Page 273 - Marky Stein - Get a Great Job When You Don't Have a Job-McGraw-Hill (2009)

Get a Great Job When You Don’t Have a Job

One stress question that you are most likely to get in almost
every interview is the following:

QUESTION: What is your greatest weakness?
Do not tell your greatest weakness! How do you think it would sound
to say, “I’m really a slob” or “I have 27 unpaid parking tickets”
or, worse still, “I am always late for work and I usually leave
early”? Let’s take those weaknesses (which of course you don’t
have) and leave them outside the interviewer’s door.
The best way to answer this question is to pick out a negative
that you might really possess but that could also be seen as a pos-
itive. Here are some examples. See if any of these “weaknesses”
apply to you. In the left column is the supposed negative weak-
ness. The right column represents that weakness when it’s redi-
rected into a positive:

“Weakness”—Negative “Weakness”—Positive

Workaholic Works hard. Would be
willing to work extra hours.

Perfectionist Is detail oriented. Sets high
standards for work.

Tries to be friends Is a team player. Has good
with everyone interpersonal skills. Warm.

Competitive Sets goals. Strives to excel.
Overcomes obstacles.

I know some of these sound absurd, but let’s take a look how the
opposite of a supposedly negative trait can be turned into an excel-
lent response.

QUESTION: What is your greatest weakness?
ANSWER: Well, some people have told me I’m a bit of a worka-
holic, and I guess, in part, they’re right. I just don’t

260