Behavioral Question: "What Are Your Greatest Strengths?"
When the interviewer asks, "What is your greatest strength?" they are looking to see if your talents and skillsets align with what the company is searching for in a candidate.
It’s surprisingly difficult for many people to talk about their strengths during an interview. It’s challenging to balance your humility with the need to project confidence. But the main reason interviewers ask this question is to identify whether your strengths line up with the needs of the company and the job's responsibilities.
Your response will help the employer decide whether or not you are the strongest candidate for the position. When you are asked about your strengths, discuss attributes that will best qualify you for the specific job, and set you apart from the other candidates.
Research the company (website, motto, social media) and learn as much as you can about the position. You are acquiring all the keywords the interviewer is looking for. When you know what their ideal candidate looks like, you will align your skills to that.
It's critical to show the interviewer that you have the qualities the employer is seeking. There are some strengths that all employers seek in the candidates they hire. Others will be specific to the job and the company.
Be prepared to answer by making a list of those qualifications mentioned in the job posting:
- List your skills that match those sought. This list can include education or training, soft skills, hard skills, or prior work experiences.
- Narrow down your list of skills to between 3 and 5 particularly strong skills.
- Next to each skill, note an example of how you have applied that strength in the past (this will prepare you for when the employer asks you to elaborate on a particular strength).
So how should you answer questions about your strengths?
The best way to respond is to describe the skills and experience you have that directly correlate with the job you are applying for. This will prepare you for when the employer asks you to elaborate on a particular strength.
When you answer, you will be sharing strengths that match the qualifications the company is seeking and the more closely your skills match the stated job qualifications, the more likely you'll be to get a job offer.
Examples:
"I have a solid work ethic. When I'm working on a project, I don't just want to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. Last year, I even earned a bonus for completing my three most recent reports one week ahead of time."
"I have extremely strong writing skills. Having worked as a copyeditor for five years, I have deep attention to detail when it comes to my writing. I have also written for a variety of publications, so I know how to shape my writing style to fit the task and audience. As a marketing assistant, I will be able to write and edit press releases effectively and to update web content with accuracy and ease."
"I am a skilled salesman with over ten years' experience. I have exceeded my sales goals every quarter by at least 20%, and I've earned a bonus each year since I started with my current employer."