Jump to content

When they ask, "what are your worst traits?"


Recommended Posts

Often it's rare for an interviewer to go in depth and ask you to tell her some of your best and worst traits in the workplace....but when they do i am caught off guard with the 'worst' traits part, well, i cant think of any :rolleyes:.

 

What would you say, or have you said in this instance? Would you say it has hurt your job interview?

Link to post
Share on other sites

This happened to me recently in two separate interviews. I didn't really know what to say for both of them. Here is supposedly how you go about it: You think of something that isn't really negative, but in fact is pretty positive. For example, say that you try to please a lot of people, but that can be bad because you can't please everyone. See what I mean?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've used this one in the past. "I'm not the greatest at prioritizing sometimes because as far as I'm concerned, everything that is part of my responsibility requires swift and immediate action."

Link to post
Share on other sites

Regardless of how some people think of me on here, I am a GREAT interviewee, because I have intereviewed MUCH!

 

If you ever have interview questions, please feel free to PM me.

 

Anyway, this question you pose, you need to spin it as a positive.

I would not admit a bad trait that you do not say you have taken care of

 

For example, I would something like, "Well, in the past I was poor at communication. I put to much value into my managers decision making. Well, things did not go as smoothely, and THERE I LEARNED my mistake and I focus on it to this day to improve this fault of mine" Something along those lines.

 

You should offer a negative about yourself, but follow it up with how you are improving or improved it.

 

IMO

Link to post
Share on other sites
Regardless of how some people think of me on here, I am a GREAT interviewee, because I have intereviewed MUCH!

 

If you ever have interview questions, please feel free to PM me.

 

Anyway, this question you pose, you need to spin it as a positive.

I would not admit a bad trait that you do not say you have taken care of

 

For example, I would something like, "Well, in the past I was poor at communication. I put to much value into my managers decision making. Well, things did not go as smoothely, and THERE I LEARNED my mistake and I focus on it to this day to improve this fault of mine" Something along those lines.

 

You should offer a negative about yourself, but follow it up with how you are improving or improved it.

 

IMO

 

Are you crazy? No wonder you go on so many interviews with answers like that! That's the worst answer ever! Don't you see that? It's usually a manager of some kind interviewing you. I was a manager myself and if someone had given me that answer, I would have never, NEVER hired them. Who wants to have an employee who questions your decision-making? Not I.

 

You might want to work on your interviewing skills, Direct.;)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Are you crazy? No wonder you go on so many interviews with answers like that! That's the worst answer ever! Don't you see that? It's usually a manager of some kind interviewing you. I was a manager myself and if someone had given me that answer, I would have never, NEVER hired them. Who wants to have an employee who questions your decision-making? Not I.

 

You might want to work on your interviewing skills, Direct.;)

 

WOW! Are you hostile!

Its not bad advice! I might have given a bad example! But the point is the strategy is you reveal a weakness about yourself but immediately follow it up with how you solved your weakness. This is the best strategy, trust me.

Link to post
Share on other sites
WOW! Are you hostile!

Its not bad advice! I might have given a bad example! But the point is the strategy is you reveal a weakness about yourself but immediately follow it up with how you solved your weakness. This is the best strategy, trust me.

 

No, no, no. Trust me, that IS the best strategy. I gave a better example. And I'm not hostile.

 

Your example was awful. The worst. And I'm sorry but I must call you out on that. We're here to help people but that kind of answer you gave would actually prevent someone from getting a job! I swear!

 

The OP seems to be looking for examples. I gave a good one I thought. You didn't. That simple. There was nothing wrong with the strategy but the example was horrible!

 

Please, monkey don't use that one.

 

And Direct, have you really, truly used that in an interview or are you joking? I'm not hostile. I swear. I'm just trying to help.

 

I used to manage a temp agency. It was my job (or one of them) to help people get hired on. I used to coach them about dress, what to say, etc. I was quite good at it too, if I do say so myself. My employees almost always got the job. So I'm not speaking out of my ass here.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, the example was horrible, but the strategy i stand by.

What screws up some people is they just announce a weakness and leave it at that.

 

no, do NOT use my example, nor did i intend you to

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you tell them you don't have any faults, the interviewer will write down...arrogant or cocky.

