Interview flaws: those that make the difference to recruiters

Are you afraid to mention your qualities and faults in an interview? We understand you and you are not alone! To best face this ordeal, Business Cool gives you examples of faults that you can cite to recruiters, but also the way in which you should approach this decisive question in an interview.

Recruitment processes deciphered

Recruitment processes are different from one company to another. Some will ask you for 3 faults, others will ask you what is the main fault which is representative of your personality. However, the steps are roughly similar for every organization. The objective is always to take stock of your skills, to show that you are there person made for the job and that you are capable of working with their teams.

Overall, corporate recruitment processes always work the same way: you must apply on a career site by submitting a CV and a personalized cover letter. It is then necessary to complete a first step of screening which is done automatically or by telephone, depending on the sector in which you are applying.

After this first phase, you move on to interviews. Typically, you have two: the first with a human resources person, the second with your potential future manager. We will then ask you several questions to find out more about you, your soft skillsbut also your technical skills, in order to identify if you are the ideal recruit.

Having a recruitment interview is never an easy task, which is why it is important to prepare for it by having in mind your professional project, your objectives, your expectations, your skills, your accomplishments, your qualities and your faults. . This is why it is important to know how to identify your major fault and the other elements that you may mention in the interview.

Talking about your faults: honesty in interviews

Before discussing the faults that should be mentioned in an interview, it is important to raise the issue of honesty in an interview. Overall, recruiters will always act kindly towards you, but you should not fool them. Certain elements are verified by your interlocutors: false diplomas, false professional experience, etc. Between two job interviews, they can also call former employers to find out more about your qualities and faults, but also about your experience within the company. the company.

Honesty is at the heart of any exchange, but even more so when it comes to a job interview. You certainly don’t want to give a bad impression to the recruiter, which could ruin your chances of joining the company. Furthermore, if you ever lied about your skills and your potential future manager did not identify this detail during recruitment, this could harm you. Indeed, you will not be able to carry out your missions perfectly, which can prove frustrating for you and your superiors. You will also develop a negative image among your employers who will not hesitate to mention it if they are contacted by other recruiters.

The same goes for maintenance defects. Those you mention will leave an indelible mark in the recruiter’s mind. We must therefore learn to transform these fault(s), but we must remain honest and lucid. This gives your interlocutor the impression that you have a sense of analysis and that you know how to take a step back. In addition, if you have lied about one of your faults, this can show in business and contribute to giving a bad impression of you.

Flaws to mention during an interview

The question of flaws in job interviews scares many candidates. With this technique, the recruiter tries to understand what your qualities are, your faults, but also how you position yourself in relation to yourself, your experience and the critical perspective that you are capable of having on yourself.

To best answer this question and not cite a defect that could harm you, it is important to transform the defect into a quality. However, you must avoid the usual “I’m a perfectionist”, which irritates recruiters and suggests that you have no capacity to think about yourself. This type of false fault can also cost you your place in the company. You must therefore choose a fault that can be valued and not too serious, while trying to give examples of how you managed to overcome it.

Here is a list of faults to address and how to mention them in an interview, depending on the context. There are in fact several types of defects. Some relate more to the professional environment, teamwork, and organizational skills. Others focus more on the personality of the candidate: impatience, anger, etc.

The 8 professional faults to mention

I make decisions hastily. Here, you must explain that this allows you to be reactive and react quickly, but that you worked on this point during your last experience and that you learned to analyze situations better, when necessary.
I tend to criticize myself. You can explain that you are hard on yourself and that this can cause blockages in the professional context, but that, recently, you have learned to judge yourself less harshly and that this ability allows you to give the best of yourself .
I have trouble delegating. The recruiter will think that you don’t necessarily know how to work in a team. It is therefore important to explain how, in your last job, you managed to work better as a team.
I tend to get too involved. You can explain how this overinvestment is an asset for the company, because your job is a real passion.
I’m too strict. If this flaw is not the one that should be mentioned first, you can explain how your keen sense of rigor can be important in your job.
I pay too much attention to details. You can transform this defect into quality by explaining that this allows you to deliver detailed, complete and rigorous work.
I am very critical. You can explain that as a manager, you are demanding of your teams and that you ask them to give the best of themselves. You can also indicate that you know how to be grateful when work is done well.
I have a hard time letting go. This flaw can be a quality if you explain that you carry out projects thoroughly, without omitting any details. It also helps show that you are committed.

The 8 personal faults

I can be impatient. You can explain that you like it when things are moving and that you are more efficient when you enter a rush period.
I am sensitive to criticism. Here, you can tell the recruiter how this sensitivity pushed you to be a listening manager and to be sensitive to everyone’s expectations.
I lack self-confidence. You can indicate how this lack of self-confidence allowed you to better tackle your files and how you rigorously prepare each mission.
I have a hard time saying no. To convince the recruiter that you are the right person, do not hesitate to explain that this defect means that you are attentive to the needs of your team. You can add nuance by mentioning your ability to say no on certain crucial subjects for the company.
I lack organization. You can explain that you function well in an agile environment that is constantly evolving.
I am too direct in the way I speak to others. Here, this defect can be transformed into a quality by explaining that it allows you to avoid what is left unsaid and to move forward quickly on subjects.
I am ambitious. You can demonstrate that you have exceeded the objectives in your previous position and that you clearly intend to grow the company by taking on these new functions.
I’m anxious. Here, you can show that your anxiety is a strength because you prepare your files in advance to be sure you master your subject.

Faults to avoid during maintenance

Certain faults should be completely avoided during a recruitment interview. First of all, we will avoid too direct formulations such as “I’m messy ” Or ” I’m touchy”. Then, it is important not to fall into the clichés mentioned above. The recruiter will quickly be able to guess if you are trying to deceive him by passing off a quality as a flaw. Indeed, you must not go into the “ I’m too perfect« , « I listen too much ” Or ” I work my files too well“.

Among the faults to banish, we find everything that concerns the intimate and which must be put aside when you pass the door of the company such as: “ I’m lazy« , « I am impulsive« , « I am impressionable« , « I’m shy“. These faults will suggest that you are not capable of expressing yourself well in a professional context and of having a critical perspective on yourself. They also give the impression that you don’t necessarily know how to be professional.

What are the best faults to mention in an interview?

There is not necessarily a good fault to bring up in an interview, although it is important to keep in mind that you should always bring your fault with an example and an explanation of how you managed to overcome it. . You also need to pay attention to the wording. Instead of saying “ I listen too much“, you can say ” I don’t know how to say no“, explaining that you know how to assert yourself when necessary, but that this has taught you to listen to the expectations of your colleagues.

It is important to show the recruiter that you know yourself, that you know your flaws, the main traits of your character, but that you know how to take a critical step back and that you are ready to evolve on these subjects. However, you can opt for certain faults, which are among the best faults to cite in an interview, such as: