Job Interview Question #48 - What's your biggest weakness?
Hmmm. Now let me think. My biggest weakness.
Well, I really want this job, but I have to answer truthfully. Where do I start?
Should I go with "staying up all night watching The Bachelor?"
How about "No follow through? I don't finish anything."
Or "I am a terrible procrastinator."
"I forget people's names. I've already forgotten yours. In fact, what company is this? Is this the one with the questionable business model?"
"I don't test my code. I just throw it out there and hope it doesn't break."
"I care more about the company I am working for than I do about my family."
"I don't have good hygiene. In fact, I can't remember the last time I showered."
"I'm a really loud chewer."
"I have A. D. H. D. I haven't finished a task in three years."
"I'm a really bad listener. If it's not about me, forget it."
"I don't really know how to code. I just blame everyone else all the time for my inadequacies."
"I'm never at my desk."
"I love meetings. If I could be in meetings all day acting like I know what I am talking about, I much prefer that to doing real work."
"I make really poor decisions. And I like them to be fast. The faster the better."
In looking at what the professionals say about this question, they advise people to not actually say what their biggest weakness is. Instead the interviewee is supposed to answer with a sort of straw man that she can quickly knock out of the park with what they are doing to overcome it.
So, essentially the interviewee needs to lie and have a nice thought up story (another lie) to go along with it showing that progress is being made to overcome the biggest weakness.
Now the whole situation is getting ridiculous.
Biggest weakness. Why would they ask the question if they didn't want to know? Of course they want to know. Who wouldn't want to know? Maybe the interviewee is just dumb enough to tell them their biggest weakness.
And of course there is a part of me that really wants to tell them my biggest weakness. What an opportunity! I don't know these people at all. I could say anything. Why not make the interview even more awkward than it already is?
"I still pee the bed."
"Sometimes I forget to wear my clothes to work."
"I eat crackers in bed."
"I tend to smile when people tell me bad news."
"I keep track of my co-workers when they swear."
"I sleep under my desk."
I am hoping that I don't get this question anytime soon.
