The employee's strengths and weaknesses. How to correctly write about strengths and weaknesses in a resume

Good day, dear friend!

If you value concise answers, then the question “What shortcomings can be listed in a resume?” - you will receive it.I will answer right away, and you decide whether to read this article to the end or not.

The answer is as simple as five kopecks: c - no shortcomings should be indicated. I hope I didn't disappoint too much.

I can imagine that you are thinking like this: ideal people It doesn’t happen and everyone has shortcomings. And you're absolutely right, but...

What is the purpose of writing about shortcomings in a resume?The resume should be compiled in such a way as to answer the question: Who are you and why do you need to be invited to?

How can your shortcomings help answer this question? That's right - none.

However, I would not put an end to this. We will need the shortcomings very soon, namely at the next interview. If not by telephone, then in person - for sure.

Why do we need disadvantages?

1. The employer needs them

Everything is very prosaic. The employer needs the shortcomings so that they have something to point out. A person who tries to hide his shortcomings does not inspire trust. They will still find your shortcomings, you can be sure.

2. You need them

Awareness of your problems is the first step to solving them. Your flaws are the same distinguishing feature, as well as advantages. The desire to seem like a superman with a stone chin will not buy anyone now. Quite the opposite.

What not to talk about

1. About shortcomings that are critical to work. If you are an accountant, but you confuse debit with credit, this is not a case that you need to tell everyone about)
2. Never use templates that are worn to holes. For example: “I’m a workaholic and I don’t notice how quickly time flies.” Such memorized phrases cause nothing but irritation.

“I tried to sell memorized bullshit” - this is the entry your humble servant saw in the interview report of one of his employees. I think there is no need for comments here...

Your flaws should be as unique as you are.

Failures are also a plus

It is quite normal to talk about some kind of failure. For example, I started accepting delivery drivers without taking into account subsequent loading. Or rather, he made a too superficial forecast. As a result, I recruited people, but gave few orders. Accordingly, wages are low, people leave and we need to recruit again.

The most important thing about failure is what conclusions did you draw? Your humble servant has learned to force his colleagues to make a correct forecast of customer orders and give it to me as an order for the selection of people. And everyone is fine.

How to compensate for shortcomings

Everyone has shortcomings and that's normal. The problem is if you don’t compensate them in any way. That’s right, not so much how you fight it, but how you compensate.

Example: I have a bad memory. I can easily forget some important things.

I can fight this as long as I want, for a year or two or more.

But I installed reminder programs on my smartphone. They don't forget anything and compensate for my forgetfulness. It’s even convenient, I write down everything I need, what I don’t need I forget and free up my brain for more important things.

Sometimes a disadvantage can even be presented in a positive light. For example, the same forgetfulness. I receive quite a lot of confidential information from the people I talk to, but I forget it, which means I won’t spoil it for anyone.

My old friend, a colleague in the shop, is a person who is difficult to motivate with a carrot in front. He is motivated to action by the ass in which he finds himself. He doesn't hide it.

The main thing is that he understands his motivation for avoidance and knows how to generate the energy that allows him, like Baron Munchausen, to pull himself out of the quagmire in which he finds himself by the hair. And ultimately, to solve the problems at hand.

Not every recruiter will understand you. Someone will measure with stamps. But an experienced and thoughtful recruiter will understand. A competent person will always understand.

Take responsibility

What is really valued at? Your adequacy and responsibility.

Show that you are willing to take responsibility for your successes and failures.

Tell us about yourself as a person who is the only reason everything that happens to him.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again,

1. We do not write any shortcomings in the resume.
2. For the interview: We evaluate ourselves adequately. We find our shortcomings, which clearly exist. We talk about how these shortcomings are compensated.

Thank you for your interest in the article. I would appreciate your comment (at the bottom of the page).

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Have a nice day and good mood!

A good, well-written resume is a powerful argument in favor of hiring. It can be a serious advantage, so you should start your job search by drawing it up. In the West, careerists keep their resumes throughout their lives, and add new lines as they improve their qualifications or change jobs. A document providing information about the applicant before the interview is part of business etiquette, which should not be neglected.

