During an interview, we always talk about the negative and positive qualities of the candidate. The recruiter asks questions of this kind not in order to hear “the whole the terrible truth” about a person, he is more interested in how the candidate sees himself, whether he knows how to analyze his strengths in order to use them as much as possible in a new job. It is also important to understand how adequately a person evaluates himself, whether he sees his own areas for development.
Three negative qualities in an interview
If a hiring manager asks you to name three negative qualities, don't panic. Everyone has negative qualities; you can’t live without them. Determine before the interview what you will answer this question so as not to “pull it out of the park” while sitting in front of the recruiter.
Don't lie, it's obvious and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.
Don’t talk about workaholism, that’s bad manners
Firstly, a workaholic cannot be called a full-fledged and happy man. Why does an unhappy person need company?
Secondly, if a person devotes all his time to work 24/7, then sooner or later he will “break”, and the consequences for the company will be unpleasant.
Thirdly, workaholism is an escape from reality. A person, as if he doesn’t want to live his life, therefore seeks refuge in work, in his small world he feels more confident than in real life, which you agree is not good.
Well, the last argument “against” is doubts about your ability to plan, which are caused in your interlocutor by stories about how you spend all your time at work, including late evenings and weekends. Competent task planning, the ability to concentrate on one thing, the skill of multitasking, and the ability to delegate allow a person to correctly organize the work process. Think about how you want to look in the eyes of an HR manager or future leader?
Conversation with the candidate about the previous place of work. Director of Legal Division:
-I had to work a lot, often on weekends, it’s clear that I was always late in the evening, this is normal.
- Was there so much work? Courts?
- The processes in the company when I arrived there were not set up, I had to deal with even basic issues myself.
- How many people did you have under your command?
- Assistant?
-Certainly
- Was it not possible to redistribute work among subordinates?
- At first I did this, but when I realized that then I had to redo everything, I began to take on the most important things.
The manager's job is to control processes and manage the team so that the work is completed on time and of proper quality. From this dialogue we see that the manager, at a minimum, has a problem with managing the team. If he cannot teach and motivate employees to do things correctly and efficiently, the team needs to be changed. The second suspicion that such a manager immediately raises is micromanagement, that same management style when the manager checks the employee’s work at every step and is always unhappy. This is also what perfectionists often do.
When the manager says that “the processes in the company were not set up,” that they promised one thing, but “in fact it was a mess,” I immediately want to ask a question (rhetorical, of course): “Why were you hired there? Probably, as a manager, you had sufficient authority to influence the company’s processes and environment? Why didn’t they put things in order, establish interaction with other departments or within the team?”
If the manager has properly built relationships in the team, everything is fine in the department, and everyone is doing their job, the manager should have enough time for his projects, monitoring the work of the department, developing the team, and also self-improvement.
Conversation with the candidate about the previous place of work. Marketing Specialist:
- Why do you want to leave your current job?
- To be honest, I have absolutely no time for my personal life. Not enough time for family. The number of tasks is simply not comparable to the level of compensation that the company offers.
-Have you discussed this with your manager?
- I discussed it. What is there to discuss? This is how we all work.
I can hardly imagine an entire department of 8 people who work meekly day and night, and even in a foreign company where they monitor the balance of work and personal life, employees have ironclad rights. Most likely, the candidate does not know how to plan, does not know how to negotiate with a manager or colleagues, and takes everything that is given to him. In the new company the situation will be exactly the same.
What shortcomings can we talk about?
You don't have to be perfect, so you're not "betraying yourself" by telling the truth. What shortcomings can we talk about? Of course, about those that will not harm the business and will not “close your path” to the company.
For example, a person may have a problem with long-term planning (if you are interviewing for a specialist, then this minus will not hinder you in any way), you may have specific expectations from a manager (for example, it is difficult for you to get along with overly authoritarian people), you are weak in Excel (the main thing is that this is not the main requirement for the job).
Select several in advance negative aspects, which will not affect your work in a new place, and feel free to discuss them.
