It feels counterintuitive to discuss your weaknesses in a job interview—the time when you want to put your absolute best foot forward. But if the interviewer asks the question, you need to be prepared with an answer. 

Here’s how to tackle the dreaded “What is your greatest weakness?” question in a hospitality job interview.

Your Plan of Attack

To prepare for this question, you’ll need to do a little homework.

First, do an honest self-assessment. What feedback have you received from previous managers? Where do you see a coworker shine, and wish you could do the same? If you spend a few minutes reflecting on your own performance and personality, you should be able to come up with a few areas where you see room for improvement. 

Next, compare those weaknesses to the role you’re applying for. You want to choose a trait that won’t prevent you from doing well in the role you’re applying for. For example, you wouldn’t want to say that you’re bad at making logical connections if you’re after a hotel’s financial analyst role! 

Once you’ve chosen a real weakness that won’t exclude you from the role, you’ll need to explain how you’re working to improve it. Maybe you’re taking an online class, or reading a few books on the subject. Or maybe you’ve recently implemented a new routine into your day to keep your attention focused on this area. 

Now you have the building blocks of your answer: 

1. A real weakness
2. That won’t exclude you from the job
3. And the steps you’re taking to remedy it. 

Now, let’s look at some examples that could apply to real hospitality jobs and interviews. 

Trouble Delegating

When you could mention it: If you’re applying for a non-managerial role, or if you can prove that you’ve worked to overcome it as a manager.

When to avoid it: If you’re applying for an entry-level manager role, you won’t have the experience to show you have improved. So it may be best to avoid this weakness.

Example: “I have a hard time letting go of tasks when I feel like I could complete them myself. But in my last role as the hotel front desk manager, I learned quickly that it was unsustainable to do everything myself. So I started using a task management softward to keep track of each step of my projects, and made it my goal to delegate pieces of each project to my staff on a weekly basis.”

Overly Task-Oriented

When you could mention it: If you’re applying for a role that requires you to complete daily tasks as well as do long-term planning. 

When to avoid it: If you’re applying for an entry-level role that is deliberately task-focused, rather than strategy focused.

Example: “As a restaurant manager, I have a long running task list that I work to complete every day. But my urgency to tick those boxes means I don’t spend much time looking at the big picture. So I also set aside some time each week to look at sales numbers, marketing plans, and upcoming events. This is how I make sure I lift my head up from the daily tasks to keep an eye on the overall health of the restaurant.”

Being a People Pleaser

When you could mention it: In nearly any role. People pleasing can mean saying yes to either coworker or customer requests, so this can work for managers, mid-level employees, and even front-of-house employees. 

When to avoid it: N/A

Example: “In my last role as F&B Director for a hotel, I let my people-pleasing nature get in the way of my duties by saying ‘yes’ to every request. I found myself overcommitted and underperforming, taking on tasks that were better suited to the chef or general manager. To combat this, I’ve stopped saying ‘yes’ to most requests in the moment. Instead, I say ‘Let me check my schedule and get back to you.’ And then that’s exactly what I do, assessing my current task list and calendar to see if I can meet the request. I’ve found that by taking those extra few minutes, I’ve dramatically improved my overcommittment problem and improved my overall workflow.”

Poor Organization

When you could mention it: When you’ll work away from customers, preferably in a private office. 

When to avoid it: In a highly visible customer-facing role, like a hotel front desk agent or concierge. You don’t want to imply that you’ll leave a messy workstation in the customer’s line of sight.

Example: “My natural inclination is to focus my energy on tasks that affect the bottom line. This means I hit deadlines, but my organization suffers. In my last event manager role, I found that my messy desk and chaotic inbox were hindering my efficiency and making me feel scattered. So I started blocking off a daily 20-minute organization block so I could keep my email, task management software, and physical space organized. I plan to keep this habit moving forward.”