Senior Developer Interview Question: Describe Your One Weakness
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Tell us about your one weakness:
This is one question where many developers screw up.
Some devs answer it with a humblebrag. My one friend used to say:
“I was the fastest guy in the team in bug fixing. The rest of the team lost motivation because of my speed. That’s my bad side.”
While laughable, this is actually a defense tactic: My friend (or his other friend) was unfairly judged for being honest, and since then, this became his plastic armor.
Why should one discuss one’s negative side with people with whom one has just met and there is little probability of collaboration?
Such answers put a candidate into the douchebag category; no sincere interviewer would hire them.
Some candidates find this question a bit offensive. Why should one discuss one’s negative side with people with whom one has just met and there is little probability of collaboration?
While you are right in your reasons, the company’s rationale behind this question is two-fold:
How humble you are:
You do not feel uncomfortable speaking about your weakness (they might even observe your gestures, body language, and tone while answering the question). Companies want people who are ready to collaborate openly. Those who can speak lightly about their own weaknesses are often the best in this respect
How reflective you are:
Are you able to reflect on your past situations, and evaluate yourself? That decides how likely you are to improve with time, without external help. Reflective people are more likely to improve with time. Without reflection, your experience is just a number.
Like real life, here too, honesty is the best policy. Be truthful. Analyze your negative stuff objectively.
Don’t just pick the one that has haunted you the most. Instead, pick the one that may have (or would have) cost your organization/team/colleagues the most.
Then:
- Reveal it earnestly in a sentence or two, not more
- Avoid being blunt. (I suck at updating tickets. Can’t help!)
- Avoid justifying it. (I stayed silent; it was my only choice in that team under those circumstances!)
- Avoid hating it. (I really don’t like myself doing it)
- Describe (in 1–2 sentences) how you tried (or plan to try) to overcome it with your best efforts.
Conclusion:
This is an example of a question that doesn’t follow under the STAR category.
Nothing but your best reflection about yourself, coupled with humility and concise delivery will serve your purpose of getting the maximum points for this question.
