Weaknesses in a person's character. Weaknesses in a resume - how to present them correctly to an employer

During interviews with employers and when writing a resume, you have to indicate your strengths. Oddly enough, some people find this more difficult than listing their weaknesses. However, you need to specify both. We will help you decide and create your own list.

A person's strengths and weaknesses are often asked about during a job interview. You have to answer this question by writing your own resume.

So you inevitably begin to think about your strengths and weaknesses. With advantages, that is, character strengths, it usually works out well. But with the weak... Is it really impossible without them? It is forbidden! Recruiters - experienced professionals - will appreciate your frankness, and who knows, perhaps your combination of “pros” and “cons” will help them make a choice in your favor.

About the benefits of “soul-searching”

Every person has strengths and weaknesses. It would seem, why look for them at home? What can this do? According to psychologists, a lot. You need to know your strengths in order to feel confident in various life situations. And knowing your weaknesses will help, if not overcome them, then at least take control of them and engage in self-development. The latter, according to experts, helps in both your career and personal life, and generally leads to harmony with yourself and the whole world.

Strengths

Strengths taken together make for a strong character. Let's see what qualities and traits define. This is all the more necessary to know if you do not want to be content with a modest position and low salary, but want to succeed in your career endeavors. The list turns out to be quite extensive.

So this is:

professionalism;
analytical thinking;
learning ability;
responsibility;
discipline;
hard work;
patience;
determination;
self confidence.

Developing strengths

Professionalism is your knowledge multiplied by experience. If you didn’t spend your time in college in vain, if you love and know how to study, and know your job well, you will certainly become a professional. By the way, according to experts, there is a fairly simple path to professional self-improvement. To do this, it is enough to read one book in your specialty every month.

But analytical thinking and learning ability depend on the level of intelligence. By the way, intelligence, according to the latest research, is transmitted through the maternal line. So if you got good genes, your parents took a lot of care of you as a child, and you studied diligently and didn’t act like a fool, then you have every reason to add positive qualities from the list to the second and third ones. What follows are strengths that you may not possess, but which you are quite capable of developing in yourself.

Responsibility

It seems that this quality is also innate, but in women mainly for some reason. It is not for nothing that there is even such a term as hypertrophied responsibility, and what is meant by it is precisely the female ability to be responsible for everything: for children, husband, parents, friends, animals, work, country, and so on. So we have nothing to develop here, except perhaps learn the opposite.

Discipline

This is sometimes difficult. Set an alarm for 6.30 and get up at the first signal, rather than endlessly delaying the moment of getting up. Arrive at work on time, not 10 minutes late. Likewise, don’t be late for business meetings or get-togethers with friends. To become disciplined, you need to come up with motivation. For example, it’s easy for me to get up early in the morning because I know that a cup of coffee with something tasty and an interesting read are waiting for me. The anticipation of all this helps you not to lie in bed.

And in order not to be late for work, try to see what a thrill it is to come to the office... first! Silence and tranquility, you can calmly collect your thoughts, make plans for the whole day and get to work. By the way, the brain works more productively in the morning.

Hard work

Rarely do people have this innate quality. All humanity is lazy to one degree or another. And only hunger, cold and fear forced him to get up from the warm skin of a mammoth and do something useful. So we do: we get down to business not because we are tired of resting, but because there is such an inexorable word “needed”.

You need to wash the windows for the winter, iron the washed clothes, select unnecessary books and take them to the nearest library... But what a feeling of satisfaction comes over you when you realize that you managed to overcome yourself and accomplish what you set out to do. So you gradually get the hang of it and become... a workaholic in the good sense of the word.

Patience

This is when you realize that you won’t be able to get everything at once and right away. And you learn to wait, gradually, step by step approaching your goal. Career growth, by the way, is exactly what happens. Almost no one gets into top management immediately after graduating from university. Well, maybe some computer genius level.

Determination and self-confidence

You get these strengths as a bonus to the ones listed above. Professionalism. The more you know and can do, the more confident you feel in your business. And this helps you go your own way, persistently achieving your goals.

