Asking for an Interviewee’s weaknesses

The standard interview question of “Tell me what your weaknesses are” rarely gets a truthful response.

They’ll say something useless like, “Oh, I’m a perfectionist.”

BS.

Here’s a better way to uncover the issue.

Say, “I hate surprises. Can you tell me something that might go wrong, now, so I know what challenges we may have working together?”

Instead of making it about them, this framing makes it about you, and it lets them help you.

Simon Sinek (who this question comes from), says one example of a response he got was, “I’m really sensitive, and if you criticize me, I might personalize it and take it the wrong way.”

Good to know.