What are the worst answers to the question 'What is your biggest weakness'?

The most feared question of the job interview is "What is your biggest weakness?" There are many ways to get this wrong:

The worst thing to do is to admit a weakness that's so bad that nobody will hire you, such as:

Don't do that. But people are so afraid of making this mistake that they do the opposite: They try to BS their way through this question by pretending a strength is a weakness.

1. I'm so good at what I do that I make the people around me look incompetent.
2. I work too hard.
3. I care too much.

Don't do that either. You'll come off as shallow, manipulative, and insincere.

If an interviewer asks you this question in an interview, he or she wants to find out if you can take criticisms, and if you can admit your flaws and mistakes. And that you're working towards either correcting them or working around them.

Don't just look at this question as a crisis to be survived. Look at it as an opportunity to shine.

Your best strategy is to admit a real weakness, calmly and sincerely, while also showing why I'd be so happy that I hired you.

Here's one example:

That answer helps you show who you really are, and why I should hire you. You admitted a real weakness, and showed that you take it very seriously, but the weakness was wrapped inside a bigger strength. And in the answer, you showed me what you're passionate about at work.

Here's a final example:

This is a little riskier, because some people will never respect you for just accepting a weakness and working to your strengths instead. But it's often worth it, because even if it risks losing a job you'd be miserable and terrible at, it increases your chances of finding the job that matches your strengths. Note how in that answer you show where you can really help the company, and you show how much you appreciate other people and their skills.

Finally, these kinds of answers, if they're sincere and personal, will make you stand out. If there are a lot of people competing for a single job, your best bet is to stand out in a positive way, and ironically the "What is your weakness?" question is a great opportunity to do that.

In summary… don't just repackage a strength as a weakness. Take the risk, and admit a real weakness, but in a way that also shows off your strengths, your sincerity, and who you are.