Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

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Lab Rat83

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So, I think everyone fears this question in any interview. I'm still not sure how to go about it. Are they looking for you to share a weakness that you're aware of and are willing/trying to fix? What are the answers to stay away from? I know I've been asked this during job interviews and I always stumble. I've thought of this question over and over for the last few years and still don't know how I'd answer it in a vet school interview.

So let's share our strengths and weaknesses!

My weaknesses
:
- I over think things and make them more complicated than they have to be.
- I am uncomfortable dealing with confrontation and conflict. I am however, very comfortable dealing with people I know well but not so much with strangers.
- I can sometimes lack confidence in making subjective decisions and always tend to rely on others for feedback.
- I can be very strong willed and opinionated.

My Strengths:
- I think of things objectively and rationally even under stressful situations.
- I'm quite complaisant which makes it easy for me to get along with others and usually well liked by others.
- I truly enjoy helping others.
- I accept criticism very well and can normally see it as being constructive.

What not to say:
- "I have no weaknesses" it is not a strength but an inability to see your own weaknesses.
- Saying things like "I'm honest and hardworking" is apparently something they don't like hearing because this is being assumed and if you feel that you need to make a point and telling them, they may start doubting you (my communications professor told us this).

I missed out on a job for disclosing to them that one of my weaknesses was my lack of confidence in certain things (they told me this). So, this might be one to add to the "Do not say list". I thought it would be since I also told them that I am aware of it and have seen major improvements in myself over the last few years. I also shared why I thought this was and that I really go out of my way to surpass my comfort zone and challenge myself.

Anyone have any advice on how to approach this question?

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In your interview, you should use the "I think of things objectively and rationally even under stressful situations..." example. Words like complacent can have a negative connotation, so do not use that one.

As for your weakness, I'd use the "I over think things and make them more complicated than they have to be." But immediately follow up with something like "I know I tend to do this, so I often collaborate with others for feedback." Turn the negative into a positive.
 
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Turn the negative into a positive.

This! A million times!

This is a classic trap question. They are looking for you to hang yourself and admit tragic errors. Don't list a lot of negatives. One or two. One of them should be something that has absolutely no impact on your academic abilities (I like to bake when I get stressed) or something nonsensical like that.

If you are listing something pertinent be damned sure you explain how you have made it better or you overcome it. Or better yet it is really a positive. "I am very anal.... bad but helps me get down all the details, or something like that."

Keep it short and they will move on.
I have seen too many people be too honest in interviews (job interviews in my case) and you're like... "whoa nelly, too much information. "

This is not confessional.
 
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(I like to bake when I get stressed)


If that's a negative, I have a lot more faults than I thought :laugh:

Now, if you said something like "When I get stressed, I go out to the bars and hook up with strangers," you might have a point. But I certainly wouldn't be telling my interviewers that!


Definitely agree with turning a negative into a positive. Make it vague, make it something little or trivial, but just show that you are aware that you are not God's gift to animals, who can therefore do no wrong.
 
This! A million times!

This is a classic trap question. They are looking for you to hang yourself and admit tragic errors. Don't list a lot of negatives. One or two. One of them should be something that has absolutely no impact on your academic abilities (I like to bake when I get stressed) or something nonsensical like that.

If you are listing something pertinent be damned sure you explain how you have made it better or you overcome it. Or better yet it is really a positive. "I am very anal.... bad but helps me get down all the details, or something like that."

Keep it short and they will move on.
I have seen too many people be too honest in interviews (job interviews in my case) and you're like... "whoa nelly, too much information. "

This is not confessional.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

This a billion times. Don't actually be completely honest with this question and name a bunch of weaknesses. Also, don't say you lack confidence! I totally had this question prepared last year when I interviewed and I can't remember for the life of me what I ended up choosing. But it was something that could be flipped around and viewed in a positive way. Always finish your sentence up in a positive light!
I hate this question, i actually thought they wanted an honest response but Ive talked with a bunch of people on interview committees and it is basically a trap. they will definitely use the weaknesses you say against you unless you can flip it into something positive.

edit: just remembered what i had planned during my interviews. It was that I have always been afraid of public speaking but since I was doing a fellowship at NIH i have joined a lot of journal clubs and done poster presentations to work on my public speaking skills. hellz ya lol
 
"I am very anal.... bad but helps me get down all the details, or something like that."

