Weak qualities of a person for a resume example. Personal qualities in a resume: strengths and weaknesses

How to please the future boss if his profile contains an insidious item - weaknesses of character? In a resume, unlike a normal conversation, every word has weight, so it's better to prepare in advance for uncomfortable questions, and weak qualities in you must be presented as very useful for business.

1. You can simply not indicate your weak professional qualities in your resume. Concentrate on your skills, experience, education, and you can talk about personal qualities at the interview. However, it is impossible to refuse that item if you fill out a resume electronically. Read also:
2. A dash instead of information is another mistake of future employees. If the boss decided to leave this column, it means that he is really interested in this information. And the point is not even in it, but in checking an adequate perception of oneself, the ability to learn and understand the leader. Emptiness can speak of excessively high self-esteem or, on the contrary, self-doubt. Read also:
3. Of course, you should not list all the shortcomings in too much detail or engage in self-flagellation. It is enough to remember that any weaknesses in the resume have a downside for the employer. And what may be a problem for one may be an advantage for another. For example, if you are an accountant, your lack of communication will be useful in your work. And if you are a manager, then this is a serious omission.
4. Filling in the summary of strengths and weaknesses, try to build on the position you want to occupy. For example, select deficiencies that are not related to your activity. Restlessness for a sales manager is the norm, but for an accountant it is a minus.
5. "Turn weaknesses into strengths" is the old approach. It works if you can think creatively. Otherwise, the efforts will be too primitive and they will figure you out. So the trick of "with a heightened sense of responsibility, workaholism and perfectionism" may not be successful.
6. Remember that some bosses do not look for faults in you at all. , but only evaluate the adequacy, truthfulness and self-criticism.
7. It is better to describe your weaknesses in a resume that can be improved. This should also be reported in the text of the questionnaire. There are some bosses who want to train employees for themselves. In this case, your frankness and willingness to work on yourself will be appreciated adequately.
8. Indicate not only individual characteristics, but also your properties in teamwork .
9. Do not use flowery phrases like "my flaws are extensions of my virtues." This will not surprise, but only show the unwillingness to conduct a dialogue with the employer.
10. The optimal number of flaws is 2 or 3 . Don't get carried away!

Weaknesses in the resume - examples:

• Selfishness, pride, scrupulousness, inflexibility in labor matters, the habit of telling the truth directly, inability to establish contact with strangers, increased demands.
• Propensity for formalism, overweight, lack of punctuality, slowness, restlessness, fear of airplanes, impulsiveness.
• Reliability, high anxiety, hyperactivity, incredulity, straightforwardness, need for external motivation.
• Hot temper, isolation, self-confidence, stubbornness.
• Among the weaknesses, you can indicate in your resume that you do not always express your thoughts perfectly or tend to reflect . And if you are asked why this interferes, answer that you would like to spend less time analyzing the problem.

On the way to professional self-realization, every person, immediately after training, is primarily puzzled by finding a decent job. Unfortunately, in our reality, this is not at all easy to do, especially if you are a young specialist with no work experience. Each of you knows perfectly well how important it is to provide a potential employer with a competent, worthy resume during a job search.

At first glance, it may seem that writing a few words about yourself is not a big deal and does not require special knowledge. But with this approach, do not be surprised if you get a refusal from the next employer. The more solid the company where you are going to find a job, the more important a successful resume cannot be made completely universal. As a rule, it describes in detail their strengths as a person and professional. But no less important is the ability to correctly pay attention to your weaknesses in the resume.

Man is a multifaceted creature, and this shows his integrity; it was not for nothing that Abraham Lincoln said that a person without flaws, as a rule, has few virtues. Do not be afraid to talk about your shortcomings, which in certain circumstances can become your main trump card.

If you need to write a resume in a free form, then focus on your strengths as a person and specialist. But how to correctly describe your negative ones in order to still get the coveted job?

The first general rule of writing a resume is an increased attention to the style of presenting information. You must write clearly and understandably, because at the interview there is an opportunity to get out and convey the necessary information in different ways, focusing on the reaction of the listener, and what is written is perceived unambiguously.

The main mistake that you should never make is ignoring the section of your resume where you need to enter your weaknesses. Many believe that admitting one's own shortcomings can get in the way of success.

However, this is a wrong opinion - the employer will automatically make a negative impression of you as a person with inadequate self-esteem.

