“Tell me about a time you failed” and “what is your biggest weakness?”. The two most nerve-racking questions you can encounter while in an interview. It’s hard for us to talk about times when we aren’t at our best. Never fear though, just like any question they do have right answers (or at least right WAYS to answer). Read on to find out how to tackle these two questions like interview pros!
“Tell me about a time you failed.”
Absolutely NOBODY likes to talk about times where they failed. Especially if they failed on the job. It puts our egos in check, reminds us that we’re not perfect, and nothing is more humbling. But this is exactly the reason why this question is actually an opportunity to shine. Employers love candidates that can own up to their mistakes, but only if they also express that they learned from and grew as part of the experience. Always try to spin a negative answer into a positive. Interviewers want to know how you approach challenges and how you deal with situations, even if it is a situation where you didn’t end up on top.
“What is your biggest weakness?”
If this question makes you nervous, you’re in good company. This is a very uncomfortable question to answer for anybody. The interviewer is essentially asking you “Why shouldn’t you get the job?”. The best approach is to be honest with them about the facets of the job that you will need to improve on. However, that doesn’t mean your answer has to be completely negative. You can spin your answer to transition from your weakness into how you plan to improve upon it. For example, say your biggest weakness is staying organized. Once you tell your interviewer this follow it up by describing the steps you have taken, and will take, in order to improve this behavior. Maybe you need to start writing your daily tasks in a planner, or creating reminders on your phone. Whatever it may be, show your recruiter that you have given thought to improving yourself and growing as a professional.
–Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing/Recruiting Assistant