I used this before in interviews, both for jobs and schools. Although I didn't actually say "anal";) I just told the interviewer that I am super picky that things are done correctly, detail oriented, yada, yada, yada, but it has helped me prevent mistakes and keep organized even while working, going to school, running a club, etc....

From the weaknesses you listed, you could say something like you are an analyzer and really like to think through a problem (instead of saying over think) and then find ways how that is a positive...instead of rushing to a conclusion that could have devastating consequences, you look at all options and then are better able to make the best choice.
 
If you are listing something pertinent be damned sure you explain how you have made it better or you overcome it.

This. I didn't like the idea of listing a trivial weakness, or something that wasn't really related to vet med or school. So I mentioned how I am super uncomfortable about asking people to compensate me for my time(at the time, charging enough for pet sitting). Then I pointed out how working as a receptionist for a year and half made me realize how much a vet clinic relies on getting paid for services rendered, and made me infinitely more comfortable with asking people to pay large bills. Now I'm really not afraid to say "yes, I think surgery is appropriate, and yes, it costs $$$."

I think doing this helps to not only point out that you can assess your own weaknesses, but that you are also capable of changing them.
 
From a certain point of view (unmarried male), that is quite a positive!

If this were FB I'd be liking your comment SOV! Thank you everyone for your input. This is more along the lines of what I've been thinking. It's so nice to have help wording things. I love SDN!

I have job interview on February 14th so let's hope I'm prepared! This is for my back up plan assuming vet school is a no-go for this year.
 
So, I think everyone fears this question in any interview. I'm still not sure how to go about it. Are they looking for you to share a weakness that you're aware of and are willing/trying to fix? What are the answers to stay away from? I know I've been asked this during job interviews and I always stumble. I've thought of this question over and over for the last few years and still don't know how I'd answer it in a vet school interview.

So let's share our strengths and weaknesses!

My weaknesses
:
- I over think things and make them more complicated than they have to be.
- I am uncomfortable dealing with confrontation and conflict. I am however, very comfortable dealing with people I know well but not so much with strangers.
- I can sometimes lack confidence in making subjective decisions and always tend to rely on others for feedback.
- I can be very strong willed and opinionated.

My Strengths:
- I think of things objectively and rationally even under stressful situations.
- I'm quite complaisant which makes it easy for me to get along with others and usually well liked by others.
- I truly enjoy helping others.
- I accept criticism very well and can normally see it as being constructive.

What not to say:
- "I have no weaknesses" it is not a strength but an inability to see your own weaknesses.
- Saying things like "I'm honest and hardworking" is apparently something they don't like hearing because this is being assumed and if you feel that you need to make a point and telling them, they may start doubting you (my communications professor told us this).

I missed out on a job for disclosing to them that one of my weaknesses was my lack of confidence in certain things (they told me this). So, this might be one to add to the "Do not say list". I thought it would be since I also told them that I am aware of it and have seen major improvements in myself over the last few years. I also shared why I thought this was and that I really go out of my way to surpass my comfort zone and challenge myself.

Anyone have any advice on how to approach this question?

I think the first weakness you listed is the one you should go with because you can so easily turn that around into a positive, as others have suggested. Also say the weakness first, then the strengths, leaving them on a positive note. (Or, use this order: strength, weakness, best strength).

For your second strength, substitute the word "professional" for complaisant :)

You're smart to prepare this question in advance. It's hard to wing this one.
 
The pre-allo forum had an awesome thread where people listed their unfortunate/funny interview stories, and one person was asked what a weakness was and responded, "I eat junk food when I'm stressed."

So, you know. Lots of options for where to go with that question.
 
I find the strengths and weaknesses question one of the most diffucult.

Strengths
1. I am comfortable speaking in front of others and groups.
2. I manage my time efficiently while allows to me to accomplish multiple tasks in short time frames.
3. I am comoftable working with other students and work members to get more things accomplish than I wouldon my own.

