"Top 10 Interview Question" 1. What Is Your Greatest Strength?
"Top 10 Interview Question" 1. What Is Your Greatest Strength?
1.
Sample Answers
When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet
deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well
ahead of schedule.
I have exceeded my sales goals every quarter and I've
earned a bonus each year since I started with my current
employer.
My time management skills are excellent and I'm organized,
efficient, and take pride in excelling at my work.
I pride myself on my customer service skills and my ability
to resolve what could be difficult situations.
Sample Answers
My greatest strength is my ability to work with many
different people. I enjoy learning from everyone I meet, and
in this position I believe that will enhance my ability to
perform on the team.
My greatest strength is my ability to focus on my work. I'm
not easily distracted, and this means that my performance is
very high, even in a busy office like this one.
My greatest strength is my ability to focus on the job at
hand. I'm not easily distracted from the big picture.
My organizational skills are my greatest strength. I'm
capable of keeping many projects on track at the same time.
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to manage my
time well. I am able to effectively anticipate the time needed
for a project, and complete on time or ahead of schedule.
My greatest strength is my ability to effectively delegate
appropriate tasks to my team. I identify the strengths of the
people on my team, and help them to utilize them to make
the whole team work more efficiently.
My greatest strength is my listening ability. I pay careful
attention to what Im being told about everything, from
specific information relating to current projects, to future
projects, even to what my colleagues did over the weekend. I
feel that by being a good listener, I am more effective at
completing projects, as well as effectively motivating others.
Non-Essential Skills
An alternative approach is to analyze the key skills and
strengths required for the position you are interviewing for
and then come up with an honest shortcoming which is not
essential for success in that job. For example, if you are
applying for nursing job, you might share that you are not
particularly adept at conducting group presentations. In this
case it will be critical to underscore your strength in one to
one communication with patients while providing an
example of your difficulty with presentations to large groups.
Sample Answers
When I'm working on a project, I don't want just to meet
deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well
ahead of schedule.
Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I
implemented a time management system that really helped
my organization skills.
I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to
perhaps spend a little too much time checking it. However,
I've come to a good balance by setting up a system to
ensure everything is done correctly the first time.
I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for
the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in advance
makes much more sense.
Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or
take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to
someone else. Although I've never missed a deadline, it is
still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next
task, and to be confident when assigning others work.
Why do you want this job? Are you prepared to answer this
question in an interview? Career expert and author, Joyce
Lain Kennedy, shares her best job interview answers to the
question "Why do you want this job?"
Keep it Concise
You want your answer to be brief no more than a minute or
two long. Therefore, select one or two specific qualities from
the list you created to emphasize in your sales pitch. Begin
by explaining what you believe the employer is looking for,
and how you fulfill that need.
Examples of Answers
You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive
who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees.
In my fifteen years of experience as a sales manager, I have
Be Specific
The key is that you must lead with your strongest benefit to
the employer. Be specific and don't wander about with some
laundry list of skills or talents. Be sure to put a monetary
value on your work if at all possible and be ready with details
when you're called upon. Give an estimated value to the $$
you've either helped to make or save for your employer.
Be Prepared
When you walk into an interview, remember to always
expect the "tell me about yourself" question. Prepare ahead
of time by developing your own personal branding statement
that clearly tells who you are, your major strength and the
clear benefit that your employer received. The advantages of
this approach are that you'll quickly gain their attention and
interest them in knowing more. You'll separate yourself from
your competitors. You'll also have a higher chance of being
positively remembered and hired.
How to Respond to Interview Questions Like "Tell Me about
Yourself"
Here's more advice on the best way to respond to this
common interview question, including what to say and what
not to say to the interviewer.