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来源：Harvard Business Review

Summary. Don’t take common interview questions lightly just because they’re predictable. Underpreparing for them can make the difference between moving ahead and moving on. One question that often comes up: What are your strengths and weaknesses? In this article, the author outlines clear steps for how to describe your strengths and weaknesses along with sample language to use as a guide.

摘要：不要因为常见的面试问题可预测就掉以轻心。对它们做充分准备可能决定你是前进还是退出。其中一个经常出现的问题是：“你的优点和缺点是什么？”在这篇文章中，作者概述了描述你的优点和缺点的清晰步骤，同时提供了示例语言作为指导。

正文

Some questions come up again and again in job interviews. At the top of the list: “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want to work here?” and “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”

在工作面试中，一些问题一次又一次地被提出。在列表的顶部有：“告诉我关于你自己的事情”，“你为什么想在这里工作？”和“你的最大优点和缺点是什么？”

The strengths-and-weaknesses question may seem like the easiest of the bunch for job seekers to answer, given the classic responses associated with each:

优点和缺点的问题对于求职者来说可能看起来是最容易回答的，因为与之相关的是每个人都熟知的典型回答：

My strengths? Creativity! Problem-solving! Collaboration!

我的优点？创造力！解决问题！协作！

My weaknesses? Perfectionism! I work too hard! I care too much!

我的缺点？完美主义！我工作太努力了！我太在乎了！

Though these answers may be true, they may also come across as trite and unoriginal, even scheming. That reaction may be perilous because job #1 in a job interview is standing out and job #2 is sounding honest.

尽管这些答案可能是真实的，但它们也可能显得陈词滥调和缺乏创意，甚至显得有些心计。这种反应可能是危险的，因为在面试中的首要任务是脱颖而出，其次是显得诚实。

Below are tips and examples to tackle this popular interview question in a way that leaves an original, authentic, and meaningful positive impression. It’s best to prepare two answers for each question, even though you’ll probably only use one.

以下是解决这个常见面试问题的建议和示例，以留下原创、真实和有意义的积极印象。最好为每个问题准备两个答案，尽管你可能只会使用其中一个。

How to Describe Your Strengths

一、如何描述你的优点

When you share your personal strengths in an interview, the conversation is still as much about their needs as your abilities, so follow these rules to ensure your skills come across as not only impressive, but relevant, distinct, and proven.

当你在面试中分享你的个人优点时，对话仍然与他们的需求同等重要，因此请遵循这些规则，确保你的技能不仅令人印象深刻，而且相关、独特且经得起考验。

1、Focus on a strength that is listed in the job description.

There’s no need to guess what superstar qualities they’re looking for — it’s all there in black and white. Look for the attributes listed under the “preferred qualifications” or “required skills” section of the job description.

1、注重在职位描述中列出的一项优点。

没有必要猜测他们在寻找什么样的巨星特质——这些都写在白纸黑字上。查看职位描述的“首选资格”或“所需技能”部分中列出的属性。

2、Reframe the skill to make your response as specific as possible.

Here are a few examples of generic strengths with their more descriptive counterparts:

·Communication skills → Public speaking and presentation skills

·People skills → Team management skills

·Video skills → Video production and editing skills

2、重新构建技能，使你的回答尽可能具体。

以下是一些通用优点及其更具描述性对应的例子：

·沟通技能 → 公共演讲和演示技能

·人际关系技能 → 团队管理技能

·视频技能 → 视频制作和编辑技能

3、Once you pick your strength, practice expressing it in four parts.

·The strength

·A real-life example of that strength

·An impact of that strength

·How much you enjoy leveraging that strength

3、选择好你的优点后，练习用四个部分表达它。

·优点

·该优点的真实例证

·该优点的影响

·你有多喜欢发挥这种优势

Try to incorporate most or all of those elements within your answer so you’re not just saying a word — you’re making a point. 

尽量在你的回答中包含这些元素中的大部分或全部，这样你不仅仅是说了一个词 —— 你是在表达一个观点。

When you put it all together, it should sound like this:

当你把它们都整合在一起时，它应该听起来像这样：

Sample Answer #1:

“I know a lot of people are afraid of public speaking but I really like it, and often use my speaking experience to support team projects. For example, last week, I presented our new customer-service portal to a prospective client, and they signed up immediately. I also get a lot of personal fulfillment from helping my colleagues with their presentations.”

