What defect should you talk about in a job interview?

During a job interview, there is always that old question: Tell me a little about your main qualities and your main defects?

One of the situations that causes the most nervousness during adult life is job interviews. This is almost unanimous! No matter how aware and confident you are about your abilities, you always get butterflies in your stomach and the fear of making a mistake that could ruin your chances of being accepted and getting a good job opportunity.

The vast majority of people know how to talk very well about their qualities, but they get stuck when it comes to mentioning their defects. But do you know why this happens?

If you've ever been through this and were undecided about which flaw to mention without burning yourself out in the interview, this content was created with you in mind! In it, we've gathered some special tips to help you understand and deal with these moments in the best way possible!

The text will be divided into the following topics:

• First of all, know yourself.
• It seems like a coincidence, but it isn’t….
• Sincerity always!
• Escape from the famous clichés
• Examples of qualities to have in a job interview
• Show that your flaws don't define you
• What can we conclude from this?

First of all, know yourself.

Preparation for the interview begins long before you arrive at the HR department. It should start right at home!

Calm down, I'll explain!

It is through this self-knowledge that you can discover traits of your personality that, in many cases, you are unable to perceive during your day-to-day life. Therefore, carrying out this prior preparation through this reflection exercise will help you do better in any interview.

It seems like a coincidence, but it isn’t….

I bet you’ve heard this age-old question about your greatest strengths and weaknesses more than once during job interviews. And they’re there for a reason!

In fact, the purpose of this question goes far beyond what it seems. By asking what your biggest flaw is, the recruiter is evaluating your emotional intelligence and how you deal with your flaws, for example.

The assessment is not exactly on your defects, but on how you mention them and how you deal with them.

Sincerity always!

I don't even need to say that lying during an interview is a huge mistake, right? Whether it's about your experiences, qualifications, or even your qualities and defects. So, don't pretend to be something you're not.

Remember: you are sitting in front of a highly qualified professional who is ready to evaluate you. If something you have said – or some information contained in your resume – is not true, it will most likely be noticed and will negatively affect your performance.

Escape from the famous clichés

Do you know those “standard flaws” that everyone uses during selection processes? Avoid them!

Defects such as “I’m too much of a workaholic” or “I’m too much of a perfectionist” hinder more than they help, since 9 out of 10 candidates use these same answers to talk about their defects.

HR professionals responsible for recruiting candidates have heard this answer so many times that, in many cases, it is no longer seen as a positive thing during the interview. In a more general sense, people who claim to be perfectionists may appear to lack creativity.

Examples of qualities to have in a job interview

• Creativity: very welcome in almost all areas of activity, creativity is a very positive point.

• Flexibility: flexibility is a quality highly regarded among recruiters, showing that the professional has great potential for development.

• Punctuality: although many companies are becoming more flexible regarding working hours, punctuality is still a quality that attracts a lot of attention among recruiters.

• Team spirit: nowadays, the search for professionals who meet this criterion is stronger than ever! Therefore, having team spirit is a very strong point and should be mentioned during the interview.

• Organization: another essential criterion in almost all areas. This is one of those criteria that is almost indispensable during the interview. After all, an organized professional is better able to deal with deadlines and surprise demands that may arise.

Remember:

As previously stated in this text, always be sincere! Only mention these qualities if they are truly part of your personality.

Another tip is: when talking about your qualities – and even your defects – give examples. Use a situation you’ve been through to tell the story. This will help illustrate your story and, in the case of defects, it can show that you are always trying to improve.

For example:

Show in the job interview that your flaws don't define you

There is no perfect person in this entire world. Everyone has flaws. That is a fact! During the interview, many people think it is better to focus only on their many qualities, leaving their flaws aside. But this often has the opposite effect.

When talking about your defects and limitations, always try to comment on what you usually do to overcome these defects.

By doing this, in addition to making a good impression on recruiters, you also earn points for sincerity, showing that you are seeking to evolve as a person. This attracts much more attention than that person who has a huge list of qualities, but when it comes to talking about their defects, they say “I’m such a perfectionist!” and that’s it.

What can we conclude from this?

At the end of this reading, we can conclude that defects are just as important as qualities. After all, how we deal with them says a lot about our own personality.

So, to do well during a job interview, remember: when the recruiter asks about your qualities and defects, always be honest. It is not your defects that define you, but how you deal with them.

Did you like the content?

Take the opportunity to read too How to be a successful leader? 5 essential tips.

Nathalia Silva September 23, 2021