Weaknesses
1. I am very neat and organized to the point that some would call OCD, however this trait helps because I spend less times looking around for things and more time to work and study.
2. I am directionally challenged, however now I use google maps!
3. hmm, weaknesses are hard to think of
 
Words like complacent can have a negative connotation, so do not use that one.

Complaisant and complacent have different meanings. My motto in Iraq was "Don't be complacent, be complaisant". Irritated the Command Sergeant Major, but it helped to expand his vocabulary.
 
Unfortuneatly the word complaisant is a perfect word to describe my personality. I like going with the flow and I'm easy to get along with. I'm agreeable and I collaborate well with others. What other word describes that?

Complacent means smug so I am complaisant not complacent.
 
2. I am directionally challenged, however now I use google maps!

Hehe I like this! I need some humour in my list!

Weakness:

I'm physically weak in my upper body and once lost an arm wrestling contest to a 9 year old, but he was a really strong 9 year old.
 
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Whatever the weakness, make sure it's not crippling or game-breaking (i.e. I become homicidal when stressed :eek:)

As soon as your weakness is out of your mouth, you should be telling them how you're working to make it better.

I'm not actually a fan of telling them a weakness that is actually a positive. To me that sounds like you're dodging the question. You should sit down and be honest with yourself and find something that's a weakness, and be honest about it, and then immediately tell them how you're making it better.

I told OSU (and KSU) that one of my biggest weaknesses is that I second-guess myself. This is true, and it used to be a huge problem for me. However, I have worked very hard to change my behavior, doing things like doing extra research and work, double-checking facts, studying harder, so I will have less reason to second-guess myself, and I've surrounded myself with great friends and family that have confidence in me and my abilities. I know that I have the ability, but I'm very particular about things being *right* and sometimes I want to double-check and explore every possible problem with my decision.
^Basically a paraphrase of what I said in the interview.

That to me is far more honest (not saying honest, like lying, but honest like "I have a weakness, I know it, and here it is"--frank would be a good word) than saying something like "I'm detail-oriented" as a weakness. That's not really a weakness at all, and the interviewers know it.
 
Whatever the weakness, make sure it's not crippling or game-breaking (i.e. I become homicidal when stressed :eek:)

As soon as your weakness is out of your mouth, you should be telling them how you're working to make it better.

Agreed.

Sometimes, though, I don't think you have to tell them how you're working to make it better. You can get by with telling them how you've *adapted* to your weakness - i.e. how you succeed in spite of it - or you can tell them what you've *learned* from it.

I don't think it's absolutely necessary "turn a negative into a positive," but I do think you need to end your answer on a positive note. (Maybe I'm splitting semantical hairs?) If you just say "my weakness is X" and leave it at that -- that's not a good answer.

FWIW, when my sister went into med school, her answer to this question was something along the lines of "I tend to set a very high bar for myself and am occasionally unfair in setting the same expectation for people around me." She got in just fine.

They didn't ask me this question specifically in my vet school interview, but it came up in a number of behavioral questions where I had to explain situations I struggled or failed in. In each case, I made sure to pick a circumstance with a positive outcome, or one in which I could clearly articulate what I learned from the event.

I've been on the interviewer side of things in the business world, and frankly, if someone gave me an "I cook to relieve stress" kind of answer, I'd be very, very disappointed that they appeared to be not taking the question seriously. I don't agree that the question is a trap: When I've asked it, I'm looking to see that the person has a realistic view of themselves, a bit of humility, understands their own weaknesses, and can adapt to minimize the impact of those weaknesses.

SoV mentioned it briefly, but it's worth repeating: don't extend your answer on this one. Pick something real, pick something non-fatal to your interview, make sure you have a positive outcome/lesson, and move on.
 
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That to me is far more honest (not saying honest, like lying, but honest like "I have a weakness, I know it, and here it is"--frank would be a good word) than saying something like "I'm detail-oriented" as a weakness. That's not really a weakness at all, and the interviewers know it.

I totally agree with this. They aren't expecting perfect people.
 
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