Ideal people do not exist, the employer will appreciate your honesty if you briefly describe your negative qualities, guided by some important points.

Absence of a standard

It cannot be unequivocally said that a particular quality is positive or negative. In different fields of activity, the same quality can become both a weak and a strong side of an employee. You can give a simple example: if you are applying for a job in a team, then your bright qualities of a leader can only get in the way. But if you are applying for the position of a manager, then this quality is definitely your strength.

Be honest

Asking the employer to indicate your negative qualities as a person and specialist for a resume does not have the direct purpose of learning about your weaknesses. This is done in order to find out how self-critical you are, how aware you are of your imperfection and the integrity of your personality.

Only an adult mature person can adequately assess their strengths and weaknesses. A mature person in the eyes of the employer is a priori perceived as a more valuable candidate.

Point out the weaknesses that can be developed

It is very important to tell the truth about your negative qualities, but pay attention to the fact that you are working on yourself, and not just resigned to the presence of negativity, from the “Yes, I am!” series.

An example of such qualities: shyness or impulsiveness. You can say that these qualities manifest themselves situationally, but you are constantly working on yourself, in the first case, expanding your circle of friends, and in the second, trying to control your emotions.

Your weaknesses as a person can become strengths on your resume.

An example is this: you do not know how to say “no” and in your personal life this quality prevents you from being guided by your own desires. But in the professional field, such a quality can make you an indispensable worker who is always ready to carry out important assignments. This quality is especially valuable for specialists who work under management.

Present your strengths as weaknesses

This is an old trick that should be used very carefully. You can safely consider your workaholism, striving for perfectionism and increased responsibility as your trump card in your professional activity, but think twice before writing about it, because the employer may suspect you of insincerity.

A few tips in the video:

What specific weaknesses of your personality can become a trump card in the professional field?

However, in some cases it is best to be yourself!

The employer is important both personal and business qualities of the employee. What abilities are more important? How to deal with negative traits? Each profession has its own characteristics. We will talk about how to make the right choice and how to evaluate a future employee in our article.

Business and personal qualities

The business qualities of an employee are his ability to perform certain labor duties. The most important of them are the level of education and work experience. When choosing an employee, be guided by the benefits that he can bring to your company.

Personal qualities characterize the employee as a person. They become important when applicants for one position have business qualities on the same level. Personal qualities characterize the employee's attitude to work. Focus on independence: he does not have to do your job, but he must cope with his own to the fullest.

The choice of qualities

If more than 5 characteristics are entered in the resume, this is a signal that the applicant is not able to make a competent choice. Moreover, the standard “responsibility” and “punctuality” have become commonplace, so if possible, ask what these general concepts mean. A prime example: the phrase "high performance" could mean "the ability to work with a lot of information," while you were counting on "willingness to work overtime."

Such general concepts as "motivation to work", "professionalism", "self-control", the applicant can reveal in other expressions, more specifically and more meaningfully. Pay attention to incompatible qualities. To verify the honesty of the applicant, you can ask to illustrate with examples the characteristics indicated by him.

Negative qualities of an employee

Sometimes they are also included in the resume by the job seeker. In particular, such as:

• Hyperactivity.
• Excessive emotionality.
• Greed.
• Vindictiveness.
• Impudence.
• Inability to lie.
• Inability to work in a team.
• Restlessness.
• Touchiness.
• Lack of work experience/education.
• Lack of sense of humor.
• Bad habits.
• Passion for gossip.
• straightness.
• self-confidence.
• Modesty.
• Weak communication.
• The desire to create conflict.

An applicant who has written negative qualities in a resume can be honest, or maybe reckless. Such an act does not justify itself, but if you want to know the possible problems with this applicant, ask him to list his negative qualities. Be ready to give the person an opportunity to rehabilitate himself and present negative qualities in a favorable light. For example, restlessness indicates easy adaptation and quick switching from one task to another, and straightforwardness indicates the benefits that he can bring when making a deal.

Be ready to give the person an opportunity to rehabilitate himself and present negative qualities in a favorable light.

Qualities for different professions

Certain professional qualities are needed in almost all activities. You can make it easier for applicants and at the same time narrow their circle by entering information about the desired characteristics in the job advertisement. For an employee in the field of promotion or entertainment, the main qualities are communication skills, the ability to work in a team, and win people over. The list of winning qualities will also include: charm, self-confidence, energy. In the field of trade, the list of the best qualities will look like this: flexibility of thinking, customer interaction skills, ability to negotiate, work in a team, as well as quick response, courtesy, perseverance, activity.

