Rogers Resume Blog

During one of your consultant interviews, it seems like there are a ton of questions flying all over the place – and they generally don’t mean anything to you. All The Same, your responses in your consultant interview may be more important than you first reckon. One of my most unforgettable jobs also had a very unforgettable recruitment interview.

I had gone for a teacher’s post at the local preschool, and now sat across a table, being interviewed by my potential headteacher – the director of the school. “What would you consider your weakness?” she asked, once the intros were made. “I am an extremely shy person when I initially encounter other people,” I responded, smiling gingerly. “It becomes a bit damaging, because it gets misconstrued as haughty, or a better-than-thou attitude.” She nodded and laughed softly. “I have had that very problem!” She replied. “I have had a ton of people tell me that they thought I was a witch when they initially met me!” Of course, the “witch” word she was talking about had actually begun with a “B”.

Do not be terrified by your weaknesses, but don’t make them up, or use one that you may have heard earlier. The most fatigued and misused “weakness” must be the saying, “I am too much of a people-pleaser!” You will certainly have to wipe the brown off your nose after that one! In addition, it probably just made you seem bogus and unconvincing to the interviewer.

What clinched my interview for the teaching placement was a lot more unanticipated than I considered. I was asked an torturously easy question that almost made me wonder, “What is this lady getting at?” The director gazed at me earnestly, cocked her head to one side, and inquired, “If I demanded to send you into a room by yourself for a few minutes, and you weren’t familiar with the room or the kids, what would your first response be?” I laughed and responded, “Probably try to placate them and keep them occupied by playing the Hokey Pokey, or some other kind of game.”

Amazingly, I was assured later on – after I had been employed as a teacher there for some time – that the answer I had given to that specific question was what had given me the job. Evidently, my strength was the wacky, unabashed way I could embarrass myself in front of a bunch of youngsters! Who knew?

Once again, asking colleagues and family for advice on identifying your strengths and weaknesses, will give you great perceptiveness into your candidacy. Commonly, you may have to expect a little bit of teasing from them – especially when it gets to your weaknesses. Just laugh, and tell them to get serious – it is for a job you are hopeful of. Be sure, even so, to restrict your strengths and weaknesses to the job you are applying for. An interviewer at the local department store is not concerned with your strength to withstand tickling under your arms, just as much as they are in all probability not too interested in your weakness for cheese!