Good Strengths For A Job Interview (With Example Answers)

Before attending a job interview, it’s essential to prepare for potential questions. This preparation includes reviewing the job listing, researching the company’s history and values, and practicing mock interview questions.

Among the most frequently asked questions in interviews are those about your greatest strengths and weaknesses.

Many candidates find these topics challenging, making it vital to prepare mentally. You must balance between showcasing your abilities and maintaining humility. The more genuine and reflective your responses, the more impactful they will be.

Key Takeaways:

• Your response to “What is your greatest strength?” should align with the organization’s needs.

• A strong answer illustrates how your strengths have contributed to your professional achievements.

• Maintain self-awareness and honesty regarding your skills.

• Keep your response concise and professional.

• Examples of strengths include: collaborative, empathetic, innovative, respectful, and strong time management.

Why Interviewers Ask About Your Strengths

The question, “What is your greatest strength?” may seem straightforward after discussing your resume, but interviewers have specific reasons for exploring this topic. Hiring managers want to:

1. Assess if your strengths align with the company’s needs. Understanding the job description is crucial to select a relevant strength.

2. Differentiate you from other candidates. When candidates have similar qualifications, discussing perceived strengths and weaknesses can reveal who fits better with the company culture.

   Your answer should distinguish you from others.

3. Evaluate your capacity for self-assessment. Strong employees recognize their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to seek help and improve.

This inquiry is a behavioral interview question, providing insights into the applicant’s skills, habits, and personality traits through their responses.

How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”

Before crafting your response, create a list of your top skills that align with the job qualifications. Ensuring relevance is key.

Reflect on your soft skills and hard skills. Think of past experiences that demonstrate both skill sets.

Once you identify your top three to five strengths, recall instances where these strengths were pivotal to your success, providing concise examples to contextualize your strengths.

A strong response demonstrates how your strengths have fostered professional growth and align with the company’s objectives.

Strategy for Answering “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”

Responding to “What is your greatest strength?” can follow a straightforward approach:

First, select a strength. Then, ask yourself:

• What makes me proficient in this strength?

• How does this strength enhance my work?

Integrate these points into your response. Essentially, follow the sequence of selecting a strength, explaining your proficiency, and linking it to your work.

This strategy is concise and logical, making your answer easy to understand. However, consider additional tips for delivering the best response to the question “What is your greatest strength?”.

Tips for Answering “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”

While formulating your response, keep the following in mind:

• Avoid unintentional weaknesses. Some strengths can become weaknesses depending on the context.

  For instance, being a perfectionist can ensure thoroughness but may also lead to missing deadlines if you become overly fixated on details.

• Be relevant. Choose strengths and experiences that will add value to the company. For example, being a great swimmer is only beneficial for a snorkeling instructor, not for a customer service role.

• Discuss weaknesses first, then strengths if asked about both in one question. This strategy allows you to conclude on a positive note.

• Consider others’ perceptions of your strengths. If you lack managerial feedback, consult colleagues or friends to gain insight into your strengths.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”

Additionally, avoid these common pitfalls:

• Don’t ramble. Lengthy responses can imply that you’re either overconfident or anxious.

• Don’t brag. Keep a humble tone, focusing on practical examples rather than boasting about your abilities.

• Don’t joke. Treat serious questions seriously, unless applying for a humor-centric role like a comedian.

• Don’t lie. Be truthful; exaggerations can backfire, especially if a hiring manager conducts thorough reference checks.

• Don’t exaggerate. It’s better to undersell yourself and exceed expectations than to overpromise and underdeliver.

Follow-Up Questions to Ask the Interviewer

Preparing follow-up questions for the interviewer not only demonstrates engagement but is also considered good interview etiquette.

While you may want to connect these questions to your strengths, being adaptable is essential as the interview flow may be unpredictable.

Here are some sample follow-up questions related to your strengths:

1. What qualities do you believe are vital for success in this role? Based on their answer, share a relevant experience that showcases those qualities.

