In a recent HBR post (The Worst Interview Question (and How to Answer It)), Priscilla Klaman recounts an interview in which she witnessed an applicant give a seat-squirming answer to the old interview standby: what do you consider your greatest weakness?
Ms. Klaman asserts (and most of the HBR commenters seem to agree) that the Weakness Question is a poor one and should be retired because among other things it 1) is often expected and answered with a prepackaged lie and 2) amounts to a “put down” which begins the relationship with the company in a negative way.
The Weakness of the Weakness Question
Because the question is so ubiquitous, I agree that the Weakness Question almost never produces the intended answer – a true weakness. At the professional level, almost every applicant is prepared for the question and has some sort of weakness-that-is-really-a-strength ready to recite (the article does give some strong tips on how to answer the question). However, one tweak to the question fixes this flaw and imbues the question with its original purpose. For higher level positions, we simply ask this variation:
What do you consider to be your two greatest weaknesses?
It is amazing how this question stops people in their tracks. Inevitably, the applicant rattles off the first prepared weakness and then stumbles and stalls while he tries to think of a second weakness that is as clever and safe as the first. And that rarely happens. Instead, you usually get one of three responses:
- The applicant provides an actual weakness and is fairly candid about it. You get the answer you wanted in the first place.
- The applicant gives a very sorry second attempt at replicating the first answer.
- The applicant completely implodes and is unable to answer the question at all.
The last two reactions are exactly what the HBR article lobbies against when it states: “When you purposefully make a candidate feel embarrassed, she won’t forget it, and will most likely never recommend your organization to a friend.” It is true that both coming up with a lousy answer and completely bombing the answer are not pleasant experiences for either interviewer or applicant – but is that really a bad thing?
Why Some Jobs Require Tough Interviews
While we never want to make a bad impression for our companies in interviews, certain jobs require interviews that aren’t collaborative, love-ins. Sure, for some positions, pressure questions might be unnecessary and even counterproductive – highly technical, low people-skill positions come to mind. But when we are hiring, it is often for customer service and sales. We want to see who can think on their feet and who can respond to pressure.
Now, we don’t go as far as a true in-your-face, high-pressure interview (such as the one recommended by Chet Holmes in his book The Ultimate Sales Machine). We always try to keep in mind that the person sitting across from us is a human being, and one who is in the uncomfortable position of asking for a job. However, that recognition only merits respect and professionalism, not coddling. We’re in retail, and you need a thick skin. If an applicant can’t handle a basically congenial interview with a few tough questions thrown in, how can they handle a tough sales sit or a screaming client?
In my experience, most applicants expect tough questions for which they are not prepared, and I disagree that applicants feel put down by being asked tough questions. As long as the interview is conducted professionally and the applicant treated with respect, I doubt most people will leave with a bad impression of the company. Sure, some applicants will psychologically cover for their own failings by making you the bad guy (welcome to life!), but those so inclined will find a reason to do so no matter what questions you ask.
Is The Single Weakness Question Truly “Terrible”?
To us, even the unchanged, One Weakness Question has value. As you would expect, the HBR article speaks to a more managerial and professional crowd, but for more entry-level positions, the basic question can actually serve as a quick test of competence and preparation. If the person is not even ready with an answer to the Weakness Question, did they bother to prepare at all? If most articles on basic interview questions mention the Weakness Question, what does not being prepared for the question say about the applicant? How do they stack up against the six other people who were ready and answered the question adequately and with confidence? Here, you are not so much looking at the answer itself as whether or not they have an answer at all.
Are You Asking To Be Lied To?
The Weakness Question is no more likely to inspire falsehood than any other probative, “tough” question. In fact, the question can be helpful in determining a liar. Just as psychological tests ask people many variations of the same question, interview questions can be designed to cover similar ground in different ways – revealing answer inconsistencies and the sense that “something just doesn’t add up.”
No one wants to hire a liar, but we should not be so naïve as to think that we are not going to be receiving highly selective information from job applicants. While most applicants may not lie outright, they almost never practice full disclosure. If the applicant is either brutally honest or honest, but skilled at pivoting answers to her strengths, then we want to hear more. If she answers with an obvious lie (or one is detected later), then thanks… but no thanks.
Should I Dump The Weakness Question?
Since I am writing for small businesses, the answer has to be NO. True, the Weakness Question probably has limited value in the hands of a large company HR employee who is checking off a standardized form and not asking follow up questions. However, for the small business owner or manager who is invested in the hiring process, the Weakness Question has tremendous probative and pressure-response value. In the hands of someone who is actively listening to the answer, noting body language, and cross-referencing with other answers, the Weakness Question can be an important part of a well-planned interview process.
So, don’t be afraid of the Weakness Question and, even better, go ahead and give our Two Weakness Question a try. Ask it with professionalism, ask it with empathy, and perhaps, even ask it with a smile – but ask it nonetheless.
And for the record, if anyone wants to know my greatest weakness, I am prepared with the most honest answer I know how to give: You’ll have to ask my wife.
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Notes:
A little piece of courtesy: While I disagreed with Ms. Klaman on this topic, I would like to take a moment to promote her great collection of posts at the HBR, including my favorite: Leave Your Job The Classy Way.
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