Let's add to the list

We also call character strengths:

honesty;
reliability;
justice;
honesty;
responsiveness;
courage.

People who have all of the above qualities are able to control themselves, their desires and actions, and therefore manage their lives and control their circumstances. Well, such individuals always inspire respect and trust.

You should start your job search by writing a brief description of yourself as an employee. It is permissible not to indicate weaknesses in your resume, but such a point will show the employer your adequate self-esteem. In addition, this point may appear in the employer’s standard questionnaire or be raised during an interview. It is better to know the answer to such an ambiguous question in advance.

What weaknesses should you indicate in your resume or application?

No people are perfect, and employers know this very well. A person’s recognition of his weaknesses speaks of the harmonious development of personality and adequate self-perception. A confident candidate will easily name several of his less outstanding traits.

If you cannot be considered a very confident person, then the answer to the question about your shortcomings needs to be worked out in advance, and it is best to reflect it in your resume. Experts do not recommend specifying more than three weaknesses. Moreover, they must be work-related. You shouldn't point out that you don't like playing with children when applying for an engineering position.

Examples for filling out the “disadvantages” column:

excessive emotionality;
workaholism;
restlessness;
pedantry;
modesty;
integrity;
excessive initiative;
insufficient activity, etc.

Please note that many disadvantages can be considered advantages in certain circumstances. Depending on the field of activity, different personality traits may be required. For example, for a secretary, pedantry will be more likely a plus, but for an applicant for the position of a salesperson, emotionality will not be a hindrance.

CV Weaknesses You Shouldn't Mention

There are character flaws that should not be included on a resume or mentioned in an interview. They most often concern those aspects of your personality that are weakly related to work or characterize you as a bad worker.

Examples of negative characteristics to avoid:

lack of punctuality;
tendency to procrastination;
laziness;
inability to keep promises;
frivolity in personal life;
irresponsibility, etc.

These are not character weaknesses on a resume, but a real recognition that the organization does not need such an employee. However, if you came for an interview, but realized that you don’t want to work here, then you can at least voice all the points at once.

When applying for a job, employers often require a resume. Some of them, in addition to work experience, general information and listing strengths, ask to indicate character weaknesses. And here a dilemma arises: how to properly disclose your shortcomings in your resume? If you think that they do not need to be indicated at all and that it is enough to simply put a dash in the corresponding column, then you are deeply mistaken. To avoid getting into trouble if you find yourself in a similar situation, read what HR specialists advise on this matter.

Features of writing a resume

On the one hand, writing a few words about yourself is a simple task and does not require special knowledge and skills. However, as practice shows, those who adhere to this point of view are often refused employment. Therefore, the more reputable the company you want to work for, the more important it is to write your resume correctly.

The length of the resume does not allow for the presentation of a large amount of information. It usually fits on 1-2 computer sheets. Therefore, it is especially important to briefly present the necessary information that will highlight your individuality and attract the attention of the HR specialist. When writing a text, weigh each word and present your weaknesses correctly.

For example, if you are worried about your belonging to a certain age category, start by listing your professional qualities or work experience. Move your date of birth information to the end of your resume. Or if your future job involves frequent business trips, and you have a small child growing up, be sure to indicate that you will be able to leave him in the care of relatives or a nanny.

To correctly reflect your weaknesses in your resume, adopt a few basic rules.

Pay special attention to the style of presentation of information. The text must be written clearly and understandably. If during an interview you can convey information in different ways, then what is written will be perceived unambiguously.
Never ignore the column in which you need to indicate your weaknesses and character traits. This can lead to you either being classified as insecure and complex people, or being considered a person with overly high self-esteem.
Don't be afraid to be honest. A truthful reflection of information, especially regarding your weaknesses, indicates how self-critical you are and adequately assess your own strengths and weaknesses.

