In answering the question, ” What are your weaknesses?”, interviewers want to see if you are honest and self-aware. Moreover, they look for evidence that you wish to improve upon your weaknesses. It is best to explain a weakness in a sincere manner and to provide examples of how you are actively striving to improve.

In this list, you’ll find the Top 10 Answers to the question: ” What are your weaknesses?”.

1. Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking is something I need to improve. I get nervous when asked to speak to large groups, but I still feel that it is an essential skill to have – especially if I want to share my opinions. In an attempt to combat this, I read many books on public speaking, such as Talk Like Ted. I also took a public speaking class to practice public speaking. Not only did this help me get through the meeting and presentation, it also helped me become more confident.

2. Focus On the Details

I can be too detail-oriented at times, focusing on one specific detail rather than seeing the big picture. I spend too much time making something perfect rather than accepting “good enough” as sufficient. Over the years, I have learned to prioritize each project as a whole rather than focusing solely on one specific detail. This has made me more efficient

3. Trouble with Delegation

I need to improve my delegation skills. I’m always concerned about my work quality, which makes me do everything by myself. I realized that this controlling behavior is not helpful and slows down my team’s work.

I’ve been working on my delegation skills by learning and implementing a project management system to oversee project progress. This system enabled me to improve my delegation skills.

4. Have a Hard Time Letting Go of Project

I can have difficulty closing a project. I want to make sure every detail has been reviewed and I’m not too harsh on myself. My time should not be wasted going over the same projects again and again, so I developed a few strategies to move on more efficiently. It has been helpful for me to schedule a deadline for revisions when scheduling tasks for the project. If there is a real issue, I can adjust it, but most of the time, this keeps my work on track.

5. Having Trouble Saying No

Often, I have difficulty saying “no” to requests and take on more than I can handle. Because of this, I sometimes feel stressed or burned out. I use a project management app and tool to gain efficiency. By doing so, I can see how much work I have at any given time. I can also see whether or not I can handle more work at that time.

6. It’s Hard for Me to Ask for Help

I am independent and enjoy working quickly. It has been difficult for me to ask for help as I don’t want to appear unknowledgeable or incapable of finishing my work.I have learned to seek out help when I don’t understand something or feel overburdened by my work load.

This has been far more beneficial for me and for the business. Furthermore, I am aware that many experts around me have specific knowledge and skills that can improve my work. By gaining help from those around me, I have been able to bring together more high-quality work.

7. Maintain a Work-Life Balance

I have found it hard to find a balance between my professional and personal lives due to my passion for my work and my career goals. I have seen this have a negative impact on my motivation and focus

Because of this, I make a point of setting aside time for volunteering and spending time with my family. It is helpful for me to turn off my phone during dinner. I find that my output is more qualitative, I can do more work and I feel excited about going into the office each day when I maintain a good work/life balance.

8. Avoiding Confrontation

I generally avoid confrontations, both in my personal and professional life. My goal is to maintain a harmonious work environment, but I understand that conflict may arise and need to be resolved promptly. By developing my conflict resolution skills, I am striving to improve in this area.

As part of my effort to improve in this area, I am developing my conflict resolution skills. I’ve attended workshops and read books about conflict management, and I’m practicing talking with colleagues and friends about difficult topics.

9. Difficulty in Saying No

It is difficult for me to say no to my senior colleagues and bosses. In order to improve this trait, I am examining how much work I can take on at once and when I need to refuse. If I keep doing it, I will suffer from constant burnout, which will affect my team’s performance.

10. Too Direct or too straightforward

I’ve been told by coworkers that I can sometimes be too straightforward or too blunt with my feedback and options.  However, I’ve acknowledged my bluntness doesn’t always serve my employees well. To overcome this, I’ve worked to develop empathy and deeper relationships with my coworkers. In addition, I completed a leadership management course online, where I worked with the professor to improve my feedback skills.

There are ten answers above that may help you overcome the tough question of “what are your weaknesses?”.

However, the real secret to a great answer is practice. You know the question is coming, so prepare ahead. Write out an answer and practice in front of people. There is no better way to grow your confidence—even when discussing a weakness!