Nǐ hǎo (你好) letter from CHRIST. May the HOLY SPIRIT prevent you from doing the right thing at the wrong time and may He keep you from the trap of half-truths. Before you speak, pray. Before you act, examine your inner testimony.
" Put away from you a deceitful mouth,And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you" ___ Proverbs 4:24-25 (NJKV)
After prayer, preparation is the second key to a successful job interview. Faith is not just waiting for GOD to do. Faith is preparing yourself for what GOD will do. In addition to my article 10 tips for preparing for a job interview, I found it useful to write articles dedicated to classic jobs. interview questions. Today I will help you answer the question "What are your weaknesses or areas for improvement?"
A. What are we talking about: terms + context.
B. In the beginning: GOD + your identity in CHRIST.
C. How to respond: tips + mistakes to avoid + examples.
A. What are we talking about: terms + context.
Contrary to what one might think, this question is not a trick question. Recruiters know that no one is perfect and not all organizations are the same. Some have totally opposite corporate cultures. In a professional context, a "weakness" is a character or personality trait that can negatively influence your professional relations or your team management. By asking you to talk about your weakness, the recruiter has three objectives:
Evaluate your ability to take a step back, to have an objective opinion about yourself.
Evaluate the consistency between your words, your CV, your posture, the impression given during the interview, and the results of the personality tests if there were any.
Be sure that your qualities (Soft Skills) counterbalance your faults. More specifically, be sure that in case of recruitment, with regard to the requirements of the position, the current composition of the team, and the corporate culture, you will be able to integrate, adapt and progress. In others words, be sure that you will be able to handle adversity on the job.
There is no doubt that knowing yourself well and choosing to be authentic is crucial to answering this question well. You don't want to be uncomfortable in a team because in an interview you disguised your temper, lied about your flaws, or overestimated your qualities. The assessment of a flaw or quality depends on the requirements and constraints related to the position. Be careful not to confuse fault, lack of competence, temperament, and character.
** Weakness vs lack of competence: weakness is a character trait while a skill is a capacity (theoretical knowledge, hard skills & soft skills).
** Temperament vs character:
Temperament is given by GOD (introvert vs extrovert) from birth. Temperaments are generally classified into 4 groups (Dominant, Influent, Stable, Conscientious) according to the DISC. model. Your character reflects the state of your soul. It is the extent to which you manifest the fruit mentioned in Galatians 5: 22-23 (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).
It happens that due to certain events (especially during childhood), deep wounds in the soul, psychiatric illness, demonic influence, people behave contrary to their temperament. Once the demon is cast out and the soul is restored, the true temperament manifests itself. The more mature a person becomes in CHRIST, the more his character improves. He manages his emotions, his words, and his relationships better. From the outside, you might think his temper has changed, but it hasn't. Simply, the life of CHRIST in her, allows her to maximize the strengths of her temperament without being dominated by her weaknesses. It is impossible to be both introvert and extrovert, only JESUS is. On the other hand, it is possible in a context to behave as an extrovert or an introvert. An introvert can speak like an extrovert when necessary. I am an example. The difference with a true extrovert is that it will take a lot of effort from him, and he (she) won't be able to do it all the time. Likewise, an extrovert can just as much as an introvert be silent when it is necessary and demonstrates self-control. But it will take more effort from him than an introvert. Sometimes he or she will have to withdraw to remain calm. Whatever the case, We are all called to be in CHRIST's stature, meaning manifest the fruits of the HOLY SPIRIT whatever our temperament.
B. In the beginning: GOD + your identity in CHRIST.
1. Commit yourself to the LORD
" Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him also and He will do it " (Psalm 37:5)
If the LORD is not at the beginning of your plans, He will not be at the end. Be neither proud nor ungrateful. Remember, you are looking for a job to build a vision and not just to acquire goods. Give thanks for His faithfulness and the opportunities that He will send to you. He wants you to prosper in all respects (3 John 1: 2). Pray before every interview. Ask Him for wisdom, intelligence, self-control, and discernment. Invoke the blood of JESUS on your life, your house, and your journey. Call into existence your future job. Declare the merits of the blood of JESUS and the promises mentioned in the Bible. EL SHADDAI is your Father! The LORD of Hosts is with you! Curses poverty and declares what GOD says.
2. Choose to be you: love yourself
"Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your GOD.
I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10, NKJV)
There is no such thing as a bad temper. Recruiters know that no one is perfect. All temperaments are worth something. One can be a strength in one context and a weakness in another. One specific Temperament could be preferred for a function, but that does not mean the job is inaccessible to others. Nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible for GOD. No need to be stressed or overexcited. You are not going to beg a recruiter.
We do not inherit the promises of God by using the devil's methods. No offense to some, but the end does not justify the means. GOD doesn't have to cheat to win. Since GOD is your provider, you don't need to pretend to be hired. I like to remind Christians who confuse discretion and hypocrisy that Hadassah bat Avihaïl, Queen Esther did not claim to be Persian. She refrained from talking about her origins. There is a difference between lying, complicit silence, and discretion.