Three positive qualities in an interview
What qualities should you name if an employer asks you to “praise yourself”? Here you need to rely on the job description and job requirements. It is clear that we all have more than enough positive qualities, and if we had the opportunity, we would praise ourselves endlessly. An employer is unlikely to be interested in your kind attitude towards animals, just as you love dachshunds and parrots, who warmed and sheltered 101 Dalmatians last year.
What advantages can be named
It's simple: your positive qualities must relate to business. For a personal assistant, the most useful qualities will be punctuality, organization, and the ability to maintain composure even in tense situations.
For an HR manager, it is important to love communication, build relationships, and generally love people, preferably.
For a PR specialist, such qualities as sociability, desire to show oneself, love of communication, speaking, and interest in writing articles will be useful advantages.
For an SMM specialist, it is important to have a desire to communicate, a love of social networks, and a creative approach.
Examples of undesirable flaws in a resume
There are shortcomings that are not advisable to point out, as they can scare off the recruiter. Examples of such shortcomings:
- habit of being late;
- love of gambling;
- bad habits (cigarettes).
There are also disadvantages that in themselves are not so bad, but mentioning them may also not work in your favor. The undesirable list of shortcomings may include:
- excessive demands (you are not loyal and can provoke a scandal);
- habit of expressing your opinion (you do not know how to listen to the opinions of others);
- painstakingness, the desire to complete the work, despite the late hour (you do not know how to plan time).
To understand what shortcomings can be indicated in a resume, study all the requirements specified in the vacancy and try to imagine a psychological portrait of the person whom the employer wants to see in this position.
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What shortcomings to include in your resume: list of examples
Psychologists and experienced recruiters advise that when listing shortcomings, select those weaknesses that may turn out to be strengths for future work. Examples of your shortcomings in your resume include the following:
- hyperactivity;
- pedantry;
- scrupulousness.
When pointing out your own shortcomings, try to turn them into advantages. Here are the shortcomings you can indicate in a manager’s resume:
- demanding of oneself and others;
- perfectionism;
- emotionality.
All these qualities can be used to your advantage, because all of them, ultimately, indicate that you are responsible for your work.
You can do things differently and reformulate your shortcomings, softening their meaning. For example, the same pedantry can be disguised with the words: “I like to get to the bottom of things and bring the work to perfection.”
Finally, you can list shortcomings in your resume that will have virtually no impact on your future job. You can report your fear of airplanes and spiders. If your job does not involve frequent flights, and you are not going to get a job as a manager, for example, in a pet store, then all these shortcomings will not compromise you in any way. This means that you can safely indicate them.
A person's weaknesses on a resume show how objective he is about himself. Rarely does anyone include such a clause on their own initiative. But if the employer himself provides a questionnaire to fill out, such a question may well appear there. We will tell you what weaknesses to indicate in your resume in order to both fulfill the requirement and not spoil your impression of yourself. We will also teach you how to turn them into advantages.
What shortcomings should be included in a resume: example
You shouldn’t write that they don’t exist at all. Ideal people does not exist, and people who are overly narcissistic are reluctant to be hired. But it is not at all necessary to list all the weak qualities of a person. Your job is to demonstrate that you are critical of yourself, not to reveal your vulnerability.
Win-win negative character traits for a resume:
- excessive demands on oneself and others;
- increased responsibility;
- pedantry;
- hyperactivity;
- shyness;
- incredulity.
All this is not very good for Everyday life, but for work it gives significant advantages.
Sample
Weaknesses in a resume: examples of transformation into strengths
Identifying your weaknesses is half the battle. Next you need to use them to your advantage. If there are free spaces where you can fill in the details, do so. Indicate why your shortcomings are good in your resume: for example, a distrustful person will not cooperate with dubious suppliers.
If the questionnaire is concise, then these questions will be discussed at the interview. It is better to prepare for it properly. And our cheat sheet (table) will help you with this. But even if you don’t plan to give explanations, it’s useful to know how your manager will perceive your shortcomings.
