CHRISTIAN K. POOPINGTON
Bites and Fights.
Reged: 03/09/03
Posts: 11023
Loc: Leeds, England
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Right, so ever since leaving university I've been doing temp admin jobs, whilst also doing bar shifts to sustain my lavish lifestyle.
But I'd dearly love a real job and all, and have a few interviews lined up for early next week. However in past interviews, there's one question that always seems to fuck me up; the "what are your strengths and weaknesses" one. Obviously, I'm quite to content to harp on about my strengths, whether they exist solely in my head or not. But the weaknesses one is something I've always had trouble with. Naturally, I have enough of them, but they really aren't something I feel like sharing with a potential employer.
So, what's the best way to get around this minefield. I've thought of the "well, sometimes I work too hard" line, but that's way too much of a fucking copout. Isn't it? I'd like to know what you all think, especially any of you who are successful enough to be at the point where they have to interview people for their firm themselves.
All I ask, is say three proper answers before the inevitable deluge of smart ass replies. Plz?
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And now/she's got helicopters/yes she has.
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dAVE.
Highly Respected by his Peers t
Reged: 10/16/07
Posts: 2494
Loc: Old Blighty
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Just be honest really. No point hiding them, cause it's just gonna make it more difficult when they start to appear.
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KIA WRESTLEMANIA 24 winner!
KIA BRAGGING RIGHTS 2009 winner!
FoF4 3rd Place!
FAQ#198: How do I get more hits?
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J.D. Dunn
World Champion
Reged: 07/16/02
Posts: 11365
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Don't say "Well, I'm a workaholic." It's almost insulting now.
Say, "I'm working on..." and then restate your strengths as weaknesses.
"I'm working on being less competitive because I tend to focus solely on winning at the expense of interpersonal relationships."
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Travis C. Poopington
Living Legend
Reged: 03/15/03
Posts: 62093
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Yeah, the "I work too hard, I'm too dedicated" shit is played out.
It depends on the job, really, how you phrase it, and it also somewhat depends on what your weaknesses are. Have them preplanned before you go in.
Hell, list what you intend to call weakness here and you might even get advice on how to word it when you get asked
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CHRISTIAN K. POOPINGTON
Bites and Fights.
Reged: 03/09/03
Posts: 11023
Loc: Leeds, England
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Honestly, the main weakness would be my lack of experience in the roles I'm after.
Ideally I'm looking for something in stock administration, but the problem is that all of my admin based experience is really general, and not stock related in the slightest.
I'm qualified for all of the positions I'm applying for, but uneployment in my area is so bad now (the last woman who interviewed me told me that if she'd have advertised a vacancy for the position two years ago, she'd have left it open for two weeks, but she had to close it on the second day after having recieved something like 100 applications already), that there's always going to be at least one applicant with a decade of experience in the exact role, and 99% of the time that's going to be the one who gets the position.
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And now/she's got helicopters/yes she has.
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We've Got Jis Only in Kenya
The Pussified Powerhouse The Boobified Blockbuster
Reged: 08/05/06
Posts: 11029
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The thing is, you're graduating from uni now, right? You could somehow (tactfully) state that, though you lack experience, you have an open mind and willingness to learn new things.
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Partners in Pwn: Pwning since 1337
Erectile Dysfunction is awesome, porn is the key to a successful site, and a hooker is a good stand in for a doctor.
"LET'S GET DRUNK AND FARM! AND...FIGHT MONSTERS! THIS IS AN AWESOME IDEA!" ~Ogre
"I do cool shit now like play Shenmue and watch porn." ~Birth
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CHRISTIAN K. POOPINGTON
Bites and Fights.
Reged: 03/09/03
Posts: 11023
Loc: Leeds, England
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Yeah, that's that's the road I've been going down. And to be fair, it's the truth, but employers are going to go with the proven candidate every time.
I'm in a better boat than a lot of people because I've got as much bar work as I want to fall back on, so it's not like I'm going to get evicted if I don't find a better job soon, but I wouldn't mind this degree I've spent the past three years working for actually leading to something.
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And now/she's got helicopters/yes she has.
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Egomaniac
President Obama...lookin out for my wallet like no other.
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 14177
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I've interviewed about 40 hourly candidates in the past 60 days and 1 interview for a process engineer.
As the interviewer I don't really like that question about "what's your strength/weakness" because you always just get a rehearsed answer anyways. When I interview I typically ask just 5-6 questions to ensure they're qualified for the position and the rest of the time I just want to see if they can carry a good conversation.
Qualifications are good but at the end of the day you have to hire good people....good as in ones you can trust and have positive attitudes. You can teach someone the specifics of a job, send them for training, or send them back to school...but you can't teach work ethic, positive attitude, and trust.
