How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths” Interview Questions [+ Examples]
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“What are your strengths?” is a popular interview question. By clearly understanding your strengths and weaknesses, your skills and personality can really shine. We’ll show you how to answer this question and address the needs of the open job.
Why Do Hiring Managers Ask This?
Interviewers ask this question to gain insight into the qualifications, resume skills and abilities that make you a strong candidate for the position. The information you fold into your “What are your greatest strengths” answer should help hiring managers do the following:
How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths?”
To answer this interview question impressively, create a master list of notable skills or accomplishments with a few key notes for each example. Then, incorporate any of the following tips:
1Highlight your social soft skills
If the job requires a lot of collaboration, empathy, communication or active listening, showcase your soft skills. Include examples of when these social skills helped you build healthy work rapport, foster teamwork, or successfully resolve conflicts.
2Focus on the job requirements
Hiring managers need reassurance that you understand the demands of the job. To find the core responsibilities, search the job description for resume keywords. Prioritize “what are your strengths” examples related to those resume keywords.
3Use evidence and data to support your strengths
Hiring managers will find it much easier to understand and rate your skills if they have evidence-backed examples that illustrate your qualifications. Use concrete evidence and quantifiable information, such as performance metrics, improved completion times, or data, to highlight your career strengths and accomplishments.
4Be personable but authentic
If you’re a warm, collaborative worker, highlight your interpersonal skills in your “What are your strengths” answers. Hiring managers can usually tell when your enthusiasm or passion is authentic. Use real stories and professionally relevant experiences to create sincere connections with your interviewer.
5Share critical thinking and problem-solving examples
Highlight your critical thinking and problem-solving experience by sharing past challenges and how you brainstormed or executed solutions. Be detailed and discuss how you analyzed the situation, communicated with project stakeholders or developed solutions. This information will show hiring managers how you navigate obstacles using accessible resources.
6Focus on your technical training
Technical skills are highly trained and practiced knowledge related to your career. Technical skills for plumbers will vastly differ from IT support, so highlight the transferable technical skills that make you a strong candidate in your “what are your strengths” answer.
7Proactively mention your weaknesses
If you’re new to the workplace or changing career paths, you can flip the script and proactively mention your potential weaknesses. Rephrase them with an action plan on how you plan to improve yourself via further education and this job. This answer to “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” highlights your self-awareness and proactive planning.
20 Sample Answers
The following sample answers hit the different resume skills you can highlight during “what are your strengths” interview questions.
1Attention to detail:
“Attention to detail is one of my core strengths. In my previous role, I meticulously reviewed documents, catching errors and inconsistencies before they became issues. Not only did this save me and my colleagues weeks of unnecessary work, but we also saved our clients 23% of their expenditure budget and met their requested timeline, resulting in their repeat business for a more extensive project three months later.”
2Active listening:
“I ensure clear understanding and effective communication by fully engaging with others’ perspectives. I actively listen to diverse viewpoints in team settings, fostering collaboration and innovation. This skill not only strengthens relationships but also facilitates problem-solving and decision-making.”
3Adaptability:
“I can quickly adjust my approach and priorities in dynamic situations with constant change. Whether I need to adapt to shifting deadlines, new priorities or evolving needs, I remain calm and communicate, sourcing the relevant information required to stay on track and meet new deadlines. This flexibility allows me to maintain productivity and drive success even in the face of uncertainty.”
4Career development:
“My strength lies in career development for myself and others. I actively seek opportunities for growth within my companies to develop a holistic understanding of our mission and products. I also acknowledge my current limitations and seek education opportunities to expand my analytical, presentation and mathematical skills to provide additional career support to myself and my colleagues.”
5Collaboration:
“Collaboration is a crucial strength of mine. I thrive in team environments, valuing diverse perspectives and actively engaging others to achieve common goals. I contribute to cohesive teamwork and innovative problem-solving by fostering open communication and mutual respect. My ability to listen, compromise and leverage each team member’s strengths enables us to deliver high-quality results efficiently and effectively.”
6Communication:
“I excel at communicating ideas clearly and effectively, whether in written form or through verbal interactions. I can ensure mutual understanding and expectation alignment by tailoring my message to specific audiences and actively listening to feedback.”
7Creativity:
“I find more joy in thinking outside the box and brainstorming innovative ideas for complex projects or issues. Whether it’s devising unique strategies, designing compelling visuals or writing engaging copy, I constantly infuse creativity into my work. This imaginative approach motivates my work and helps drive meaningful results and customer engagement.”
