How to answer “What are your strengths?” during an interview

Why do interviewers ask about strengths during an interview?

The question “What are your strengths?” is one of the most common questions asked in a job interview. It serves as a helpful tool for interviewers to understand your personality and working style. When hiring managers ask about your strengths (or weaknesses), they assess several key points:

Self-assessment: How well do you conduct a self-assessment? This reveals your ability to reflect on your experiences and skills

Self-awareness: Are you aware of your strengths, and how do you use them in the workplace?

the current: How will your skills and traits complement those of current team members?

Recruiters ask the question “What are your strengths?” during job interviews to assess your self-awareness and determine if you are a good fit for the role. This question helps them evaluate your confidence and the ability to articulate your skills effectively. It also provides insight into how you perceive yourself as a professional and what you bring to the table.

Your strengths encompass both your professional and personal skills. To answer this question effectively, you need to demonstrate both. For instance, you might use your strong communication skills to highlight a specific strength.

Read this interview guide to see how you will answer the “What are your strengths” interview question.

How to answer "What are your strengths in an interview?"

Start by Analyzing the Job Description

First and foremost, it is helpful to reflect on this question from the hiring manager’s perspective.

What qualities or skills are they looking for in this specific role? Consider how you can leverage your strengths to align with key competencies mentioned in the job description. The best place to start (as always) is the job posting (the JD). Underline or highlight all the skills, key qualifications, and keywords that are listed.

Identify key skills and qualifications

In addition, you should introspect as to what are your work-related skills. Are they hard skills or soft skills? Compare these with the skills that are necessary for the said role.

There are several things you can do to find out which skills and qualifications are the most important:

Have a look at other job positions for similar positions. Are any skills and qualifications frequently mentioned?

Check LinkedIn profiles of professionals with the same job titles. What skills and qualifications do they list on their profiles?

Focus on adaptive and transferable skills that are relevant across various roles and industries.

Make a List of Your Strengths and Skills

Before the interview, take some time to reflect on your strengths and identify the ones most relevant to the position you are applying for. Make a list of your strengths and compare them to the skills and qualifications listed in the job posting. Consider both technical and soft skills, such as problem-solving, leadership, communication, adaptability, and attention to detail. Once you’ve identified your strongest skills, think of specific instances when you applied these skills in your previous roles.

Ask yourself:

Did your strength earn the company money?
Did your strength save the company money?
Did you ever get an award outside or inside your company?

Think of a success story for each strength to illustrate your impact when using those skills.

Moreover, the response to the interview question “What are your strengths?” should always include evidence. You should support your strengths by providing concrete examples of how you have demonstrated them.

Here is a sample structure for a response:

I am [ADD KEY STRENGTH]. I learned this through [HOW YOU DEVELOPED STRENGTH], and this allowed me to [IMPACT OF STRENGTH] in my previous role.

Examples of strengths

Here is a list of some of the common strengths that companies look for in an ideal candidate:

Leadership skills
Interpersonal skills
Strong Writing skills
Effective communication skills
Analytical skills
People skills
Presentation skills
Emotional intelligence
Project management
Ensuring high-quality work
Team player
Attention to detail
Problem-solving
Empathy
Ability to take initiatives
Critical thinking
Leading effective teams
Team management skills
Conflict resolution skills
Collaborative
Entrepreneurial
Honest
Detail-oriented
Analytical thinking
Providing constructive feedback
Developing creating solutions
Building strong relationships

Strategies for talking about strengths during a job interview

When discussing your strengths, be confident. Don’t be afraid to brag a little—this is your chance to showcase what makes you an excellent fit for the job. Mention one or two top strengths and provide examples of how you’ve utilized them in your previous roles. If you can back this up with tangible results, that’s even better. Reflect on these two questions as you formulate your answer:

Why are you good at X?

How does X help you at work?

Keep these two questions in mind while formulating your response according to the three essential strategies mentioned below:

1. Tailoring Your Answer to the Job Requirements

To make your response impactful, highlight strengths that align with the specific job requirements. To this point, you have carefully read the job description and identified the key skills that the employer is seeking or required for the role you are applying to. Based on that, Select the strengths from your list that closely match these requirements and emphasize them in your answer.

