Interviewing someone for a job is not as easy as it looks. First, as the interviewer, you’re tasked with finding the person who will not only do the job well but also fit in well with the other employees.
You have to make an evaluation of abstract qualities that can’t be found on a résumé. Because you have to repeat the process for every potential employee, you end up asking question after question, applicant after applicant.
Still, interviewers need to be told something: “What is your biggest weakness?” is not a good question. It just isn’t.
Now, job seekers have to understand that interviewers want to find some way to know what makes an applicant different from others. Asking questions that are seemingly impossible to answer is one way to see who can think creatively. Then what may be a proper way to respond to such a question?
Honesty, with a twist(新手法)
“‘What are your three strengths and three weaknesses?’ is a classic, but not too many people know how to answer this,” says Kenneth C. Wisnefski, founder and CEO of WebiMax, an online marketing company.
“As an interviewer, we want to hear strengths that describe initiative(主动性), motivation and dedication. The best way to respond is to include these qualities into specific ‘personal statements.’”
“Similarly, weaknesses should be positioned as a strength that can benefit the employer.”
“I like to hear applicants state an exaggerated strength, and put an interesting twist on it. An example of this is, ‘My initiative is so strong, that sometimes I take on too many projects at a time.’”
This answer leads with a strength that employers want —initiative —and still acknowledges that you’re not perfect.
Although you might consider this acknowledgement too honest, it works because it proves you’re being honest.
Honesty, with progress
When you consider what your weaknesses are, think about how you have attempted to overcome them. No one is perfect, so pretending that you are a perfectionist will come across as insincere.
Debra Davenport, author of “Career Shuffle,” believes citing(引用) examples are the best approach.
“My preferred response for this question is to tell the truth without damaging the applicant’s image.” Davenport explains.
“A better response might be, ‘I’ve had some challenges with work-life balance in the past and I realize that a life out of balance isn’t good for me, my family or my employer. I’ve taken the time to learn better time and project management, and I’m also committed to my overall wellness.’”
The answer adds some dimension to the question, and proves you’ve thought beyond the answer. You’ve actually changed your behavior to address the situation, even if you haven’t completely overcome the weakness.
Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes
However you decide to answer, Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide,” recommends job seekers imagine themselves sitting on the other side of the desk.
“If you were doing the hiring, what would you be looking for? What would be your motivation for asking certain questions? Who would you be trying to weed out? If you can empathize (共鸣) with the interviewer, you can better understand what they want and need, and then frame your qualifications to meet their needs for the position you seek.”
Once you consider what the goal of the question is and figure out what your honest answer is, you’ll be able to give the best possible answer to a tricky question.
| Job Interviews |
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| Tasks for a job interviewer |
☆ Find the person both doing the job well and ( ☆ ( |
| ( |
☆ Understand that the interviewers want to ( ☆ Be ( ☆ Never ( ☆Try to show that you’ve changed a lot ( ☆ Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and have a better ( of their needs for the job. |
| Conclusion |
☆ With the goal of the question ( |
Will there always be 31 water? When you consider how necessary water is to each and every one of us and to all 32 (live) things, and when you observe how man has mismanaged other 33 (nature) resources, you may have reason to worry. Man has badly polluted his sources of water 34 Earth. And he uses more and more water each day. Can man learn to treat 35 (pollute) water for reuse fast enough 36 (keep) pace with the world’s technology and 37 (grow) population?
At the present time there is no serious shortage of water in the United States. Water, however, is not 38 able to meet all the local needs. Some areas, such as the southwestern part of our country, get less rain than 39 . In these areas, water must be brought in from 40 outside. Los Angeles, for example, must obtain its water from sources hundreds of miles away in the Colorado River and the rivers of northern California.
The Internet is an amazing information resource. Students, teachers, and researchers use it 31 an investigative tool. Journalists use it to find information for stories. Doctors use it to learn more about unfamiliar diseases and the 32 (late) medical development. Ordinary people use it for shopping, banking, bill-paying, and 33 (communication) with family and friends. People all over the world use it to connect with individuals from 34 countries and cultures.
35 , while there are many positive developments 36 (associate) with the Internet, there are also certain fears and concerns. 37concern relates to a lack of control over 38 appears on the Internet. With television and radio there are editors to check the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of programs, and with television there are restrictions 39 what kinds of programs can 40 (broadcast) and at what times of the day. With the Internet, parents cannot check a published guide to determine what is suitable for their children to see.
Alice always wanted to be a singer. Music was the 31 important thing in her life but, to tell you the 32 (true), she took lesson for years, practised every day, 33 in spite of all this, her voice didn't improve. Honestly, it didn’t get better, it just got 34 (loud).
Her teacher finally gave 35 and stopped the lessons, but Alice refused to quit, and one day she decided to give a concert and invited her former teacher to attend.
The teacher was very worried about 36 to say after the performance. She knew it 37 be terrible and it was. She didn't want to tell a lie, but she didn’t want to hurt Alice’s feelings 38 . Finally, she got an idea and went backstage to greet her former pupil.
“Well”, said Alice, “what did you think of 39 performance?”
“My dear,” said the teacher, “you’ll 40 be better than you were tonight.”
In France, most of the people want to have a very long time for lunch. In Britain it doesn’t seem to be important 31 people take a cup of tea and a very quick sandwich and it’s OK.
Another very 32(surprise) thing for the foreigner is the way the people obey the law — you seem to have much more discipline 33 in France, and you respect the police 34 more than we do. For instance, people park their car 35 , and they know it is forbidden 36 they do it — in Britain people don’t do that.
In England, it’s 37 (easy) to feel alone. People don’t bother you, don’t look after you or worry 38 you so much, so it’s easy to get lost or to hide away here. When you’re in the United States people want to know 39____________ you are, they tend to speak to you, to find out who you are,40 you’re doing.
We may look at the world around us, but somehow we manage not to see it 31 whatever we’ve become used to suddenly 32 (disappear). Take, for example, the neatly-dressed woman I used to see.
For three years, no matter 33 the weather was like, she was always waiting at the bus stop around 8:00 a.m. On 34 ________ (snow) days, she wore heavy clothes and a pair of 35 ____________ (wool) gloves. Of course I remember all 36 _______ only after she was seen no more .It was 37 that I realized how much 1 expected to see her each morning.
“Did she have an accident? Something 38 ______ ?” I thought to myself about her disappearance. Now that she was gone, I felt that I 39 __________ (know) her. I began to realize that part of our daily life probably includes such chance meetings 40 _________ familiar strangers: the milkman you see at dawn, and the twin brothers you see at the library. Such people are important markers in our lives. They add weight to our sense of place and belonging.