C. How to respond: tips + mistakes to avoid + examples.
3. Tips
" Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days." (Proverbs 19:20, NKJV)
** Identify at least 8 strong points and at most 4 points to improve. You have qualities and enormous potential. You still have a lot to learn, but you are no less wonderful. No need to try to get past four flaws.
** Do your best to be objective and decided to improve.
It is possible to improve yourself every day, but it is impossible to become perfect in a day. Instead of focusing on your flaws, focus on what you can do to improve yourself.
** Train yourself. Watch job interview videos on YouTube. Perform interview simulations. Register on your phone at least once. Listen and correct yourself if necessary. Your words should be concise, fluid, and coherent.
4. Mistakes to avoid
"A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel." (Proverbs 1:5, NKJV)
** Error 1: Claiming to have no faults.
Even if you are overqualified for the job, you must be arrogant to say in a job interview that you have no faults. It is a mistake to be avoided absolutely.
** Mistake 2: Evasively Responding or Saying you don't Know
Responding to a recruiter that you ignore your flaws is indirectly telling him that you did not prepare for the interview and that you are unable to question yourself. It may be okay if you have no professional experience, but certainly not if you have at least completed an internship.
** Mistake 3: Lying
Some people really have a knack for spotting inconsistencies and lies. This may be the case with your interlocutors. They could be born again and filled with the HOLY SPIRIT. They may be former employees of your current employer.
** Mistake 4: Being inconsistent
What impression would you give if you list weaknesses that are totally opposite to the strengths mentioned on your resume or the job posting? Can you imagine a sales representative candidate saying he doesn't like talking to people? What would you think of a person who writes on his CV, that he is able to work independently, and says the opposite in an interview? Or a candidate for a managerial position, saying she can neither work in a team nor manage conflicts? Frankly, what can recruiters do?
** Mistake 5: Responding by comparing yourself to others
Typically avoid expressions such as "I am less eccentric than others", "compare to others I am ...", "I am different ...", "In general others are ...". The recruiter didn't ask you about other people's flaws, he asks you yours. You are not mandated to advise him who should be recruited.
** Mistake 6: Bad formulations (false humility / false faults /exaggeration /irrelevance)
These mistakes happen when you use wrong expressions, to tell the truth, or when you didn't understand why recruiters asked you this question. To avoid them you have to practice. Here are five examples of how recruiters interpret them.
I am a perfectionist: => he considers himself better than others and he lacks patience with less experienced colleagues.
I am ambitious: => How is this a fault? The candidate did not prepare for the interview, she refuses to question himself.
I'm messy: => won't respect deadlines, won't know how to manage priorities, won't answer emails, and won't know how to form beginner profiles.
I'm sensitive: => can't handle stress, won't be able to say no, and constantly needs praise.
I don't drink coffee: => how is this a fault?
** Mistake 7: Not saying what you are doing or planning to do to improve.
Your faults are not imaginary faults. Therefore, it will be better by mentioning them, to say what you are doing or planning to do to undermine them.
5. Some examples
Below are some examples to help you formulate your words when you talk about your flaws. They are for help purposes. Do not "copy-paste" them during your interviews. Do not repeat mistakes 3 & 4. You neither want to be fired during your probationary period nor find yourself uncomfortable in a team because during the interview, you have made up your temperament, lied about your weakness, or overstating your strengths.
I don't like to deal with the unexpected, I tend to stress quickly. That's why I want to prepare things in advance.
I only go to others for professional matters. I do not remember the birthdays of colleagues. But I will not hesitate to contribute to giving them a gift.
I have difficulty working in noisy environments, I prefer to work in a quiet environment. That's why in open-space offices I constantly have headphones in my ears. I listen to music so as not to be disturbed by the conversations of my colleagues. For some, it is seen as a lack of interest.
I reflect as I speak. It can be disturbing or confusing for others. This is why, in videoconferencing, I constantly deactivate my microphone.
I want to be autonomous. I know it's a quality but if I'm not careful it can become a weakness preventing me from asking for help when needed. To avoid slowing down the team, I always ask for the deadline.
I am very expressive, I talk all the time and I love to make jokes. Not everyone likes it. That's why I always encourage my colleagues to tell me when they need calm.
A successful interview will not necessarily lead to recruitment. The interview is not the only criterion of a recruiter, and the importance of a criterion depends on each one. An interview, whatever it is, does not define who you are. A successful interview does not make you the best (All is grace). A failed interview does not reduce your skills. It was neither more nor less than an interview.
Either it wasn't for you (GOD reserved better)
Either it wasn't the right time (You lack experience)
Either you did it the wrong way (preparation). Learn lessons and advances.
Our FATHER has "plans for peace and not for disaster" (Jeremiah 29:11) for each of his children. Your part is to prepare yourself, that of the recruiter is to choose, and that of the LORD, beyond arranging the times and circumstances, is to lead your steps.
** Nǐ hǎo (你好) = Hello in Chinese.