How to Answer "What Are Your Greatest Strengths?" (With Examples)
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"What are your strengths?" is a classic interview question, often asked in parallel to "What is your greatest weakness". It seems simple enough, but these four words present something of a minefield for candidates. That’s because it requires you to tread carefully between two paths: too humble on one side, and too arrogant on the other. For that reason, most candidates don’t answer it well. Too much humility, and you’ll undersell your achievements and skills, leading the employer to think you’re less competent than you are. But oversell yourself too much, and you can easily come across as self-interested and potentially unable to work well in a team. And both of these can happen by accident if you don’t prepare properly. If you’re caught out, you can easily end up drawing a blank or pushing too hard on the one strength you can bring to mind. Prepare well, however, and this question can be used to your advantage. It’s an open invitation to talk about your skills, your accomplishments and to show how you match the employer’s values and requirements. You must be ready to stand out and demonstrate your unique value as a candidate to bag your dream job. Interviewers are looking to see how you assess your strengths, and how that fits with the role. Why Do Interviewers Like to Ask This Question?Like its counterpart "What are your greatest weaknesses?", this question is very likely to come up at your next job interview. In fact, they are often asked together. There are several things that your prospective employer may be looking to uncover. For example, they might want to:
Different Ways of Asking the Strengths QuestionBecause it’s a broad and open-ended question, hiring managers will often word it in different ways. Don’t be caught out – if they’re giving you an open opportunity to talk about your strengths, then it’s this question. Learn how to recognise it and how to apply your planning, and you’ll never be thrown off. Here are some of the common job interview questions you might be asked that relate to strengths:
Each of these phrases (and many more) are asking the same essential question: What are you good at and why would we want those skills in our company? Of course, you don’t want to answer all of these questions in the same way and come across as robotic. Take note of how the question was put to you and tailor your answer appropriately. For instance, if the question is about your proudest achievement, start by describing an example you’re happy with and then discuss the strengths that surround that example. Being able to adapt your answer to whatever question is thrown at you will not only put across your key strengths in a more engaging way, but will also demonstrate your communication abilities. Be prepared for follow-up questions to be asked. Most often, you’ll be asked something like: "How have you used the strengths you've just mentioned in your previous role?" This is why it’s important to prepare thoroughly and broadly. You might not get around to mentioning everything in your first answer, but the follow-up should include additional, relevant information. What Are Your Strengths? How to Assess and Select Your Best StrengthsYour aim is not to convince the interviewer that you are the world’s best employee. Instead, you need to show them that you are the right employee for the job at hand. You can probably come up with a ton of strengths and personal qualities that you think would help, but you need to choose the best ones to focus on. Here are some useful tips on shortlisting them: 1. Identify Your Top Five StrengthsWhen planning your answers, it's a good idea to categorise the various strengths that you wish to present and prepare a few examples of strengths from each category. Ensure these are relevant to the job description/person specification for the job you are interviewing for. Here is a list of soft and hard skills to help you: Hard Skills: A ListHard skills are learnt; they may be skills acquired during your education or within the workplace. They might include:
This list is only a small selection and the wide variety of jobs available will result in a huge amount of required hard skills. The skills you will need for the job will often be specified in the job advert. If it’s a required skill, then it’s probably best not to focus on it too closely (aside from making sure you have it), as every candidate will have that skill. But you will need an example or two to prove your proficiency. Soft Skills: A ListThese are less easy to quantify but could include interpersonal and transferable skills. For example:
2. Link Your Strengths to the Requirements of the JobMake sure to read the job description thoroughly and identify the key strengths required for the role. Once you have done this, go back to your shortlist of strengths and choose the ones that fit best. If there is a need for interaction with multiple departments, you can take this to mean that excellent communication and interpersonal skills will be useful. If the role requires working on your own with clients a lot of the time, they'll be looking for someone who can take the initiative, be independent and be calm. 3. Think Quality, Not QuantityFocus on a few key strengths and explain these succinctly. That will be much more memorable than a scatter-gun approach. Aim to strike a balance between over-confidence and underselling yourself. If you list too many strengths, you risk sounding arrogant. Too few implies a lack of confidence or – worse still – a lack of skills. 4. Back up Your Strengths With ExamplesAlways have an example ready for each strength. A skill without a concrete example means little to someone who doesn’t know you. For example, if you mention excellent communication skills, you could follow this up with how this helped you run multiple social media platforms during your work experience.
