What's a weakness you're actively working on, and what are you doing about it?
culture-fit · Intern level · general
What the interviewer is really asking
Assesses honest self-awareness and a growth mindset — whether the candidate can name a real gap and show a concrete plan to improve, rather than dodging with a fake weakness.
What to say
- Name a genuine, non-fatal weakness relevant to the work, not a disguised strength.
- Show the specific thing you're doing about it, so it reads as a trajectory rather than a confession.
- Mention how you'd want the team's help with it, signaling you take feedback rather than hide gaps.
What to avoid
- Don't give the classic fake weakness ('I care too much,' 'I work too hard') — it signals you won't be honest.
- Avoid naming a weakness that's disqualifying for the role with no plan attached.
- Don't claim you have no weaknesses or can't think of one — that reads as low self-awareness.
Example answers
Strong: I tend to keep working on something alone long after I should have asked for help, because I want to figure it out myself. On a project that cost me most of a weekend on something a teammate would have answered in five minutes. So I've started giving myself a timebox — about 30 minutes stuck, then I write up what I've tried and ask. It's working, but it's still a habit I have to consciously enforce, and I'd appreciate a manager who nudges me when I've gone quiet too long.
Weak: I'd say I'm too much of a perfectionist — I have a hard time letting go of something until it's exactly right.