2. Providing Concrete Examples

To substantiate your claims, provide concrete examples of how you’ve demonstrated your strengths in previous workplaces or roles. Think of specific instances where you utilized your strengths to achieve positive outcomes for the company.

3. Showcasing Transferable Skills

If you want to showcase a specific key strength for which you lack direct experience or one that is a part of your personal life, you can still showcase transferable skills relevant to the job. Transferable skills, such as problem-solving, communication, or leadership, can be applied across various roles and industries. Highlighting these skills demonstrates your adaptability and is an effective strategy when answering the “What are your strengths” interview question.

Sample responses to "What are your strengths?"

Before we forget, when answering this question, don’t say, “I’m a perfectionist, I’m hardworking,” or “I’m punctual.” These are common answers and are characteristics that you should bring to the job anyway.

Therefore, highlight strengths that fit the job role.

Now that we have an understanding of how to answer the “What are your strengths?” interview question, let’s look at some sample responses with some real-life examples.

Attention to detail:

Being detail-oriented is a significant strength, as it enables you to complete tasks with greater efficiency and accuracy. As a result, it helps you improve workplace productivity and performance. Interviewers value this strength in candidates because it reduces errors and results in less time being required to complete work.

Sample response:

“My greatest strength is attention to detail. This trait has proven invaluable in my previous job role where I worked remotely. Being detail-oriented enables me to handle multiple projects simultaneously and effectively prioritize their key requirements for accurate completion. I take pride in my track record of managing numerous large projects and delivering them to clients on time, with 45% completed ahead of schedule.”

Foster collaboration

Having strong collaboration skills is immensely beneficial, as it enhances the company culture and workplace dynamics. Collaborative individuals motivate and inspire team members, facilitating the completion of projects and tasks. Companies value this strength in candidates, especially in environments where teamwork is essential.

Sample Answer

“My greatest strength lies in my ability to collaborate and contribute to my team’s success. I have consistently received feedback from managers and colleagues about my ability to collaborate effectively, which streamlines tasks and fosters alignment within the team. This strength has also improved my awareness of team dynamics and the importance of cohesion. For instance, I actively motivate and support team members during project challenges and manage conflicts to find optimal solutions.”

Empathetic

Being empathetic means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, understanding their challenges more clearly and providing assistance effectively. Companies highly value individuals who are empathetic and put others first, because it promotes improves the workplace culture and encourages employees to support each other as needed.

Sample Answer

“I would say that my greatest strength is that I put people first and deal with everyone with empathy. For instance, in my previous company, I observed that new hires often faced challenges adapting to team dynamics and workflows. Having been in a similar position myself, I understood how daunting this transition can be. Therefore, I made it a priority to welcome new team members, inquire about their concerns, and provide guidance on how they can thrive in their roles and integrate into the team. This approach enhanced the workplace environment and ensured that productivity remains on track.”

Take Initiative

Being someone who takes initiative means being proactive and forward-thinking, taking ownership of decisions and tasks without needing constant guidance. This proactive approach is highly valued by hiring managers, as it drives progress and innovation in the workplace.

Sample Answer

“One of my core strengths is my ability to take initiative and drive tasks forward independently. I try to identify opportunities for improvement and when I find any, I take action. For instance, in my previous role, our team was using manual methods to track client information. Recognizing the inefficiency, I researched and recommended a project management software called Trello. Implementing this tool significantly enhanced our workflow through improved delegation and better project tracking.

Adaptable

The ability to thrive in different environments and situations without compromising focus or work quality is critical. Across all circumstances, adaptability is a strength that any company values, as an employee who is adaptable can quickly adjust to changes in the workplace.

Sample Answer

“My greatest strength is my adaptability. I can seamlessly transition to new environments or teams while staying focused on essential tasks. The key to being adaptable is maintaining an open mind and fostering open communication with colleagues. This ensures that everyone is on the same page, making it easier to adjust to changes like shifting to a new location or joining a new team. Open communication also helps in clarifying roles and responsibilities within the team, enhancing collaboration and productivity.”

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