Know where you stand in your interview
During interviews, I’d like to know the applicants’ strengths and weaknesses.
I like to find out if they have helped or hindered their progress.
I’m surprised at the number of people who don’t have a clue what their true skills or flaws are, much less know how to leverage or improve on them.
To prepare for your interview, make sure you come ready with answers of why you’re good at what you do. But don’t forget to also have a sense of vulnerability and transparency about what you can’t do.
I come across two things when interview candidates.
They are either arrogant about their strengths, giving the impression they might not be ethical or honest.
OR
Have too much humility — indicating signs of self-doubt.
It’s a tough thing to balance.
But, I like people who are candid about their weaknesses, and are prepared to develop and build on their strengths. We need to help our candidates focus on strengths instead of spending too much time trying to overcome their weaknesses.
How you answer interview questions can be very telling of who you are, but you often don’t realize the gravity of this communication process.
Now you know.
