List of flaws to say in an interview without risking the job of your dreams

has it ever happened to you that when you are asked to state your shortcomings in a job interview, you draw a blank? This situation is more common than you think, mainly because no one wants to look bad in front of the recruiters for the position they are looking for.

Being one of the most asked job interview questions by talent hunters, it is important that you know how to say flaws in an interview to make a good impression. Believe it or not, depending on how you present your flaws in a job interview, they can work in your favor to show that you are a resilient professional .

In today’s article, you will find tips on how to act when asked about your flaws in a job interview, a list of weaknesses you should not mention, examples of flaws to mention in a job interview and a series of free resources to ensure your professional success.

how to act when asked about your flaws in an interview?

When you are asked to mention your shortcomings in an interview, avoid mentioning those that are directly related to the job. if you do, recruiters will soon discard your application and move on to the next applicant.

According to the human resources blog IMF, “the interviewer is looking for you to be honest, but also to be smart and savvy enough not to throw stones at yourself as a candidate”.

To know exactly what to say, keep these tips in mind when you’re asked about your shortcomings in a job interview:

Avoid disguising a virtue as a flaw, as it won’t be believable and could play against you. If you put all your energy into indirectly highlighting your skills, you will come across as self-centered.

Whenever you have to mention your flaws in a job interview, we recommend that you complement them with strengths that help you counteract their effect.

Mention the reasons why they should choose you, taking into account what you can offer the company that others cannot. The idea is that you offer them a high-value professional.

Ideally, people should state their shortcomings in an interview in a precise and concrete way, letting the interviewer take the reins of the conversation.

Source: Pexels

what are the weaknesses you shouldn’t say in a job interview?

After being asked to tell your shortcomings in an interview, you are likely to feel nervous and, before answering, many questions go through your mind in a matter of seconds: What should I say? What should I wear? what should I not reveal? how should I approach a topic I don’t know perfectly? what are my strengths and weaknesses in an interview?

Don’t be afraid to say your flaws in an interview, remember that all people have strengths and weaknesses. To be successful, the key is to know how to present those negative aspects during the interview .

To attract and incorporate the best talent to their organizations, recruiters strive to meet candidates in interviews, as these meetings strengthen the contact between both parties. If you want to make a great impression, it is important that, when making the list of your shortcomings to say them in an interview, be honest and original .

The experts at IMF -human resources blog-, recommend not to say these 3 flaws in an interview:

“I am too much of a perfectionist”

“I am a workaholic”

“I have no weaknesses”

These are the weaknesses that are most often repeated in various types of job interviews, therefore, it is clear that they are not a sincere answer. Don’t fall into the trap of mentioning defects disguised as virtues, as you will leave a bad impression on your interviewers.

Recruiters are interested in your ability to recognize your weaknesses on the job and, above all, how you have been able to overcome them. A very good technique for this is to mention the flaw and then how you have improved them.

Therefore, the weaknesses or flaws to say in an interview should be thought of in your particular situation. Talk about the flaws you have overcome based on your own effort and commitment. This will always be valued by the person interviewing you, as it shows that you know yourself and that you care about improving.

Examples of flaws to say in an interview

To make a great impression with talent scouts, you must present your weaknesses in a job interview without falling into repetitive or common phrases. In addition to that, you must be able to mention your flaws along with the actions you are taking to improve .

Recruiters should know that you are a person who cares about boosting your performance and doesn’t give up when faced with difficulties along the way. To give you an idea on how to do this, here are some examples of flaws to say in a job interview:

1. “I didn’t know how to say no.”

“I didn’t know how to say no. New projects motivated me. Without realizing it, I was adding new tasks and projects every day. Now, I have learned to recognize my own limits in order not to lose my efficiency.”

2. “In the past I was disorganized”

“In the past I was disorganized. Today, my planning and organizing skills have grown through studied techniques such as…”.

3. “I panicked when speaking in public.”

“I used to panic when speaking in public. I used to get nervous and uncomfortable, but I’m working on it. I’ve even started a course on how to deal with these kinds of situations.”

4. “I turned in my reports by the deadline.”

“I used to hand in my reports on or even after the deadline. lately, I have changed my attitude and have been able to considerably improve my level of organization thanks to some techniques and tools to monitor my productivity.”

Source: Pexels

5. “I used to procrastinate”

“I used to procrastinate and would end up working very long days as the deadline approached. However, I decided I needed to take care of the problem, so I took classes on project management and time management. So I started creating daily schedules to organize my days and break larger projects into manageable chunks. It was difficult at first, but using the Agile process was a breakthrough in my workflow and mindset.”

6. “I have little experience in…”

“I’ve always worked in graphic design and haven’t had much experience with content development, so I’d say it’s a weakness for me. However, I’m a quick learner and feel I can improve my writing skills if I ever needed to for my daily activities.”

7. “I don’t have a lot of math skills”

“I have few math skills and not much experience with data analysis. While math is not directly linked to my role as a content writer, I feel it is important to have a clear understanding of Google Analytics to ensure I perform my job well. To address this weakness, I have been taking online courses on data analytics…”.

