Present a weakness as “in process,” i.e., “In moving into management, I’ve realized becoming an excellent manager is a lifelong proposition, and I’m always eager to strengthen my skills.”
Other suggestions (in an organization large enough to offer training):
- Cold calls. Do you have training in this?
- Computer skills. Seems like there’s always something new I want to learn.
- Excel. Haven’t had the opportunity to use it much.
- Trade shows. Will I get a chance to learn this?
There’s no reason to serve up your weakness without a little whipped cream on top!
What to Say and Not Say
Avoid saying the following:
- I’ve been told that I’m weak at managing people...
- I’m hopeless on the telephone...
- My last boss said I wasn’t good at...
You can also use phrases such as
- Like most people...
- For example, "Like most people who work for nonprofits, I’m sometimes too soft-hearted."
- Because of my military career, I’ll need to learn some new vocabulary.
- PowerPoint: "I never had access to it."
- Public speaking: "I have only given about 10 speeches."
- Grant management, financial: "The last place I worked, the bookkeeper did that."
- Keyboard speed.
- Training others: "Would love to learn more."
- Making sales calls: "My partner did that."
Self Awareness
When you’re asked about your strengths and weaknesses, it’s
also to find out how much you know about yourself.
In an interview to become a Development Officer, I was asked why they should consider me when I hadn’t done it before. I replied with the proven strengths I had that would transfer and that showed my ability to learn and then said, “This job would put me on my growing edge. That’s why I want it.” I got the job.
Saying it’s on your growing edge shows many things, including the fact that you have one, and that’s something of great value to most employers – someone who’s willing and eager to learn new things, welcomes challenges and is resilience.
Authenticity
If you don’t want a job requiring that you make cold calls,
stick with it. If you refuse to learn yet another computer
program, say so. If you don’t want to be a manager, say so
and eliminate the possibility they’ll be grooming you for a
management position.
But if you don’t intend to work for a woman/man/star-bellied sneech again, look at it this way. If you put this on your resume, first of all it throws up a flag – “And what else will he refuse to do? He’s too picky, too opinionated.”
And secondly, why eliminate yourself out the starting gate? You could be offered a job meeting your requirements. Remember, you’re always free to refuse a job that’s offered, but you’re never free to accept one that isn’t.
Lying
Don’t. Don’t misrepresent yourself – your degrees, your
former jobs, or anything else. It’s not the right thing to
do, and it also can damage you in your field, because people
talk.
Emotional Intelligence is about intentionality, personal power, thinking ahead, putting yourself in the other person’s place, and not shooting yourself in the foot.
~~~~~~~
About the Author
©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, [link=http://www.susandunn.cc]http://www.susandunn.cc[/link]
Coaching, distance learning courses, and ebooks around
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