My weaknesses
|
Shy |
I maintain subordination. I will not conflict with colleagues. I won't fool the boss. I can't be rude to a client. |
|
Hyperactivity |
I won't sit idle. I will manage to do everything and even more. I can’t sit on the sidelines when I need to take the initiative. |
|
Slowness |
I won’t miss important details in a hurry. I won’t bring chaos into the work process. I will not tire my clients and colleagues. |
|
Demandingness |
I will not allow myself to work half-heartedly. I can organize a team. I will negotiate effectively. I will make every effort to achieve results. |
|
Reticence |
I won't spend work time to chat. I won’t talk about company affairs where I shouldn’t. I talk less, I do more. |
Obvious shortcomings in a resume: examples
Some disadvantages are better left unmentioned. Especially if they are detrimental to professional duties. For example, the mentioned laconicism is good for an accountant or programmer. But a sales manager or teacher cannot be silent, otherwise the effectiveness of his work will decrease.
Therefore, strengths and weaknesses must be compared with the specifics of the profession.
Inappropriate Character Weaknesses on a Resume (Examples)
|
Profession |
Unacceptable cons |
|---|---|
|
Supervisor |
|
|
Customer service specialist |
|
|
Low level workers |
|
|
Representatives of creative professions |
|
Every person has strengths and weaknesses. You have them. The employer may ask you to talk about them. Why and why does he do this?
In most cases, the employer needs an analysis of the weaknesses and strengths of a potential employee to make sure how ready you are to interact with other people. Find out if you can do this at all. Finally, by analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, you can draw certain conclusions about your personality type.
Knowing that you will have to talk about your strengths and weaknesses in sufficient detail, you should not worry about the fact that you will have to admit to some weaknesses. Talking about strengths should not be taken as inappropriate boasting; it is better to prepare in advance for this topic that arises during a job interview.
First, you yourself must identify your strengths and weaknesses. Try to make a list in which you carefully write down both your strengths and weaknesses.
This approach is the most useful for communicating with your potential employer.
To begin with, you should identify your strengths that will contribute to your success in the organization where you are interviewing.
Strengths and weaknesses of a candidate for a vacancy
As you know, there are almost no perfect people in the world. Therefore, every person has strengths and weaknesses.
Focus on your strengths first. These are the first things your potential employer should know about.
Focus on your strengths and use examples to explain how your strengths will help you perform your job responsibilities.
Your strengths can be divided into sub-items in which certain qualities are concentrated. For example, this is what it might look like:
Acquired and transferable skills as strengths
This paragraph, which describes your strengths, should focus on the skills that a person gains from performing his duties and is also able to transfer them to others. These skills include: people skills, planning skills, communication skills, and so on.
Strengths and weaknesses, how to use acquired skills Personal qualities
The strengths of any person are his personal qualities. So, a person can be hardworking, reliable, independent, punctual, optimistic and so on. All these positive qualities can help you in fulfilling your official duties.
Knowledge Based Skills
Strengths educated person- these are the skills that he acquired during the learning process. This includes: your special education, additional courses that you have completed (language, computer and others).
Important: during a job interview, it makes sense to talk only about those skills from this point that will really help you in the position you are replacing.
Your strengths. Specific examples
You will need to think a little about what exactly your strengths are. If, when thinking about your strengths, you doubt some qualities, remove them from the list. Also remove from the list those qualities that are not needed for this job.
Here's what you might end up with when you write a list of your strengths:
| Self-discipline | It is unlikely that this quality requires any special decoding. Your self-discipline means that the employer can be completely confident that you do not need to be further motivated to perform your job duties |
| Integrity | You are able to accept the policies and procedures of a particular company, you will support its values, confidential information will not leak from you to competitors |
| Communication skills | Your skills in both oral and written communication. Examples of this strength may include your presentation skills, active listening skills, persuasion through business correspondence etc. |
| Problem solving ability | If you are able to analyze problems that arise and are able to find the reasons for their occurrence and identify solutions, of course, this quality should definitely be reflected in the list where you describe your strengths |
| Teamwork | We live in a world of corporate culture, where there is no place for loners for a long time. Today, employers value effective team communication skills and the ability to work effectively alongside other people |
| Initiative | If you are able to move one step ahead, if you are not afraid to take responsibility for decisions and results, then add initiative to your strengths |
| Sustainability | This quality includes the ability to concentrate after failures, overcome obstacles on the way to a goal, the ability to respond correctly to criticism and work in a mode of limited material and time resources |
| Organization | Quality includes the ability to multitask, time management skills, the ability to prioritize goals and complete tasks on time. |
The list above probably doesn't reflect all of your strengths, but we've just shown you what to strive for.
