What personal qualities can be communicated to a potential employer, and which ones are best left unmentioned.
This is how human nature works - we do not know how to praise ourselves, much less criticize ourselves. And these skills are necessary. Especially if you want to successfully pass an interview and find a job.
Work.ua invites you to learn how to correctly convey information about your pros and cons to a potential employer.
What recruiters want to hear
When asking a question about positive and negative qualities, the recruiting manager does not expect the candidate to repeat a story about himself or list too personal character traits (for example, I am kind, sympathetic, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke).
His goal:
- find out how the applicant behaves in a non-standard situation;
- determine how adequately the candidate evaluates himself and the results of his work;
- understand whether he fits the vacancy for which he is applying and the corporate culture of the company.
During an interview, you may be asked to describe yourself in different ways:
- “Tell me about your positive and negative qualities.”
- “Name three of your positive and three negative qualities.”
- “Name your strengths and weaknesses.”
- “What qualities of yours can help or hinder you from doing this or that job?”
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
You need to be prepared for any development of events. Therefore, think through at least 3 of your pluses and 3 minuses in advance, compare them with the employer’s requirements. The recommendations below will help with this.
Examples of answers to the employer’s question “What are your weaknesses”
Example 1
Weakness: self-criticism
“I can be overly critical of myself. Throughout my career, I have noticed the same pattern: no matter how well I complete the task, I still feel that I could have done it even better. The result is burnout.
I decided I needed to do something about it and started working on my self-confidence. Therefore, over the past two years, after I finish working on a project, I try to take a break: I celebrate my achievements and praise myself for the work I have done. This also helped me in that I began to treat my colleagues differently, notice their successes and rejoice in common victories.”
Example 2
Weakness: procrastination or tendency to constantly put things off “until tomorrow”
“I have a negative character trait - putting everything off for later. I used to always think that procrastination was just my problem. But while working as an engineer at company X, I realized that my entire team began to suffer because of my habit. Colleagues were stressed about whether we would be able to complete the project on time. And, as a result, the atmosphere in the team became tense.
At that moment, I realized that it was time to change something, it couldn’t continue like this, otherwise I would lose my job. I began to make myself a list of tasks for the day and complete them in strict sequence. Thanks to this kind of planning, I became much more organized.”
Example 3
Weakness: fear of public speaking
“Completing a project and preparing a presentation for it is a piece of cake for me. But when it comes to speaking in front of colleagues or potential investors, all my confidence evaporates.
Our department head knew about this problem and usually asked someone from the team to come forward and present the project. And then one day, listening to the speech of my colleague, I realized very clearly that only I myself, its author, can present my project, my brainchild in all its details, with all the details and nuances.
I began to prepare for the performance in advance, rehearsed and even recorded myself on video. This helped me look at myself from the outside and notice mistakes - my voice trembled, my intonation was wrong, there was no eye contact, etc. Now, the more I speak in public, the more confident I become.”
How to talk about your strengths
During an interview, the answer to the question “Tell me about your positive and negative qualities” should begin with the strengths that allowed you to become successful both in life and in your profession. Prepare before the interview. Using simple techniques, identify the best in yourself and connect these qualities with the requirements of the job.
1. Make a 10-point list of your main strengths. Get creative with this assignment, get rid of your shy inner editor and write down all your strong character traits. Choose those that you really have.
2. Carefully study the vacancy, try to understand the employee with what set of qualities is needed for the position for which you are applying. Relate yourself to it. Focus on your knowledge and experience in a particular area, and only then mention the personal.
3. Limit your list of positive aspects to three to five items. Choose what you feel most comfortable discussing.
4. Illustrate each strong quality with an example. And preferably not alone. The more such positive characteristics of yourself you have in stock, the better. Recruiters may ask for more and more information.
Here are a few options for constructing your answer.
Example #1:
“I have an analytical mind, I write competently, interestingly, in different styles and genres. If necessary, with humor. I also create unique content, not only text, but also graphic. I have a lot of interviewing experience. By the way, interviews are my favorite genre. Because it involves new acquaintances and communication, and I’m a sociable person.”
Example #2:
“I know how to get along with people. I can find a common language with almost any person, no matter how old he is or what position he holds. I also like it when, through conversation, you can achieve a certain result: avoid conflict or convince your interlocutor to buy something. For example, at my previous job I... (tell me how you manage to achieve your goals with the help of communication).”
Example #3:
“I consider my strength to be my ability to find innovative ways out of difficult situations. I always look at the world optimistically. And I try to approach problems the same way. They don’t scare me, but, on the contrary, mobilize me. I can give you this example... (tell a real story).”
# What shortcomings to indicate in a resume - examples
If an applicant refuses to fill out an item about personal weaknesses, this may raise suspicion. Therefore, it is better to mention flaws, but do it competently. There are neutral deficiencies that can be indicated on the application form. For example:
- I don’t know how to respond to rudeness with rudeness;
- I sometimes have a critical attitude towards people;
- Tendency to stick only to one’s own;
- I can’t always express my thoughts quite clearly;
- I am overweight and I am embarrassed about it;
- I devote a lot of time to evaluating my actions and actions;
- I take a lot of things to heart;
- I'm afraid of heights and flying on an airplane;
- I don’t like moving and business trips;
- I can’t live without sweets and coffee;
- I'm afraid of spiders and insects;
- I can’t swim and I’m afraid of drowning;
- It takes me a long time to fall asleep at night.