Tips for succeeding in a job interview

Beyond knowing from head to toe your shortcomings to say in a job interview, it will also be necessary to enlist all the previous aspects to ensure that you do not have any kind of inconvenience during your presentation and it will be a successful interview.

As Raquel Roca, teacher of the online course of essential soft skills for professional success, explains, what is evaluated and valued today in a job profile is the ability to learn and develop new skills and behaviors.

So, if you want to highlight your best skills and aptitudes to a potential employer, you should comply with the following recommendations:

1. Prepare well for the interview

Before presenting yourself for the interview, inform yourself well about the company, this is a key point. The more information you have, the calmer and more confident you will be when mentioning your shortcomings in the interview. Find out about the job you have to fill and if you meet the requirements.

According to Forbes Mexico, it is much more likely that they will be interested in you if you show knowledge and interest in the company’s activities, than if you are not involved in them. if possible, develop questions to learn more about the company at the end of the interview, this will demonstrate your level of interest in the company.

Also, put together a list of shortcomings for your job interview, taking into consideration the efforts you are making to improve your performance, as shown above. This way you’ll be prepared to answer any questions your next employer may ask.

Source: Pexels

2. Take care of your personal image

If you want to make a good first impression, it’s not enough to say your flaws in the interview with confidence, you should also look good. through the way you dress, it is possible to communicate more information about your personality, so you want to look presentable and professional.

Choose clothes that you feel comfortable in and make sure they are appropriate for the position or rank for which you are applying. Take care of the appearance of your hair and face, as well as the clothes you wear; they should be clean and pressed.

3. Don’t speak ill of your former employers

By talking badly about someone you may convey to the interviewer the image of being ungrateful, disloyal and possibly problematic with your superiors or colleagues. This could inadvertently add to the list of flaws to be said in an interview.

If you are asked to explain why you left a job or were fired, give a discreet answer, for example, you can say that the company didn’t fit your plans.

4. Be humble

Show that you know how to recognize good work and that you have no problem learning on a daily basis. one way to do this is, as we mentioned earlier, state your professional weaknesses in the interview by mentioning that you are working to improve your performance.

Your interviewers will like to know that you’re willing to learn something new every time the opportunity arises. Find out how to communicate assertively, based on respect and empathy, in our leadership and communication learning path.

5. Don’t lie about your weaknesses in the interview

A lie can be discovered before a competency test or through an encounter with a colleague or someone in your company who has casually discussed your background. Rather than denying your weaknesses in a job interview, to be successful, you must demonstrate that you are doing something to improve yourself .

If you worry too much about your shortcomings in a job interview and go out of your way to hide them, you can create tension and discomfort in the meeting. Keep in mind that everyone has flaws, even those interviewing you, so act naturally and highlight your ability to get ahead.

Source: Pexels

Free resources on how to succeed in a job interview

Now that you know what flaws to say in a job interview, all that’s left is to wait for the right moment to put what you’ve learned into practice. Here’s a list of free resources to boost your job search and get the job offer you’ve been longing for.

1. Cover letter templates for a job

The most important thing when it comes to going out into the job market to find the job of your dreams is to learn how to write your cover letter: a document that will demonstrate that you have the skills and experience mentioned in your resume or CV.

To catch the attention of recruiters, highlight the soft skills and hard skills that relate directly to the position. However, it is important to save your shortcomings for the interview, because if you include them here, they will affect your application .

If you want to ensure your success and get the job of your dreams, these cover letter templates will make you look like a unique and unparalleled professional.

2. Creative Resume Templates

Despite having the necessary professional skills for the position, and knowing how to present your flaws in a job interview, if you don’t have a creative and attractive CV, you are likely to be discarded from a long list of candidates .

Since we want you to catch that great job opportunity, we present you with this set of creative resume templates to give your resume a charming style.

3. Templates for a successful professional bio

We know that sometimes talking about yourself can be a difficult task, especially if it is to apply for a job position. Remember that words are very powerful and writing your professional bio is an essential aspect to make a difference.

Not only is it a text that will accompany your resume, but it is also a resource to enhance your personal brand on social networks. In fact, in it, you can describe your strengths and weaknesses that you plan to say in a job interview as challenges in your career.

4. Remote Interview Guide

Imagine that you are answering a question or thinking about your shortcomings to say in a virtual interview and suddenly the communication is cut off because your battery is dead. It is likely that the interviewers will interpret this situation as disinterest, which can affect your results .

5. Personal SWOT Template

still don’t know what your strengths and weaknesses are? Don’t forget that the flaws you have to say in a job interview should always be accompanied by the skills that are helping you to overcome the negative aspects you have mentioned .

With this resource, you will be able to identify your virtues and defects to say them in your job interviews.

congratulations! Now you know what flaws to say in a job interview without jeopardizing the position of your dreams. As you do more selection processes, you will gain more experience and your job interviews will become more and more fluid and enjoyable. It’s all a matter of time and practice.

However, we recommend you to prepare your answers in advance, maintain a professional image and implement an assertive communication with your interviewers. This way, you will be able to express your strengths and weaknesses in the job interview in an optimal way.

best of luck!