示例回答 #1：

“我知道很多人都害怕公共演讲，但我真的很喜欢它，并经常利用我的演讲经验支持团队项目。例如，上周，我向一个潜在客户介绍了我们的新客户服务门户，他们立即注册了。我还通过帮助同事做演讲中获得了很多个人成就感。”

Sample Answer #2:

“I love project management, because I enjoy solving problems in an organized and collaborative way. For example, I recently managed the planning, testing, and launch of a new product line, which came in on time and under budget. I love helping teams manage all the moving parts and multiple deadlines of a big project so they can focus on their deliverables.”

示例回答 #2：

“我喜欢项目管理，因为我喜欢以有组织和协作的方式解决问题。例如，我最近负责规划、测试和推出了一条新产品线，它按时完成并在预算之内。我喜欢帮助团队管理大项目的所有活动部分和多个截止日期，以便他们可以专注于他们的可交付成果。”

Sample Answer #3:

“I think my greatest strength is team management. I really enjoy working as a team and leveraging everyone’s unique skills and perspectives on a project, while at the same time having fun and maintaining a manageable work/life balance. One of my proudest moments was winning a team appreciation award earlier this year, and honestly, I really enjoy doing my part to help everyone do their best work.”

示例回答 #3：

“我认为我的最大优点是团队管理。我真的很喜欢作为团队工作，利用每个人在项目中独特的技能和观点，同时保持愉快并保持可管理的工作/生活平衡。今年早些时候，我赢得团队赞赏奖是我最自豪的时刻之一，而且老实说，我真的很喜欢尽我所能帮助每个人做出最好的工作。”

How to Describe Your Weaknesses

二、如何描述你的缺点

The key to sharing your greatest weaknesses in an interview is to be authentic but not self-sabotaging. An interviewer may remember your weakness and hold it against you — even subconsciously — so you need to limit and mitigate any potentially harmful impressions.

在面试中分享你最大的缺点的关键是真实而不是自毁。面试官可能会记住你的缺点，并对你产生负面影响——即使是在潜意识中——因此你需要限制并减轻任何可能产生有害印象的可能性。

These tips can help you respond both responsibly and protectively:

以下这些建议可以帮助你既负责任又保护自己地回答：

1、Reimagine “weakness” as a “challenge,” even replacing the word “weakness” with “challenge” in your answer.

This removes some of the injurious sting of “weakness” and makes shortcomings seem more fixable because a weakness implies more permanence than a challenge.

1、重新将“缺点”想象为“挑战”，甚至在回答中用“挑战”代替“弱点”这个词。

这消除了“缺点”一词的一些有害之感，并使缺点看起来更容易修复，因为缺点意味着比挑战更持久。

2、Choose skills that are easily correctable through training or commitment.

Work skills like data analysis, presentation skills, or software expertise are typically learnable, and interviewers understand that. But behavior challenges like being impatient, disorganized, or insecure may seem like personality flaws that are harder to overcome. 

2、选择通过培训或承诺很容易纠正的技能。

工作技能，如数据分析、演讲技能或软件专业知识通常是可以学到的，面试官会理解这一点。但像缺乏耐心、组织不善或不安全等行为挑战可能看起来像是更难克服的个性缺陷。

3、Avoid clichés.

Stay away from overdone examples like “perfectionism” and “being a workaholic,” as well as weaknesses that are just strengths in disguise (“Sometimes, I work too hard/research too much/consider too many ideas”).

3、避免陈词滥调。

远离过度使用的例子，如“完美主义”和“工作狂”，以及那些只是伪装成弱点的优点（“有时候，我工作太努力/研究太多/考虑太多想法”）。

4、Choose a challenge that is not core to the job’s responsibilities.

While your strengths should match skills highlighted in the job description, your challenges should steer clear of those skills.Simply put, you don’t want to be weak where the job needs you to be strong.

4、选择一个与工作职责核心无关的挑战。

虽然你的优点应该与职位描述中强调的技能相匹配，但你的挑战应该避开这些技能。简而言之，你不想在工作需要你强大的地方表现出弱点。

5、Once you pick a challenge, practice expressing it in three parts.

· The weakness

· Minor consequences of the weakness

· Your eagerness to address the weakness

5、选择好一个挑战后，练习用三个部分表达它。

· 缺点

· 缺点的轻微后果

· 你解决缺点的渴望

As with your strength, try to incorporate all of these elements within your answer, but this time keep the consequences short, simple, and minor so you can focus on overcoming the challenge more than on the challenge itself.