What you can and should write about yourself in your resume

There are basic points that must be spelled out. Indicate your strengths in your resume, avoid unnecessary things, only be informative. A resume is a brief summary of skills and qualities. From the first lines, show that you are a person with a serious character, focused on results. So what you need:

1. Personal information: full name, date of birth, Family status. If desired, you can add a photo.
2. Contacts. Please include your phone number and email address at the beginning of your resume. This will make it easier for them to find you when they want to contact you.
3. Desired vacancy. This item must be filled out.
4. Education. Indicate all institutions, courses, trainings that you have completed. School, university, attended a seminar on NLP - your knowledge base should be impressive. Be prepared to document each point.
5. Experience. Have you already held a similar position? Put this on your resume. To a person who does not have a single entry in work book, will be treated with suspicion.
6. Additional Information. Here you can talk about hobbies, strengths and weaknesses. Carefully select personal qualities for your resume. It will be a plus if they prove useful in the position.

Professional skills and abilities

Describe yourself in your resume: Show the employer that you are qualified for the position. Proficiency in computer programs, knowledge of languages, possession of a driver's license - all this must be described in this paragraph. Place your resume skills and abilities in order of importance for your future job. If you have a specific, not-so-useful talent that you want to list, put it at the end of the list.

Personal qualities of a person

Education and experience are not the only evaluation criteria. Personal qualities for writing good resume although they are not mandatory, they can play a role in many situations decisive role. Imagine what kind of employee the director of the company wants to see? Do you have common positive qualities with him, can you look competitive? Be sure to write about it, use your advantages!

Character strengths and weaknesses

Correctly selected good and bad personal qualities for a resume will help you get a job. If you cope with your responsibilities, character weaknesses will not be so important. Often the same trait becomes a trump card or interferes with work. Present your shortcomings as advantages in your resume and show your willingness to work on yourself. Determination is a character strength that is valued in a team.

What weaknesses can be indicated in a resume?

The employee’s task is not to scare you away, but to show that you do not suffer from inflated self-esteem. Be honest, but strongly negative personal qualities are inappropriate for a resume and should not be included. The second column of the table will scare off the employer. Character traits from the third will play positive role for certain posts. Don't be cunning and don't try to present advantages as disadvantages. This will be conspicuous and reveal insincerity.

Examples: individualism is good for creative profession, helps presenters or artists stand out from the crowd. When working in a team, on the contrary, you need to be able to become part of the team and take into account the opinions of others. A pedantic character will interfere with working quickly, but it is appropriate where quality comes first. Modesty will prevent you from communicating freely with clients, however, with the right approach, it will show the company in a good light.

Not everyone requires you to list your weaknesses on your resume. But if there is such a clause on the form, then putting a dash through would be a mistake. Better look at an example of character weaknesses in your resume.

Before filling out the box in which you need to indicate your shortcomings, think about your answer. Do not miss it under any circumstances, because ideal people do not exist. As a rule, managers want to see how adequately you evaluate yourself. If you don't know what to write, look at the suggested options and choose something that suits you best.

Universal formula: select character traits that are an advantage for performing this particular job, and in ordinary life may indeed be considered a human flaw.

The following weaknesses can be written:

• excessive directness, the habit of telling the truth face to face;
• difficulty establishing contact with strangers;
• inability to show flexibility in labor matters;
• reliability;
• increased anxiety;
• excessive emotionality, hot temper;
• love of formalism;
• restlessness;
• slowness;
• hyperactivity;
• fear of air travel.

All of the weaknesses listed in your resume can become strengths if you look at them from a different angle. An example is restlessness. For a sales representative or active sales manager, this can even be a plus. The same goes for reliability. This is a signal to the manager that you may be the person who will do all the overtime work.

All applicants should think about how to write my weaknesses for a resume. For example, a future accountant or design engineer might write:

• distrust;
• excessive scrupulousness;
• increased anxiety;
• excessive demands on oneself;
• straightforwardness;
• pedantry;
• modesty;
• inability to lie;
• difficulties in establishing contact with strangers;
• self-esteem;
• lack of flexibility in labor matters;
• integrity;
• inflated sense of responsibility;
• lack of diplomacy.

• hyperactivity;
• self-confidence;
• restlessness;
• impulsiveness;
• the need for external motivation;
• distrust, desire to double-check and confirm all information.

Disadvantages for one profession can become advantages for another.

You can also indicate in your resume among your negative qualities:

• straightforwardness;
• workaholism;
• excessive love of communication.