A leader in any field should be characterized by such professional qualities as organizational skills, the ability to find a common language and work in a team, resourcefulness, conflict-free, charm and the ability to teach. Equally important are the ability to make quick decisions, self-confidence, attentiveness and balance.

The strengths of an employee working with a large amount of data (accountant or system administrator): attention to detail, accuracy, quick learner, attentiveness, organization and, of course, the ability to work with a large amount of information.

The characteristics of a secretary include a variety of positive qualities: customer interaction skills, business communication, literacy, the ability to negotiate and business correspondence, the ability to do several things at the same time. Also pay attention to good external data, attentiveness, tact and balance, diligence. In any profession, responsibility, attentiveness and stress resistance are useful. But the applicant, inscribing such qualities in the resume, does not always take them seriously.

In any profession, responsibility, attentiveness and stress resistance are useful. But the applicant, inscribing such qualities in the resume, does not always take them seriously.

Evaluation of the professional qualities of an employee

To avoid wasting time and money testing new employees, sometimes companies evaluate them before hiring. For this, even special personnel assessment centers have been created. A list of grading methods for those who prefer to do it themselves:

• Letters of recommendation.
• Tests. This includes conventional aptitude and aptitude tests, as well as personality and background tests.
• Examination of the knowledge and skills of the employee.
• Role play or case studies.

The role-playing game will help you find out in practice whether the applicant is right for you. Act out a day-to-day situation for his position and see how he copes. For example, evaluate his customer interaction skills. Let the buyer be your competent employee or yourself, and the applicant will show what he is capable of. You can set a goal for him to achieve during the game, or simply observe the style of work. This method will tell a lot more about the applicant than the column "Personal qualities" in the resume.

When determining the evaluation criteria, you can be based on business qualities: punctuality, potential quantity and quality of work performed, experience and education, skills, etc. For greater efficiency, focus on the qualities necessary for the position for which the candidate being evaluated is applying. To be confident in an employee, consider his personal qualities. You can independently conduct an assessment in the form of a rating of candidates, placing + and - according to certain criteria, distributing them by level or awarding points. Avoid scoring errors such as bias or stereotyping, or overweighting one criterion.

Which section of your resume do you think is the most important?

Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

When applying for a job, your profile becomes the only link with your employer. It is difficult to get a good job without the right presentation of one's own capabilities. However, many serious ones require filling in an insidious item - weaknesses of character.

In a summary, every word written is important. Do not fill out this line in haste!

Weaknesses on your resume should be a mirror image of your strengths.

How to turn weaknesses into strengths on a resume

But you should not be too zealous in listing your shortcomings. Yes, and reproach yourself for your weaknesses of personality is not necessary. Remember what is good for one, not for another. For example, for someone you are wasteful, someone will consider you generous; some will see greed in you, others will say economical.

Present your negative character traits to the employer, wrapping them in a beautiful wrapper. For example, for an accountant, unsociableness is even useful in work, but a manager with this quality will have a hard time.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Find 2-3 traits of your character that will be considered a minus in everyday life, but from the point of view of the chosen profession, they turn into undeniable advantages.

What weaknesses to indicate in the resume

This is where you need to think carefully. Sometimes writing a few words about yourself is much more difficult than you thought. After all, work in a reputable company is at stake, and the well-being of the whole family may depend on your ability to display weaknesses in the questionnaire.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the next employer will take you to their team. There is no doubt that the future boss will not only not put it aside, but will show his interest and will certainly want to meet. So what kind of trump cards will we save to beat the competition?

Be truthful

The habit of exaggerating will come in handy here. If the employer does not require dwelling on negative qualities, then you do not need to write anything. Then focus on your strengths as a specialist, mentioning your strengths. If the resume needs to be written in a free form, then focus on your positive aspects as a person and a specialist in the field.

But what shortcomings to indicate in the resume to become the first contender for the long-awaited position?

1. Firstly, as we have already said, so that the employer does not get the impression of you as a person with a painfully high self-esteem, in no case do we ignore the paragraph on shortcomings.
2. Secondly, do not deviate from the style of writing a resume. When talking with an interlocutor live, it is much easier to convey information to the listener: you can use gestures, facial expressions, and focus on his reaction. In the case of a resume, a special approach is needed, because the manager sees only what is written.
3. Thirdly, the boss will not fail to note the honesty of the resume, where you briefly report your shortcomings, based on some important points.

