what's your weakness?

[MedApp2003]

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.

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[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.