Weak human qualities. Weaknesses of men. Strengths in your resume

Examples of undesirable flaws in a resume

There are shortcomings that are not advisable to point out, as they can scare off the recruiter. Examples of such shortcomings:

  • habit of being late;
  • love of gambling;
  • bad habits (cigarettes).

There are also disadvantages that in themselves are not so bad, but mentioning them may also not work in your favor. The undesirable list of shortcomings may include:

  • excessive demands (you are not loyal and can provoke a scandal);
  • habit of expressing your opinion (you do not know how to listen to the opinions of others);
  • painstakingness, the desire to complete the work, despite the late hour (you do not know how to plan time).

To understand what shortcomings can be indicated in a resume, study all the requirements specified in the vacancy and try to imagine a psychological portrait of the person whom the employer wants to see in this position.

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What shortcomings to include in your resume: list of examples

Psychologists and experienced recruiters advise that when listing shortcomings, select those weaknesses that may turn out to be strengths for future work. Examples of your shortcomings in your resume include the following:

  • hyperactivity;
  • pedantry;
  • scrupulousness.

When pointing out your own shortcomings, try to turn them into advantages. Here are the shortcomings you can indicate in a manager’s resume:

  • demanding of oneself and others;
  • perfectionism;
  • emotionality.

All these qualities can be used to your advantage, because all of them, ultimately, indicate that you are responsible for your work.

You can do things differently and reformulate your shortcomings, softening their meaning. For example, the same pedantry can be disguised with the words: “I like to get to the bottom of things and bring the work to perfection.”

Finally, you can list shortcomings in your resume that will have virtually no impact on your future job. You can report your fear of airplanes and spiders. If your job does not involve frequent flights, and you are not going to get a job as a manager, for example, in a pet store, then all these shortcomings will not compromise you in any way. This means that you can safely indicate them.

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When applying for a job, your application form becomes the only link with your employer. Get Good work It’s difficult 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 employer negative traits character, wrapped in a beautiful wrapper. 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 will be considered a minus in ordinary life, but from the point of view of the chosen profession they 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 individuals and specialists in the field.

But what shortcomings should you include in your resume in order to become the first applicant for the long-awaited position?

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

For every field of activity you need individual approach . When working as a team leadership skills will only interfere with the team, and for a manager the ability to accept own solutions 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 their negative qualities, be sure to indicate that you are actively fighting the disadvantage you specified. 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 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 - 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

17 Jan 2018 Recruiters often ask candidates to list their weaknesses. Target this issue is for the HR specialist to understand how self-critical a potential employee is, whether he correctly evaluates himself and whether he is able to perceive criticism. The applicant can independently indicate his negative sides in your resume, however, do not forget to emphasize your skills and abilities. In this article we will tell you how to correctly present your negative qualities in your resume and give illustrative examples, But first things first. First, consider the basic rules for filling out the section on shortcomings.
If an employer sends you an email or asks you to fill out a resume form from the company before a meeting, then most likely there will be a question about your weaknesses. Under no circumstances should you put a dash. If this section is present in the application form, then the employer is definitely interested in this item. A dash in this case will be regarded as an inability to soberly evaluate oneself and inflated self-esteem. Also, you should not get too carried away when filling out this section. Remember that disadvantages can become your advantages. For example, being unsociable for an accountant is undoubtedly a plus. But for a sales manager it is obviously a minus. Remember that your adequacy, self-criticism and truthfulness are being assessed, and not how many shortcomings you have. Examples of undesirable personal qualities in a resume - shortcomings that are definitely not worth mentioning I am often late;I am fond of gambling;Availability bad habits(alcohol, smoking, etc.); I am often distracted; I work only for the sake of a salary; I like to have office romances; I am lazy; I am greedy; I am quick-tempered; Passive; I am envious; I am careless; I often feel indifference to what is happening around me, I like to live in my own world. Disadvantages that may not work in your favor: Pedantry; Individualism; Self-criticism; Self-esteem; Hyper-reactivity; Modesty; Mistrust; Conceit; Straightforwardness; Vanity; Self-confidence; Excessive exactingness; Painstaking. Before pointing out certain shortcomings, read the requirements in the vacancy and draw up an approximate portrait of an ideal employee. After that, highlight character traits that will not hinder you or will help you in your future work. Good weaknesses for a resume: Inability to respond to rudeness with rudeness; Increased demands on others; Tendency to make decisions based on one’s own opinion; Reluctance to act to please others; I can’t always accurately express my thoughts; Prone to reflection; I trust people, sometimes too much; I spend a lot of time assessing of my actions and actions; I can get carried away with work and forget about a break; I let all situations pass through me; I don’t know how to swear; I don’t know how to lie. Neutral qualities: Fear of insects, snakes, mice and other living creatures; Fear of airplanes; Lack of work experience (for those starting a career or changing field of activity); Age (for people over 40 years old); Love of shopping. A list of negative qualities of a person should not be included in a resume contradict your line of work or call into question your professionalism. So, for example, to get a job as a sales consultant, you can indicate: reliability (is a plus when working with clients); excessive scrupulousness (will be a plus when working with money); an inflated sense of responsibility (usually sellers are financially responsible for the product, and this “flaw” is simply necessary for a good salesperson; excessive love of communication ( important point in working with clients, which is also a positive “disadvantage” for retail.) Negative qualities for an accountant can be the following: Distrust of people and love of facts (or rather, numbers); Discharge from disorder (everything should be in its place and only so);Slowness (when working with large sums There’s definitely no point in rushing); Excessive attention to detail or pedantry.

