Guide
How to Answer "What Are Your Weaknesses?" (With Examples)
Name a real weakness that won't stop you doing this job, give a short example of how it has shown up, and say what you do about it now. Keep it to about a minute and avoid fake weaknesses like perfectionism.
Key takeaways
- A good answer to "what are your weaknesses" names a real weakness that isn't central to the job, gives one short example and says what you do about it now.
- Fake weaknesses such as perfectionism or working too hard sound rehearsed and dodge the question.
- Never name a weakness in a core skill the job needs, or a character problem such as missing deadlines.
- Students and entry-level candidates can name a gap in experience, as long as they show how they are closing it.
- Prepare two weaknesses, because interviewers often ask for another one.
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Why do interviewers ask about weaknesses?
They want to see whether you know yourself and whether you’ll be honest about it. The weakness itself matters less than how you talk about it. If this is the question you dread most, you’re far from alone, and it gets much easier once you have one honest example ready.
A good answer tells them three things: you can spot your own gaps, you do something about them, and the gap isn’t central to this role.
How to structure your answer
Use three parts and keep each one short.
- The weakness. One sentence, in plain words.
- An example. When it showed up and what it cost.
- What you do now. The habit, system or help you use, and how it’s going.
[The weakness, in one sentence]. It showed up when [situation], and [what happened as a result]. Since then I've [what you changed: a habit, a tool, a person you work with]. [How it's going now, honestly.]
What are good weaknesses to say in an interview?
Good weaknesses are real, specific and fixable, and they sit outside the core of the job you’re applying for. These come up often in marketing and work well when they’re true for you:
| Weakness | How to frame it | Avoid it if the job is |
|---|---|---|
| Saying yes to too much | You now weigh each request against current priorities | A coordinator role built on fielding requests |
| Delegating | You’ve learned to hand off work and check in rather than redo it | A first management job where delegation is the main ask |
| Too much detail with senior people | You now lead with the recommendation | A role presenting to executives every week |
| Public speaking | You volunteer for smaller presentations to practice | Events, PR or a client-facing agency role |
| Depth in one tool or method | You’re taking a course or pairing with a specialist | A role where that tool is the job |
| Impatience with slow approvals | You plan reviews into the timeline now | A heavily regulated industry, such as finance or healthcare |
| Limited experience in a channel | You’ve started learning it through a project | A role that owns that channel |
Pick one, then make the example your own. A weakness from a list with no story behind it sounds borrowed, while a real one told in your own words sounds like someone they’d trust.
Example answers for marketing roles
Adapt these to your own experience, and only use one that’s true for you. Change the phrasing until it sounds like something you’d actually say; a little self-deprecating humor or a candid aside is fine if that’s you, because they’re hiring the whole person.
Saying yes to too much
I take on too many requests. At [company], I said yes to every campaign ask from sales for a quarter, and our bigger brand work slipped by about a month. Now I keep a single list of what the team is working on and review it with my manager every two weeks. When a new request comes in, I ask what it should replace. I still catch myself, but the list makes the trade-off visible.
Data analysis depth
My analysis skills are solid for marketing reporting, but I'm not the person to build an attribution model from scratch. On [project] I needed help from our analytics team to get the model right, and it took longer than it should have because I hadn't involved them early. Now I bring analytics in at the planning stage, and I've been working through [course or practice] to get more comfortable with the methods.
Presenting to senior leaders
I used to give senior leaders too much detail. In my first board update at [company], I walked through every channel, and the CEO had to ask me what I actually recommended. Now I open with the recommendation and the number behind it, then keep the detail in the appendix. I ask a peer to read the first slide before any big meeting.
Student or entry level: limited experience
I haven't managed a real marketing budget yet. In my [internship / class project] I worked on campaign ideas and content, but someone else made the spending calls, so I don't have a feel for what things cost. I've started closing that by [running a small ad test for a student group / taking the Google Ads certification], and I'd want to learn from how your team decides where money goes.
How do you answer “what are your strengths and weaknesses?”
Give the strength first with a quick proof, then the weakness with what you do about it, and keep both about the same length. When the two are asked together, the interviewer is mostly checking self-awareness and balance.
My main strength is [strength]: at [company or project] I [short proof with a result]. A weakness I'm working on is [real weakness, in a different area from the strength]. It showed up when [short example], and now I [what you do about it].
Choose a weakness from a different area than the strength. The flip-side version ("I’m so organized that I can be rigid") sounds rehearsed. For choosing and proving the strength half, see what is your greatest strength.
Weaknesses to avoid
Some answers hurt you more than they help, and each has a better swap.
- Fake weaknesses. “I’m a perfectionist” or “I work too hard” sound rehearsed and dodge the question. Pick a real habit you’re working on instead.
- Core skills for this job. If the role is mostly writing, choose a weakness outside writing.
- Character problems. Missing deadlines, losing your temper or not getting on with people raises more questions than it answers. Stick to a skill or work habit.
- No fix. A weakness with nothing you do about it sounds like a warning, so always end with the habit or help you use now.
How to practice the answer
Say it out loud until it takes about a minute and sounds like you talking, not reading. Then have someone ask a follow-up, such as “give me another example” or “how would that show up in this role?” Interviewers often push once, and the follow-up is where rehearsed answers fall apart.
If they ask for a second weakness, have one ready. The how to prepare for an interview guide covers the other standard questions, including tell me about yourself.
FAQ
Can I say I have no weaknesses?
No. It sounds either unaware or evasive, and both are worse than an honest, small weakness.
How many weaknesses should I prepare?
Two. Interviewers sometimes ask for another one, or ask about a skill gap the role needs.
How long should my answer be?
About a minute: one sentence for the weakness, two for the example and two for what you do now. A longer answer starts to sound like a confession.
Is “what is your greatest weakness” a different question?
No. Answer it the same way, with one real weakness, an example and your fix. “Greatest” doesn’t mean you need to pick your worst trait.
Should my weakness be work-related?
Yes. Keep it about how you work, not your personal life.
What if they ask about a gap from my resume?
Answer it directly, say what you’ve done to close it, and point to the experience you do have. A gap you name yourself sounds far better than one they have to dig for.