Character strengths and weaknesses in the summary. Video: how to write a resume - step by step instructions, tips, mistakes in a resume

Asked at the interview, they aim to give the employer or recruiter the most complete answer on three main points:

• ability to do the job;
• desire to do such work;
• compliance with the corporate culture of the company.

Personal qualities - one of the main questions when meeting a candidate.

This information will help the employer or recruiter get an initial impression of the applicant not only as a specialist, but as a person.

Often questions asked with subtext are needed just to obtain information about the personal qualities of the candidate.

The employer, of course, wants to know if your negative character traits will interfere with the performance of functional duties and communication in a team.

Which are worth mentioning and which are not?

Very often you can hear the question from candidates: what are the positive and negative qualities to name at the interview?

Employers are interested in employees who have such character traits as:

• purposefulness;
• organization;
• initiative;
• performance;
• creativity;
• goodwill;
• determination.

Share them if you really have them. Give examples.

Often in an interview they are asked to name three negative qualities and three positive qualities. Think this through ahead of time.

No need to say that you are professional, adequate, loyal, smart, charming. Such qualities can be noticed and named by other people when talking about you, but not by yourself.

Never mention such negative characteristics as laziness, disorganization, irascibility and the like.

In general, 3 negative qualities in an interview are, first of all, self-doubt, fear of the interlocutor and insincerity.

Do I need to repeat what is written in the resume?

The interview is conducted in order to get to know you personally and to check whether what is stated with the resume is true. Therefore, it is likely that the employer will ask you a question that has already been covered in your resume.

In addition, the employer may simply not read the resume thoroughly. When answering the question, tell everything in your own words. Deviate from the patterns, but be precise, but also do not allow any discrepancies from the document in the facts.

It is unacceptable to answer the question as follows: "It says so in my resume."

How to talk about positive and negative qualities

No need to be modest!

In case you think you don't have any outstanding qualities, just tell what you have.

For example: the ability to focus - you focus on a specific task and bring it to the end without being distracted.

And high speed of work - always complete the task as quickly as possible, without delay.

The question should not be taken literally: “Tell me, what are your personal qualities that are shortcomings?”. It is not the best solution, when answering such a question, to proceed to a detailed description of your weaknesses.

It is better to determine in advance which of your qualities have a double meaning..

At first glance, these are disadvantages, but when choosing a different angle of consideration, they can turn out to be advantages. Think over the wording and present your weaknesses so that they look positive.

Answer example: “I usually pay a lot of attention to detail, and I know that in some areas of activity such thoroughness does not matter and is not always appropriate. But I see that for the position I am applying for, this character trait should be useful.

If your employer asked you to list three shortcomings, you could list the following: “Intolerance – I can’t stand mess. Irritability - a little pissed off by the incompetence of employees.

Captiousness and meticulousness - I do not allow myself the right to make mistakes. Here you can see that not very pleasant character traits turn into virtues.

How to talk about strengths and weaknesses.

Very often, recruiters are asked to give examples of strengths and weaknesses in an interview. This task can be beaten to the obvious benefit of the applicant.

Feel free to name your strengths. Try to tell more about those that will be useful for the position you have chosen, or for the situation in the company. For example, maintaining the ability to work under stress. Support your words with examples from the past. Think of sample answers ahead of time.

What is the worst quality to name in an interview? When answering the question about weaknesses, be careful and careful. You don't have to openly acknowledge them. Instead, you can talk about minor gaps in areas that are obviously not required for this position.

Positive and negative qualities in the interview to the same extent should present you in a favorable light. The main thing to remember about what shortcomings you can talk about at the interview, and what is better to remain silent.

If the recruiter insists on clarifying the weaknesses of nature, and not professional ones, then say about 1-2, moreover, those that cannot always be considered as weak.

To be completely honest?

The employer asks to name weaknesses at the interview, what to say? How to answer interview questions about flaws correctly?

So that it does not seem that you are not frankly answering questions, it is worth pointing out some shortcomings or gaps in knowledge, but most importantly, choose the right wording.

Honestly admit some of your disadvantages, name your shortcomings, but talk about them so that they are more like pluses.

