What are your weaknesses?

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DPT123

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Hi everyone,

I have an interview coming up at the end of the month, and I know the question will come up "what are your strengths and weaknesses". I definitely know my strengths, but I am not quite sure what some good answers will be in regards to my weaknesses. I searched the forums and google, and I know my weakness should be something I can easily correct or turn into a strength, but I am still not sure what the best answer(s) might be. Would you guys mind sharing what you feel might be some of the best interview answers?

I come from a non-science background, but is that considered a weakness? I have fulfilled all of my science pre-req's except for one of them, and have gotten all A's so I am not sure if that is an actual weakness. Having a hard time answering this question. I appreciate any help on this subject matter.

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Your weakness should be a TRUE weakness. Honestly don't try and go looking around for a "good" weakness and then use that. These people will be able to tell if youre just using a generic weakness or if you've really given this thought. Stop trying to ask other people what's good to say and really explore yourself and I know you'll be able to find a weakness, everyone has them it's just a matter of having the audacity to admit it. Good Luck.
 
Honestly, when I went to teaching interviews I would tell them my weakness was that I was young and inexperienced (but willing to learn!). ;)

Now, honestly, my weakness is that I'm a perfectionist. I want all As all the time and get very stressed out and upset when I don't get As. I need to chill out, preform well and let the grades come.

And yes, coming from an unrelated background can be a weakness- but honestly it makes you a well-rounded individual. One of the questions I got asked was what could I specifically bring to the table to my classmates if I were accepted?

Obviously, I was a teacher, so I feel that I have a lot of interesting strategies for studying/learning that others may not have thought of, I have a deeper understanding on dealing with people/teaching them something! - Now, instead of the ABCs I can teach someone how to recover from shoulder surgery!
 
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What a great thread to start for those who still have interviews coming up! Like markelmarcel, I too am a perfectionist, but in a little bit of a different way. I get really frustrated with myself when I don't catch onto new concepts or things I'm learning right away, especially when it seems like others are getting the hang of it without any problems at all. I expect too much of myself sometimes, and it ends up holding me back performance-wise because I'm afraid of making mistakes.

Jumping off of the "what do you bring to the table for your classmates?" topic, I'm very much an encourager. I love to see people succeed, but even more so I love being a catalyst for that to happen. If there is some way I can help them do better in a class or build them up after a particularly rough day, I'm on it. Which is kinda also why I chose PT for a career... ;)
 
I think this is a great thread as well! When preparing for my interviews I had the hardest time dealing with this question (Personally, I think this is the most difficult interview question). I agree that it should be a true weakness, but it doesn't hurt to ask your colleagues. Obviously, we are not going to spill our guts about our true weaknesses in life (we don't spend enough time with family/friends, we are obsessed with material things, we are addicted to one thing or another, etc.) But, we are all pursing the same degree, which has a moderately heavy price tag compared to our expected salaries. The profession inherently demands a person who is willing to care for others, and at the same time willing spend a good deal of money and time pursing it. It's safe to say that we have a lot of traits in common. Yes, even weakness. So, it's not stealing a weakness from someone else, it's using others ideas as cues to inspect your own traits and how they effect your behaviors.

I truly believe that personality traits could be used to do great things or, if not dealt with well, frustrate a person. For example, I am a perfectionist too. I am also a bit of a rebel, nonconformist, freethinker, etc. Together, these traits lead to me to take my learning into my own hands a bit too much. I will spend waay too much time researching my pants off about a topic we learned about the week before, because I am sincerely interested in learning about the topic to great depth. So, I fall short on time, I have to cram the last topic or two in, and there you go - my weakness. Would you really call that a weakness tho? Or, is it being overly curious? I dunno. I believe the question is weighed way too heavily, obviously we've all done great things and have great intentions for the future, even with our weaknesses.

Reflecting upon oneself is the easy part. When the interviewer at Hunter asked me how I had overcome my weakness, I could not in figure out a way to tell her that I didn't actually think my weakness was that bad... We all perform and work differently. I think the interviewers are looking for what makes you different and how you can make these differences worthwhile to the school you are applying to. Be confident about your weaknesses and your strengths, they are the makeup of your personality... we are complex creatures, but really we just want to better the world. If you can prove that's what you want to do, you are golden.
 
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I'm neither a perfectionist nor do I wish to stive to be one. My weakness is public speaking. I absolutely hate to speak in front of big groups of people. I participate in Toastmasters and take opportunities to talk in front of smaller groups at work in order to feel more at ease with communicating in front of all groups of people.

The key to discussing your weakness is to follow it up with how you are improving your weakness so that it is no longer regarded as one.
 
I'm neither a perfectionist nor do I wish to stive to be one. My weakness is public speaking. I absolutely hate to speak in front of big groups of people. I participate in Toastmasters and take opportunities to talk in front of smaller groups at work in order to feel more at ease with communicating in front of all groups of people.

The key to discussing your weakness is to follow it up with how you are improving your weakness so that it is no longer regarded as one.

Great response, NATO. :)
 
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