Know your strengths and weaknesses

Do you know how to answer this common question? 

My clients are often confused about how to discuss their strengths and weaknesses in essays and interviews.

They also struggle to find appropriate strengths and weaknesses when brainstorming possible topics with their recommenders.

First, here are some common questions that are often asked to elicit your strengths and weaknesses.

 

 

When brainstorming weakness, consider your:

 

Examples from Stanford's Rubric:

 

Use my friend Adam's method

Strategies for talking about your strengths and weaknesses:

Advice from Adam's blog:

HAVE AS MANY WEAKNESSES AS POSSIBLE, NOT JUST ONE OR TWO. TRY FOR THREE TO FIVE. Here you be preparing answers to the very common questions that are asked about weakness, but in addition you will need to think about how the MBA program and/or some other aspect of yourself will make it possible for you to overcome this weakness. Weaknesses should be real and not abstract.

You should have clear stories that demonstrate your weaknesses, something many applicants initially have a problem with. Additionally knowing how a program will help you overcome your weakness will explain why you want to attend that school. Finally, SOME, BUT NOT All weaknesses make for great failure stories, another very common topic for interviews.

Strengths/Contributions/Future Potential/Personality

For each X, Y, Z insert a keyword describing your strength. Connect keywords to specific stories. If possible, find more than one story that demonstrates the keyword. Next think how this strength could be a contribution when you are student. Next think how this strength will contribute to your goals. By using this method, you will have prepared answers to such common questions as "What are your strengths" and "How will you contribute to our school." Additionally you will be ready to show how your past experience will help you achieve your goals. Additionally when asked questions which are less direct about your strengths, you will already have keywords and stories ready for those questions you can't predict. Keep in mind that your strengths might include particular skills as well as personality characteristics. You should think about strengths in the widest sense. Try to develop about 6-12(or more) keywords and 12-20 (or more) stories that relate to your strengths, contributions, personality, and future potential.

 

IS IT A GOOD STRENGTH OR WEAKNESS?

Some questions to ask yourself:

1. Does the strength demonstrate one's potential for future academic and/or professional success? If so, it is a probably a good topic. If not, why does your interviewer need to know about it?

2. Is a weakness fixable? If you are writing about a weakness that cannot be improved upon through your program at school X, why does your interviewer need to know about it?

(found at http://adam-markus.blogspot.com/2007/11/mba-application-interview-strategy.html; accessed 2010/09)

 

HERE IS A SAMPLE ANSWER I LIKE

What is your greatest weakness? 

Some advisors will tell you to select a strength and present it as a weakness. Such as: I work too much. I just work and work and work. Wrong. First of all, using a strength and presenting it as a weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question.

You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example, I have had trouble in the past with planning and prioritization. However, I'm now taking steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner . . . then show them your planner and how you are using it.

Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.

Finally, I encourage you to read this handy list of 28 soft skills from "Ask a Wharton MBA" 

MANAGING YOURSELF 

MANAGING OTHERS 

Good luck with your self-study and practice!