Examples of weaknesses

When filling out the column about existing shortcomings, take your time and carefully consider each phrase. If you don't know what to include, look through the options below and choose the ones that describe you. At the same time, try to select character traits that, if desired, can be wrapped in advantages.

Among the weaknesses in your resume, indicate, for example, the habit of saying everything directly and frankly; difficulties in establishing contacts with strangers; hyperactivity and restlessness; excessive emotionality, sensitivity and impressionability; tendency towards fatalism, etc.

Try to select character traits that can be turned into advantages if desired.

However, there is no need to be overly frank. Add to one or two professional traits and several that do not play an important role in work activities. For example, mention that you are afraid of flying or are overweight. You can also indicate such shortcomings as excessive gullibility, a tendency to reflect, or frequent self-examination and self-criticism.

Among social weaknesses, you can write that you don’t fit well into the work team, because you don’t like gossip, or you can’t fight back in response to boorish behavior. With a skillful approach, you can really turn every flaw into an advantage. And if among your weak character traits you indicate reliability, then this only plays into the hands of the employer himself, since he will see in you a person who can be entrusted with overtime tasks.

How to properly present character weaknesses

Some weak traits can be directly correlated with the characteristics of the profession. So, for example, for an accountant or storekeeper, such shortcomings as distrust, pedantry, inability to lie, an increased sense of responsibility, lack of diplomacy and flexibility in labor matters can become positive in work activities. But it is better for a manager or realtor to indicate hyperactivity, self-confidence, impulsiveness, inability to take one’s word for it and a desire to double-check the information themselves.

It should be noted that job seekers often resort to cunning and present their strengths in their resumes under the guise of weaknesses. Before doing so, it is worth carefully weighing the consequences of such actions. Of course, you can indicate among your weaknesses the desire for perfectionism or excessive hard work, but keep in mind that the employer can easily suspect you of insincerity.

Important nuances

Honesty is good. However, some negative features are still not worth pointing out. Under no circumstances write that you like to be lazy, are afraid to take responsibility, or are unable to make decisions, are unpunctual, are often distracted, etc. There is no need to get too carried away when listing your weaknesses. It is enough to name 2-3 negative qualities. Do not use streamlined language and do not indicate features that will run counter to the requirements for the position.

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When applying for a job, your application form becomes the only link with your employer. It is difficult to get a good job without the correct presentation of your own capabilities. However, many serious ones require filling out an insidious item - character weaknesses.

In a resume, every word written is important. Do not fill out this line hastily!

Your weaknesses on your resume should be a mirror image of your strengths.
How to turn weaknesses into strengths on your resume
But you shouldn’t be too zealous in listing your shortcomings. And there is no need to reproach yourself for your personality weaknesses. Remember that what is good for one person is unacceptable for another. For example, for someone you are wasteful, someone will consider you generous; Some will see greed in you, others will say - economical.
Present your negative character traits to the employer, wrapping them in a beautiful package. For example, for an accountant, unsociability can even be useful in work, but a manager with this quality will have a hard time.
Expert opinion
Natalya Molchanova
HR manager
Find 2-3 traits of your character that would be considered a disadvantage in everyday life, but from the point of view of your chosen profession turn into undeniable advantages.
What weaknesses should you include in your resume?
You should think carefully about this. Sometimes writing a few words about yourself is much more difficult than you thought. After all, what’s at stake is working in a reputable company, and the well-being of the whole family may depend on your ability to show your weaknesses in your application form.
Of course, there is no guarantee that the next employer will take you on to their team. There is no doubt that the future boss will not only not put him aside, but will show his interest and will certainly want to meet. So what trump cards will we have in store to beat our competitors?
Be truthful
The habit of exaggeration will come in handy here. If the employer does not require you to dwell on negative qualities, then there is no need to write anything. Then emphasize your merits as a specialist by mentioning your strengths. If your resume needs to be written in any form, then focus on your positive aspects as an individual and a specialist in the field.
But what shortcomings should you include in your resume in order to become the first applicant for the long-awaited position?
Firstly, as we have already said, so that the employer does not get the impression of you as a person with painfully inflated self-esteem, in no case do we ignore the point about shortcomings.
Secondly, don't deviate from your resume writing style. When talking with an interlocutor live, it is much easier to convey information to the listener: you can use gestures, facial expressions, and focus on his reaction. In the case of a resume, a special approach is needed, because the manager sees only what is written.
Thirdly, the boss will not be able to help but note the honesty of the resume, where you will briefly report your shortcomings, based on some important points.