Applicants for the position of manager must prepare before filling out this column. It is better to think in advance about what weaknesses to include in your resume. You can write to them about the following character traits:

• excessive emotionality;
• pedantry;
• love for little things;
• thoughts about work and planning occupy most of your free time;
• increased demands on others.

A good example would be the following:

• inability to respond to rudeness with rudeness;
• tendency to make decisions based on one’s own opinion;
• distrust of people and love of confirmation of facts.

Some applicants prefer to indicate that they:

• overly trusting;
• can raise their voice to subordinates;
• straightforward, express their opinions without veiled embellishments;
• hot-tempered;
• always looking for confirmation of words;
• have a hypertrophied sense of responsibility;
• prone to formalism and pay excessive attention to detail;
• irritated by clutter;
• slow;
• do not like to do something to please others.

Many people are afraid to write about shortcomings, believing that the employer will immediately send their resume to the trash bin. Of course, you shouldn’t be too frank, but you shouldn’t completely skip this section of the questionnaire. In this case, you can write about some neutral qualities that will not affect the work in any way. For a person applying for any vacancy, among the inherent weaknesses one can indicate:

• fear of airplanes;
• arachnophobia (fear of spiders), vespertiliophobia (fear of bats), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes);
• excess weight;
• lack of experience;
• age (suitable for people over 40 years old);
• love of shopping;
• love for sweets.

This information does not characterize you in any way, it simply speaks about your fears or small weaknesses.

The following disadvantages can be mentioned:

• I don’t always express my thoughts accurately;
• I trust people too much;
• prone to reflection;
• I often analyze past mistakes, focusing too much attention on them;
• I spend a lot of time evaluating my actions.

This negative qualities, but they should not affect the workflow.

Regardless of the position for which you are applying, you can write the following weaknesses in your resume:

• I get so carried away with work that I forget to take breaks;
• I can’t build relationships with colleagues because I don’t like gossip;
• I can’t fight back in response to boorish treatment;
• I constantly pass all situations through myself;
• I let people get too close;
• I don’t know how to swear;
• I get noticeably worried when I have to lie.

Please note that there are items that are best left unindicated. You should not write, for example, that you:

• love to be lazy;
• afraid to take responsibility;
• don't like making decisions;
• unpunctual;
• are often distracted;
• you only think about your salary;
• love office romances.

For example, if you write about your laziness in your resume, you run the risk that the employer will decide that you don’t want to work.

Not everyone requires you to list your weaknesses on your resume. But if there is such a clause on the form, then putting a dash through would be a mistake. Better look at an example of character weaknesses in your resume.

What to write

Before filling out the box in which you need to indicate your shortcomings, think about your answer. Do not miss it under any circumstances, because ideal people do not exist. As a rule, managers want to see how adequately you evaluate yourself. If you don't know what to write, look at the suggested options and choose something that suits you best.

A universal formula: select character traits that are an advantage for performing this particular job, but in ordinary life can really be considered a human flaw.

The following weaknesses can be written:

• excessive directness, the habit of telling the truth face to face;
• difficulty establishing contact with strangers;
• inability to show flexibility in labor matters;
• reliability;
• increased anxiety;
• excessive emotionality, hot temper;
• love of formalism;
• restlessness;
• slowness;
• hyperactivity;
• fear of air travel.

All of the weaknesses listed in your resume can become strengths if you look at them from a different angle. An example is restlessness. For a sales representative or active sales manager, this can even be a plus. The same goes for reliability. This is a signal to the manager that you may be the person who will do all the overtime work.

Linking weaknesses to the characteristics of professions

All applicants should think about how to write my weaknesses for a resume. For example, a future accountant or design engineer might write:

• distrust;
• excessive scrupulousness;
• increased anxiety;
• excessive demands on oneself;
• straightforwardness;
• pedantry;
• modesty;
• inability to lie;
• difficulties in establishing contact with strangers;
• self-esteem;
• lack of flexibility in labor matters;
• integrity;
• inflated sense of responsibility;
• lack of diplomacy.

• hyperactivity;
• self-confidence;
• restlessness;
• impulsiveness;
• the need for external motivation;
• distrust, desire to double-check and confirm all information.

Disadvantages for one profession can become advantages for another.

You can also indicate in your resume among your negative qualities:

• straightforwardness;
• workaholism;
• excessive love of communication.

