Mary Frederick answered
This is a favourite question among those who do interviews in every walks of life. I guess people figure if, anyone knows what our real strengths are it is us. However, for many of us this is not true. Self-assessment is difficult for some people, and it is very easy to fool ourselves into believing, something is true when it really is not. To be prepared for an interview we do need to give serious thought to the question of our strengths and our weaknesses. Many interviewers ask about our weaknesses, also. I think the best way to begin is sit down with a pen and paper. Write Strengths as one heading and Weaknesses as the other heading. Then begin to think about the field you have chosen and the type of work you will be expected to do. What do you enjoy doing and how well do you do it? List the things you see as strengths and those you see as a weaknesses in the process of accomplishing daily tasks. The old saying for success is, "plan your work and work your plan," if, you really do this you will discover strengths you may not have previously recognized within yourself. You may want to ask someone who knows you well to state two strengths and two weaknesses, he/she recognizes in you. You may even want to ask a former teacher this same question. Spend some time thinking about the responses and decidng, if they gave a true assessment. Owning your strengths and your weaknesses increases your strengths and helps you to make appropriate changes as they are needed. How well do you organize your tasks for the day? If, you are good at organizing and working through your daily tasks, then you could say I am a good organizer. If, you are able to cope well with interruptions and still get most tasks completed, you can say I am flexible. Are you friendly with fellow employees, but possess a sense of responsibility; you do not waste time chatting instead of working? You are friendly, but have no problem, saying to others, "I really do not have time to chat right now, I will get back with you at lunch time." If, this is true, you can say, I possess a strong sense of responsibility and do not waste time when there are tasks to be completed. I am a free thinker and not afraid to stand up for doing the right thing, at the right time. In situations when I may anger, another person for not agreeing, or going along with the crowd, I am not afraid to stand alone. I have always been considered a leader by friends and associates, I know how to treat others, respect the rights of others and encourage others to strive for high goals as I myself do. I strive to reach my goals and work very hard at setting realistic goals. I am goal setter and an achiever. Just, think about yourself, look at what you do well and what you do not do well. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and setting goals to acquire those strengths you need to develope is important. You can correct your weaknesses and turn them into strengths? Your willingness to do this is a sign of your honesty and integrity. These are great strengths to possess and there exists today a tendency to ignore, the value of these important traits in a person. Do you value who you are and what you can become? If, so this too is a wonderful strength to possess. Good Luck in your interviews!