This is why I tend to lean more toward hiring younger, unproven folks in the Supervisor positions because I've found that most of them don't have pre-developed bad tendencies or entitlement issues. A lot of them are hungrier compared to a career-Supervisor or machinest.
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Kermit, Muse of Cuntyness
Embrace your inner cunt
Reged: 05/06/05
Posts: 7657
Loc: Inspiring other posters
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Quote:
I've interviewed about 40 hourly candidates in the past 60 days and 1 interview for a process engineer.
As the interviewer I don't really like that question about "what's your strength/weakness" because you always just get a rehearsed answer anyways. When I interview I typically ask just 5-6 questions to ensure they're qualified for the position and the rest of the time I just want to see if they can carry a good conversation.
Qualifications are good but at the end of the day you have to hire good people....good as in ones you can trust and have positive attitudes. You can teach someone the specifics of a job, send them for training, or send them back to school...but you can't teach work ethic, positive attitude, and trust.
This is why I tend to lean more toward hiring younger, unproven folks in the Supervisor positions because I've found that most of them don't have pre-developed bad tendencies or entitlement issues. A lot of them are hungrier compared to a career-Supervisor or machinest.
So you hire your complete opposites?
Wait, I am mistaken. Allow me to correct that.
So you claim you hire your complete opposites?
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Tongue firmly planted in cheek.
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Egomaniac
President Obama...lookin out for my wallet like no other.
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 14177
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I wouldn't hire Ho Chi Minh's brother I'll tell ya THAT! 
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Graham and the aftercare team
Dammit, newbie.
Reged: 05/28/02
Posts: 73
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How about saying your weakness is being polite then you can give them an example out of your collection of nice moments.
Talk to me, I am a genius.
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I am The Graham, and I'm...........A GENIUS
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Travis C. Poopington
Living Legend
Reged: 03/15/03
Posts: 62093
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No, you're Odd Todd. Shhhhh
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Nebula
Twenty Days to Replication.
Reged: 04/10/03
Posts: 5818
Loc: 46°12 ′13 ″N 119°9...
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My biggest weakness would have to be my swollen wife and her masterlock vagina. I've been rubbing it for three days and still haven't cum.
If he laughs, you're hired.
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Freedom's just another word for the word you want to use!
-Janet Jiplyn, 2009
The Tao of Winnie the Pooh:
"While Eeyore frets ...
... and Piglet hesitates
... and Rabbit calculates
... and Owl pontificates
...Pooh just is."
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Maximus Poweropolous
Lest We Forget
Reged: 10/27/07
Posts: 10023
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you think by telling your interviewer something that not even dane cook fans would find funny is going to get him a job?
how unemployed are you?
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it's you're. not your. learn english or die.
... but you're nice too.
I'll show pics of you to my mom. she'll be happy to know I'm not doing bad things in the basement anymore.
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Egomaniac
President Obama...lookin out for my wallet like no other.
Reged: 07/10/05
Posts: 14177
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lmao
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Taareq
stranger
Reged: 02/17/06
Posts: 2411
Loc: London, England
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Quote:
Honestly, the main weakness would be my lack of experience in the roles I'm after.
Ideally I'm looking for something in stock administration, but the problem is that all of my admin based experience is really general, and not stock related in the slightest.
I'm qualified for all of the positions I'm applying for, but uneployment in my area is so bad now (the last woman who interviewed me told me that if she'd have advertised a vacancy for the position two years ago, she'd have left it open for two weeks, but she had to close it on the second day after having recieved something like 100 applications already), that there's always going to be at least one applicant with a decade of experience in the exact role, and 99% of the time that's going to be the one who gets the position.
for these kind of roles, like the girsty big one out of uni they are usually looking for a willingness to learn.
they want you to show that you're enthusiastic about the role and want to learn and "increase personal knowledge" thats pretty much what they are looking for
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Phlesh
I'm A Big Boy
Reged: 02/04/03
Posts: 11036
Loc: Columbus, OH
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I hate the "greatest strength/weakness" question. Its a stupid question meant to put people in an awkward spot and if its not a job where being put in awkward spots is part of it, then I don't get the point of asking it.
Luckily for me, being a computer programmer, I can answer it by pointing out areas of programming architecture I'm stronger in vs those I'm weaker in, being able to give a technical answer related to the position is a lot easier than having to give some subjective work ethic related answer.
In any case, I've thought about this before and the next time I'm asked what my greatest weakness is and a technical answer isn't what they are looking for, I'm gonna tell them "not spending enough time pondering the answer to that question". If they don't like that answer, I'll just find a job elsewhere.
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CanDman
Nigga needs bailout money.
Reged: 03/17/03
Posts: 12804
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I always answer that I'm my own worst critic which is true, I jump on myself worst than what anyone else could. There's pros and cons to that obviously the pro is that I'm always looking to improve and get better the con is that I second guess myself and lack the confidence in my own work.
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