The Best Answers to Tough Interview Questions-Part IV

What is your biggest weakness?

This is a great example of what is known as a negative question. Negative questions are a favorite among interviewers, because they're  effective for uncovering problems or weaknesses. The key to answering negative questions is to give them a positive spin. For this  particular question your best bet is to admit to a weakness that isn't catastrophic, inconsistent, or currently disruptive to your chosen  professional field, and to emphasize how you've overcome or minimized the problem. Whatever you do, don't answer this question with a  copout like "I can't think of any," or even worse, "I don't really have any major weaknesses." This kind of a response is likely to eliminate  you from contention. 

"I admit to being a bit of a perfectionist. I take a great deal of pride in my work and am committed to producing the highest-quality work I  can. Sometimes if I'm not careful, thought,
I can go a bit overboard. I've learned that it's not always possible or even practical to try and  perfect your work-sometimes you have to decide what's important and ignore the rest in order to be productive. It's a question of tradeoffs. I also pay a lot of attention to pacing my work, so that I don't get too caught up in perfecting every last detail."

Why weren't your grades better?

It's likely that if you've made it to the interview stage, you fulfill the basic criteria for the position, including the education requirements. 

The recruiter is probably trying to judge here how well the candidate handles adversity. It's important not to get defensive or to place  blame. Instead, try to put a positive spin on the question-for example, by concentrating on what you learned and the extra effort you put  in, rather than on the grades you received. 

"School was a wonderful experience for me. I really enjoyed learning new ideas, I studied consistently, and I was attentive in class. But I  never believed in cramming before the night of an exam just to get a higher grade or staying up all night to finish a term paper. I really  believe I learned just as much as many students who went for the grades."

Was there a course that you found particularly challenging?

The interviewer will want to see how well you respond to difficult situations. Demonstrate that you won't fold in the face of difficulty, and  that you're willing to put in the extra effort to meet a challenge. 

"Initially I was completely overwhelmed by the introductory chemistry course that I took last year. No matter how hard I studied, I  seemed to be getting nowhere. I failed the first three quizzes. So I tried a new approach. Instead of just studying by myself, I asked a  friend who's a chemistry major to help me with my studies. I also began to seek help from the professor after class. And I found that more  time I spent in the lab was critical. I ended up with a B-plus in the course and thought I achieved a solid understanding of the material. 

More than that, I learned that tackling a new field of study sometimes requires a new approach, not just hard work, and that the help of  others can be crucial!

Why didn't you participate more in extracurricular activities?

The interviewer may be worried that if you don't have many outside interests, you may eventually suffer from burnout. Employers like  candidates who are well rounded and have interests outside of work. If you didn't participate in formal extracurricular activities in college, 

you still may want to talk about some of your interests, such as reading or exercising, that you may have a passion for running even if you  weren't on the college track team. 

"I wanted to give as much effort as possible to my studies. I came from a high school in a very small town, where I received a lot of A's,  but this didn't prepare me well for college. So I studied hard. I have, however, found time to explore the city and make new friends, and I  do socialize formally on the weekends.