We interview people all the time. It’s our daily business. But I never ask “What are your weaknesses?” Why not?
Not because weaknesses don’t matter. But because the question rarely gets an honest answer.
What I also dislike when clients ask it: it isn’t a real question, it’s a display of power. The interviewer judges, the candidate wants to be chosen. Asking about weaknesses in that setting demands one-sided self-exposure. And because anyone sensible avoids that, the ritual of tactical answers begins.
“I can be a bit impatient.” “I set myself standards that are too high.”
Nonsense. Weaknesses dressed up as strengths. Both sides know it’s a game. What you learn: next to nothing.
Yet we all have weaknesses. Me too. I sometimes mix up appointments. I see connections quickly, but I have to make a conscious effort to stay disciplined on detailed work. No drama. That’s just my profile.
Strengths often come with matching weaknesses. Visionary thinkers lose patience with detail. Conscientious people sometimes take too long to make sure a decision is safe. That isn’t a tragedy, it’s human.
In a good interview, you usually don’t need to ask about weaknesses directly. You spot them in context.
A CV tells stories.
Six employers in ten years raises the question of consistency all by itself.
Repeated stories about being passed over for promotion show how someone handles disappointment.
And people who come up with lots of ideas but rarely see them through reveal that in their stories, not in a direct answer.
That’s why I try to understand how people work. Where their energy comes from. Which patterns run through their careers. Where they’re exceptionally strong, and where they need support.
Because it isn’t about finding perfect people. They don’t exist. Even if the same puppet show keeps playing: “I’m sooo cool, how about you?”
The questions that matter are: are the weaknesses manageable? Is the person aware of them? Is there someone in the team who makes up for what the individual lacks?
The best teams aren’t made of perfect individuals, but of people whose strengths and weaknesses complement each other.
Nobody is perfect, but a team can be. Recognising that is part of a search consultant’s job.
I’d be curious: have you ever been asked this question? How did you respond?
