Weaknesses in a resume - how to describe it correctly?
Requiring a potential employer to indicate their shortcomings on a resume is not a simple formality. This is a thoughtful psychological move that allows you to determine the level of self-esteem and the degree of self-criticism of the applicant. The most interesting thing is that everything here depends on the profession or the specifics of the work, as well as the correct presentation of information.
If a person believes that he has no negative qualities, then the likely boss has cause for concern. That's why it is strongly discouraged to write in the resume that they are not there, or simply to put a dash. In order to show your best side and dispel doubts about the veracity of the information presented, you need to know how to correctly present your weaknesses. This article will tell you exactly how to do this.
How to identify your weaknesses?
Absolutely all people have certain personal shortcomings. These are features of behavior in different life situations, habits developed over the years and well-established principles. The problem is that for one type of activity, some character traits look like disadvantages, while for others they are an advantage. Which of them are strong and which are weak - it is easy to determine independently, taking into account the specifics of the profession.
For example, for a sales assistant, the inability to establish contact with strangers may become a reason for refusing a position, while for an accountant or programmer this is not a problem.
Negative traits of a person that spoil the opinion of the applicant from the first minutes:
- selfishness;
- greed;
- negligence;
- inability to concentrate attention;
- a penchant for discussing colleagues and spreading gossip;
- slowness;
- pathological self-criticism;
- excessive self-confidence, unwillingness to take advice into account;
- lack of healthy ambitions;
- too pronounced love of love;
- uncontrolled outbursts of anger or aggression;
- poorly concealed envy;
- the use of profanity;
- the habit of going to bed late and getting up late;
- addiction to gambling;
- smoking, alcohol addiction.
Neutral weaknesses, which almost everyone who has written a resume writes about, includes various phobias, such as fear of heights, water, spiders, snakes, confined spaces, etc. eating sweets, considering it a professional handicap. But some negative qualities of personality in certain situations can be interpreted as advantages. When pointing out your weaknesses, you need to oppose them to your merits.
What should be included in the resume?
Very often, most of the resumes sent to the employer, in the paragraph dedicated to the personal qualities of the applicant, are similar to each other, like twins. And this, to put it mildly, is not impressive. When drawing up, it is important to remember these rules:
- the resume should be written in understandable human language, without abstruse terms and general vague phrases;
- grammatical errors reduce the likelihood of a positive outcome;
- truthfulness and sincerity are encouraged.
A potential boss must feel that a person applying for a job in a company or in a production is ready to change their habits or established daily routine. It is imperative to write about this. Phrases that will undoubtedly be suitable for a resume for a specific job:
- no work experience, but there is a desire to develop and work for a result;
- there is no specialized education, but there is a craving for learning;
- insufficient level of knowledge of a narrow specialization or a foreign language, but a great desire to comprehend this science.
Due to your pathological shyness or modesty, which is already a weak point, you can write about the willingness to talk about the shortcomings only when you meet in person at an interview.
Girls
When applying for a job, the fairer sex is faced with the question of marital status. The employer will not be delighted if, after working for several months, the employee goes on maternity leave. The presence of small children is also a reason for doubts in employment. In order for the boss to approve the resume without hesitation, it is worth writing that in the event of a child's illness, there are relatives who can be trusted.
It is unmarried girls who most often turn out to be "owls". You shouldn't hide it. On the one hand, this fact can cause systematic delays, but on the other hand, there will be a reason to stay overtime and do more work.
You can write about such shortcomings:
- excessive gullibility;
- inability to objectively evaluate their own work;
- Difficulty building relationships with colleagues and vocalizing thoughts
- reliability;
- inability to defend one's opinion and respond to rudeness with rudeness;
- pathological pedantry and scrupulousness;
- inability to concentrate on work due to hyperactivity.
Men
Men least of all want to talk about their weaknesses to the employer. But if you still have to do this, then they try to find advantages even in the disadvantages. And this is the right strategy. Due to their natural selfishness, men very often have a banal inability to work in a team. But even this can be seen as an advantage. Such employees cope well with individual assignments, develop and maintain their own projects.
Some men are unfamiliar with such a concept as stress tolerance. Any emergency situation knocks them out of the rut, and their efficiency drops to zero. If there is such a feature in the arsenal of qualities, then the employer simply needs to discuss in detail all the details of the project in order to avoid force majeure.
Weaknesses that can be indicated in the resume for men:
- abnormal pedantry;
- too soft character;
- inability to focus on one process;
- inability to lie;
- inconsistency of professional skills or work experience with the existing education;
- lack of physical fitness;
- dependence on public opinion;
- passive life position.
What not worth mentioning?
There are aspects of character that should not be indicated in any case. These include:
- laziness;
- ignoring the advice of the authorities;
- non-punctuality;
- conflict, irascibility;
- use of false information;
- unwillingness to take responsibility for their actions.
These are the weaknesses that can ruin even the best resume. To prevent this from happening you need to present your shortcomings in the right light. In this case, the peculiarities of the profession should be taken into account. For example, if a job seeker is applying for a sedentary job, then you should not report your hyperactivity. For a job that involves communication with clients, it is undesirable to write about excessive shyness and inability to convey information to others.
Employers or personnel officers are unmistakable in determining when an applicant is trying to pass off weak character traits as advantages. That's why it is very important to do it correctly and competently.
The main thing is to realize that it is not shortcomings or behavioral features that are assessed, but the ability to live with it and develop professionally, listening to criticism and advice.
How many qualities to write?
This question is of interest to many. If an employer reading a resume sees a whole list of negative qualities, then he is unlikely to have a good impression of the applicant. Some choose not to report them at all. But this is also not an option - there are doubts about adequate self-esteem. A man without flaws is a mystery for the boss, and the bosses, as you know, love to know everything about everyone. The best option is to write 5 points in this section. In extreme cases, it is allowed to indicate 2 or 3 of their weaknesses.
An important point is to inform the employer about the readiness to adequately assess constructive criticism addressed to you.
You need to make it clear to him that timely indication of behavior or character traits that negatively affect the work process will be perceived positively.
Examples of
When a resume is submitted for a specific position, it is beneficial to point out your vulnerabilities much easier. Here, the requirements of the specifics of the profession are taken into account. In order to most profitably present your own shortcomings, you need to oppose them to the demands of the work.
For a salesperson or vacancies whose activities involve communicating with clients, the following resume points are suitable:
- restlessness and excessive activity;
- desire to achieve goals by any means;
- arrogance;
- talkativeness;
- an exorbitant sense of responsibility.
To apply for a job in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a resume must be based on responsibility and high productivity of professional activity. Weaknesses include:
- maximalism;
- stubbornness;
- pedantry;
- mistrust;
- self-confidence.
The application form for a jobseeker in the service sector should consist of many advantages. Among them, of course, there should be complaisance and non-conflict. And as disadvantages are suitable:
- picky about trifles;
- taciturnity;
- lack of ambition;
- low self-esteem;
- persistence.
It will not be difficult for a professional to create a resume that the employer will read with gusto and delight. The main thing is that its content is as close to reality as possible, and negative character traits are not always capable of spoiling a reputation.