If you have to report that you are not completely familiar with any type of activity, indicate only those areas that are not critical for this vacancy.

Think about the answers ahead of time. If you really want to get this job, then it's not worth the risk.

How to tell about yourself in an original way?

According to statistical studies, about 90% of applicants mention their responsibility, sociability and purposefulness. It is clear that such qualities can hardly interest or draw the attention of the listener to them.

If you talk about common, common character traits that are undoubtedly positive, but everyone talks about them, it won’t hurt, but it won’t make you stand out from the general background of applicants.

You can go the other way: talk about rare qualities that match your character.

Even better, give examples related to the application of these qualities, the positive role they played, or their positive evaluation. Using this tactic, you have a chance to stand out and be remembered.

Remember that the employer, at times, is more important not WHAT, but HOW you answer questions about personal qualities. Reasonable, logical, confident answers, as well as competent speech are of great importance.

Demonstrate a positive attitude, the ability to adequately respond to difficult or personal issues, the ability to find compromises and the right decisions.

Successful interview! Moreover, now you know exactly what weaknesses can be pointed out at the interview and how to correctly talk about your shortcomings in order to make a favorable impression.

Strengths and weaknesses of a person

The strengths and weaknesses of the personality are closely related and should not contradict each other. Each person has their own disadvantages and advantages. As a rule, we are used to talking about strengths, but we are often silent about weaknesses.

An independent, purposeful and self-critical person always admits that there are many weaknesses in his character. And there is nothing wrong with that. We are all humans. But every purposeful person can turn his shortcomings into virtues through painstaking work on himself.

So, what are human strengths and how to find them? To do this, first of all, pay attention to your talents and skills. Here you will find your strengths. When you find your strengths, work on them, develop them. This will allow you to fully open up.

If you cannot independently determine your strengths for the questionnaire, ask your acquaintances and friends for help. Thanks to their opinion, you can discover advantages in yourself that you didn’t know about before. And in some ways your opinion will converge with the opinion of your friends.

In addition to the strengths in the resume, there is often a question about your weaknesses. You shouldn't be ashamed of them. If you claim that you have no negative character traits, this will become a sign of an unformed personality for the recruiter. Which in the future is unlikely to help you get the desired position.

Table 1 - Strengths and weaknesses

Exceptions to the rules

When applying for a job, indicate in your resume those strengths that will help you get the desired position. After all, some of your strengths for some position may turn out to be shortcomings that the applicant should not have.

Here are the most common examples. For a device to the position of a manager, you should not talk about the ability to sing. This is unlikely to help you get a job. But if you tell the recruiting manager that you cook well, this will indicate your discipline, creativity, perseverance and accuracy. After all, to prepare a new dish, you need to spend a lot of time and effort on the choice of products and on the direct cooking process. In addition, a good cook is always creative in creating a new masterpiece, but always follows exactly according to the culinary recipe.

Below we will give a few examples of what qualities you need to specify when applying for a particular position.

Table 2 - Strengths and weaknesses by specialty: examples

The table shows that not all positive aspects should be indicated in the resume, since some are simply not needed to get the desired position or can “harm”. For the employment questionnaire, we recommend that you select such weaknesses that will help characterize you as a responsible and worthy person to occupy this position. The negative qualities of your character should help you fulfill the functions assigned to you.

What else should be paid attention to in the questionnaire or resume

• Be sure to indicate on your resume that you always set goals for yourself and achieve them, that is, you are a goal-oriented person. At the same time, be persistent and always follow a pre-planned plan.
• It is also worth pointing out that in the event of unforeseen circumstances, you can find a way out of this situation - you have a creative mind.
• Another important component of any successful applicant is self confidence. This will characterize you as a confident person who is not afraid to take a step forward. You are not inclined to panic due to unforeseen circumstances, you are calm and confident in your abilities.
• It is also very important the ability to communicate with people. Let it be customers, colleagues, subordinates, suppliers. You just need to be able to find a “common language” with them, accept their point of view and correctly present your opinion.
• Another positive character trait that must be indicated in the employment questionnaire is responsibility. No matter what position you apply for, you must always be responsible for your actions. Otherwise, you will become a burden on the company, which will eventually lead to you being fired.