2. What challenges do you foresee in this position? This question prepares you for potential obstacles and allows you to discuss how you’ve navigated similar challenges in the past.

3. Where do you envision the company in the next five years? This prepares you for questions about your future and allows you to connect your strengths to the company’s vision.

4. What immediate projects will the new hire need to address? Understanding this helps gauge the work environment and lets you discuss how your strengths can contribute to early successes.

5. Can you elaborate on the day-to-day responsibilities of this role? Gaining insight into the specific skills sought can help you refine your responses and address additional relevant strengths.

List of Strengths for Job Interviews

Examples of professional strengths to highlight during a job interview, resume, and cover letter include:

• Action-oriented

• Assertive

• Collaborative

• Committed / Dedicated

• Creative

• Detail-oriented

• Determined

• Empathetic

• Entrepreneurial

• Focused

• Good listener

• Leadership

• Lifelong learner

• Honest

• Innovative

• Open to constructive criticism

• Passionate

• Patient

• Respectful

• Team player

• Time Management

• Versatile / Flexible

When discussing strengths, provide context, especially for those that can be beneficial in moderation but detrimental in excess. For example, being detail-oriented is valuable, but excessive focus on details can lead to missed deadlines.

List of Weaknesses for Job Interviews

Reflecting on past challenges can be uncomfortable, but if you’re asked about strengths, expect to address weaknesses too. Interviewers inquire about weaknesses to gauge your self-reflection, receptiveness to criticism, and motivation for improvement.

Examples of weaknesses to consider discussing include:

• Afraid to ask questions

• Disorganized

• Inability to balance workload

• Introverted

• Lack of confidence

• Limited experience

• Overly competitive

• Poor communication skills

• Poor delegation skills

• Procrastination

• Self-critical

• Uncomfortable with public speaking

• Tendency to take on more than you can handle

• Too detail-oriented or not detail-oriented enough

• Too focused or unfocused

• Uncomfortable taking risks

Example Answers to “What Are Your Greatest Strengths?”

Remember to be humble and objective in your response. Clearly state your strengths while connecting them to your personal and company goals.

1. Leadership has always come naturally to me. With over a decade of experience in sales, I consistently exceed KPIs and have earned three promotions in two years.

   I know these achievements stem from my ability to build, upskill, and mentor my teams, encouraging them to excel. Advancing my leadership skills and pursuing higher management roles are important personal goals for me.

2. I thrive in collaborative environments. I’ve managed multiple teams across various projects.

   Since becoming the manager of my current team, I’m proud to have improved employee retention by over 50% and boosted productivity by 18% in four years.

3. I’m a good listener with an empathetic nature, which allows me to connect with people easily. For instance, during a support call with a customer facing unemployment, I explored alternatives rather than simply dismissing her.

   Her feedback highlighted our company’s commitment to customer care, leading her to continue recommending our services.

4. I’m highly organized and consistently meet deadlines. Over ten years as a project manager, I’ve had only one late product launch, which taught me valuable lessons in time management and communication.

5. My technical writing skills are strong, and I easily balance creativity with analytics. With nine years as a copywriter across various industries, I’ve learned how impactful strong writing can be on a company’s bottom line.

6. I’m thorough and persistent in all tasks. To stay organized and meet deadlines, I regularly create to-do lists and schedules.

   This approach has consistently received positive feedback from peers and management.

Final Thoughts

Interviewers understand that discussing strengths and weaknesses can be uncomfortable for many candidates. However, if you’re well-prepared with thoughtful responses, you will gain a significant edge.

Preparation ensures your strengths align with the company’s needs. If an unexpected question arises, remember to remain honest and humble.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Expert

Denise Bitler, CPRW, CDBW, MRW

Denise Bitler has 30+ years of HR experience working in various industries and with all level of employees from hourly through C-suite, as well as company Board Members.She is the founder of Resume-Interview Success, LLC and is an expert in best practices related to resume, cover letter, and Executive bio writing, LinkedIn Profile optimization, job search strategies, and interview coaching.