8Critical thinking:
“I excel at tackling puzzling situations, analyzing them from multiple angles, identifying underlying issues, and proposing well-reasoned solutions. My ability to think critically and creatively enhances my performance and saves myself and my colleagues unnecessary labor.”
9Detail-oriented:
“I meticulously review information, ensuring accuracy and consistency for every project I lead or contribute to. I prefer to identify potential errors and discrepancies early in the project to help contribute to high-quality work with minimal delays or re-sets. This commitment to precision enhances efficiency and builds trust and confidence among colleagues and stakeholders in my ability to deliver reliable results.”
10Empathy:
“I practice listening, understanding, and empathizing with people’s emotions and work-related issues. By putting myself in their shoes, I can foster trust and meaningful work relationships, leading to healthier team dynamics and collaboration. My empathy also enables me to propose meaningful conflict resolution, defuse tense situations and schedule productive follow-up meetings with individuals and teams.”
11Honesty:
“I prioritize transparency and integrity in all my interactions, fostering trust and credibility. I ensure open communication and collaboration by being forthright about my capabilities and limitations. This honesty strengthens team dynamics, enhances accountability, and fosters a positive work culture based on mutual respect and integrity.”
12Initiative:
“I proactively identify opportunities for improvement and take action without waiting for direction. Whether it’s spearheading new projects, proposing innovative ideas, or stepping up to fill gaps, I consistently demonstrate a proactive approach. This initiative drives personal and team success and contributes to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.”
13Leadership:
“I have a proven track record of inspiring and motivating others towards shared goals. I recently led a marketing campaign to increase travel to a southwest town. I partnered with local leaders and businesses to highlight independent galleries, distilleries and wineries to appeal to younger demographics.”
14Multitasking:
“I thrive on managing multiple projects simultaneously. I carefully allocate time and resources depending on project scope, deadlines, and profitability. Whether handling external clients or balancing responsibilities, I remain organized and focused. This ability to juggle tasks enhances productivity and enables me to adapt to fast-paced environments like your notable start-up seamlessly.”
15Professional morals:
“My strength lies in my commitment to developing equitable learning solutions for elementary-age children rooted in my working-class upbringing. I prioritize inclusivity, fairness, and adaptation to individual needs, ensuring every child can thrive. By celebrating diverse backgrounds and fostering a supportive environment, I empower students to reach their full potential, hopefully enriching a life-long love of learning.”
16Problem-solving:
“I excel at analyzing complex issues, identifying root causes, and developing practical solutions. Whether troubleshooting technical challenges or resolving conflicts within teams, I approach problems with creativity and determination. By leveraging critical thinking and resourcefulness, I consistently overcome obstacles and drive successful outcomes in individual and collaborative settings.”
17Self-motivation:
“I have a strong internal drive to achieve excellence in everything I do. Whether tackling challenging projects or pursuing personal growth opportunities, I take the initiative and persist until I reach my goals. One notable example was identifying an upcoming influencer interested in travel and sharing a few of our company’s international adaptors. This outreach attempt resulted in brand loyalty and a two-year exclusive contract that resulted in a 240% audience growth and doubled our annual revenue.”
18Task management:
“I prioritize tasks effectively to meet deadlines and achieve objectives. By leveraging tools and communicating my current workload to colleagues, I ensure the sufficient allocation of time and resources, maximizing productivity. Managing multiple projects simultaneously enables me to maintain focus.”
19Time management:
“My strength lies in time management. I excel at efficiently allocating my time to tasks and projects, ensuring deadlines and goals are met. I optimize productivity and minimize procrastination by prioritizing effectively and using tools like calendars and to-do lists. This skill helps me stay organized and consistently deliver high-quality work within stipulated timelines.”
20Writing skills:
“My greatest strengths are my writing and written communication skills. I can convey complicated ideas, tailor my writing style to multiple audiences and brand identities, and meet various purposes. Whether crafting reports, emails, or creative content, I ensure precision, coherence and impact. My writing skills facilitate effective communication and enhance my ability to influence and engage others in meaningful dialogue.”
Answers to Avoid
“What are your strengths?” interview questions aim to learn about your thought process and work style. Make the most of your answers by avoiding the following red-flag answers.
Key Takeaways
When most job interviews are limited to 30 minutes, the following advice can help you make the most of interview questions like “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”
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How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths” Interview Questions [+ Examples]
Last edited by: Natalia Merced, Content Writer - June 14, 2024
