How to Answer "What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?" - Tips for IT and Finance Professionals (2024)

FAQs

How to Answer "What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?" - Tips for IT and Finance Professionals? ›

Demonstrating self-awareness and a proactive approach to self-improvement can leave a positive impression on the interviewer. Example for IT professionals: Weakness: limited experience in project management Positive framing: "While I have strong technical skills, I have had limited opportunities to lead projects.

Be specific: This applies to any job interview question. Being specific offers the interviewer the details they need to fully understand your performance. Describe your aptitudes and how you leverage them, and create a story about how you turned a weakness into a strength.

They can include high stress, big responsibility, long working hours, continuing education requirements, and, in some cases, a lack of job security—the finance industry is generally quite cyclical.

Example for finance professionals: Strength: attention to detail Example: "At my previous job, I was responsible for analyzing financial reports. My attention to detail helped me identify a recurring error that, once corrected, saved the company over $50,000 annually."

Examples of weaknesses you might want to cite during your interview include: Getting caught up in details. Unable to let go of projects. Trouble saying “no” to others.

What is a good example of strength and weakness? ›

Common weaknesses include procrastination, impatience, impulsiveness, and forgetfulness.

Strengths are defined as positive character traits or skills that are considered positive. Strengths include knowledge, attributes, skills, and talents. Weaknesses are just the opposite. Weaknesses are defined as character traits or skills that are considered negative or not as well developed.

Examples of weaknesses you might want to cite during your interview include: Getting caught up in details. Unable to let go of projects. Trouble saying “no” to others.

Everyone has different financial weaknesses, some more common than others. These can include overspending, living beyond your means, not having an emergency fund and not tracking your money. These weaknesses can lead to financial stress and can prevent you from reaching your financial goals.

You could say that you struggle with public speaking, but you are taking an online course to improve your presentation skills. Or, you could say that you sometimes get overwhelmed by complex tax regulations, but you are always eager to learn from your colleagues and update your knowledge.

The candidate will have to think on their feet and come up with a weakness that is not a weakness. You want to hear that the candidate is self-aware and knows their weaknesses. Sample Answer: I am a perfectionist. I always want to do my best and sometimes I can be too hard on myself.