Also, when applying for a new position, indicate that you are well trained. You can give examples from past work or university practice. When you come to a new company, the first time you will need to study: learn about the company, about the features of its activities and learn how to fulfill your direct duties.

Exercises to identify strengths and weaknesses

Sometimes it is very difficult to determine your personal qualities on your own. Especially if you are nervous or writing a resume for the first time. To eliminate worries and unpleasant moments, make a list of your qualities before the interview. And how to do this, we will help you. So:

1. Analyze your character. To do this, remember what you are good at and what is bad. And also what qualities are needed to perform these tasks. Write everything down so you don't forget.
2. If you cannot independently assess your qualities, ask your loved ones and acquaintances whom you trust about it. They will help you find your strengths and point out your weaknesses.
3. Assess your surroundings. Determine what positive and negative character traits your acquaintances have. Compare with yourself what you have and what you don't have. Write it down.
4. Next, evaluate the qualities that you indicated. You need to select what from this list is your strengths and what is your weaknesses. Let's say at the university you could not make a presentation in front of an audience. So your weakness is the fear of the public. But you made this report, which means that you are an assiduous, attentive, responsible and hardworking person.
5. Next, from the selected qualities, you need to choose your personal and professional qualities.
6. Determine what qualities a candidate for your job should have. Write them down.
7. Now make a selection of your personal and professional qualities in accordance with the qualities that a candidate for the desired position should have. Write it down.
8. After the work done, identify your shortcomings and how you can deal with them.

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When applying for a job, your profile becomes the only link with your employer. It is difficult to get a good job without the right presentation of one's own capabilities. However, many serious ones require filling in an insidious item - weaknesses of character.

In a summary, every word written is important. Do not fill out this line in haste!

Weaknesses on your resume should be a mirror image of your strengths.

How to turn weaknesses into strengths on a resume

But you should not be too zealous in listing your shortcomings. Yes, and reproach yourself for your weaknesses of personality is not necessary. Remember what is good for one, not for another. For example, for someone you are wasteful, someone will consider you generous; some will see greed in you, others will say economical.

Present your negative character traits to the employer, wrapping them in a beautiful wrapper. For example, for an accountant, unsociableness is even useful in work, but a manager with this quality will have a hard time.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Find 2-3 traits of your character that will be considered a minus in everyday life, but from the point of view of the chosen profession, they turn into undeniable advantages.

What weaknesses to indicate in the resume

This is where you need to think carefully. Sometimes writing a few words about yourself is much more difficult than you thought. After all, work in a reputable company is at stake, and the well-being of the whole family may depend on your ability to display weaknesses in the questionnaire.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the next employer will take you to their team. There is no doubt that the future boss will not only not put it aside, but will show his interest and will certainly want to meet. So what kind of trump cards will we save to beat the competition?

Be truthful

The habit of exaggerating will come in handy here. If the employer does not require dwelling on negative qualities, then you do not need to write anything. Then focus on your strengths as a specialist, mentioning your strengths. If the resume needs to be written in a free form, then focus on your positive aspects as a person and a specialist in the field.

But what shortcomings to indicate in the resume to become the first contender for the long-awaited position?

1. Firstly, as we have already said, so that the employer does not get the impression of you as a person with a painfully high self-esteem, in no case do we ignore the paragraph on shortcomings.
2. Secondly, do not deviate from the style of writing a resume. When talking with an interlocutor live, it is much easier to convey information to the listener: you can use gestures, facial expressions, and focus on his reaction. In the case of a resume, a special approach is needed, because the manager sees only what is written.
3. Thirdly, the boss will not fail to note the honesty of the resume, where you briefly report your shortcomings, based on some important points.

Don't chase the standard

When considering a resume, each employer looks at the situation from his own angle. Sometimes the same character trait can be regarded in two ways. For some, it will turn out to be the positive side of the coin, and some may be blacklisted, having such character traits.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Each field of activity requires an individual approach.. In teamwork, leadership qualities will only interfere with the team, and for a manager, the ability to make his own decisions will come in handy.