Advantages and disadvantages. How to talk about them correctly Weak sides. Full list
All people also have weaknesses. It is important that when you list your weaknesses, you can present them as problems that can be solved and will not affect the quality of your work.
This means that when analyzing your weaknesses, you should immediately look for ways to overcome your weaknesses.
Try to convince the interviewer during a job interview that you are quite capable of turning even your weaknesses into strengths. And you know exactly what and how to do this.
Traditional weaknesses may include qualities such as:
Lack of experience
You show some interest in the job you are applying for, but have the necessary practical experience to do it.
Be prepared to spend full analysis strengths and weaknesses so that lack of experience does not become main reason in refusing you this position. Certificates of completion of courses in the field in which you want to work can be an additional advantage if you do not have the necessary experience.
How to turn weaknesses into strengths
As you list your weaknesses, think about how they can turn into strengths. So, if you are a slightly slow person by nature, then during a job interview you can say that sometimes you lose speed in completing work, focusing on the little things so as not to miss anything.
Weak sides. Sample list
| Impatience | You always feel like your employees are not doing everything as quickly as you expected. |
| Absent-mindedness | You are easily distracted by external factors right at your workplace. This directly affects your work efficiency |
| Shyness | You are unable to say “no” even when you know for sure that this is not part of your responsibilities and does not promise you the slightest benefit. It is difficult for you to defend your point of view, not because you don’t have one, but because you are shy. |
| Stubbornness | It is difficult for you to adapt to changes, you have difficulty accepting new ideas and practices |
| Procrastination | You always put everything off until the last minute. Then you work in rush mode, and usually have low productivity |
| Inability to delegate tasks and responsibilities | You are afraid to trust others to do a certain job or solve a problem. Failure to fully utilize the skills and resources of other employees |
| Inability to sympathize | When you strive to achieve your goals, you don't change direction. You don't care that other people may have different feelings or needs. You never take this into account |
| High sensitivity | This quality is the exact opposite of the previous weakness. You take everything that happens at your job too seriously |
| Conflict | A person believes that only he does everything right. Other people's opinions do not exist for him. I am ready to defend only my own. Sometimes this is not good for the team, project or product |
| Lack of some skills | No one person has all the necessary skills for the job they are applying for. It is only important to show your readiness for further training |
Describe your strengths and weaknesses. How to answer an employer's question?
Be honest in your strengths and weaknesses analysis
If you are interviewing for a job and the employer asks you to provide an analysis of your strengths and weaknesses, be as honest as possible when answering this question. It’s better if you already have a prepared answer, where you can present your strengths and weaknesses in a positive way.
Choose the right qualities
During the job interview process, pay attention to the employer's requirements for the position. Describe your strengths and weaknesses according to these requirements.
When describing your weaknesses, choose those whose presence will not deprive you of your chances of filling a vacant position.
Advantages and disadvantages. Should I talk about them during a job interview? Don't brag or be ashamed
Every person has strengths and weaknesses. From you, from your employer, from the secretary who sits in the waiting room while you are being interviewed for a job.
When asked about strengths and weaknesses, speak calmly, don't be ashamed to mention your weaknesses, but don't be too arrogant when talking about your strengths. Never say that you have no weaknesses at all, because you do have them.
Take responsibility for your strengths and weaknesses
Often we are proud of our successes, and blame failures either on others or on circumstances. During a job interview and when it comes to whether you have strengths and weaknesses, take responsibility and don’t look for someone to blame.
Don't give too much information
During a job interview, be careful that asking an employer to describe your strengths and weaknesses does not lead you into a verbal jungle where you unwittingly reveal more information that you did not originally intend to voice.
Talk about your job, describing your strengths and weaknesses
When you describe your strengths and weaknesses, talk only about work. Only about how these qualities will contribute to your success in a new place. Only about how your strengths helped you at your previous place of work. Only about how you managed to get rid of several weaknesses and what qualities you plan to improve or change in yourself in the near future.