Don't chase the standard

When considering a resume, each employer looks at the situation from his own angle. Sometimes the same character trait can be regarded in two ways. For some, it will turn out to be the positive side of the coin, and some may be blacklisted, having such character traits.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Each field of activity requires an individual approach.. In teamwork, leadership qualities will only interfere with the team, and for a manager, the ability to make his own decisions will be quite useful.

Be intellectually mature

It is important that you are aware of your imperfection and do not take criticism with hostility. After all, only an intellectually formed person can calmly and fairly conduct a personal assessment of his positive and negative sides.

It is undeniably easier for an employer to give preference to a mature person than to educate an unbalanced person.

Show willingness to work on yourself

Having presented your negative qualities to the general court, be sure to indicate that you are actively fighting the shortcoming you indicated. You can't let an employer think you're comfortable living with this negativity.

It could be shyness or impulsiveness. You can point to their manifestation in accordance with the situation, and make it clear that you are waging a stubborn struggle with the presence of these disadvantages: expanding your connections and striving to control your ardor.

Consider a simple example in a resume, where the weaknesses of the applicant turned into a positive side from a professional point of view.

“In everyday life, you are unable to refuse people, and because of this, you do not have your own personal life. However, the boss may find this quality more than beneficial for him. Having hired a trouble-free employee, the manager expects that he will always be able to rely on such an employee, no matter what issues the assignment concerns. This feature can become simply invaluable for personnel who work under someone's direct supervision.

Present your strengths as weaknesses

Psychology is a very interesting science. Of course, it is not worth filling the field for shortcomings with the phrases “increased responsibility” or “workaholism”. The leader will immediately convict you of dishonesty.

To take a highly paid position and with it the future boss you need:

• credulity - you will be perceived as a person capable of concluding agreements exclusively with trusted partners;
• self-confidence - they will see you as a leader who is inclined to move forward;
• hyperactivity - they will bet on the speed of completing tasks commensurate with other employees;
• slowness - they will find in your person a scrupulous worker who can see mistakes and notice important nuances;
• increased anxiety - they will note a responsible approach to work and their duties;
• straightforwardness – they will consider you a master of negotiation, who will confidently insist on the conditions and requirements of the company;
• exactingness - they will think: if an employee is demanding of himself, then you will treat production processes with no less responsibility;
• pedantry - they will determine the ability to bring undertakings to the ideal through repeated checks;
• restlessness - they will see you as an employee who is ready to perform new tasks and assignments, regardless of external factors;
• modesty - they will be credited to the number of employees who weigh what has been said, which helps to prevent conflict situations and unnecessary misunderstandings.

For a summary of a future accountant, as an example of weaknesses, you can be guided by:

• suspicion;
• excessive pedantry;
• increased anxiety;
• straightness;
• scrupulousness;
• modesty;
• inability to lie;
• pride;
• lack of complicity in working moments;
• scrupulousness;
• overestimated sense of responsibility;
• inability to negotiate.

But for specialties that require direct communication with a wide audience, this list of qualities is extremely unsuitable.

For a manager, for example, you can indicate in your resume:

• restlessness;
• hyperactivity;
• exactingness;
• impudence;
• stubbornness;
• self-confidence;
• straightness;
• impulsiveness.

Why does the manager want to know about your shortcomings

If the future boss decided to include the “weak sides of character” column in the resume, then it cannot be ignored.

Stay yourself, believe in yourself and you will succeed, and finally the video

Asked at the interview, they aim to give the employer or recruiter the most complete answer on three main points:

• ability to do the job;
• desire to do such work;
• compliance with the corporate culture of the company.

Personal qualities - one of the main questions when meeting a candidate.

This information will help the employer or recruiter get an initial impression of the applicant not only as a specialist, but as a person.

Often questions asked with subtext are needed just to obtain information about the personal qualities of the candidate.

The employer, of course, wants to know if your negative character traits will interfere with the performance of functional duties and communication in a team.

Which are worth mentioning and which are not?

Very often you can hear the question from candidates: what are the positive and negative qualities to name at the interview?

Employers are interested in employees who have such character traits as:

• purposefulness;
• organization;
• initiative;
• performance;
• creativity;
• goodwill;
• determination.

