What is your weakness?

In 1998, I took voluntary retirement from the Navy after serving for 23 years. Looking out for a job, I had some interviews lined up through a placement agency. The first one was with a small IT company of 300 staff based in Mumbai. I was told by the placement agency that the interview was for the position of Training Manager.

Two rounds of interview went off quite well and the last round was with the MD. That too went off smoothly to my satisfaction. There was one question: “What is your weakness?” I said that I am an emotional person and cannot see people in distress and gave an example of how I feel for people. The interview continued with other questions and concluded on a happy note.

I did not get the job. When I checked up with the agency, they said that the interview was for the post of HR Manager and the first thing they wanted the HR Manager to do was to sack some 40 excess developers that they had recruited for an anticipated project which did not materialize. My “weakness” that I am an emotional person made me unsuitable for the role.

However, my being emotional has never been a setback to me in my 23 years in the Navy. Though I feel sentimental about it, once I am convinced about the need for a certain action, I was always able to take a decision without feeling emotional. I might go out and help those who suffer, but the decision was always taken as per the requirement of the organization. Hence my statement without qualifying it that I am able to decide impartially made me lose the job.

One needs to be honest, but if the weakness is something that you are working on, please state so clearly. If it is really a weakness, then do not take up the job. For example, if your interview is for programmer skills, there is no point in taking it up if you do not enjoy programming. Similarly if the interview is for a Sales job and if you cannot sell anything however hard you try, there is no point in hiding that. Only you will know what your real weakness is and then if it is something you can overcome and you would like to overcome, tell that to the interviewer.

You need to introspect and find out your real weaknesses and work on them to overcome them.  Start today.