Perfectionism and insecurity go together like peanut butter and jelly. Do recruiters still buy it—even if it’s sort of true? It’ll make you more productive and a better colleague if you master the practice. I was labouring over the details and in turn, caused my manager to be stressed when I almost missed the deadline on my deliverables. You know your biggest weakness is perfectionism … but you can avoid the cliché and point to what, specifically, is holding you back and share all the steps you’re taking to make it better. But without time to breathe between projects, you’ll never have a moment to think back and improve. You can learn how to utilize the strengths of perfectionists in your business and help us improve on our weaknesses. Your marks will come from demonstrating reflection, learning and development – not from listing many weaknesses. In the past, I found this leading me to triple-check every item on a spreadsheet, closely proofread emails to ensure I’d communicated what I was trying to get across in a clear, concise way, or fiddle with the layout of a presentation to ensure that it was perfect. Perfectionists are really slow when it comes to getting their job done. After all, perfectionists work hard to make everything, well, perfect. Yet the writer says that others see perfectionism as something negative. I'm applying for a new job and I am preparing myself for the interview. The main reason p e ople answer “perfectionist” is they are looking to flip it into a strength rather than a weakness. Like all strengths there can be a point at which it does in fact become a weakness. How to answer the "what are your weaknesses" job interview question. Some of the advantages of being a perfectionist include: Being highly organized As a result, perfectionists seldom claim to be perfectionists. Fortunately, there’s good news in all of this — perfectionism doesn’t have to be all bad. And more than anything, they’re looking for a real person. Is Being a Perfectionist a Weakness or a Strength? Updated: Sep 26, 2019. However, this response only scratches the surface of a real answer. And if you are? A person may perform the functions of a job with a vision of the “perfect” way to perform or the “perfect” outcome of the work. Perfectionism, on the other hand, involves a tendency to set standards that are so high they either cannot be met or are only met with great difficulty.Perfectionists tend to believe that anything short of perfection is horrible, and that even minor imperfections will lead to catastrophe. In a work context, perfectionists might find it difficult to get started, to finish, or to meet deadlines. At the very least, they perceive it that way. Some interviewers even refer to the, what are your weaknesses question, as the, perfectionist interview question. perfectionism into two dimensions as perfectionist striving a positive one and perfectionist concern a negative one. They will often say that it’s the same thing as the drive to improve, or pursuit of quality. Why is perfectionism a weakness? It’s cliché to get the “I’m a perfectionist” answer when you ask candidates to tell you about their 3 biggest weaknesses in a job interview.It’s a difficult question, but “perfectionism”, too often overlooked is not a trivial weakness at all.It is one of our biggest enemies, no I mean, seriously. This can slow down the productivity of the whole group and the team may not be able to submit the work in time. No matter how good you are at your job, though, you won’t get far without taking on new tasks and risks. 閱讀中文版本. This type of reflection can actually enhance your workplace performance, which is great news for perfectionists. Perfectionism 4 Difficulties of Being a Perfectionist Trying to be perfect is where your troubles begin. What is it about this project that takes precedent? Being a perfectionist is a weakness. Perfectionism is just as much of a strength as it is a weakness. These people (perfectionists) tend to seek out perfectionism in others as well, and are not typically understanding when others are not as fast, smart, or as perfect as they view themselves. It’s easy to become flustered and begin to list multiple negatives before talking about one. Disguise your strength as a weakness: I'm a perfectionist. I hate job interviews. Whether you’re a team leader who sends a task back for tweaks multiple times, or you’re a staffer who can’t turn something in until you’ve examined it repeatedly, your co-workers might lose their appreciation for your hard work after a while. I’ve only gone to enough to count with my two hands, but each one of them has turned me into a phony spaz. Depending on who you ask, people may consider perfectionism to be a strength or a weakness. Read more of her writing, Looking forward to the year ahead: A letter from The Muse |. The best "what are your weaknesses" example answers. And further, because the label is a misnomer, most perfectionists don’t even realize they’re perfectionists. You can deliver a more effective and unique answer by explaining that you tend to be extra critical of your own work, that you have a propensity to overthink projects before diving in, or that you always like to deliver an exceptional product, which means you’re often working up against … I would then say that I am a perfectionist, but I can't really think of any reasoning as to why that is a bad thing that would be appropriate for me to say in the interview without leading to negative reflection amongst the interviewers. After all, perfectionists work hard to make everything, well, perfect. Plus, your new outlook will help you in your next interview, too. One of the questions that I think will be asked is "What are your weaknesses?" Plus, you also deserve a pat on the back from time to time, and the end of a big project or presentation is the perfect time to celebrate you. So, here’s how to answer instead. Most importantly, though, the