Be intellectually mature

It is important that you are aware of your imperfection and do not take criticism with hostility. After all, only an intellectually formed person can calmly and fairly conduct a personal assessment of his positive and negative sides.

It is undeniably easier for an employer to give preference to a mature person than to educate an unbalanced person.

Show willingness to work on yourself

Having presented your negative qualities to the general court, be sure to indicate that you are actively fighting the shortcoming you indicated. You can't let an employer think you're comfortable living with this negativity.

It could be shyness or impulsiveness. You can point to their manifestation in accordance with the situation, and make it clear that you are waging a stubborn struggle with the presence of these disadvantages: expanding your connections and striving to control your ardor.

Consider a simple example in a resume, where the weaknesses of the applicant turned into a positive side from a professional point of view.

“In everyday life, you are unable to refuse people, and because of this, you do not have your own personal life. However, the boss may find this quality more than beneficial for him. Having hired a trouble-free employee, the manager expects that he will always be able to rely on such an employee, no matter what issues the assignment concerns. This feature can become simply invaluable for personnel who work under someone's direct supervision.

Present your strengths as weaknesses

Psychology is a very interesting science. Of course, it is not worth filling the field for shortcomings with the phrases “increased responsibility” or “workaholism”. The leader will immediately convict you of dishonesty.

To take a highly paid position and with it the future boss you need:

• credulity - you will be perceived as a person capable of concluding agreements exclusively with trusted partners;
• self-confidence - they will see you as a leader who is inclined to move forward;
• hyperactivity - they will bet on the speed of completing tasks commensurate with other employees;
• slowness - they will find in your person a scrupulous worker who can see mistakes and notice important nuances;
• increased anxiety - they will note a responsible approach to work and their duties;
• straightforwardness – they will consider you a master of negotiation, who will confidently insist on the conditions and requirements of the company;
• exactingness - they will think: if an employee is demanding of himself, then you will treat production processes with no less responsibility;
• pedantry - they will determine the ability to bring undertakings to the ideal through repeated checks;
• restlessness - they will see you as an employee who is ready to perform new tasks and assignments, regardless of external factors;
• modesty - they will be credited to the number of employees who weigh what has been said, which helps to prevent conflict situations and unnecessary misunderstandings.

For a summary of a future accountant, as an example of weaknesses, you can be guided by:

• suspicion;
• excessive pedantry;
• increased anxiety;
• straightness;
• scrupulousness;
• modesty;
• inability to lie;
• pride;
• lack of complicity in working moments;
• scrupulousness;
• overestimated sense of responsibility;
• inability to negotiate.

But for specialties that require direct communication with a wide audience, this list of qualities is extremely unsuitable.

For a manager, for example, you can indicate in your resume:

• restlessness;
• hyperactivity;
• exactingness;
• impudence;
• stubbornness;
• self-confidence;
• straightness;
• impulsiveness.

Why does the manager want to know about your shortcomings

If the future boss decided to include the “weak sides of character” column in the resume, then it cannot be ignored.

Stay yourself, believe in yourself and you will succeed, and finally the video

The recruiter makes the first opinion about the applicant, and, as you know, there will be no second chance to make a good first impression. Therefore, the point about the weaknesses of character often confuses the candidate.

Do I need to indicate my shortcomings in an arbitrary resume? There is no definite answer to this question, but for most vacancies this is not necessary and will not be a significant disadvantage when considering your application. However, if such a question is in the questionnaire, then ignoring it would be a big mistake.

If you fill out a resume on a job search site and there is this item, you should not skip it. You can limit yourself to writing standard 2-3 characteristics and move on to the next paragraph. But if you really want to impress, it's best to be thorough in filling out each item on your resume. If in the dialogue we can rephrase the phrase, focusing on the behavior of the HR manager, then in the summary each sentence should only speak in your favor.

By including the question of weaknesses in the questionnaire, the employer certainly does not rely on your absolute honesty. Rather, he wants to test the candidate's ability to answer difficult questions, not to ignore the instructions of the leader, just his adequacy. After all, if a person has nothing to tell about himself, then is he such a good employee and is it worth spending time on an interview.

