Question #3: "What Are Your Major Strengths?"
This question allows you to focus on the credentials you have that will help you succeed on the job. Your response should emphasize your key adaptive or transferable skills, because the decision to hire you is largely based on these skills. You can deal with details of your specific job-related skills later.
Sample Answer
This response is from a person who has little prior work experience related to the job he now seeks:
"One of my major strengths is my ability to work hard toward a goal. Once I make a decision to accomplish something, it gets done and done well. For example, I graduated from high school four years ago. At the time I did not know what I wanted to do, so I looked into joining the Navy. I took the entrance exam and discovered I was much better at understanding complex problems than my grades in high school would suggest. I signed up for a three-year hitch that included intensive training in electronics. I worked hard and graduated in the top 20 percent of my class. I was then assigned to monitor, diagnose, and repair an advanced electronics system that was worth about 20 millions dollars. I was promoted several times to the position of Petty Officer and received an honorable discharge after my tour of duty. I now know what I want to do and am prepared to spend extra time learning whatever is needed to do well here."
Remember to provide some proof of your skills, as this response did when citing results of Navy entrance testing and repeated advancement in a highly responsible position.
Question #4: What Are Your Major Weaknesses"
You must be prepared to answer this trick question. When I ask this question to groups of job seekers, I usually get two types of responses. The first response goes like this:
"I really don't have any major weaknesses."
That response is both untrue and evasive. The other types of response I usually get goes something like this:
"Well, I am really disorganized. I suppose I should do better at that, but my life has just been too hectic, what with the bankruptcy and all."
Although this type of response might get an A for honesty, it gets an F for interview questions.
What's needed here is an honest, undamaging response followed by something positive to counter the negative. The best approach is to present a weakness in a way that does not harm - and could even help - your ability to do a good job. Here is an example.
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