Should You Ever Say Perfectionism Is Your Greatest Weakness?

Should You Ever Say Perfectionism Is Your Greatest Weakness?

Esther Kamau, an interview coaching expert says in 70% of interview candidates she has coached, one question always stands out as the most dreaded interview question.
 “What’s your biggest weakness?”
“I was asked this week whether saying you are a perfectionist is a good answer to provide during a job interview when asked to confess your “weakness.
The young lady was very sincere and did not know what to answer about her weakness”
But do recruiters still buy this even if it’s sort of true?
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Here’s the thing: Chances are, telling an employer that perfectionism is your greatest weakness won’t surprise him or her because chances are he/she has heard this for the 1000th time now.
So, here is what you should say instead.
When asked to identify “weaknesses” start by substituting the word “challenge” for “weakness”.
So if you normally have a challenge addressing people in public, then make that your weakness in this case and find a way convincing the employer that that won’t affect your work or you’re doing something to change the current situation.
Hence, just remember to choose a challenge you are already tackling.
For example, invest by signing up for a Corporate Staffing Services Public speaking training course to overcome fear of public speaking.
Remember that, when asking this question, the interviewer is not looking for super-human candidate whose only weakness is that they’re “a little too perfect” or they have no faults whatsoever.
They’re looking for people who know themselves both their strong suits and points of weakness—and who can improve on those things.
And more than anything, they’re looking for a real person!
Just remember…
You’re not impressing the interviewer by claiming you are a perfectionist.
If you really want to impress, you need to come up with a unique answer that is real and relatable.
Cliché answers are only going to raise eyebrows and harm your chances of getting the job!
Reserve your seat for a one on one interview coaching experience and get a chance to actually do a mock interview before the real interview by sending an email to esther@corporatestaffing.co.ke
Judith Moraa is a Communication Assistant at Corporate Staffing a leading HR firm that offers recruitment and FREE job placement. For more information visit their website on www.corporatestaffing.co.ke