Getting Candidates to Talk About Their Weaknesses

Assessing the true strengths and weaknesses of a prospective team candidate is never easy. 

The interview process often reveals a person who doesn’t show up as the same talent later. Projecting the best possible version of themselves is an art form most candidates are prepared for. But to select the best candidate, leaders must break through the facade of interview talk and learn about who people really are. 

This requires asking better questions. 

Highly self-aware people know their weaknesses as well as their strengths. But even the best talent is reluctant to share their weaknesses with those evaluating them. 

In interview settings, candidates are so disinclined to describe their weaknesses that they often turn to the sleight-of-hand trick of describing the downside of one of their strengths. You know how this goes. “My passion can sometimes be too intense.” “My extreme creativity sometimes makes me slow to give up on an idea.” “My commitment to getting tasks done can be viewed as tunnel vision.” 

Getting candidates to confess about their real weaknesses is a big challenge. Crafty leaders overcome this defiance by asking different questions. 

Here’s an example: “What are the most common adjectives those who know you well use to describe you?” Follow this with, “What are the most negative adjectives they might use?” Precede this by giving them an example that allows you to break the ice: “My friends would describe me as highly impatient. What adjectives do your friends use to describe your less-than-favorable qualities?” 

Here's another tack: “Tell me about a mistake that you have made recently.” After the reply, ask, “What personal qualities do you have that contributed to that mistake?” 

Or, try this: “Who knows you best in the professional world?” After the answer, follow that question with: “What do they think your greatest strengths are?” “What would they say your greatest weaknesses are?” 

Asking candidates to project what others might say is a way to break through the posturing of only putting their strengths forward. They are more likely to be honest, or at least create an opening to explore their actual weaknesses, if they are asked to speak from the vantage those who know them well.  

Learning what gets in a candidate’s way regarding their personal weaknesses is an essential step in understanding who they will be when they show up to work with the team. Good leaders work hard to get candidates talking about their weaknesses, too. They know that getting the full picture is critical to an accurate assessment.