What is one good answer to the interview question, What are your greatest strengths?
To help you provide an appropriate answer to the interview question “What are your greatest strengths?,” we asked hiring managers and business leaders this question for their best tips. From “I’m a problem-solver and a team player,” to aligning previous successes with the company needs, there are several recommendations that may help job candidates respond convincingly to the interview question “What are your greatest strengths?.”
Here are nine answers to the interview question “What are your greatest strengths?”:
- “I’m a Problem-Solver and a Team Player.”
- Mention About Your Attention To Detail
- “I’m a Creative Self-starter.”
- “I Can Quickly Adapt and Pivot.”
- Mention a Specific Skill Set
- “I Can Work Under Pressure.”
- “I have Solid Time Management Skills.”
- Mention Communication and Perseverance.
- Align Previous Successes With The Company Needs
“I’m a Problem-Solver and a Team-Player.”
This is an answer that projects confidence, but also offers something of value to a hiring manager. If there is a clash of personalities on a team, that team won’t be working at peak strength. Hiring managers always want people working for them who work well with others. If candidates offer that, and also take pride in their ability to take on challenges and provide solutions, this is a very good vote in their favor.
Ryan Nouis, TruPath
Mention About Your Attention To Detail
An excellent answer to the question is that you are a perfectionist or pay keen attention to detail. This will propel you higher on the list of candidates since many employers want an employee they can trust to offer quality work with minimal supervision. Your strength as a perfectionist will mean that you will ensure that all the work is done, perfect, and possibly on time. This will improve the entire organization’s performance.
Ivy Bosibori, USBadCreditLoans
“I’m a Creative Self-starter.”
Be prepared to respond to this question with confidence. Before any interview, you should take some time to properly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. List all your skills then pick your favorite 3 skills. During the interview tell a story of your experience that demonstrates your expert skills in action. As creative self-starters, describe a recent project that you worked on where you had to get creative with an idea and execute it with little to no guidance. With preparation, you should not only speak with confidence but also with a passion that often shines through with the expression of creativity.
Phillip Lew, C9 Staff
“I Can Quickly Adapt and Pivot.”
I like seeing a job candidate’s ability to adapt, rise to the occasion, and pivot in response to any challenge during an interview. Why? Because nothing is guaranteed in today’s world, and as we experienced during the COVID pandemic, companies must be adaptable and fast to react in unfavorable conditions, and you need “flexible” employees.
Hector Ruiz, BBQ Grill Academy
Mention a Specific Skill Set
I think the best way to respond to this question is by mentioning a specific skill set and avoiding generalized personality traits like “good communicator” or “team player.” For example, if you’re applying for a graphic design position, you could respond to this question like: “I have a sharp eye for color and composition.” This gives the interviewer some insight into what makes you unique and valuable as a graphic designer. It also shows them you know how to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Shaun Connell, Connell Media
“I Can Work Under Pressure.”
If you’re interviewing for a job in a fast-paced environment, then naturally the interviewer is going to want to know whether you can adapt to (and thrive) under pressure. Letting them know that you can work under pressure is not only relevant to the working environment, but is also inevitably something that you’re going to be tested against, whether in the interview itself or immediately when starting the job.
James Taylor, James Taylor SEO Consultancy
“I have Solid Time Management Skills.”
If you have solid time management skills, respond with that in detail. Mention how you structure your day and how you juggle multiple projects at once. Refer to a specific project and how you went about getting it done on time. In doing so, the hiring manager has a better understanding of how you operate as an employee.
Jodi Neuhauser, Ovaterra
Mention Communication and Perseverance
If you mention communication and perseverance as your greatest strengths in a job interview, you’re going to stand out. Communication is key in any field because it’s the glue that holds a team together. Perseverance shows you’re dedicated, and when you get knocked down, you’ll get back up and try again.
Communication and perseverance are great skills to mention in an interview because they don’t involve ego, they show you’ll be a team player and that you’re in it to win it. Mention these as your greatest strengths and the company will see you as an asset.
Tony Staehelin, Benable
Align Previous Successes With The Company Needs
Job interviews often include a question about the candidate’s strengths. With this question, the recruiter is looking for “proof” that your experience, competencies and skills match the company’s requirements. Very often I have seen that the answer to this question is simply to list “qualities” that the candidate thinks the recruiter would like to hear – but actually say relatively little.
My advice to candidates would therefore be:
Align examples of previous successes and accomplishments with the needs and requirements of the company. Cite competencies that are important to the company. Back them up with examples from your previous work life. You can direct the focus of the interview by naming several competencies and then asking which ones are most important for this position. Then, elaborate on your experience in this area and back up your successes with examples. Appear confident!
Matt Radulescu, iTEC Informationssysteme AG
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