Applicants for the position of manager must prepare before filling out this column. It is better to think in advance about what weaknesses to include in your resume. You can write to them about the following character traits:

• excessive emotionality;
• pedantry;
• love for little things;
• thoughts about work and planning occupy most of your free time;
• increased demands on others.

A good example would be the following:

• inability to respond to rudeness with rudeness;
• tendency to make decisions based on one’s own opinion;
• distrust of people and love of confirmation of facts.

Some applicants prefer to indicate that they:

• overly trusting;
• can raise their voice to subordinates;
• straightforward, express their opinions without veiled embellishments;
• hot-tempered;
• always looking for confirmation of words;
• have a hypertrophied sense of responsibility;
• prone to formalism and pay excessive attention to detail;
• irritated by clutter;
• slow;
• do not like to do something to please others.

For all occasions

Many people are afraid to write about shortcomings, believing that the employer will immediately send their resume to the trash bin. Of course, you shouldn’t be too frank, but you shouldn’t completely skip this section of the questionnaire. In this case, you can write about some neutral qualities that will not affect the work in any way. For a person applying for any vacancy, among the inherent weaknesses one can indicate:

• fear of airplanes;
• arachnophobia (fear of spiders), vespertiliophobia (fear of bats), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes);
• excess weight;
• lack of experience;
• age (suitable for people over 40 years old);
• love of shopping;
• love for sweets.

This information does not characterize you in any way, it simply speaks about your fears or small weaknesses.

The following disadvantages can be mentioned:

• I don’t always express my thoughts accurately;
• I trust people too much;
• prone to reflection;
• I often analyze past mistakes, focusing too much attention on them;
• I spend a lot of time evaluating my actions.

These are negative qualities, but they should not affect the work process.

Regardless of the position for which you are applying, you can write the following weaknesses in your resume:

• I get so carried away with work that I forget to take breaks;
• I can’t build relationships with colleagues because I don’t like gossip;
• I can’t fight back in response to boorish treatment;
• I constantly pass all situations through myself;
• I let people get too close;
• I don’t know how to swear;
• I get noticeably worried when I have to lie.

Important nuances

Please note that there are items that are best left unindicated. You should not write, for example, that you:

• love to be lazy;
• afraid to take responsibility;
• don't like making decisions;
• unpunctual;
• are often distracted;
• you only think about your salary;
• love office romances.

For example, if you write about your laziness in your resume, you run the risk that the employer will decide that you don’t want to work.

When writing a resume, some firms and companies ask you to note positive and negative qualities in your application for a job. More often, this requirement is made by large companies with a large staff, where coordinated, teamwork of all employees is important.

We advise you to make a preliminary list of your positive and negative qualities. When compiling a list, you should take into account the specifics of the company’s activities so that negative qualities do not become an obstacle to obtaining the desired vacancy.

When describing your positive qualities in your resume, try not to describe yourself as superior, stick to the “golden mean”. The description must contain objective, reliable information. If you are hired, it may later become clear that the stated qualities do not correspond to reality and an awkward situation may arise.

You must be ready to provide reasoned support with examples from your personal life, professional activity availability of described positive aspects character. There are several basic qualities of a person that an employer will definitely pay attention to when reading a resume.

The qualities listed below are optional, but will make your resume more complete and are guaranteed to draw the employer's attention to you as a person suitable for the available vacancy:

• analytical thinking;
• attentiveness;
• discipline;
• initiative;
• creativity;
• organization;
• punctuality;
• readiness to work to improve professional level;
• hard work;
• creative approach to the task.

Indicate those qualities that best suit the vacancy for which you are applying. Don't overload your resume with unnecessary details.

Negative qualities

There is no perfect person in every way. It is incorrect to write on your resume that you are devoid of negative qualities. Present negative sides character as a virtue, for example:

• gullibility;
• pedantry;
• increased demands on yourself and your work;
• straightforwardness in judgment;
• distrust of unconfirmed facts.

It is important to understand and take into account the fact that characteristics in a certain situation will manifest themselves fully, so do not try to hide what is obvious. Be prepared to talk about what you think are your negative shortcomings. Don’t be ashamed to admit them, because you are ready to fight them in order to bring maximum benefit to the company.

During the interview, stay calm and do not become overconfident. Try to look your interlocutor in the eyes and answer to the point. Try to convince the employer of professionalism and readiness to as soon as possible start working.