During a job interview, you can expect some common questions from the hiring manager, no matter what position you’re applying for or what industry you work in.
One such question is: “What are your strengths?”
A hiring manager may ask this question for several reasons, including:
▪️To confirm that you possess the skills and attributes needed to excel in the role
▪️Check if there is an alignment of your profile with the job description
▪️Dig deeper into specific experiences, accomplishments, or responsibilities.
So, do not tackle this question with cliched answers like these:
❌ I have leadership skills
❌ I am a team player
❌ I am a hard worker
❌ I am a problem solver.
Instead, use any of these 3 things to appear as a thoughtful and strong candidate:
𝟭. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵; e.g. My biggest strength is that I’m very efficient at managing people [describe strength]. In my previous job at Think Sage, I managed over 50 people directly, and indirectly from cross functions in the capacity of a product manager [define how you used that strength].
𝟮. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, internship, or a project; e.g. I’m good at picking up new skills. I’ve worked on a variety of different internships — things like working as a content writing intern, digital marketing intern, and a lot more as you’ve probably seen on my resume. For most of those jobs, I ended up picking up all the needed skills within 1 or 2 weeks without any previous hands-on experience.
𝟯. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲; e.g. My biggest strength is my adaptability. During my solo backpacking trip through the Middle East, I encountered numerous unexpected situations that required me to think on my feet. From navigating complex transportation systems to communicating effectively in unfamiliar languages, I learned to adapt and thrive in diverse settings. In a professional context, I believe it will be a valuable asset, enabling me to handle changing priorities.
Here is a list of types of jobs and their strengths:
▶️ 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹: Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, critical thinking
▶️ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹: Leadership, conflict resolution, communication, people management
▶️ 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: Empathy, problem-solving, conflict resolution, product knowledge
▶️ 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹: Problem-solving, troubleshooting, proficiency in a specific language