What answers should be avoided

So, how to answer the tricky question about your shortcomings? To begin with, let's analyze what is better not to write:

1. Do not put a dash or completely ignore this item. For a recruiter, such an act is a signal of the candidate’s inattention, a lack of desire to follow complex or unpleasant instructions from superiors, and an inability to properly evaluate oneself.
2. Write a list of 10 or more flaws. For most companies, it is enough to indicate 2-3 qualities.
3. Describe those aspects of character that can really interfere with the chosen work. For example, laziness, conflict, lack of punctuality, etc. will definitely not decorate your appearance in the eyes of your future boss.
4. Frankly lie. Even if the quality you indicated in the paragraph on weaknesses will be perceived positively when evaluating the questionnaire, but in reality you do not possess it, the truth will quickly become clear and there will definitely not be any boast of deceit.

Everyone wants to have an interesting job in a company that they have known and dreamed about for a long time. But before you become an employee of such a company, you have to write a resume. If the employer is interested in it, the candidate will be invited for an interview. At this stage, it is important not to relax, but to prepare.

Before the interview, you will have to go through the stage of selecting a resume

First, review the possible interview questions and think about the answers to them. One of the most popular is a description of strengths and weaknesses. Often at this stage, many candidates are eliminated. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention to it.

Rules for conducting introspection

Self-analysis is the best way to independently determine your positive and negative qualities. Allow 1-2 hours for reflection. It is necessary at this time to be in complete silence and a calm atmosphere. It is important that nothing distracts a person. Writing down all the qualities on a piece of paper is the most effective solution. You must adhere to these rules:

1. The list of pros and cons needs to be updated every 2-3 months.
2. You need to be as sincere as possible.
3. All your thoughts and ideas on this matter must be written down.
4. It is important to keep records in one place. It can be a diary, a notebook, an electronic document.
5. Such a simple method will help determine the effectiveness of work on the minuses. It will give a powerful incentive for self-development.

Employers are often asked to name three negative qualities. But it is better to think about 7 strengths and 7 weaknesses in order to avoid an incident.

It is not always important to answer correctly. It is better to tell the truth than to voice banal, memorized and other people's phrases. After all, they may not correspond to the lifestyle and temperament of the applicant. You should always be yourself and not imitate ideals. After all, if the candidate lies, then in the process of work all his minuses will very quickly appear. And no one is immune from being fired.

There are situations when it is better to change jobs. Having correctly identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can think about which position is more suitable for a person. After all, there are people who are interested not only in the level of salary, but also in the opportunity to maximize their full potential.

Assessment of shortcomings

Recognizing your weaknesses is not easy. Each has its drawbacks, which I don’t want to talk about at all. But you need to be able to filter information and know what can really be mentioned in the interview and what can be omitted.

It is necessary to evaluate what can be said about the shortcomings, and what is better to keep silent about

It surprises many that a resume can list excess weight as a weakness. But for some professions, this is a really important factor. It determines endurance, the ability to work long and continuously, to move quickly. Recruiters immediately write about this in the job description in order to weed out unsuitable candidates.

List of deficiencies to report:

• excessive self-criticism;
• perfectionism or excellent student syndrome;
• excessive emotionality;
• excessive straightness;
• reliability;
• desire to please everyone;
• learning difficulties;
• poor understanding of technological innovations;
• lack of professional education, work experience in the required field, etc.

An excellent solution is to indicate weaknesses that do not affect the efficiency and quality of work. You can mention the minuses that are not essential for the position. It is important not to get carried away so as not to question your professional suitability. You need to be as sincere and honest as possible. And it is also important to emphasize your advantages, which overlap the shortcomings.

The second advice is to note the weaknesses that have been changed. When applying for a job, this will demonstrate that the candidate is ready to develop, become better. You can report time management skills. Especially if a person gets a managerial position or one that involves multitasking. It is important to tell in detail how a person came to the ability to allocate time correctly. The main thing is to be short.

The third way is to present your shortcomings in a favorable light. The main idea is to make them attractive to the employer and show that they do not interfere with work. It is useful for an analyst to go into too much detail, for a TOP manager to work for the result and do everything only at the highest level.

