How to answer “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

A job interview is an opportunity to make a great first impression. Not only is a potential employer learning about your skills, experience, and personality, but they’re also determining if the role aligns with your career goals. To aid in their decision, a recruiter or hiring manager will likely ask about your strengths and weaknesses.

The question “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” is one of the most common interview questions that hiring managers ask, and it can also be one of the most challenging to answer. When you’re answering questions about your strengths or weaknesses, preparation is the key to success. Your goal should be to give the interviewer meaningful insights into your personality and abilities. 

To craft a response that helps you stand out from the crowd, you must first understand the best practices and techniques for your answer. You’re striving to tell a good story about your career experience to paint a clear picture of what skills you’ll bring to the team. Here’s how to talk about your strengths and weaknesses during your job interview.

5 sample responses to “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”   

Answering interview questions about your strengths and weaknesses requires communicating self-awareness without oversharing. Ideally, when you answer this question, you should also align your response with the job description and company values so the hiring manager or HR team member knows you did your research. 

Use the following sample answers as guidance to get good at talking about your strengths and weaknesses.

Sample strength: team management

“My greatest strength is team management and encouraging everyone to share their unique perspectives and strengths. I believe this helps employees feel valued, which increases their motivation and productivity while reducing conflict. It also promotes better time management. In fact, my team and I completed two projects in the second half of the year, and I stepped into a third when that team lead fell ill. 

From what I understand, this job requires efficient collaboration and teamwork. My team management skills can help me work effectively with my colleagues to produce high-quality results.”

Sample strength: communication skills

“One of the most challenging parts of my previous job was explaining technical concepts to new people. Over the years, I became very good at taking high-level ideas and problem-solving ways to demonstrate real-world applications to everyone, from CEOs to HR and marketing interns. I think these communication skills have become one of my greatest strengths. I particularly enjoy the ‘aha’ moment when a concept clicks.

This skill is why the sales team at my previous job was so successful. I helped our reps understand complicated concepts and why people needed certain technologies. As a result, my team’s sales beat our direct competitor’s by 15%.”

Sample strength: stress management

“Early in my career, I struggled to manage workplace stress. I got excited about new projects or opportunities and found it challenging to take a break. I ended up working long hours, getting very overwhelmed, and burning out. However, recovering from that burnout taught me several vital skills for managing stress. 

I make sure to prioritize my physical health by focusing on exercise and eating healthy. I try to take daily walks at lunch and get plenty of sleep, and I use some go-to mindfulness techniques when things are especially intense. Using these strategies, I’ve maintained high performance in stressful times, kept a positive attitude, and haven’t burned out since.”

Pro tip: Remember, both in-person and phone interviews rely heavily on first impressions. Everything from how you introduce yourself to what you wear to a job interview matters. It’s important to think comprehensively about how you want to present yourself as you prepare answers to interview questions.

Sample weakness: delegation 

“I believe my biggest weakness is my tendency to take on too many responsibilities. I tend to refrain from delegating work to my teammates, which doesn’t allow my colleagues to show their strengths or lend their expertise. Once my manager brought this weakness to my attention, I used self-awareness to determine that part of the issue stems from feeling uncomfortable telling others what to do.

Since then, I’ve worked hard to be mindful about my capacity and comfortable with asking for help. I’m still working on improving my delegation skills, but I feel my skills are getting better and I enjoy challenging myself. Focusing on delegation has also been a  great way to work on my communication skills. It’s also improved my leadership skills and helped me become more comfortable directing a team.

Since then, I haven’t worked overtime in over six months unless the rest of the group also stays late.”

Sample weakness: asking questions

“When starting a new project, I sometimes find it challenging to ask questions to clarify expectations, goals, and outcomes. I feel excited about starting something new and will dive in on tasks without ensuring I have all the details. On occasion, I’ve had to postpone delivery or work overtime to make up for a misunderstanding. 

Because of these experiences, I now take a moment of pause after receiving a new assignment, digesting it, and then going back to ask questions. It only takes a few minutes, but checking in helps me start on the right foot. In the last year, I’ve cut back on how much rework I do, so much so that I’ve had time to begin a passion project.”

Strengths and weaknesses examples

If you’re looking for interview tips on traits to list as strengths or potential greatest weaknesses to discuss during an interview, use the following examples as a jumping-off point. 

Think about which characteristics you possess, then write out how they show up in your day-to-day work. In doing so, you can pinpoint which details to talk about during your job interview.

Examples of strengths

The following strengths range from how you problem-solve during challenging projects to communication and interpersonal skills. For your interview answer, try describing two or three potential strengths.

