How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interview

How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewHow to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewIts the interview question everyone dreads What are yur weaknesses? Its a tough one to answer well. You dont want to point out flaws that could prevent you from getting the job, but you dont want to give a generic response. You also cant avoid answering the question altogether, as much as youd like to.Instead, you should prepare ahead of time so youcan answer this question well. With the right response, you can reframe your negatives into positives and show that youre willing to improve yourself in order to succeed. What employer wouldnt want a kollektiv member like that? Now, thats an easy question to answer.Here some common weakness cited in interviews - and how to reframe them in the most favorable light possible.Time managementMany professionals struggle with time management. If you find it challenging to complete your to-do list within the eight-hour workday, you can tell your potential employer this. Just make sure you follow that up by sharing the ways in which youre working to improve things.Of course, this response is dependent upon the fact that youre taking those positive strides. There are plenty ofmethods to overcome your poor time-management skills. Pinpointing the most critical tasks of the day and tackling those first or keeping your workspace organized to avoid delays are two ways to do it. Implement a tactic and let your potential employer know - theyll be impressed by your efforts to change.ShynessAnother con to point to - as long as your job doesnt depend on your charisma - your inherent shyness. Its not your fault youre timid, since everyones personalities are programmed differently. However, in your line of work, it might be a flaw to be a bit shy, especially if your colleagues are all outspoken and confident.Its easy to turn this one into a positive, though. Simply tell your interviewer that youve been taking strides to boost your self-esteem, which has made you more confident to speak up and step out of your shell. You canmake friends as an introvert, of course, so long as you take things slow and bond with one person at a time. Learning how to do that will make you less shy and therefore more prepared for the job ahead.PerfectionismAnother workplace weakness you might experience is the fact that youre never happy with the work you finish. Instead, youre incredibly critical of yourself and strive for perfection, although you never feel like you reach it. This is a routine answer to the question, and some interviewees might think theyre good to stop with that answer. However, Im a perfectionist doesnt entirely cut it.Avoid the clich by pointing to a specific obstacle that stems from your perfectionism rather than using it as a way to show off your attention to detail.Let the interviewer know youre working on accepting the accomplishments and accolades you receive. Perfectionism might aff ect your self-esteem now, but you should note that youre improving it so you can be satisfied when you work hard on something and turn it in. Youre good at what you do, after all, so you should be confident in it.ProcrastinationProcrastination varies slightly from time management. While the latter has to do with ordering your tasks so you complete whats important first, the former will have you putting off all your to-dos because youre not mentally prepared to begin. Although this seems like an insurmountable negative, there are ways to frame your response that will put you in a positive light.Note that your greatest weakness is to procrastinate before springing into the explanation of how youre working to fix that.One way to break the habitis to divide a goal into actionable tasks so the entire project doesnt seem so daunting. Find the tools you need to overcome procrastination before the interview and point to how much theyre helping you when this question rolls around.StressIts n atural to feel stress in the workplace. However, the feeling might be so strong within you that its a weakness. This is especially true if your job is deadline-focused - date-related stress is something that can affect the work you do, as well as the way you interact with your coworkers. Dont let stress hold you back from attaining your goals. Instead, find ways for it to make you a better worker.You can tell your boss how much stress you have experienced in the past and how youve come up with ways to battle the feeling. Do you exercise now? Do you give yourself breaks in your workday? Have you improved your time-management skills or lowered your perfectionist bar so you can easily turn things in? These are important to note, because they show that you stress because you care - but you also realize youre at your best when youre cool, calm and collected.Answer the question wellIn reframing behauptung negatives as positives, youre sure to answer this tough interview question well. You ll avoid common mistakes, too - some people try to spin positive traits as negative ones, while others refuse to answer or dont have a response at the ready. Coming into your interview with a thoughtful, honest and smart answer will only improve your standing - and boost the chance that youll be offered the job.Subscribe to thePunched Clocks newsletterfor more career advice from Sarah.How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewPerhaps youve been applying for jobs for weeks or months (or even years) or maybe youd just been passively browsing and came across that one job that looked like destiny staring you in the eye and went ahead and threw your name into the hat.When stars align, you get what you were hoping for you land an in-person interview.Now the ball is in your court. What are some key things you should be doing to prepare?Heres our perspective talking about the things youre great at and all the things youve accomplished is easy. Talking about your deve lopment opportunities and mistakes youve made in the past is hard. So, while preparing for the interview in its entirety is important, preparing to turn negatives into positives should be at the top of your pre-interview to-do list.The good news is that it is possible. You can do it. Heres a step by step guide to turning negatives into positives during a job interview settingStep 1 Anticipate the negativesFirst, consider the negatives that might likely come up during your interview. Everybody should anticipate being asked something along the lines of What are your weaknesses? or What are the areas you need most improvement? And then beyond that, if any of these less-than-ideal things apply to you and are easy to uncover, you should anticipate questions from your interviewer around why youleft a job on unfavorable termswere involuntary terminatedhave a short average duration of employment in many or several consecutive positionshave problems with your credit report or background scre enhave unfinished degree programsYou can use online employer review platforms like kununu to research the employer in advance this might give you a heads up ontheir favorite interview questions.Consider which of these may apply in your situation and then move on to step 2.Step 2 ReframeNow, start considering how your negatives can be reframed in a positive light. Remember, the only failures are those that dont result in learning and growth. Focus on how your past mistakes have shaped and molded you as an employee. Here are some examplesWhat is your greatest weakness?I tend to be easily distracted, so I have had to develop systems and habits that promote focus and follow-through. Ive found that this attribute contributes to my success in rapidly changing environments because I enjoy the shifts.Can you explain why were you terminated from the position you held at Company 4?I was irresponsible in that role. I wish I could say that I regret my actions, but I think those circumstances we re such a necessary part of my growth and learning. That negative experience served as a turning point for me and youll see that Ive been promoted twice in my current company because of what I learned.Youve only been at each job for 1-2 years. Why the short duration?Every transition has been made in an effort to best contribute my talents and experiences in meaningful roles. I first transitioned into non-profit to follow my heart and stay true to my core values. Then I was recruited by an animal rescue, which brought me even closer to my career goals. And then I saw this position and it was everything Ive wanted to do in my career so I dove in head first.The most important rules to remember and make no excuses and place no blame. Blaming prior employers or your childhood and making excuses for your choices can give the interview team the impression that you wont take accountability for your actions in this role, either.Step 3 RehearseOnce youve considered the negatives that might ar ise and planned out a response to each which reframes it in a positive way, rehearse your answers over and over again. This will improve your confidence and make it easy to answer each question in a natural, empowered way impressing the interview team and hopefully landing the right role at the right time.Happy interviewingThis article was originally published on Kununu.com.