Interviewers ask about strengths and weaknesses to test self-awareness, honesty and fit. The best answers are specific, backed by evidence, and connected to the job.
How to answer "What are your strengths?"
- 1Pick two or three strengths that the job advert clearly values.
- 2Give a short example of each in action, with a result.
- 3Link them to how they will help in this role.
"One of my main strengths is organisation. In my current role I coordinate schedules for 12 field engineers, and after I introduced a shared booking calendar, missed appointments dropped by 40%. I'm also calm under pressure, which helps when urgent jobs come in. Both would be useful in this coordinator role, where you handle a high volume of requests."
Example strengths by role
| Role type | Strengths to consider |
|---|---|
| Customer-facing | Patience, clear communication, problem solving, empathy |
| Analytical | Attention to detail, curiosity, structured thinking, accuracy |
| Leadership | Coaching, decision making, delegation, accountability |
| Creative | Idea generation, visual communication, adaptability |
| Technical | Learning quickly, debugging, documentation, reliability |
Put this into practice
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How to answer "What is your greatest weakness?"
Choose a real weakness that is not essential to the job, explain its impact honestly, and describe what you are doing to improve. Avoid fake weaknesses like "I'm a perfectionist" without substance — interviewers hear them constantly.
"I used to find it hard to delegate. As a new team lead, I took on too much myself and it slowed the team down. Over the past year I've worked on it by agreeing clear owners for each task in our weekly planning and checking progress instead of doing the work myself. Our project delivery has improved, and two team members have grown into bigger roles as a result."
Weaknesses that work (with an improvement plan)
- Public speaking — joined a speaking club or volunteered to present in team meetings.
- Saying yes to too many requests — now prioritise with a manager weekly.
- Limited experience with a specific tool — completed an online course.
- Over-preparing — now set time limits for preparation.
- Giving direct feedback — practising structured feedback conversations.
Prepare your answer to "Tell me about yourself" too.
Frequently asked questions
How many strengths should I mention?+
Two or three, each with a short example. More than that sounds like a list rather than evidence.
Is it okay to say I have no weaknesses?+
No. It suggests a lack of self-awareness. Everyone has areas to develop.
BuildCVFast Editorial Team
This guide is written and reviewed by the BuildCVFast editorial team using current hiring practices, published employer guidance and official government sources where relevant. We update our guides regularly. Read our editorial policy or send us a correction.