What is Your Greatest Weakness?

[bobbysamd]

Keep your yap shut . . . .

My thinking leads me to believe one shouldn't go to an Airline interview admitting weakness that relate to flying airplanes or people/leadership skills. Feedback please.

I agree absolutely. Airlines hire Captains at interviews. Admitting a weakness in either of these areas is sure to prompt an invitation to leave with you being told not to let the door hit you from behind.

Do not, I repeat, do not, admit to a weakness. No matter how benign it might seem, your answer will be twisted around and held against you.

Good luck with your interview.

 

[English]

I've been asked the question. I answered it honestly but was sure to explain my awareness of the issue and what I do to overcome it. I was hired and it wasn't held against me.

 

[sqwkvfr]

gay porn

.....and bad music, right?

 

[enigma]

Kathy, I just wrote a couple of volumes in response and then managed to somehow lose the entire page. Oh well. I don't feel like sitting here typing for another thirty minutes, so I'll just say this.

We must have differing definitions of wishy-washy. My weakness is in trying to hard to avoid confrontation in my personal relationships. I have no problem making decisions.

With that said, it is my belief that there is no way to give an honest answer to the weakness question without eliminating ones self from consideration. As Bobby said, your weakness will be twisted and held against you.

I have learned a couple of things from this discussion. First, I've been reminded that I definately need interview prep, and secondly I've realized that I need to be very careful in my choice of the words I use in the interview environment.

Here's my take on the whole "tell me about your greatest weakness" question. If you can't tell about a weakness that you turned into an asset, don't even think about mentioning it.

BTW, my most frequent critique in the last job I held that gave yearly evals was that I was not a good time manager. I've found ways around that, one of which is to get into airline flying where the schedule is much better defined than in the corporate world.

Thanks for your input.

enigma

 

[Resume Writer]

Enigma,


I want you to know that I fully understood the context of your answer. I think what I was trying to point out was the "wishy-washy" wording. That wording might conjure up all kinds of thoughts in different people.

Basically, what I think you were saying was that you were a people pleaser. So, that is how I was trying to help you word the answer in a different way. Most times when people are trying to please everyone (this is just what I am reading into it without talking to you on the phone), they end up sacrificing themselves, and try to make a decision that pleases everyone, which is impossible. By using the decision making theme, I was trying to give an example of rewording the answer which sounds a lot different. Maybe it was not the best example!

The question is no doubt a tough one. If you check that other link, I give another example of how to answer the weakness question.

As the article I posted in this thread points out, they are using different questions now to ask that weakness question, which I thought that everyone would find helpful and to be prepared to answer those in a way that will make you look good.

As someone else pointed out, you cannot really answer this question saying that you have no weaknesses. I have weaknesses. (I know, say it isn't so! lol)

I would not suggest using something that is flying related, unless it is VERY minor. I cannot even think of a good one to use right now, unless you used something from instructing. For instance, saying that you had a hard time getting information across to some of your students, so you did some reading, and understand that people learn differently, and now you match the learning style with each student. (Sorry, that is the best I can do; my brain is fried from working all day)

On February 5th, we are again having the HR Forum that I am moderating for the resume writing group I belong to in PHX. I will see if I can get some information on this question from them. As I did last year, I will report back any crucial findings.

Time to go to bed!!

Kathy