Don't chase the standard
When reviewing a resume, each employer looks at the situation from its own angle. Sometimes the same character trait can be viewed in two ways. For some, it will turn out to be the positive side of the coin, while others may be blacklisted for having such character traits.
Expert opinion
Natalya Molchanova
HR manager
Each field of activity requires an individual approach. In teamwork, leadership qualities will only hinder the team, but for a manager, the ability to make his own decisions will be quite useful.
Be intellectually mature
It is important that you are aware of your imperfections and do not take criticism with hostility. After all, only an intellectually mature person can calmly and fairly conduct a personal assessment of his positive and negative sides.
It is undoubtedly easier for an employer to give preference to a mature personality than to educate an unbalanced person.
Show your willingness to work on yourself
Having presented your negative qualities to the general court, be sure to indicate that you are actively fighting against the shortcoming you indicated. You can’t let your employer think that you live comfortably with this negativity.
It could be shyness or impulsiveness. You can point out their manifestation in accordance with the situation, and make it clear that you are waging a persistent struggle against the presence of these disadvantages: expanding your connections and striving to keep your ardor under control.
Let's look at a simple example in a resume, where the weaknesses of the applicant turned into a positive side from a professional point of view.
“In everyday life, you are unable to refuse people, and because of this you do not have your own personal life. However, the boss may consider this quality more than beneficial for him. Having hired a reliable employee, the manager expects that he will always be able to rely on such an employee, no matter what issues the assignment concerns. This trait can be simply invaluable for personnel who work under someone’s direct supervision.

Present your strengths as weaknesses
Psychology is a very interesting science. Of course, it’s not worth filling out the field for shortcomings with the phrases “increased responsibility” or “workaholism.” The manager will immediately accuse you of dishonesty.
To take a highly paid position and, along with it, a future boss, you need to:
gullibility - you will be perceived as a person capable of concluding agreements exclusively with trusted partners;
self-confidence - they will see you as a leader inclined to move forward;
hyperactivity - they will place bets on the speed of completing assigned tasks commensurate with other employees;
slowness - they will find in you a scrupulous worker who can see mistakes and notice important nuances;
increased anxiety - they will note a responsible approach to work and their responsibilities;
straightforwardness - you will be considered a master of negotiations who will confidently insist on the terms and requirements of the company;
demanding - they will think: if an employee is demanding of himself, then you will treat production processes with no less responsibility;
pedantry - will determine the ability to bring initiatives to perfection through repeated checks;
restlessness - they will see you as an employee who is ready to carry out new tasks and assignments regardless of external factors;
modesty - they will be included in the number of employees who weigh what is said, which helps prevent conflict situations and unnecessary misunderstandings.

For the resume of a future accountant, the following can be used as an example of weaknesses:
suspicion;
excessive pedantry;
increased anxiety;
straightforwardness;
scrupulousness;
modesty;
inability to lie;
pride;
lack of agreement in work situations;
scrupulousness;
an inflated sense of responsibility;
inability to negotiate.

But for specialties that require direct communication with a wide audience, this list of qualities is extremely unsuitable.

For example, a manager can indicate in his resume:
restlessness;
hyperactivity;
demandingness;
impudence;
stubbornness;
self-confidence;
straightforwardness;
impulsiveness.

Why does a manager want to know about your shortcomings?
If the future boss decides to include a “character weaknesses” column in his resume, then he cannot ignore it.

Be yourself, believe in yourself and you will succeed, and finally, video