Read our article to answer “What are your strengths?” in a professional and impressive way.
What are your strengths?
In most job interviews, candidates will be asked to describe their strengths and weaknesses.
In preparation for the interview, candidates should think about how best to answer this “What are your strengths?” So that the information is useful to employers while not harming your chances of employment.
Other forms of the question for strengths
There are many forms of the question, depending on the questioner, including:
- What are your strong points?
- What is your greatest strength?
Why does the interviewer ask you this question?
The interviewer's job is to find someone who will perform in the position and fit in with the team.
With the question “What are your strengths?” the interviewer seeks to see if:
- Your strength aligns with the needs of the company.
- You can do the job and perform like a rock star.
- You are the best person for the job - no need to wait for a better person.
- You have qualities, skills and/or experience that set you apart from the competition.
- You are someone who will make an excellent addition to the team.
How to prepare for the answer
When you answer the question “What are your strengths?”, think about quality, not quantity. In other words, don't cram the list of adjectives.
Instead, choose one or a few (depending on the question) specific adjectives relevant to this situation and illustrate them with examples.
Stories are always more memorable than generalizations. And if there's something you've been hoping to mention that makes you a great candidate, but haven't had a chance yet, this would be the perfect time. Consider:
- Don't put up with multiple and ambiguous strengths. Stay focused on one or two key qualities that relate directly to the role and support them with specific and relevant examples.
- Don't tell jokes. Don't be arrogant, exaggerate your strengths, or lie about your abilities. However, don't be humble or underestimate yourself.
Examples to answer the question
You can choose the answer to the question “What are your strengths?” that best suits your job:
Intrepreneurial
Attentive
Collaborative
Committed/dedicated
Creative
Determined
Disciplined/focused
Empathetic
Enthusiastic/passionate
Flexible/versatile
Honest
Innovative
Patient
Respectful
Versatility
Flexibility
Taking Initiative
Honesty
Dedication
Integrity
Continuous Learning
Self-control
Business planning, Knowledge of the standard practices, tools, terminology of the engineering trade, Financial aspects.
Budgetary analytics with planning and supervising the work.
Proven relationship-builder with excellent interpersonal skills, Leadership & Management, Microsoft Office Programs.
I think one of my greatest strengths is problem solving. I have the ability to see the situation from different points of view and can get my work done even in the face of difficult obstacles. I also feel my communication skills are top notch. I feel comfortable introducing to senior executives as I mediate a struggle between junior team members. I've worked as a programmer in the past, so I have a developer's point of view and I think they respect me for that.
One of my strengths is my strong work ethic. When I meet a deadline, I do whatever it takes to deliver. For example, we had a report due last week and got back some numbers late from our team at the company. I stayed up all night to finish the spreadsheet because I knew the client had to receive the report on time I think this job is a perfect fit for my experience and interests.
I am very organized and very good at maintaining department management. I know the kinds of problems that arise in a busy marketing department and I actually enjoy the detailed work of scheduling, prioritizing, organizing, and following through. On the other hand, I am also a creative person. I think this is really useful in marketing. Especially in an innovative company like this. I am known for finding creative solutions to problems and am very team oriented. I love collaborating with others, especially creative people. I'm also known for being the type of person you can always count on.
I am proud of my writing skills and believe that it will make me a better analyst. I am able to communicate complex topics to different audiences. I can take a lot of data and information and find the story and topics that clients need to know.
What are my strengths? Well, I guess I'm pretty good at breathing? I don't know. That's what my mom said. She's usually right about things. So I think yes. I guess I can say I'm a good breath.
See: Interview Question “What are Your Weaknesses?”