Questions asked during an interview are aimed at giving the employer or recruiter the most complete answer on three main points:

Personal qualities are one of the main questions when meeting a candidate.

This information will help the employer or recruiter get an initial impression of the applicant not only as a specialist, but as a person.

Often questions asked with subtext are needed precisely to obtain information about the personal qualities of the candidate.

The employer undoubtedly wants to know whether your negative character traits will interfere with the performance of functional duties and communication in the team.

Which ones are worth mentioning and which ones are not?

Very often you can hear the question from candidates: what positive and negative qualities should they name during an interview?

Employers are interested in employees with character traits such as:

  • determination;
  • organization;
  • initiative;
  • diligence;
  • creativity;
  • goodwill;
  • determination.

Tell us about them if you really have them. Give examples.

Often during an interview you are asked to name three negative qualities and three positive qualities. Think about this point in advance.

There is no need to say that you are professional, adequate, loyal, smart, charming. Other people can notice and name such qualities when talking about you, but not you yourself.

Never mention negative characteristics such as laziness, disorganization, short temper and the like.

In general, 3 negative qualities in an interview are, first of all, self-doubt, fear of the interlocutor and insincerity.

Do I need to repeat what is written on my resume?

The interview is conducted to get to know you personally and to check whether what is stated in your resume is true. Therefore, it is likely that the employer will ask you a question that has already been covered in your resume.

In addition, the employer may simply not read the resume thoroughly. When answering the question, tell everything in your own words. Depart from the templates, but be precise, but also do not allow any discrepancies in facts from the document.

It is unacceptable to answer a question with: “It says so on my resume.”

How to talk about positive and negative qualities

No need to be modest!

In case you think that you do not have any outstanding qualities, just tell them what you have.

For example: the ability to concentrate - you focus your attention on a specific task and complete it without distractions.

A high speed work - always complete the task as quickly as possible, without procrastinating.

You should not take the question literally: “Tell me, what are your personal qualities that are shortcomings?” Not the best The best decision, answering this question, proceed to detailed description your weaknesses.

It is better to determine in advance which of your qualities have double meaning.

At first glance, these are disadvantages, but if you choose a different perspective, they may turn out to be advantages. Think about the wording and present your weaknesses so that they look positive.

Sample answer: “I usually spend great attention details, and I know that in some areas of activity such scrupulousness does not matter and is not always appropriate. But I see that for the position for which I am applying, this character trait should be useful.”

If your employer asked you to share three weaknesses, you could list the following: “Intolerance – I can’t stand disorder. Irritability – slightly infuriating at the incompetence of employees.

I’m picky and meticulous – I don’t allow myself the right to make mistakes.” Here you can see that not very pleasant character traits turn into advantages.

How to talk about strengths and weaknesses.

Very often, recruiters ask for examples of strengths and weaknesses during an interview. This task can be played to the obvious benefit of the applicant.

Feel free to name your strengths. Try to tell more about those that will be useful for the vacancy you have chosen, or for the situation in the company. For example, maintaining the ability to work under stress. Support your words with examples from the past. Think about sample answers in advance.

What is a bad quality to mention in an interview? When answering a question about weaknesses, be careful and careful. There is no need to openly admit them to yourself. Instead, you can talk about minor gaps in areas that are not clearly required for the position.

Positive and negative qualities in an interview should equally present you in a favorable light. The main thing is to remember what shortcomings you can talk about at an interview, and what it is better to remain silent about.

If the recruiter insists on clarifying the weaknesses of nature, and not professional ones, then tell about 1-2, and those that cannot always be considered as weaknesses.

To be completely honest?

An employer asks you to name your weaknesses during an interview, what should you say? How to answer interview questions about weaknesses correctly?

To avoid the impression that you are not answering questions frankly, it is worth pointing out some shortcomings or gaps in knowledge, but most importantly, choose the right wording.

Honestly admit some of your shortcomings, name your shortcomings, but talk about them in a way that makes them seem more like positives.

If you have to say that you are not fully familiar with a particular type of activity, indicate only those areas that are not critical to the vacancy.

Think about your answers in advance. If you really want to get this job, then don't take the risk.

How to tell about yourself in an original way?

According to statistical studies, about 90% of applicants mention their responsibility, sociability and determination. It is clear that such qualities are unlikely to interest or draw the attention of the listener to them.

If you talk about general, common character traits that are undoubtedly positive, but everyone talks about them, it won’t hurt, but it won’t make you stand out from the general background of applicants.

You can take a different route: talk about rare qualities that match your character.

Better yet, provide examples of how these qualities were used, the positive role they played, or how they were viewed positively. By using this tactic, you have a chance to stand out and be remembered.

Remember that sometimes what is more important to an employer is not WHAT, but HOW you answer questions about personal qualities. Reasonable, logical, confident answers, as well as grammatically correct speech are of great importance.

Demonstrate a positive attitude, the ability to respond appropriately to difficult or personal issues, the ability to find compromises and good solutions.

Successful interview! Moreover, now you know exactly what weaknesses you can point out at an interview and how to correctly talk about your shortcomings in order to make a favorable impression.