Personal qualities of a person– these are complex, biologically and socially determined components of personality. By bringing together all the personal qualities of a person, you can get his complete psychological portrait.
Personality qualities are usually divided intopositive and negative. What are these qualities and can a personality consist of only positive qualities?
Personality qualitiesexpresspeculiarities mental processes, states and properties of the individual, his character traits, temperamental features, specific behavior, interactions with other people, the environment, himself, that is, all the individual psychological characteristics of the individual. In addition, a person's personal qualitiesincludehis knowledge, skills and abilities.
There are many classifications of personality traits and even more personality typologies based on these classifications. Psychologists have always been interested in the mystery of the human personality and they tried to sort it out “on the shelves.”
But why does an ordinary person (not a professional psychologist) need to know about what personal qualities there are? The fact is that knowledge generates self-awareness, increasesawareness. A person who knows what personality traits exist canidentify them for yourself, and then indicate the paths and directionswork on yourself.
Also, knowing about personality traits, you can understand more aboutpeople around, learn how to properly build and maintain relationships.
The first stage of a relationship of any kind involves getting to know each other, which is essentially clarification personal qualities. When two people first meet (be it a job interview or a man and a woman's first date), there is alwaysneed to knowwhat kind of person is in front of you? It is not for nothing that a resume requires you to indicate not only your work experience and basic data, but also list personal qualities, knowledge, skills and abilities.
So, if you need to know your personal qualities in order to understand how to further develop your personality, then knowledge personal characteristics another person is important insofar as it allows us to determine compatibility with him and suggest what kind of relationship may develop.
Positive personality traits are usually supported, reinforced and developed, while negative people try to correct, change or eradicate.
But the division of personality traits into positive and negativeconditional! It is based on generally accepted rules and norms of morality and ethics. You need to understand that such a subtle matter as a person’s personality, in fact, cannot be decomposed into “black” and “white”.
Personality qualities that are usually called negative are not absolute, butrelativelynegative, just like positive qualities. For example, in a situation where you need to stand up for yourself, aggressiveness (which is considered a negative trait) becomes necessary and simply necessary.
A person's personal qualities can be:congenital, so acquired. Certain personality qualities are developed or under the influence environment and society (upbringing) or are a consequenceself-education.
A person can develop many qualities, traits, behavioral characteristics, abilities, skills,work out, so and eradicate.
Of course, there are personality traits that are practically impossible to change, but you still shouldn’t hang “labels” (either on yourself or on others)!
A person can always, if not change radically, then at least learn to compensate for some of his qualities by developing others.
Negative human qualities, which are undesirable and require correction, all together would form not just a large, but a huge list. Therefore, only a few of them are listed below:
All these personality traits give rise to a correspondingbehaviorThus, a deceitful person lies to everyone all the time, a lazy and careless person is in no hurry to do his work, and an irresponsible person constantly lets himself and others down.
The presence of one or another negative quality spoils the life of the person himself and/or other people, but in any case, itnot a sentence. By working on yourself, you can improve the quality of your life, relationships with others, and become happier.
Positive human qualities
The list of positive human qualities is as endless as the list negative traits. Perhaps most of all, such people are revered and welcomedpositive traits, How:
These positive qualities give rise to correspondingskills and abilities: the ability to make friends, love, learn, create, work, and so on.
In the article “” you will find another informative list of positive personality traits.
As you can see, both the list of a person’s negative qualities and the list of positive ones includes not only those qualities that express the individual’s attitude towards other people and society, but also towards himself, work, things, and the world as a whole. This is because a person’s personal qualitiesmanifest themselves in everything: from who he works to what colors in clothes he prefers.
It is rare to meet a person whose personality contains only positive human qualities. But there are many people whose personality structureprevail such qualities.
Any person always has conditionally negative personality traits, those that are worth working on, but their presence should not be a problem, but a stimulus for development and growth.
Make sure there is less negativity, and positive traits personalities prevailed,every person can do it!
In what direction do you most often have to work on yourself?