- Too trusting;
- I don’t like to act to please others;
- I don’t like to make trouble and swear, even when necessary;
- I don't know how to flatter.
A universal method for writing shortcomings: select a few of your strengths and add the prefix of exaggeration - too responsible, too honest, too pedantic.
But there are also qualities that should not be advertised in order to avoid a negative impact on the recruiter:
Do you hide your shortcomings?
Not really
- Laziness or passivity;
- Fear of responsibility;
- Lack of punctuality;
- Distraction of attention;
- Self-interest, I think only money;
- Love for office romances;
- Conflict person;
- Habit of lying;
- Absent-mindedness.
# Examples for the seller
Sales is a common profession, but when applying for a job you may be asked to voice your weaknesses. Therefore, you should be prepared for this. The following qualities will not cause indignation among the employer, but on the contrary will interest him:
- excessive sociability, talkativeness;
- increased activity;
- excessive self-confidence;
- need for motivation;
- distrust of people.
# Examples for an accountant
In order to look favorably against the background of other candidates for an accountant vacancy, you can present the following qualities:
- inability to lie;
- self-esteem;
- lack of agreement in work situations;
- scrupulousness;
- inflated sense of responsibility;
- taking other people's problems to heart.
- distrust;
- excessive pedantry;
- increased anxiety;
- straightforwardness;
- scrupulousness;
- modesty;
# Examples for a manager
For a manager, it is more profitable to indicate completely opposite weaknesses in a resume. For example, you can use:
- weak perseverance;
- hyperactivity;
- excessive demands;
- impudence;
- stubbornness;
- self-confidence;
- straightforwardness;
- impulsiveness.
# Examples for a manager
Leaders can pay attention to those negative character traits that contribute to being a leader in a team. These qualities, in moderate quantities, even help in leadership positions:
- narcissism;
- excessive demands on people;
- excessive dramatization of events;
- strict adherence to the rules;
- authoritarianism;
- rigidity;
- stubbornness.
How to talk about your weaknesses
When answering the question about negative qualities, you do not need to name abstract or “good” flaws. Your task is to show that you are aware of your shortcomings, know how to deal with them and work with them. Such a presentation can make a positive impression on the employer more than a list of your achievements.
How to do it:
1. Turn negatives into positives.
“I am meticulous and scrupulous. Many people consider this my shortcoming. But for me, as an analyst, it is important to check all the data down to the smallest detail, to analyze all the details. I won't rest until I do this. In my practice, there was a case... (give an example when your meticulousness helped to detect some error).”
2. Indicate that you are working with shortcomings. Admit it, yes, you have negative qualities, but you are doing everything to correct them.
“I'm a bad speaker. When I have to speak in front of a large number of people, I get lost. I understand that this is a very big drawback for a journalist, so I’ve been taking public speaking courses for a month now. I’m still far from Cicero, but I’m making progress.”
3. Compensate for negative qualities if you understand that they cannot be turned into a plus, and it is useless to fight them.
"I am an owl. I like to sleep longer. So I might be late for work. But I don't mind staying late at the office to complete all the tasks planned for the day. I’m most productive in the afternoon, so I usually get everything done and never miss a deadline.”
Examples of successful answers to the question “What are your strengths”
Example 1
Strength: leadership qualities
“I have always shown myself to be a born leader. I have 10 years of experience in finance and sales and have exceeded all key performance indicators at the end of each reporting period. Over the past 4 years, I have been promoted three times.
Of course, this is not solely my merit. I always select only highly qualified specialists for my team. And I am proud of my ability to see potential in an employee.
I never stand still, I work on myself and develop my management skills. In this position I plan to further improve my leadership skills.”
Example 2
Strengths: communication skills and result-oriented:
“I prefer to work in a team, I make contact easily, I know how to collaborate and work together with colleagues.
At Company X, I worked in various project teams that were creative and performed a variety of technical tasks. But this did not stop me from achieving a promotion - for the last 2 years I was in charge of the technical department. During this time, I was able to achieve an increase in the company’s production capacity by 20%.”
Example 3
Strengths: responsibility, organization and discipline:
“I consider my strengths to be responsibility and discipline, I easily obey the rules, and I work conscientiously. I just can't do it any other way.
I remember there was a case when my colleague forgot about the project, and there was only one day left before the deadline for submitting the material. The editor-in-chief asked me to at least try to somehow rectify the situation. Since the article was important for our newspaper, I immediately set to work and was able to complete it on time. By the way, the article turned out to be of high quality and our reader received it with a bang.”
How not to answer
If the HR manager does not ask you to name your strengths and weaknesses, then on your own initiative do not start a conversation about it. But if the question is asked, then answer quickly. Don't be silent and embarrassed. But remember, you are not in confession, do not pour out all your positive and negative qualities on the recruiter.
If we try to formulate a basic rule for effectively answering a question about advantages and disadvantages, it would be this: “Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” A mature person knows that he has both strengths and weaknesses, and he is not embarrassed to admit it. And even more so, he will not lie and fuss about himself.
Work.ua reminds you that lying on your resume and during an interview is the worst assistant in building a career. Therefore, be honest, first of all, with yourself, be convincing, believe in yourself and your answers. And don’t forget that confidence is an important factor when getting a job.