Share them if you really have them. Give examples.

Often in an interview they are asked to name three negative qualities and three positive qualities. Think this through ahead of time.

No need to say that you are professional, adequate, loyal, smart, charming. Such qualities can be noticed and named by other people when talking about you, but not by yourself.

Never mention such negative characteristics as laziness, disorganization, irascibility and the like.

In general, 3 negative qualities in an interview are, first of all, self-doubt, fear of the interlocutor and insincerity.

Do I need to repeat what is written in the resume?

The interview is conducted in order to get to know you personally and to check whether what is stated with the resume is true. Therefore, it is likely that the employer will ask you a question that has already been covered in your resume.

In addition, the employer may simply not read the resume thoroughly. When answering the question, tell everything in your own words. Deviate from the patterns, but be precise, but also do not allow any discrepancies from the document in the facts.

It is unacceptable to answer the question as follows: "It says so in my resume."

How to talk about positive and negative qualities

No need to be modest!

In case you think you don't have any outstanding qualities, just tell what you have.

For example: the ability to focus - you focus on a specific task and bring it to the end without being distracted.

And high speed of work - always complete the task as quickly as possible, without delay.

The question should not be taken literally: “Tell me, what are your personal qualities that are shortcomings?”. It is not the best solution, when answering such a question, to proceed to a detailed description of your weaknesses.

It is better to determine in advance which of your qualities have a double meaning..

At first glance, these are disadvantages, but when choosing a different angle of consideration, they can turn out to be advantages. Think over the wording and present your weaknesses so that they look positive.

Answer example: “I usually pay a lot of attention to detail, and I know that in some areas of activity such thoroughness does not matter and is not always appropriate. But I see that for the position I am applying for, this character trait should be useful.

If your employer asked you to list three shortcomings, you could list the following: “Intolerance – I can’t stand mess. Irritability - a little pissed off by the incompetence of employees.

Captiousness and meticulousness - I do not allow myself the right to make mistakes. Here you can see that not very pleasant character traits turn into virtues.

How to talk about strengths and weaknesses.

Very often, recruiters are asked to give examples of strengths and weaknesses in an interview. This task can be beaten to the obvious benefit of the applicant.

Feel free to name your strengths. Try to tell more about those that will be useful for the position you have chosen, or for the situation in the company. For example, maintaining the ability to work under stress. Support your words with examples from the past. Think of sample answers ahead of time.

What is the worst quality to name in an interview? When answering the question about weaknesses, be careful and careful. You don't have to openly acknowledge them. Instead, you can talk about minor gaps in areas that are obviously not required for this position.

Positive and negative qualities in the interview to the same extent should present you in a favorable light. The main thing to remember about what shortcomings you can talk about at the interview, and what is better to remain silent.

If the recruiter insists on clarifying the weaknesses of nature, and not professional ones, then say about 1-2, moreover, those that cannot always be considered as weak.

To be completely honest?

The employer asks to name weaknesses at the interview, what to say? How to answer interview questions about flaws correctly?

In order not to seem that you are not frankly answering questions, it is worth pointing out some shortcomings or gaps in knowledge, but most importantly, choose the right wording.

Honestly admit some of your disadvantages, name your shortcomings, but talk about them so that they are more like pluses.

If you have to report that you are not completely familiar with any type of activity, indicate only those areas that are not critical for this vacancy.

Think about the answers ahead of time. If you really want to get this job, then it's not worth the risk.

How to tell about yourself in an original way?

According to statistical studies, about 90% of applicants mention their responsibility, sociability and purposefulness. It is clear that such qualities can hardly interest or draw the attention of the listener to them.

If you talk about common, common character traits that are undoubtedly positive, but everyone talks about them, it won’t hurt, but it won’t make you stand out from the general background of applicants.

You can go the other way: talk about rare qualities that match your character.

Even better, give examples related to the application of these qualities, the positive role they played, or their positive evaluation. Using this tactic, you have a chance to stand out and be remembered.

Remember that the employer, at times, is more important not WHAT, but HOW you answer questions about personal qualities. Reasonable, logical, confident answers, as well as competent speech are of great importance.

Demonstrate a positive attitude, the ability to adequately respond to difficult or personal issues, the ability to find compromises and the right decisions.

Successful interview! Moreover, now you know exactly what weaknesses you can point out at the interview and how to correctly talk about your shortcomings in order to make a favorable impression.