• Adaptability
• Emotional intelligence
• Delegation
• Quick learner
• Positive attitude
• Initiative
• Communication skills
• Relationship-building
• Problem-solving
• Conflict management
• Attention to detail
• Organizational skills
• Project management
• Public speaking
• Prioritization
• Resilience
• Team player
• Self-motivation

Examples of weaknesses

As you read through the list of possible weaknesses, think about which ones have been challenges that you’ve worked toward overcoming. Demonstrating self-directed learning and personal development in your answer is ideal. 

• Perfectionist
• Discomfort with public speaking
• Self-criticism
• Lack of workplace flexibility
• Time management issues
• Procrastination
• Poor writing skills
• Lack of cognitive flexibility
• Low self-confidence
• Stubbornness
• Disorganization
• Avoidance of taking risks
• Failing to delegate
• Bluntness

How to talk about your strengths 

When discussing strengths, the interviewer or hiring manager wants to focus on the tasks and skills you’re proficient in. The examples of strengths you give should pertain to what the job requires as well as your best traits. To get a sense of your skills, start by asking yourself questions like:

• What am I good at, and how can I prove my abilities?
• How does this skill help me at work?

Once you’re confident in your answers, you can define your list of strengths for the interview. 

The STAR interview method is another helpful strategy for answering behavioral interview questions. It’s a four-step approach that involves identifying a situation, task, action, and result to highlight a strength. Here’s an example of how you could use this method to answer a question about your strengths:

• Name your strength: Conflict management
• Example of that strength in action: While executing a large project, two of the teams involved voiced concern with the others’ ideas. As a result, neither team was willing to move forward until their worries were addressed. Because I was a manager of one of the teams, I acted as a mediator. I spoke with both teams, considered their concerns, and worked out a compromise that satisfied everyone and kept the project moving forward. 
• The impact: Both teams felt heard and understood, so they were energized and put their best efforts into the project. As a result of my leadership, we completed the project ahead of schedule, which pleased company stakeholders.
• The value of that strength: Both teams learned to collaborate and produced an excellent final product. They maintained a positive attitude as well. Through teamwork and collaboration, everyone learned soft skills they can use in other contexts. I was happy to be part of facilitating both teams’ growth and success. 

Best practices

As you explain the greatest skills and biggest weaknesses you possess, keep the following things in mind:

• Be relevant: Whichever strength you choose, be sure it aligns with the job description and the company’s core values. 
• Offer proof: Expand on your noted ability by providing specific data and context for how it helped you in a job. 
• Discuss the outcome of your strength in action: Communicate the results of your efforts, including their impact on your colleagues, company, and personal growth. 
• Be humble: While you do want to sell yourself, it’s important to avoid bragging. Being humble during a job interview means portraying confidence without arrogance. 
• Emphasize the benefits: Show the interviewer how you can leverage your strengths to help the company meet targets and succeed.

If an interviewer asks about your greatest strengths, they’ll likely inquire about your weaknesses as well. As you answer this question, remember both are equal opportunities to showcase self-awareness and motivation for professional development. 

How to talk about your weaknesses

It’s difficult to talk about weaknesses, especially in a job interview. However, recognizing your shortcomings and taking steps to overcome them demonstrates a positive attitude, maturity, drive, and effective problem-solving, which are all things that appeal to a hiring manager. You can prepare to explain your greatest weaknesses by answering the following questions:

• What’s my weakness?
• What problem-solving have I done or honest conversations have I had to improve this trait?
• What are the positive impacts of my efforts?

Make sure your choice is a fixable flaw you can improve through training and commitment. Once you’ve settled on your choice, reframe your weakness as a challenge. Use the following framework to form your interview answer:

• The weakness or challenge: Procrastination
• Minor consequences of the weakness: Throughout my career thus far, I’ve learned that I’m a perfectionist. This often manifests as procrastination for work projects or tasks. I pride myself on meeting deadlines. However, procrastination also means I rush to complete work at the last minute. As a result of working fast, I sometimes miss small details or make mistakes. 
• Describe the steps you’ve taken to overcome the challenge: It’s been helpful to learn that my procrastination comes from perfectionism, which is a trait I’m motivated to change. Now, I break every project into smaller tasks so I can still work diligently while moving toward the deliverable. I also seek out constructive criticism while trying to practice greater self-compassion. I know that I’m good at my job and that it’s OK to make the occasional mistake. I trust myself to make the right decisions and become more proficient by learning from my mistakes. 

