what's your weakness?

[MedApp2003]

---

Members don't see this ad.

If asked your strengths and weaknesses in an interview, what are you guys saying for your weakness? I am not sure how to answer this. I can definitely think of some, but not sure I want to share those with an interviewer.

 

[kaos]

I laugh too much.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

I am a people pleaser. And that's my weakness. Oprah calls it "disease to please." 🙁 Although you would THINK that' s a strength, it gets really tiring at the end of the day if all you are doing is moderate people in your REAL life.

I mean, just imagine...it's like SDN in real life. i am constantly trying to mediate arguements or situations, trying to make sure others around me are happy. It's all well and good, until I realize that I can't make everybody around me happy. Then I blame it on myself and internalize it. It's gotten me into trouble before, and I know it's going to get me into trouble later in life unless I change that about myself. It's tiring.....but I can't seem to stop it.

 

[CyclinE]

but i think it's good to be a people pleaser, except when u have too many people to please & not enough time to do it.

 

[saiyagirl]

i think my optimism is both my greatest weakness and my greatest strength.

 

[isidella]

My weakness is that I am a workaholic. I love what I do so much, other people think I am wierd. Most of the time, I would rather read a journal article than go out and party. Just a nerd at heart, I guess.😍

 

[Ripley]

chocolate mousse cake😍 😍 😍


i tend to lack focus and it gets hard to study sometimes as i am distracted so easily. (not that i would ever admit this)

 

[hokiedoc]

I said my weakness was carrying too much about what other people think. Kind of relates to trying to please everyone.

 

[FutureM.D.]

Originally posted by hokiedoc
I said my weakness was carrying too much about what other people think. Kind of relates to trying to please everyone.

Same here. and I laugh too much too. It can get you in trouble sometimes....he, he, he.

 

[CD]

I tend to be single focused....to the exclusion of everything else. Which is great for the educational system, but not so great for real life! It's one of those things I work on everyday!

 

[PrincessCKNY]

I am way too anal/perfectionistic for my own good. I tend to double and triple check things and people have told me that I think I am perfect. Thus, I get very angry with myself whenever I make a mistake. Another weakness is that I internalize my stress without an appropriate way to let it out. I have been trying to work on those weaknesses for years now.

 

[DW]

.....girls, girls, girls,
girls i do adore.......

😉

seriously, i'm too much of a team player at times. try to help out others and consequently end up straining my own responsbilities.

 

[FutureM.D.]

I'm too beautiful. That's my greatest weakness. I'm so full of myself.

 

[Spidey]

"If I only had a little humility, I'd be perfect." --Ted Turner

 

[chopsuey]

i talk too much and too fast (though i'm not sure if you guys could possibly have sensed that...😉)... i think it makes me sound younger than i am and, unfortunately, can scare people! 🙁 i just get really enthusiatic about things and kinda forget to breathe...oops 🙂.

 

[Liel]

salt and vinegar chips

 

[xaelia]

Funny, they asked us that strength/weakness question at Pitt yesterday, and I said that I used to be a lot more cocky/arrogant and that was something I was working on...and the interviewer was really impressed that I had answered honestly because she was sick of hearing everyone's weaknesses that they turned into strengths (perfectionist, work too hard, etc.)

 

[Fenrezz]

I'm addicted to heroin. Sometimes when I can't make any money selling my body for more juice, I smoke crack to calm the cravings.

The interviewers seemed pleased with my honesty, although I guess my GPA wasn't high enough because I got rejected.

 

[LoveDoc]

I am over critical of criticism. I like to analyze and over analyze. I produce quality results on a consistent basis and pride myself on exceeding expectations therefore when I am categorized as not meeting expectations, I over process the feedback.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by chopsuey
🙁 i just get really enthusiatic about things and kinda forget to breathe...oops 🙂.

OMG! That's just like me. It's been so bad that I have had to gasp at times for air. 🙁

 

[Stan]

I have to have it every day.




Chocolate!

 

[Bounty]

Originally posted by Stan
I have to have it every day.

Hahah, can you imagine if someone at an interview was like, "I'm a sexaholic."

 

[rpames]

I worry about other people's problems too much. I guess I shouldn't become a psychiatrist.