It happens that a candidate is not suitable for a position due to the lack of the most important quality. For organizers, these are problems with punctuality, for account managers - with speech, for managers - the fear of public speaking. But there is no need to be afraid of this. It is better to just look for another vacancy where the absence of such skills or qualities will not be critical.

Evaluation of positive qualities

Sociability as a quality necessary for working in a team

Most often, it is the question of strengths that puts the candidate in an awkward position. He is afraid to overdo it and overpraise himself. Therefore, realistically assess your capabilities, analyze your personal qualities and highlight only the positive ones. Experts advise dividing skills into 3 groups:

1. Knowledge based skills. They are obtained through experience and training. These are computer skills, fluency in a foreign language, the ability to work with the necessary programs, etc.
2. mobile skills. They carry over from one job to another. This is the ability to establish contact with any person, planning and analysis skills, the ability to quickly solve problems, the ability to work efficiently in stressful situations.
3. Personal qualities. These are the unique properties of each person.

There is a secret trick - first to talk about the positive qualities that are directly related to the desired vacancy.

Examples of strengths that can be mentioned:

• communicable;
• purposeful;
• easily trained;
• reliable;
• creative;
• disciplined;
• decisive;
• multifaceted, etc.

Employers value the ability to tell only the truth. And this applies not only to the answers during the interview. Everyone needs an employee for whom lying is a taboo. Therefore, if there is such a feature, it is worth mentioning it.

The main rule is to choose 3-5 qualities, no more. It is important that they meet the requirements specified in the job description. It is worth preparing counterarguments confirming the presence of the listed strengths.

It must be remembered that the answers of the applicant during the interview are a reflection of his professionalism. The recruiter is looking for the one who best suits his requirements. It is important for him to see that despite some shortcomings, a person is ready to work on their elimination.

Binding strengths and weaknesses to the characteristics of professions

Find out what qualities are required for the position

Before compiling a personal list of positive and negative qualities, you need to carefully read the resume. It indicates what the ideal employee of the company should be. Some recruiters even detail this. From this it is worth highlighting the pros and cons for yourself.

Initially, you need to decide on the type of profession. There are 5 of them. They are associated with:

• technique;
• nature;
• other people;
• sign system;
• in an artistic way.

What is suitable for type 1 will categorically not satisfy the requirements of another category. The rule works here - the weaknesses of one profession can become an advantage for the second.

If the work is related to communication, then stress resistance is important. It is necessary for the employee to be able to control his emotions and remain calm in any situation.

Talking about the positive aspects, you need to mention those that will create a competitive advantage over other applicants. When applying for a job as an accountant or a salesperson in a small company, the employer is unlikely to pay attention to the candidate's leadership qualities. But in a company that is just entering the market and plans to actively develop, such an applicant will be very interesting.

Qualities not to be mentioned

There are things that are better left unsaid. If a potential employee reports that he is lazy, then he is unlikely to be hired. When the position is high, it is a bad decision to talk about the fear of taking responsibility. Such a person blames others for all failures. You can't rely on him, you can't trust him.

Other things not to talk about:

• commercialism and thoughts only about money, salary and promotion;
• non-punctuality;
• addiction to love affairs, gossip, intrigue, etc.

But people who are really serious about finding a job will definitely not mention this. After all, their goal is to find a decent position with a good salary in a prestigious company.

Job seekers often don't talk about bad habits they can't give up. Subsequently, such employees arrange frequent smoke breaks. On holidays, they can drink during working hours and encourage colleagues to do so. Often distracted by phone calls, gossip. Some are the initiators of conflicts.

Conclusion

An interview is not so scary if you prepare well for it. The important point is to create a list of strengths and weaknesses. This will help to avoid a long silence on the relevant question.

The main rule is to be honest and sincere. It must be remembered that everything secret becomes clear. Talking about positive qualities, do not overpraise yourself. When weaknesses are mentioned, it is important not to make too bad an impression. All your shortcomings need to be reformulated into strengths. And then the probability of passing the interview will increase several times.