Best practices

As you answer this question, keep the following in mind:

• Be tactful: Keep your response professional and avoid oversharing personal details. 
• Focus on self-improvement: Talk about your efforts to overcome this challenge, including examples of your success.
• Be honest: Everyone has a skill they could improve, and most interviewers know it. By being honest about your areas of improvement, you demonstrate humility and a growth mindset. 
• Stress a willingness to learn: Demonstrate your openness to change by stating that you welcome feedback and advice. Include details of how you incorporated constructive criticism into efforts to address your weakness. 
• Highlight your ability to compensate: Talk about the skills or strengths you leverage to counteract your flaws. If you struggle with time management, discuss how you create reminders and schedule your time so you don’t miss deadlines.

It’s possible to impress interviewers with both your strengths and weaknesses. The key is to practice and prepare for interview questions so you stand out from other applicants.

Preparing and practicing your answer

As a general rule, strive to tailor your answers to the organization and position, and explain why you’re the best candidate for the job. Use these tips to practice and prepare for an interview:

• Research the company and review the job description. The more you know about the company and its values, the better you can align your answers with what’s most important to the organization. 
• Familiarize yourself with the industry and competitors. By getting to know the industry and its competitors, you can discover the key ways the company you’re interviewing with stands out. 
• Prepare your answers to standard questions. Many interviewers ask standard questions about strengths and weaknesses. However, some might ask variations of those questions where your answers will still apply. By getting good at answering standard questions, you’ll be more prepared to adjust your replies as needed.  
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. Interviewers tend to be impressed by candidates who ask questions. You can use your previous research about the company, industry, and role to construct these questions. It’s often also smart to ask what success looks like in the role. 
• Practice with a mock interview. Recruit a trusted friend or family member to conduct a practice interview. This person can walk you through a series of questions so you can get accustomed to what it feels like to verbalize your answers aloud. It’s also an opportunity to tinker with your exact words, tone of voice, and body language.

Pro tip: As you prepare for your interview, remember to consider which phase of the hiring process you’re currently in. Addressing inquiries like “tell us about yourself” early in the interview process often requires a different degree of detail than when it’s poised as one of your final interview questions. Good preparation is the key to success throughout the interview process.

Why interviewers ask about strengths and weaknesses

For most job seekers, the interview can be the most stressful part of a job search. One reason interviews are challenging is that they often rely on behavioral questions that don’t assess hard skills or have a “right” answer.

In fact, LinkedIn’s 2024 Global Talent Trends report found that 69% of US executives plan to prioritize soft skills like creativity, collaboration, and adaptability when hiring. 

When approached with these common questions, it’s important to remember the interviewer isn’t trying to trip you up. They want to develop a clear picture of who you are as a person and potential employee so they can make the right hiring decision. 

In the case of strengths and weaknesses, the interviewer wants to understand the following five things: 

• Self-awareness: This involves reflecting on your behavior and emotions. When asking about your strengths and weaknesses, the interviewer wants to learn whether you can identify and maximize your existing abilities while self-correcting your deficiencies to benefit the organization.
• Your capacity for self-improvement: Everyone has areas requiring self-improvement. Your interviewer wants to see if you’re the type of person who will put in the work necessary to stay motivated, better yourself, and strive toward your career goals.
• Your work style: How you answer this question reveals much about your personality. Depending on your answer, the interviewer may assess if you’re a team player, how well you respond to feedback, and your level of self-determination.
• How you’ll fit with the organization: Unless your work requires utter independence, you’ll be a part of a larger team. The interviewer will want to evaluate how your skills will mesh with your colleagues, if you share common strengths, or whether someone already on staff can compensate for your area of weakness.
• How you react under pressure: Workplace environments can be stressful, and how you behave under pressure impacts how well you’ll handle challenges and conflict. By asking a potentially uncomfortable question, the interviewer can evaluate your behavior when confronted with a difficult situation and whether you have the necessary tact to act as an effective team player. 

Keep the above considerations in mind when talking about your strengths and weaknesses during the interview. Even if public speaking, leadership, motivating others, or being a quick learner aren’t your strengths, proper preparation can set you up to be confident when discussing these opportunities for improvement. 

Leverage your strengths and weaknesses to stand out 

Whether interviewing for a senior management position or an entry-level role, don’t let open-ended questions addressing your strengths and weaknesses put you off. These prompts are great opportunities to spotlight what makes you exceptional. Confident answers to these questions show an interviewer that you can thrive in this role. 

To boost the odds of impressing hiring teams, consider working with a professional career coach. A BetterUp Coach can provide you with helpful tips to ensure you impress recruiters and conquer your job search.