 

Just tell them that you're a perfectionist. You like to do a great job no matter what. Sometimes this causes you a little extra work but you find the end result more satisfying.

Link to post
Share on other sites
If you tell them you don't have any faults, the interviewer will write down...arrogant or cocky.

 

Just tell them that you're a perfectionist. You like to do a great job no matter what. Sometimes this causes you a little extra work but you find the end result more satisfying.

 

Am I the only one with a dirty mind?:p:p

 

Seriously, that's a good one TBF.

Link to post
Share on other sites
[/b]

 

Am I the only one with a dirty mind?:p:p

 

Seriously, that's a good one TBF.

Nothing says lovin' like perfect technique... :laugh:

Link to post
Share on other sites
Nothing says lovin' like perfect technique... :laugh:

 

Ha, ha! You got that right, honey! (Something tells me we're not talking about work anymore are we? Or are we? Hmmmmm....:laugh:)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Ha, ha! You got that right, honey! (Something tells me we're not talking about work anymore are we? Or are we? Hmmmmm....:laugh:)

 

keep talking. im listening...

Link to post
Share on other sites
Ha, ha! You got that right, honey! (Something tells me we're not talking about work anymore are we? Or are we? Hmmmmm....:laugh:)

It is work, at least from a calorie burning perspective, although it is pleasurable work...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Can we please get back on topic? Ok, examples of worst traits, worst traits, hmmm, let me think.

 

How about "I'm not satisfied at my job until my employer is thoroughly satisfied." Or how about "I have an almost obsessive compulsive desire to see projects through until the end."

Link to post
Share on other sites
Can we please get back on topic? Ok, examples of worst traits, worst traits, hmmm, let me think.

 

How about "I'm not satisfied at my job until my employer is thoroughly satisfied." Or how about "I have an almost obsessive compulsive desire to see projects through until the end."

 

I like the second one, but i would use OCD. The first one sounds phony.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was on topic. It was about the dynamics of work relationships, especially and including the interview process and everything it entails. To add to this, don't forget to bring knee pads to the interview. You will thank me afterwards.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Author

excellent example TBF.

 

How about this:

 

"I know im not perfect, and in the past I've made mistakes when it came to minor details I've overlooked. However learning from mistakes such as that has made me realize how crucial it is to stay focused on every aspect of my work - from the smaller picture to the bigger picture."

Link to post
Share on other sites

Everytime I read about how to handle yourself on interviews, the more it seems how much of an exercise it is to see how well you can talk baloney in telling someone what they want to hear.

It's all such a farce.

Link to post
Share on other sites

monkey, I amended it a bit so the reference to mistakes, has been removed but inferred. If I were the interviewer, after hearing this, I would move on to the next question.

 

My concern about your direct reference to mistakes within minor detail is that if the job requires a detail-oriented person, it might set off small alarms. Does he ignore detail?

 

"I know I'm not perfect and have learned in the past how crucial it is to stay focused on every aspect of my work - from the smaller picture to the bigger picture."

Link to post
Share on other sites
excellent example TBF.

 

How about this:

 

"I know im not perfect, and in the past I've made mistakes when it came to minor details I've overlooked. However learning from mistakes such as that has made me realize how crucial it is to stay focused on every aspect of my work - from the smaller picture to the bigger picture."

 

Don't be afraid to use the worst traits as a way to sell yourself. This is actually what they expect you to do.

 

"I know I am not perfect. If anything I am too passionate. I like to see the big picture and I am now learning, (thanks to XYZ goodjob experience) how crucial it is to also pay attention to the smaller details. I now like to stay focused on every aspect of my work - from the smaller picture to the bigger picture."

 

Good luck

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Author
Everytime I read about how to handle yourself on interviews, the more it seems how much of an exercise it is to see how well you can talk baloney in telling someone what they want to hear.

It's all such a farce.

 

yeah...it's all baloney, but I consider it a good way of testing your communication, speech, grammatical, and possibly BSing abilities.

 

My concern about your direct reference to mistakes within minor detail is that if the job requires a detail-oriented person, it might set off small alarms. Does he ignore detail?

 

That's a good concern. in fact all the jobs I've applied for requires detail orientation. I suppose my 'worst trait' answer should reflect a subject that's more broad and less narrow?

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...