Question: What are your strengths and weaknesses?

How you should answer:

Strengths

First you have to assess what your strengths are. You should make a list of your skills, dividing them into three cateogories:

1. Knowledge based skills: ( Acquired from education and experience (e.g., computer skills, languages, degrees, training and techincal ability).
2. Transferable skills: Your portable skills that you take from job to job (e.g., communication and people skills, analytical problem solving and planning skills)
3. Personal traits: Your unique quailites (e.g., dependable, flexible, friendly, hard working, expressive, formal, punctual and being a team player).

When your list is complete choose three to five of your strengths that match what the employer is seeking or what you think the employer would like, as some employers don't always advertise exactly what strengths they seek. You should make sure that you are able to give specific examples to demonstrate why you say that is your strength if probed further.

My strengths.

Knowledge Based

• Interior Design College graduate
• Knowledge of AutoCad 2007
• Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Elements
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel , Publisher and Excel

Transferable Skills

• Communication and people skills
• Organizational skills
• Problem solving
• Creative skills
• Detail-oriented
• Sales
• Resolving Conflict
• Time Management

Personal Traits

• Dependable
• Hardworking
• Determined
• Expressive
• Friendly
• Feirce
• Punctual
• Good sense of Humour
• Responsible
• Works quickly

Now my top three to five

• Knowledge of AutoCAD
• Sales
• Resolving Conflict
• Communication and people skills
• Organizational skills

Weakness

You should now assess your weaknesses. The best way to answer this question is to minimize the trait and empphasize the positive. Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome your weakness. Stay away from personal traits and concentrate more on professional traits for example:

"I pride my self on being a "big picture" guy. I have to admit I sometimes miss small details, but I always make sure I have someone who is detail-oriented on my team."

Lastly you should script your answers.

My answer to the question would be:

"My strength is my organizational skills. As a Sales Representative and Mentor Support worker at my last jobs, I was able to make improvements in the working environments by simplifying the construction schedule and arranging the program files for a former facilitator. As far as my weakness, I feel that I am sometimes too detail-oriented, and I am constantly working to change that broaden my focus and scope."

I think that it needs some work but it is a start.

The questions and the suggestions are taken from monster.ca