What is the biggest flaw in talking during a job interview?

During a job interview, there's always that old question: Tell me a little about your main strengths and your main weaknesses?

One of the most nerve-wracking situations in adulthood is job interviews. This is almost universally agreed upon! No matter how aware and confident you are about your abilities, you always get that nervous feeling in your stomach and the fear of making a mistake that could ruin your chances of being approved and getting a good job opportunity.

The vast majority of people can talk very well about their qualities, but freeze up when it comes to mentioning their flaws. But do you know why this happens?

If you've ever been in this situation and were unsure which flaw to mention without ruining your chances in the interview, this content was created with you in mind! Here, we've gathered some special tips to help you understand and handle these moments in the best way possible!

The text will be divided into the following topics:

• First of all, know yourself.
• It may seem like a coincidence, but it's not...
• Honesty always!
• Avoid the famous clichés.
• Examples of qualities to demonstrate in a job interview.
• Show that your flaws don't define you.
• What can we conclude from this?

First of all, know yourself.

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

Don't worry, I'll explain!

It is through this self-knowledge that you can discover aspects of your personality that, in many cases, you don't perceive in your daily life. Therefore, carrying out this prior preparation through this exercise of reflection will help you perform better in any interview.

It may seem like a coincidence, but it's not...

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

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

The evaluation isn't exactly based on your flaws, but rather on how you mention them and how you deal with them.

Honesty always!

It goes without saying that lying during an interview is a huge mistake, right? Whether it's about experiences, qualifications, or even your strengths and weaknesses. So, don't pretend to be something you're not.

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

Avoid the famous clichés.

You know those "standard flaws" that everyone uses during selection processes? Avoid them!

Flaws such as "I'm too addicted to work" or "I'm too much of a perfectionist" do more harm than good, since 9 out of 10 candidates use these same answers to talk about their weaknesses.

HR professionals responsible for recruiting candidates have heard this response so often that, in many cases, it's no longer seen as a positive thing during the interview. More generally, people who describe themselves as perfectionists may come across as lacking creativity.

Examples of qualities to demonstrate in a job interview.

• Creativity: highly welcome in almost all fields of work, creativity is a very positive trait.

• Flexibility: Flexibility is a highly valued quality among recruiters, demonstrating that the professional has great potential for development.

• Punctuality: despite many companies becoming increasingly flexible with working hours, punctuality is still a quality that attracts considerable attention from recruiters.

• Team spirit: nowadays, the search for professionals who meet this criterion is stronger than ever! Therefore, having a 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 an interview. After all, an organized professional can better handle deadlines and unexpected demands that may arise.

Remember:

As mentioned earlier in this text, sincerity is key! Only mention these qualities if they truly reflect your personality.

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

For example:

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

There is no such thing as a perfect person in the whole world. Everyone has flaws. That's a fact! During an interview, many people find it better to focus only on their numerous qualities, leaving their flaws aside. But this often has the opposite effect.

When discussing your flaws and limitations, always try to mention what you usually do to overcome those flaws.

By doing this, in addition to making a good impression on recruiters, you also gain points for sincerity, showing that you are seeking to evolve as a person. This attracts much more attention than someone who has a huge list of qualities, but when it comes to commenting on their flaws, simply says "I'm too much of a perfectionist!" and that's it.

What can we conclude from this?

In conclusion, we can say that flaws are just as important as qualities. After all, how we deal with them says a lot about our own personality.

Therefore, to do well during a job interview, remember: when the recruiter asks about your strengths and weaknesses, always be truthful. It's not your weaknesses that define you, but how you deal with them.

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Nathalia Silva

Journalist, writer, and lover of words.

September 23, 2021