Interview questions: what are your strengths?

It is unlikely that an interview goes by without the applicant being asked about their strengths and weaknesses. And although the question is known, many applicants have problems with it. What should you answer when you are asked in an interview what you can’t do? But the opposite is also difficult because many job seekers do not know how to best sell their strengths. We have gathered some tips for applicants here.

What are my strengths?

To be able to answer the question about the strengths in the interview, applicants should be clear about what their strengths are. Many people already have problems with that. Therefore, the first step has to be to identify your own strengths – and this can be done this way:

• Tests on the Internet: There are actually several sites where you can test your own skills. These tests can be quite helpful. Because this gives you a first impression of where your strengths lie. Just try it out!
• Information from friends and family: It also helps to ask friends and acquaintances how they rate you there. You might be surprised. The honest feedback from friends and family amazes many people. The reason: the perception of oneself and that of others are often very far apart. The outside view, in particular, can therefore help applicants to relate to their strengths in a completely new way.

Don’t look at strengths independently

After this first analysis, you are already a little further. Now it is a matter of comparing the strengths with the desired position. Because: Everything you write in your cover letter and what you say in the interview must be related to the job.

While the qualifications can easily be proven through certain advanced training courses or training, the situation is different with soft skills. But that’s exactly what he wants to experience. In some cases, they are even more important than the hard facts, what training you have and how long you have been working in the respective profession.

Strengths and vacancies

So how do you manage to show the HR manager that a person with your strengths is exactly what he is looking for? Granted, it’s not that easy. But we also have tips for that:

• Compare your strengths with the job offer: The job advertisement already states what the company expects from its applicant. Look specifically for requirements that you meet. However, you should not simply list these in the interview. According to the motto: “I am very capable of working in a team.” The HR manager can do little with such a statement. After all, everyone can say that about themselves. Better: Demonstrate your strength by adding specific examples. Have you led a team in the past or have you been able to resolve an internal conflict? Then that’s exactly what you should mention.
• Your strengths are not mentioned: That is of course a bit inconvenient, but still no reason to throw the gun in the grain. Even if your strengths are not explicitly mentioned, you can mention them in the interview. Something like this: “In my experience, you can go a long way. You can see that, for example, from the fact that I was promoted to a higher position after just one year.” Of course, this sentence is only a clue for your very own formulation. It is only intended to make it clear that you can also expand the requirements from the job offer and thus have the opportunity to name your strengths.