Sample Answers to the Interview Question “What Are Your Strengths?”When you are asked this question within an interview setting, it can leave you feeling as though your mind has gone blank. For many of us, speaking of our strengths doesn’t come naturally and it can be difficult to think of suitable responses. You should always try to make your answer sound natural and unscripted. It is also a good idea to try and include some of your own experiences when talking about your strengths. This is especially true if you have a work-related example of how your strengths have helped you to do well in your career. Example Answer 1
This answer states concisely what the strength is, before immediately following it up with an anecdotal example from a previous employer to reinforce it. It’s an example that shows how the candidate’s strength provided concrete benefits to their employer, while also hinting at other skills indirectly, like the ability to learn a new technical system quickly and the initiative and interpersonal skills to help colleagues. Example Answer 2
Again, this example begins with a skill and lays out a step-by-step example of that skill in action with a previous employer. It demonstrates that not only is the candidate good at dealing with clients but that they genuinely care about them, going out of their way to rectify a situation. In addition to their interpersonal skills, this is a candidate that cares about their job and won’t just do the bare minimum. Example Answer 3
With a concrete example, this candidate demonstrates that they are a hard worker who’s willing to be flexible and get on with the job if things don’t go to plan, rather than panicking or complaining. Example Answer 4
By giving an example of a situation where you have been adaptable, you are showing potential employers that you know what it means to have this strength and also showing that you could be a useful asset to their company. Example Answer 5
Choosing a strength that isn’t stated as often can help you to stand apart from other candidates. Selecting an option such as teamwork can also help potential employers to see you as a part of the wider company. Example Answer 6
Employers like candidates who can offer a variety of benefits to them other than solely filling a role. By speaking about a strength that could have wide-ranging benefits to your employer, such as saving them money, you will be helping recruiters to see the positive attributes that you can bring not only to the position you have applied for but also to the company as a whole. Example Answer 7
If you don’t have very much experience within the workplace, then you will have to look to your personal life to find examples of strengths. By carefully choosing situations where you have shown the skills that you are talking about, you can show potential employers that you are likely to be able to transfer those skills to a workplace environment. Example Answer 8
By stating that the skill you are highlighting is an essential part of the work you do, you will be bringing an employer's attention to how important it is for a successful candidate to possess this strength. This is especially important if you are talking about a less widely recognized strength or something which isn’t automatically associated with the role you are applying for as it can help potential employers view you in a more positive light. It is also a good idea to give examples of how a particular skill can be useful in a variety of ways. Example Answer 9
Being able to organize yourself is important to make sure that you can work efficiently within your role. Showing an employer that you consider this to be an important strength can be reassuring to them as it shows that you understand the value of being prepared. Example Answer 10
Many of us will have strengths that we learned as children and have now almost become a part of our personality, making us the way that we are. Thinking about the things that we were taught as children can often help to identify the strengths and values that potential employers look for in candidates. The STAR TechniqueEach of the above examples uses the STAR technique. This is a fantastic way to make sure that each of your answers is structured effectively. The STAR method consists of the following:
What Are Your Strengths? When giving answers, candidates will often leave out important parts of the scenario they’re trying to explain. For instance, they might describe their task and what they did but add no context. Or they might talk eloquently about what they did but fail to mention whether their actions brought any success. By practising using the STAR technique and ensuring all your answers follow it, you can be sure that you cover all bases. It also helps you stay focused and concise, rather than having to jump backwards or forwards to explain important details you forgot to mention. You can learn more about the STAR technique, including how to use it most effectively and some example answers, by reading this comprehensive article. Mistakes to AvoidSome common errors when talking about your strengths include:
What If You Don't Know Your Strengths?If you find yourself struggling to come up with a list of strengths, you might want to try some of these approaches:
Final ThoughtsIt's highly likely that you will be asked questions about your strengths during the recruitment process. Throughout the interview, try to look out for opportunities to communicate the strengths that are most relevant to the role. If you are asked about your previous employment or experience, try to share an example which relates to one of your strengths. If you can't find the opportunity, you may be asked if you have anything to add at the end of the interview, at which point you could offer a summary of your strengths and emphasise how they make you the best candidate for the position. Perhaps the most important piece of advice to take on board is to always be honest. Blowing your interviewers away with talk of your amazing IT skills, only for them to discover one week in that you are a technophobe, will not go down well. It may even have you back on your job search, so think before you speak. Was that useful? Be sure to check out our article on how to answer the other key question: What are your weaknesses? What is your greatest strength as a student?One student may be particularly strong in curiosity, love of learning, and perseverance, while another may be strongest in kindness, humility, and fairness; yet another could have zest, social-emotional intelligence, and teamwork as top strengths.
What is your strength best answer?My greatest strength is my written communication skills. My greatest strength is administering assistance. See, transferable skills (those in blue) are things you can use at any job in any industry. A good example from our job offer is excellent written communication skills or management skills.
What is your greatest strength answer samples for fresher?#6) I believe that my greatest strength is the ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. I can see any given situation from multiple perspectives, which makes me uniquely qualified to complete my work even under challenging conditions. That problem solving allows me to be a better communicator.
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