happy balance you strike will make you feel better about yourself both professionally and personally, which will further spur your success. However, by presenting the symptoms, rather than just naming the affliction, you’ll sound much more sincere. This means it can be both good and bad. And - hint - it does NOT involve pretending that being a perfectionist is a personal weakness. There was a time I thought that being a perfectionist is a sign of having high standards. “I tend to get caught up in the little details, which can distract me from the ultimate goal.”You might be a perfectionist, but your interviewer has heard this answer a billion times (and from plenty of people who aren’t actually perfectionists, I might add). In short, if you can answer authentically, connect with your interviewer, and provide a personal insight—it’ll go much, much further than some canned response. Perfection is great is specific scenarios, otherwise for most people it's too time consuming. Early on in my career, when I worked for ABC Inc., that’s exactly what happened. More on measuring perfectionism Most … (And then following up with all the ways you’re actively seeking to improve this trait, of course.). ", you don't want to respond, "I tend to work too hard," or "I am too much of a perfectionist.". Perfectionist Leaders Can Cause Team Frustration and Uncertainty A perfectionist leader likes things to be “just right”. Think about your last big project — you probably mulled over the meat of it for quite some time, but how many hours did you spend tweaking fonts, designing slides, changing the colors of bar graphs, etc.? So, let’s dig in — here are four ways perfectionism works against you in the office, and one big way to make it work for you. As soon as you finish one project — and, let’s face it, it’s hard for a perfectionist to live up to their own specifications and consider something “done” — you’re onto the next. It turns out perfectionism is a much bigger weakness than job applicants and interviewers probably assume. This is because since they are always so detailed, they try to check their finished work more than twice. The best method to solve this problem is to set up time limits on getting a certain work done. One of the most common—and most dreaded—interview questions out there is, “What’s your biggest weakness?”. You’re not outsmarting the interviewer by claiming you are a perfectionist. Focusing on every detail is tiring, but you also can’t stop. Start by taking steps to overcome your insecurity — accepting the fact that everyone fails sometimes is a big part of it. Although, this can lead too many nights of battling what is right and what is wrong. This article will show you: What an interviewer wants to hear when they ask for a list of weaknesses. Posted Nov 07, 2013 Since top interview questions like this are so awkward to answer, let's take the time to go through a few examples to fully grasp their dual nature. A good interviewer won't let you get away with it and will drill deeper to flush you out. Some people may consider the being a perfectionist as a weakness in an interview when the person being interviewed must work with or lead others. This type of reflection can actually enhance your workplace performance. It might be a challenge as a self-proclaimed perfectionist, but giving yourself credit for the hard work you do is a well-deserved part of the process that will make you feel even better about the time and effort you put into whatever task you’ve just finished. Perfectionism: A Strength as Well as A Weakness. That causes you to take a backseat in your career, and perhaps in other aspects of life, too, because it’s safer to stick with what you know. But actually, the dreaded 'What are your weaknesses?' However, this response only scratches the surface of a real answer. For example, most people believe it is important to try to do one’s best and not make mistakes. The short answer, we found, is that perfectionism is a much bigger weakness than job applicants and interviewers probably assume. If you’re not truly held back by perfectionist tendencies, look for something else to talk about—the fact that you’re working on speaking up more in meetings, for example, or that delegating doesn’t come naturally to you. Show your weakness. If you really want to impress the interviewer, you need to come up with a unique answer. To break this habit, you should learn how to delegate — no matter how hard it is for you to do it at first. d. Let’s get the biggest negative out of the way first. Employment experts reveal how to answer the 'weakness' question in interview They said you should never say you're a perfectionist you don't look … If perfecting the work and progressing toward that standard gives someone pleasure and energy then it is healthy for him/her to … If they are, in fact, a perfectionist, they are assuming their ideal of perfection is d. And you’ve probably heard that a great answer is something along the lines of, “Well, I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist.” It addresses the question directly, but still presents you in a positive light—who wouldn’t want an employee with an overwhelming commitment to quality, especially in fields where details make the difference? In other words, perfectionism shows itself in many different ways. Like all strengths there can be a point at which it does in fact become a weakness. There are ways to explain that perfectionism is your greatest weakness that really demonstrate authenticity. Perfectionists tend to believe that anything short of perfection is horrible, and that even minor imperfections will lead to catastrophe. Thanks to people trying to pull off the “perfectionist” answer, hiring managers have gotten smarter. Perfectionists can make smooth sailing into a storm, a brief ill wind into a category-five hurricane. 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