Answering the ‘weakness’ question

Q: How should I answer a question about my greatest weakness during a job interview? Do employers really want to hear about my weak points?

A. Great question! You’re not alone as it may feel like a catch-22 because you want to present yourself in the best light possible and yet here you are expecting to expose your biggest weakness. Rest assured, employers aren’t trying to “catch you” in a gotcha moment, but it can definitely feel awkward. You may be tempted to revert to the ubiquitous answer: “I’m too detail-oriented” or “I’m a perfectionist and need to let go more.” It’s clear to the interviewer that it comes across as a faux weakness in disguise as a potential strength.

Consider this question instead: During your last performance review, what did your boss say needs improvement? Even though the interviewer may not specifically ask it, this is another way to ask the weakness question while getting an authentic answer. You can state something like, “Well, I can tell you about my last performance review what needed improvement...”

Refer to a specific situation. For instance, maybe your boss said you need to improve your sales numbers, but many things impacted sales during the pandemic so the metrics changed to factor in touch points in building the relationship rather than solely relying on the outcome of sales. So, you can leverage the weakness question to talk about something you’re focused on improving and steps you’ve taken to get there.

Q: Am I going to stay in a plateau if I make another lateral move in my career?

A: Making a lateral move can be a savvy move in a variety of situations! Your career isn’t only an upward trajectory. It may zig, it may zag, it may feel stuck or

go backward at time, but movement — even laterally — can be a good thing.

While I don’t know your line of work, a lateral move internally may equate to learning new skills, meeting new people, networking internally and bolstering your resume so it’s more valuable to external employers. Think of it as a pivot, not necessarily dead-end.

It could position you as a springboard to become more qualified for external opportunities or it could position you perhaps to the career path you’ve desired and now want to expand upward, leveraging this lateral move as a starting point.

Perhaps you work for a toxic boss, you’ve been looking for a job externally and haven’t quite found the right

one yet, so a lateral move will help you swiftly exit your situation while continuing to search externally.

My only caution for lateral moves is to revisit the purpose: if it’s a temporary pivot to exit a toxic situation, gain new skills or enter reason xyz here, make sure the short-term plan matches the short-term solution. Don’t get too comfortable — keep your eye on the prize which in many instances involves the onramp to a new employer.