Answering Interview Questions
Since the Fall is the start of the interviewing process for most internships, co-ops, and full time entry level jobs, I, like most other students, will begin setting up interviews with companies I am interested in. While preparing my resume I thought back to our class discussion about ethics considering interview questions. The big topic of debate was what should you say when asked by an interviewer, "What is one of your negative qualities?", or something to that effect. I can almost guarantee this question will be asked by everyone you ever interview with.
A lot of students seemed to think that employers would be looking for someone that was very honest with this question and gave an actual negative comment about themselves. I immediately disagreed. However, the discussion was ended before it could get to me.
I have always been taught, by teachers, that this is when you show how to turn a negative into a positive and say something as positive as possible.
I understand why many students think that they should be totally honest and say something that is truly a negative quality, but that might lose it for you. I can guarantee you no one else interviewing for the same job will do the same.
I've had two internships already. At each job, I spoke with my employers about my interviewing skills. I asked them what they thought. Both of them mentioned the fact that I turned a negative into a positive when asked what is one of my negative qualities. Both of them asked the question, and both were looking for a positive spin.
If you feel it is unethical to answer the question in this way, then I suggest you work on the rest of your interviewing skills even more because answering with a negative will hurt your chances of getting the job.
Comments
Posted by: David Hastings
Posted on: October 4, 2005 04:55 PM
Alison, although I took the opposite stance in class, I agree with you after the mock interview. I don't know about anyone else, but saying something truly negative just doesn't sit right with the interviewer or me.
Again, I agree. Spin the negative into a positive, it's much more effective.