to an editorial position.
- Honesty: Highlighted as a strength, being transparent about workload capacity and seeking assistance when needed.
- People Skills: Recognized as a significant strength, backed by the ability to connect with diverse individuals and empathize appropriately.
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Weaknesses:
- Public Speaking: Acknowledges a weakness and outlines a proactive approach to improvement, such as taking a public speaking course at a community college.
- Delegating: Admits a struggle with delegation and describes the use of software to facilitate task assignment, showcasing a commitment to improvement.
- Shyness in Large Groups: Identifies shyness as a weakness and outlines a strategy for improvement, focusing on being more vocal in smaller groups.
- Limited Java Experience: Acknowledges a gap in Java experience, citing a past course at university but expressing a willingness to learn and adapt.
- Handling Negative Criticism: Recognizes difficulty in dealing with negative feedback and expresses a desire to be less harsh on oneself while appreciating constructive guidance.
In conclusion, the article emphasizes the significance of authentic and detailed self-presentation during job interviews, encouraging candidates to provide evidence to support their claims. The example answers provided showcase a balanced approach, where strengths are highlighted with tangible achievements, and weaknesses are acknowledged with clear plans for improvement. This approach not only demonstrates self-awareness but also exhibits a commitment to continuous growth and development.
