How to Identify Your Weaknesses and Answer the Interview Question (2026)
Method and sample answers below are Debut’s own illustrations built on guidance from TARGETjobs, Prospects and the National Careers Service. They are examples to adapt, not scripts to copy: recruiters can tell when an answer is borrowed.
Interviewers ask about weaknesses to see how well you know yourself and what you do about it, not to catch you out. TARGETjobs says the question tests self-awareness, analytical ability, confidence and honesty. The National Careers Service gives the same core advice: be honest and say how you are working to improve.
This guide first helps you identify real weaknesses, then turns one into an interview answer using the three approaches TARGETjobs describes. It does not use a list of stock answers, because a borrowed answer fails the honesty test.
What recruiters are testing when they ask about weaknesses
| What they test | What it means for your answer |
|---|---|
| Self-awareness | Pick something that is genuinely true of you, not a generic trait |
| Analytical ability | Show you can rank your skills and see what to improve |
| Confidence | Talk about it calmly, without apologising or getting defensive |
| Honesty | Avoid pinched answers; recruiters can tell |
This follows the four tests TARGETjobs lists. Prospects adds two rules: never say you have no weaknesses, and keep to one or two.
How to identify your weaknesses: a five-step self-audit
TARGETjobs suggests looking at the skills employers want and asking what the downside of each is for you. Use this audit, which is our own structure, to do that with evidence:
- List the skills the job asks for. Take them from the job advert or role description. TARGETjobs also publishes a list of the top skills for graduate jobs.
- Rate yourself honestly on each, then mark the lowest two or three.
- Check with evidence. Look at feedback from a manager, tutor or teammate, a mark you lost, or a task that ran late. Evidence turns a guess into a fact.
- Look at your strengths’ downsides. TARGETjobs notes that most strengths can shade into weakness, for example a good team worker who finds conflict hard, or someone great with detail who loses sight of the bigger picture.
- Choose one that is not a core requirement of the job. TARGETjobs says that if a task is not listed as key on the advert, it can be the focus of your answer.
Three ways to answer, from TARGETjobs
| Approach | How it works | Debut sample wording (adapt it) |
|---|---|---|
| A weakness you are working on | Admit a past problem, then show the steps you took | “I used to leave planning to the last minute. Now I set mini-deadlines at the start of each project, and my last two reports were handed in early.” |
| A weakness that is really a strength | Describe a trait that has an upside; avoid the “perfectionist” cliché | “When I care about a project I get frustrated if others do not share that energy, so I now agree standards with the team up front.” |
| Between a strength and a failing | Take a strength that can overreach and show how you manage the downside | “I am a natural team player, which means I used to avoid disagreeing. I now prepare one point to raise in each meeting.” |
TARGETjobs warns against the “perfectionist” answer because recruiters have heard it so often. If you really do use it, narrow it to one specific element.
A simple formula for your answer
Use three parts, matching both TARGETjobs and the National Careers Service: name the weakness plainly, give a short example of when it showed up, then explain what you are doing about it and the result so far. The National Careers Service’s own example is a time-management weakness with a plan of timetabled steps at the start of each project.
Prospects suggests choosing a weakness you are currently succeeding in overcoming, and being ready to back it up with solid examples. The National Careers Service recommends the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to structure answers about your experience.
Match the weakness to the role
TARGETjobs gives two role-based examples. For a sales role with tough targets, you could explain that you find targets motivating but struggle to stay engaged in slow-paced set-ups without clear responsibilities, then say how you coped, for example by seeking extra responsibility. For a project-team role, you could describe finding it hard to keep going when working in isolation, then explain how you overcame it. Read the job description first and keep your weakness away from the role’s key requirements.
Mistakes to avoid
- Saying you have no weaknesses. Prospects says even a perfect candidate has something to work on.
- Listing many faults. Stay with one or two.
- Using a weakness that is a core requirement of the job.
- Using a stock answer from the internet. TARGETjobs says recruiters are likely to notice.
- Being self-deprecating to win sympathy. TARGETjobs advises against it.
- Stopping at the weakness. Always add what you are doing about it.
Practise
Say your answer aloud in under a minute. Then pair it with the other classic questions: TARGETjobs also has guides on biggest failure and time management, and our Graduate Scheme hub links to assessment-centre and interview guides for individual employers. If you are also unsure about internships and volunteering as sources of examples, see our explanation of the difference.
Your weakness self-audit
0 of 5 confirmed. Tick each point that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good weakness to say in an interview?
One that is genuinely true, not a core requirement of the job, and one you are already working on. Pair it with the steps you have taken and a result.
Should I say “I am a perfectionist”?
TARGETjobs advises against it because recruiters have heard it so often. If you use it, narrow it to one specific element.
How many weaknesses should I mention?
Prospects advises one or two at most, and never none.
How do I find my weaknesses if I am not sure?
Use the self-audit above: list the skills the job needs, rate yourself, check with evidence such as feedback, and look at the downside of your strengths.
Can I use an example from volunteering or a part-time job?
Yes. The National Careers Service says that if you do not have much work history you can use examples from outside work, including volunteering.
Sources
- TARGETjobs: What is your biggest weakness? Tricky graduate interview question
- Prospects: Postgraduate interview questions
- National Careers Service: How to answer common interview questions
- National Careers Service: The STAR method
- TARGETjobs: Top skills that will get you a job when you graduate
Back to the Graduate Scheme hub. Last checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026.
