I remember recruiting one junior and the HR representative asked that "What is your weakness" question. Personally I hate it because it almost never returns an interesting answer. However on this one occasion the junior did proceed to list off several genuine weaknesses. After about the 3rd point he listed I had to stop him from talking.
Ironically it was his honesty in that interview that won me over. For a junior role I'd rather than a rough diamond who I can shape than someone who already thinks they're perfect. And he turned out to be an incredibly good hire too.
Despite being a hiring manager for many years, I still dread getting asked this question myself. It is easily my least favourite interview question. Even the "Explain an occasion when you disagreed with your manager" question is much more favourable than being asking "what is your worst quality".
Ironically it was his honesty in that interview that won me over. For a junior role I'd rather than a rough diamond who I can shape than someone who already thinks they're perfect. And he turned out to be an incredibly good hire too.
Despite being a hiring manager for many years, I still dread getting asked this question myself. It is easily my least favourite interview question. Even the "Explain an occasion when you disagreed with your manager" question is much more favourable than being asking "what is your worst quality".