What is your greatest weakness? This is one of the most important and difficult question an interviewer may ask an applicant during an interview. The manner of the delivering the response is important. May be more important than what actually is said.

The question should make one look like there is a weakness that might prevent someone being hired. The interviewee might only tell what he thinks the interviewer wanted to hear. Questions on weaknesses should not be evaded. But be careful in giving clichéd weakness. Mentioning a weakness, which is not really a weakness, should not be done. You may state quickly how you deal with the weakness. If the interviewer is not asking about your weakness it should not be told. Your goal as the job applicant is to present yourself in the best way possible.

Factual and brief answer is advisable. Stress questions tend to make one speak longer, especially when nervous. Being prepared is the best way to answer such question. Saying more than what is needed may do harm than do good. Do not claim that you have no weaknesses. Confession of real weaknesses is recommendable. If possible, choose the weakness that does not affect the application for a certain job. Admit the weakness and whatever effects it has on your work. Reading a self-help book on the topic will guide you on how to respond to the weakness question.

Avoid bad answers that may tend to turn off the interviewer. For example, admitting, “I have a weakness for chocolate” is not a good response to a question. If ever that there is a weakness for chocolate, but saying it in an interview is not a welcome reaction to that particular question for weaknesses. It does not sound intelligent.

Carefully use as response the phrase “my biggest weakness is my biggest strength.” The interviewer will sense that the answer was taken from an interview guidebook if this phrase is used in answering the question.

The bottom line is weaknesses are real to everybody. The fact that we all have weaknesses counts but there is a way to turn such weaknesses into strengths. This should be the main concentration of your response to gain a positive result.