How to showcase our strengths in a job interview

What are strengths?

A person’s strengths are those areas where we excel, and therefore, they help us stand out from the rest.

In this regard, it’s not only about skills, but also other characteristics like character, virtues, or talent. This makes it essential to reflect on them, as they can position us as the perfect candidate for the job.

Why do they ask about your strengths?

This question is crucial for the company—and the interviewer—because it provides them with the necessary information to determine if you’re a good candidate for the role.

If the job requires specific skills or talents and you possess many of them, it will be easier for you to move on to the next stage of the selection process. In fact, these strengths will help you stand out as a unique candidate.

How to talk about your strengths

Try to list at least three strengths or talents in which you excel. It's better if you mention those that are relevant to the job.

If possible, accompany them with an example that helps illustrate what you are referring to, and most importantly, explain how they can benefit the company.

Finally, it’s good to talk about the achievements you’ve accomplished thanks to the strengths you’re highlighting, but be careful not to sound arrogant, as this could be self-defeating.

Examples of strengths

Experience is key

The interviewer will highly value your previous experience in similar tasks or your professional development.

Social skills are also highly valued

Recruiters pay attention to aspects like negotiation skills, persuasion, the ability to influence through arguments, conflict resolution, teamwork, etc.

Talent is essential

Companies are looking for candidates with special skills that make them stand out from the rest. For example, you might have a talent for IT, sales, or event management, as everyone possesses different aptitudes.

Education and specialization

A solid educational background is important—not just in terms of university degrees but also courses, master's programs, seminars, etc. It won’t be easy to discuss all of them in an interview, so it’s useful to select the most relevant ones in case they ask.

On the other hand, there are other jobs such as real estate agents in which it is not mandatory to have a specific qualification, although it is always advisable and positive to have one.

What are weaknesses?

On the contrary, when we talk about a person’s weaknesses, we refer to those areas or traits that need improvement due to shortcomings or difficulties that prevent them from excelling.

Why do they ask about your weaknesses?

Just like with strengths, the HR manager wants to understand who you really are and determine if you’re the right person to fill the vacant position.

That’s why they need to ask about them, to know if those deficiencies could hinder your job performance. Additionally, it helps to gauge your level of self-criticism and self-demand, as well as to learn more about your personal and professional development.

How to discuss your weaknesses and benefit from them

In this case, it’s important to answer the question without giving a wrong impression of yourself. The best approach is to be honest and take the opportunity to present yourself in a positive light.

In other words, don’t just list your weaknesses—try to turn the situation around and benefit from it. This will allow you to present yourself as a proactive and determined person, and it will also reveal more about your attitude toward personal and professional growth.

Examples of weaknesses

Listing three weaknesses will be inevitable during the process, so mention them and accompany each with an action you’re taking to improve:

Attitudes

These can include laziness, excessive self-criticism, fear, weakness, or apathy.

Character

Sometimes our personality can work against us, making us shy, less sensitive, disorganized, impulsive, or even impatient.

Rational traits

Lastly, some people’s lack of leadership can be seen as a weakness, as well as fear of starting new projects or an inability to delegate tasks to others.

Tips for identifying your strengths and weaknesses

To answer this question with confidence, it’s important to follow a few steps that will help you feel secure in your responses:

Understand the job offer

Before attending the interview, make sure you know what is expected and required of you. This will help you focus on your answers, as well as understand the profile or talent needed in the job market.

Prior reflection

Improvisation is not the best approach for dealing with this situation. One of the most frequent questions in a job interview is, "Tell me three strengths and three weaknesses of your personality". If you haven’t prepared your answer, hesitations in front of the recruiter won’t add anything to the selection process.

The interviewer wants to know who you are beyond what they have read on your resume. That is, they are looking for insights into the person sitting in front of them.

To do this, it’s essential to have reflected beforehand on who you are, what virtues or talents you possess in the professional sphere, and how others perceive you. You can ask for help from a close friend or family member.

Be honest

It may be tempting to think that the easiest way is to embellish the truth with other information to give a better impression to the interviewer. However, you should remember that sooner or later, your weaknesses will be revealed, and that will have negative consequences.

The best approach is to be truthful about your character, experience, skills, and aptitudes. Being authentic is the optimal way to stand out.

Omit irrelevant information

If you know you have weaknesses that don’t play a significant role in the job you’re applying for, try not to mention them. This will help the recruiter find your application more appealing and suitable for the position.

Don't compare yourself to others

Everyone has their own characteristics, shaped by their experiences and growth. If you feel the need to compare yourself, do so by evaluating what you have in common with others, rather than what you lack.

When analyzing your strengths or talents, focus on your ability to perform specific tasks, regardless of the results achieved. Often, the outcome is beyond your control, but the effort is not.

To value yourself, you must first take pride in who you are and what you have. For others to see your strengths, you must start by recognizing them in yourself.

As you can see, it’s important to prepare in advance for your job interview so that you know how to answer questions such as what your strengths and weaknesses are. This will help you be better prepared, calmer, and project a better image of who you really are.