Here's how you can effectively communicate your strengths and weaknesses during a job interview.

Here’s an opening to talk about something that makes you great—and a great fit for this role. When you’re answering this question, think quality, not quantity. In other words, don’t rattle off a list of adjectives. Instead, pick one or a few (depending on the question) specific qualities that are relevant to this position and illustrate them with examples. Stories are always more memorable than generalizations. And if there’s something you were hoping to mention because it makes you a great candidate, but you haven’t had a chance yet, this would be the perfect time

Getting to know yourself is often easier said than done but the benefits are sizeable when it comes to job searching. Spending time understanding your strengths and weaknesses can also help you with your confidence. Going through this type of exercise should remind you of the value that you can bring to a new role and a new company. Think about the strengths you have that are transferable and not specific to any of your past roles, but that can easily transfer to the new opportunity you are seeking. Being prepared and confident in what you identify as your top strengths can help you plan for the discussing this during an interview.

For strengths, what do people constantly ask you to help the with? Weaknesses, what to you delgate or outsource? In school you have to know everything and do everything yourself. In the workplace ....

A common mistake that I see clients making is answering questions about their strengths by listing a ton of generic strengths that they think the employer wants to hear. It makes the candidate blend in rather than stand out. Instead, I recommend focusing on identifying one or two of their unique and authentic traits and then crafting a story that showcases their evidence in the trait they are discussing. This builds credibility with the interviewer and is far more likely to be remembered by them after the interview is complete.

A common mistake made by candidates when it comes to strengths is listing a load of empty buzzwords. Take a moment to think about the job you've applied to, and of all the things you're good at, select two or three of the most relevant. Expand, giving an example to add context and prove it is a genuine strength. When it comes to weaknesses, the trick is to mention something that isn't an essential skill for the role, and then how you've gone about improving it. This will show self-awareness and growth mindset. Avoid mentioning clichés such as "I'm a perfectionist."

Here's how I teach my clients to answer the strengths and weaknesses questions, no matter how the interviewer asks: "Based on the job description, what do you see as the 3 most important strengths you will bring to this role?" "Based on your understanding of the requirements of this position, what do you see as your biggest weakness relative to what we're looking for?" This way you are 1) showing you understand the requirements and duties of the role, 2) showing your fit with the job requirements in answering the "strengths" question, and 3) addressing the elephant in the room with your answer to the "weakness" question. This gives you the opportunity to neutralize your weakness, or even turn it into a positive.

Honesty is an extremely important part of being self-aware. Everybody has areas to improve, so you are not alone in that. This is a common question during an interview and one that you should be prepared for. Practice discussing specific scenarios that outline an improvement area and how you are tackling it. Also, try to avoid saying cliche things like being a 'perfectionist' is a weakness. As an interviewer this is one that stands out as inauthentic and seems like an easy out, instead of discussing something that has truly hindered your progress as a professional that you are working to improve.