What is your "weak point"?

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Dec 31, 2009

I am easily frustrated when I do not have the time or equipment to do my job appropriately. What I would do about it is strive to improve time mgmt and to bring to supervisor's attention whatever is needed.

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 31, 2009

Assuming you are preparing for an interview ... be sure to NOT just "copy" an answer given here. As an experienced interviewer, I am very much "on the look-out" for fake answers when I ask this sort of question. I usually ask some follow-up questions to determine whether or not the applicant is being totally honest or not. If I suspect that he/she is not being truthful, I usually eliminate them from consideration for the job.

When I ask such a question, I am looking for an answer that is honest ... that shows that the applicant has insight into his/her own strengths and weaknesses ... and not too insecure to admit to having some learning needs. I am looking for an appliant who has done some serious reflection on their practice and who is moving forward in a positive way to be the best nurse he/she can be. I want to see some plans (and perhaps some action taken) to work on any weak areas.

I don't want a "stock answer" that is fake. And an answer such as "My big weakness is that I am a perfectionist" sounds so fake it makes me want to gag -- unless the person can tell me a lot about how their perfectionism has hurt them in the past and how they plan to overcome perfectionism in the future. Responses to my follow-up question, "How do you plan to stop being a perfectionist?" can yield some entertaining answers as the applicant realizes they now have to talk about trying to not be perfect. :-)

My recommendation to anyone preparing for an interview is to do some serious reflection on your true weaknesses. Pick 2 or 3 and practice talking about them in a way that suggests that the weakness was not so bad as to cause a crisis in your life or career -- and that you have pretty much conquered the problem already -- but that you still are mindful of it and strive to keep it behind you. Point out what you have learned from your previous experiences and how those things taught you lessons that helped you in later situations.

In other words ... "In the past, I have struggled with blah, blah, blah ... and that caused some problems for me by .... However, I have dealt with this by blah, blah, blah .. .and I find that helps me avoid any serious problems. That technique works well for me."

firstyearstudent · Dec 31, 2009

I'm forgetful -- but I would never say this in an interview. Heh heh. I would say something stupid that they want to hear, like I'm a perfectionist. Heh heh.

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 31, 2009

I would say that one of my biggest flaws is my lack of confidence, it constantly makes me second guess myself and is something I have always struggled with. When in an interview I will mention this and the steps I have taken to try to improve upon my flaws. I know that the lack of confidence isn't the best flaw to mention because it sounds flaky but I'm being honest and most people can tell that when I am talking about it.

!Chris :specs:

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 31, 2009

I would say that one of my biggest flaws is my lack of confidence, it constantly makes me second guess myself and is something I have always struggled with. When in an interview I will mention this and the steps I have taken to try to improve upon my flaws. I know that the lack of confidence isn't the best flaw to mention because it sounds flaky but I'm being honest and most people can tell that when I am talking about it.
!Chris

I think it is all in how you talk about it. If you say it like, "I'm a pathetic loser" then you will sound like a pathetic loser. But if you say, "I need to work on my self-confidence a bit. People tell me I do a good job, but I often feel a little insecure until I get that positive feedback. I gues it's just a residual effect of being a student who really didn't know what to do. As I get some experience, I find myself feeling a little more confident and I hope that will continue as I get even more experience." Such a response sound "normal" and not like you are a hopeless basket case of self-doubt.

I hope this example gives other readers of this thread an inkling as to how to talk about your weaknesses honestly, yet positively. I have been told I am very good at it. Many years ago, an experienced nurse (one who used to scare us newbies) told me that more than any other person she had ever met, I could fall into a pile of horse s*** and come up smelling like a rose. She was very impressed with how I could usually make myself look good even when things didn't go well. It's a good skill to learn.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Dec 31, 2009

I took the question an entirely off the wall way. I'll faint if someone pulls a toenail off in my presence and I can't stand watching baby boy circumcision. I guess I'm odd like that.

I can't stand to hear call bells go unanswered and if I have ever said "that's not my patient" please shoot me now.

HappydayRn · Jan 1, 2010

Dressing changes!

It's true but it's not what I said.

I mentioned being a new grad, I said of course I lacked the experience of older nurses but I was also a blank slate, I had no bad habits and the hospital could "mold" me into the kind of nurse they wanted. If you look hard enough there's an upside to personal weaknesses.