In this guide
Interviews and salary conversations
How to answer “What is your greatest weakness?”
Choose a real weakness that is not a core requirement, show what you are doing about it, and avoid the fake-strength answers interviewers hear daily.
What the interviewer is really testing
Almost nobody is hired or rejected because of the weakness itself. Interviewers want to see that you can assess yourself honestly, that you take feedback seriously and that you act on it. A rehearsed non-answer fails that test more surely than a modest real weakness.
Choosing the weakness
- List three things you genuinely find harder, or that feedback has pointed out.
- Cross out anything that is a core requirement of this role. A data analyst should not choose attention to detail; a nurse should not choose staying calm under pressure.
- Keep the one where you can describe specific steps you have taken and a sign of progress.
| Usually workable (if true and not core to the role) | Usually backfires |
|---|---|
| Public speaking to large groups | “I'm a perfectionist” |
| Delegating work you know how to do | “I work too hard” |
| Saying no to extra requests | A core skill of the job |
| A specific tool or technique you are still learning | Anything that sounds like a character flaw with no plan |
Three sample answers
Illustrative example
Project coordinator: delegating
After
“I've tended to keep tasks I know how to do rather than hand them over, which meant I sometimes became the bottleneck on busy weeks. Since my manager pointed that out last year, I've started writing short handover notes so tasks are easier to pass on, and I now delegate the weekly reporting to a junior colleague. It has freed up roughly a morning a week.”
Illustrative example
Software developer moving into a client-facing role: presenting
After
“Presenting to large groups doesn't come naturally to me. In my current team I've volunteered to run our fortnightly demo to stakeholders, which started as a nervous ten minutes and is now something I prepare for in an hour rather than a day. I'd still like more practice with senior audiences, which this role would give me.”
Illustrative example
Returning parent applying for an office manager role: newer software
After
“The scheduling software I used before my career break has moved on, and some of the newer tools are unfamiliar. I've completed the vendor's free online courses for the system your advert mentions and practised with a trial account, so I'm confident with the core tasks and expect the rest to come quickly with daily use.”
Shape and length
Keep it under a minute: the weakness in one or two sentences, what you did about it, and the evidence of progress. Do not apologise or over-explain. End on the progress, not the problem.
Common questions
Can I say I don't have any weaknesses?
It is rarely received well, because it suggests low self-awareness. A modest, managed weakness is safer than no answer.
What if they ask for three weaknesses?
Prepare a second and third development area in the same way, smaller in scale. Keep each answer short and end each with what you are doing about it.
Put it into practice
Prepare with interview practiceDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.