Tag: preparing for interviews

Answering “What’s Your Biggest Weakness?”

Hiring managers love the question “What’s your biggest weakness?” because it tells them at least three different things about you:

  1. Are you self-aware?
  2. Are you honest?
  3. Is your “flaw” something they can live with?

If you answer “I work too hard for my own good” or “I’m my own worst critic,” you don’t show honesty or self-awareness and you don’t give the interviewer a clue about whether your flaw will work OK with the job they need to get done.  So it’s important you give an honest answer, one that shows you know yourself, are addressing your weakness and have no problem so big it will interfere with your work. Read More

Answering “Why Should We Hire You?”

On a episode of “America’s Got Talent”, a contestant was asked “Why should America vote for you?” The contestant tearfully replied something along the lines of “Because I want it so much, it would mean so much to me.” While this answer works for a TV talent show, it is NOT the response you want to give when asked in a job interview “Why should we hire you?” Hires are not made based on how much the applicant wants the job. Hires are based on the value the candidate can create for the employer. Here are some dos and don’ts for answering this very common interview question. Read More