Stupid people make me mad too.

 

[BrainDrain]

can't go wrong with saying procrastination...everyone's guilty of it!

 

[galen]

I dont know if Id say it in an interview, but mine is impatience with boring people. My mind wanders or jumps ahead ( or sidewise?)
BTW-- I AM trying to be a better listener. [It's awful when docs write in charts or read lab sheets while you're trying to tell them what's wrong with you]

 

[athena21]

I have a hard time trusting people. In fact, I rarely trust people...is that bad to say? at least it makes me realize i'm responsible for myself...

 

[Nefertari]

When I have to eat w/ people whose guts I can't stand, I get horrible indigestion. 🙁 I don't have any patience in that situation. Just happened last weekend when I had to have dinner w/ my b-friend's sister (Lord, help me, soon to be my sister-in-law!), who's a real witch!

Though I wouldn't wanna say that in an interview, since they're trying to evaluate your social skills!!

 

[athena21]

speaking of eating...i can't STAND IT when people smack their food--it drives me nuts! I can't concentrate on anything and the sound just keeps getting amplified in my ears!!!

 

[Marklar]

When working in groups, I often take all the responsibility on myself, because i dont trust that others will do a "good enough" job, or will not put as much time into it as I do and the work will suffer as a result. So, I overinvolve myself, kindof as a perfectionist....I dunno, anyone think of a good one word answer for my situation here....dont think perfectionist or lack of trust is the wording I am looking for??

 

[Nefertari]

Hey, what a relief to air our neuroticisms here!!!

 

[athena21]

Marklar,
see, now is it bad for us to say we don't trust people on app/interview questions? while it makes us do more work, trust in coworkers is essential to patient care and diagnosis, team work and effort in medicine, right? i dunno...

 

[cabruen]

I have interviewed and hired hundreds of people, and this question is critical. The specific answer is almost utterly useless. What is critical, is the self-reflection and honesty in the answer. I promise that honest answers, especially if they demonstrate some keen self-awareness insight, are immensely more important than the topic of the weakness. Any of these psuedo-weaknesses (perfectionist, optimism, workaholic, etc.) are clearly seen at best as trite dismissive answers to the question, and at worse just outright lies. Answers such as Xaelias above, show a deep understanding of oneself, and attempts at iself-mproivement. In all the interviews I have conducted (over 1000), such an answer would always lead to a positive impression of the candidate, not a negative. We all of real weaknesses (well maybe not Dr. Kevin40 😉 ), and the sooner we can all realize ours, the sooner we can rid ourselves of them.

I'll contribute mine...just to take my own medicine. I am terribly self-critical and lack self-confidence. It leads me to over dependent on others opinion of me, my actions, and my decisions.

 

[galen]

Nefertiti--what about the inability to listen to profs with wierd mannerisms?? I had a prof who I swear stuck his tongue out quickly every three or four words like a snake and I couldnt listen to a word he said because I kept waiting for that tongue to come out. Another one I had kept pausing in the middle of sentences for no reason like even between a n adjective and a noun. It drove me CRAZY and I had to drop the course...

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

Originally posted by galen
Nefertiti--what about the inability to listen to profs with wierd mannerisms?? I had a prof who I swear stuck his tongue out quickly every three or four words like a snake and I couldnt listen to a word he said because I kept waiting for that tongue to come out. Another one I had kept pausing in the middle of sentences for no reason like even between a n adjective and a noun. It drove me CRAZY and I had to drop the course...

 

[Nefertari]

Originally posted by galen
Nefertiti--what about the inability to listen to profs with wierd mannerisms?? I had a prof who I swear stuck his tongue out quickly every three or four words like a snake and I couldnt listen to a word he said because I kept waiting for that tongue to come out. Another one I had kept pausing in the middle of sentences for no reason like even between a n adjective and a noun. It drove me CRAZY and I had to drop the course...

Maybe they did those things w/ the intention of keeping your attention! Profs have all these crazy rhetorical techniques while lecturing. I had one who would blast his voice w/o warning when he saw someone in class noding off. I hated it, cause I have a weak heart & would jump out of my seat everytime he did that.