与你的优点一样，尽量在你的回答中包含所有这些元素，但这次让后果简短、简单、轻微，这样你就能更专注于克服挑战而不是挑战本身。

When you put it together, it should sound like this:

当你把它们都组合在一起时，它应该听起来像这样：

Sample Answer #1:

“One of my challenges is my lack of professional experience with presentation tools like PowerPoint and Canva. In the past, I’ve had specialists design these materials for me, but they don’t always know the content as well as I do. So, one of my goals this year is to learn these applications to create my own presentations and continually improve that skill.”

示例回答 #1：

“我的一个挑战是我在演示工具（如PowerPoint和Canva）方面缺乏专业经验。在过去，我曾请专业人士为我设计这些材料，但他们并不总是和我一样了解内容。因此，我今年的一个目标是学习这些应用程序来制作我自己的演示文稿，并不断提高这项技能。”

Sample Answer #2:

“One of my challenges is effectively proofreading my own work, especially in a fast-paced environment. I take a little longer, but often there’s not enough time, and I don’t want to let errors go through. One of my solutions has been relying on other writers and editors on staff to review my work, but I’m also looking at taking writing classes to help me elevate my editing skills to be more productive and efficient.”

示例回答 #2：

“我面临的挑战之一是有效校对自己的工作，尤其是在快节奏的环境中。我花的时间稍长，但通常时间不够，我不想让错误通过。我的一个解决方案是依赖团队中的其他作家和编辑来审查我的工作，但我也在考虑参加写作课程，帮助我提高我的编辑技能，以更加多产和高效。”

Sample Answer #3:

“One of my challenges is learning new workplace technologies, like cloud filing platforms, database tools, and content management systems. It just takes me longer to learn complicated technology tools. But once I do, I enjoy using them, and like to help new colleagues learn them as well. I really appreciate it when a company offers classes and resources to help people become confident using the tools.”

示例回答 #3：

“我的一个挑战是学习新的工作场所技术，如云存储平台、数据库工具和内容管理系统。我学习复杂的技术工具需要更多时间。但一旦我学会了，我喜欢使用它们，并且愿意帮助新同事学习。当一家公司提供课程和资源帮助人们自信地使用这些工具时，我真的很感激。”

Examples of Strengths and Weaknesses

Here’s a quick summary of the examples discussed above along with a few more to choose from:

优点和缺点的例子

以下是上述讨论的例子的快速总结，以及一些可以选择的其他例子：

Strengths

Public speaking and presenting

Team management

Video production and editing

Project management

Proofreading

Database management

Attention to detail

Taking ownership

Brainstorming

Graphic design

优点

公共演讲和演示

团队管理

视频制作和编辑

项目管理

校对

数据库管理

注重细节

承担责任

头脑风暴

平面设计

Weaknesses

Reminder: Don’t choose a weakness connected to a necessary job skill.

Being unfamiliar with certain software

Needing more experience in data analysis, financial forecasting, etc.

Fear of public speaking

Feeling uncomfortable giving developmental feedback

Needing more time to learn new systems

Asking for help

Time management

Goal-setting

Meeting facilitation

Delegating

缺点

提醒：不要选择与必要职业技能相关的缺点。

对某些软件不熟悉

需要更多在数据分析、财务预测等方面的经验

害怕公共演讲

不喜欢给出发展性反馈

需要更多时间学习新系统

寻求帮助

时间管理

目标设定

会议组织

委派

At the end of the day (or, at least, the interview), what the recruiters, potential colleagues, and supervisors you met most want to know isn’t your biggest strength and weakness. They want to know what kind of person you are and how you can contribute to the operation. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” = “Are you the kind of person who can enhance the team and its work, be honest about your abilities, and take advantage of opportunities to improve and grow?”

在一天结束时（或至少在面试结束时），招聘人员、潜在同事和主管最想知道的不是你最大的优点和缺点。他们想知道你是什么样的人，以及你如何为公司做出贡献。“你的优点和缺点是什么？” = “你是那种可以增强团队及其工作，对自己的能力诚实、并利用机会改进和成长的人吗？”

As you practice your strength-and-weakness responses, remember these influential factors so your interviewers ultimately see you as not merely the sum of your skills, but someone they can trust — both during the interview and well beyond.

在练习你的优点和缺点回答时，记住这些影响因素，这样你的面试官最终就不会仅仅把你看成是你技能的总和，而是一个他们可以信任的人——无论是在面试期间还是在很长一段时间以后。

End

关注公众号【Laylanote】，后台发送“优缺点”，获取中英文稿和原版音频。