Weakness for an answer in a job interview

[Critsplace]

I'm looking for an answer for "give me some strengths and weaknesses about you" and I was wondering if I could my weight as a weakness because i've been struggling with my weight for the last 4 years (nursing school) and my thinking is that If I use my weight as a weakness that i'm overweight, when i'm teaching patients about how to change their diet and lifestyle, they'll look at me and think that I don't even listen to what I'm teaching. and that could be a hindrance when it comes to patient education. But I do go to the gym about 4x a week and run about 3 miles at the gym and bike as much as possible so endurance is not an issue. It's just the excess weight. Should I use that as a weakness? because I've read that we should be honest about our weaknesses. Thanks

[GraceRN8]

I agree with DeLana RN. I have blond hair for example and would not use that as a weakness because it is how I am made. I know people can gain/lose weight, but that is currently how your body is and you should not feel ashamed of who you are. You are there to be a nurse, whether you are 110 lbs or 200 lbs.

And when it comes to taking our own advice, that's something nurses are always working on! I know a lot of nurses, myself included, like chocolate. Well, we tell patients not to eat things that are bad for you, yet I know I eat sweets. So it's not that. It's just helping your patient to do what's best for them. And what's best for them may not be what's best for someone else. Hope this helps :)

[canchaser, BSN, RN]

My answer would be procrastination. So my much so that I would be late for work cause I would procrastinate about getting up, procrastinated about writing school papers till the weekend before ect. So they way I beat it is. Setting the alarm for 20 minutes earlier and turning the tv on. Listening to the news while I cat nap gets me going cause I know these people got up a whole lot earlier. And the planner on the phone has helped a lot. I try to have papers done a week early now and send have a few co workers review them. Ps..my husband says I'll be late for my own funeral. That's how bad it is. I'm alway making us late

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I tend to want things done right and on time without excuses. That is great for me but can rub people the wrong way who have lower standards. I worded it a little better to say that I need to work on interpersonal skills and understanding everyone's limitations blah blah. Also I HATE it when coworkers bring their private business to work in the hopes of sympathy and being given a "pass" by their team members. I haven't found a better way to word that one yet so haven't used it. Just don't use anything that translates into I'm late, slow, a slacker, wavemaker, whiner, drama queen or snitch and you should be fine. If you disagree with the last one things haven't changed since you were young "nobody likes a tattletale". I hope your search is successful.

[Orange Tree]

My weakness is that I don't feel the need to be praised or recognised for my work, so it doesn't come naturally to me to praise others and recognize theirs. I have to make a conscious effort to say, "Thanks!" and let people know that I appreciate their contributions.

My spontaneous, 100% authentic answer was something like that.

[Isitpossible, LPN, LVN]

I am very sensitive, my weakness. But I always turn it into a positive, b/c im also sensitive to everyones needs!

[leslie :-D]

It used to be advised to list as "weakness" a hidden strength ("I tend to work too hard", "I set high standards for myself and can get frustrated"), but I think employers nowadays are on to this and don't appreciate it. They want a "real" weakness, just not too much of one, KWIM?

i've always used as a strength: i aspire to the highest standards of nsg care.

and, for the weakness: i aspire to the highest standards of nsg care...and get very annoyed when i feel others do not.

and it has never been pretexted.

i truly did recognize (in myself) how annoyed i would feel when i observed shabby nsg.

potential employers never seemed to be annoyed by my answers...

you think they do get annoyed, delana?

leslie

[nicu4me]

i just used that I try to do everything myself and do not delgate enough. But now that I am not a new nurse anymore, I realize that delegation is necessary and an expected part of my job. Another one I used is that I have learned that unlicensed personnel (CNA, PCT) etc, that I do not know that I have had to remind them what I expect them to report to me immediately, because they may honestly don't know. Don't go do all your vitals and take 2 hours and come back with a b/p of 200/98 on a chronically sick patient, or a BS that is way high and not come tell me right away. Get where I'm going? I would also never ask anyone else to do what I wouldn't do myself.