How to Explain Strengths and Weaknesses

Strength [Strong Point]

As a strength, you should pick out your "excellent ability" or "good aspects of character".

And you will explain and emphasize why that strength is useful for work.

Furthermore, when it is necessary to explain the experiences that demonstrated the strength, it is important to make the episode concrete and enhance the authenticity.

When you can't find episodes

However, some people might not be able to find episodes of school days just right to explain their strengths.

In one example, a man who thinks himself to be helpful might have had unfortunately little chance to demonstrate his helpfulness. In another example, a man who thinks himself to be competitive might have had unfortunately little chance to compete.

In such a case, no one can persuasively conveys his strength, so you should look back your past experiences and look for other strengths.

When you can't find your strengths

If you can't find your strengths, you may be able to find it by rephrasing your weakness positively.

For example, a passive person tends to give the impression that "not being motivated", but it can be rephrased as a "prudent personality".

Also, people who got bored easily tend to give the impression that "quiting in a short period of time", but it can be rephrased as "being curious and having various knowledge".

In addition, a quiet person tends to give the impression that "not being passionate", but it can be rephrased as "being able to judge calmly".

Besides, making many failures may be rephrased as "having a challenging spirit".

In addition, having less part-time experience may be rephrased as "being able to study things without bias".

In the same way,
"nervous" is rephrased as "correct", "precise" or "not getting lazy",
"vulnerable to pressure" is rephrased as "setting high target" or "having a strong sense of responsibility",
"stubborn" is rephrased as "having a strong will",
"meddling" is rephrased as "attentive" or "helpful",
"shy" is rephrased as "humble" and
"worrywart" is rephrased as "sensitive to risk".

A keyword list of examples of strengths is posted in another article. Please refer the list if you can't easily find your strengths.

Weakness [Weak Point]

You should explain your weakness honestly.

However, there are points you should care when explaining your weaknesses.

The first is how to choose words. For example, if you make blatant expressions such as "lack of concentration", "bored easily" and "short temper" etc., the impression will be worse.

The second is you should not choose a fatal weakness. If you make a mistake in the choice of your weakness, interviewers will have the impression that you are not "suitable" for the job or you do not understand the job.

So be careful about the expression. For example, when you apply for a job like a general job of a private company which can hold many projects at the same time, if you directly express your weakness as "not being good at doing multiple tasks at the same time", interviewers might hesitate to employ you.

However, in this case, if you softly express your weakness, your impression will not be negative. For example, you say "I settle down in my work, so I lack agility,".

Besides, for example, when you apply for a sales job, you should rephrase "shy" as "cautious". and when you apply for a planning job, you should rephrase "being not creative" as "not good at thinking out of the box".

By the way, if you can not find any weaknesses, you'd better explain the lack of knowledge. For example,"My knowledge of the economy is not enough.". Also you'd better explain the lack of experience. For example, "I've had little experience of exercising leadership.".

Alternatively, you can use the term "too" or "strong". For example, "I tend to concentrate on one thing too much", "I am too serious" and "I have a strong sense of responsibility".

Furthermore, explaining only your weakness is not enough, it is important to explain that you make efforts to conquer your weakness.

A keyword list of examples of weaknesses is posted in another article. Please refer to the list if you can't easily find your weakness.