new on the blog - interview tip: perceptions of weakness
Every time I do a mock interview with a client, I ask if there is anything they want to practice answering. Even though I have a prepared list of questions on deck, I want the session to beneficial to the individual, especially if they have had some unsuccessful interviews in the past. The last few times a client has wanted to work on a specific response, it has been surrounded the dreaded inquiry into the negative ā āWhat is your greatest weakness?ā
Clientsā fear about this question does not surprise me in the least. Itās a tough one! But once people realize that the interviewer is looking for something that they are working on (aka: assessing self-awareness and self-improvement), the responses get better.
The other day, however, I got a little stumped. My client was a recent alum who was interviewing for tech positions: software development, IT system management, etc. Their resume was on point ā computer science major, excellent GPA ā and even the cover letter was solid. The client was getting tons of interviews but could never make the conversion. There was a definite sense of desperation in the session.
When the āgreatest weaknessā question came up the client broke from interview mode and let out a deep sigh. āI canāt answer this question.ā
MeĀ (switching back to counselor mode): Why?
Client: Because no matter what, Iām a weakness. Anything I say will confirm that I canāt do the job.
Me: There are ways to answer the question where you show improvement instead of weakness.
Client: Thatās not what I mean. Iām a Black woman who wants to work in tech. My identity is the weakness.
Me: Hmmā¦
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