What negative qualities to write in a resume. What weaknesses should you include in your resume?

A good, well-written resume is a powerful argument in favor of hiring. It can be a serious advantage, so you should start your job search by drawing it up. In the West, careerists keep their resumes throughout their lives, and add new lines as they improve their qualifications or change jobs. A document providing information about the applicant before the interview is part of business etiquette, which should not be neglected.

What you can and should write about yourself in your resume

There are basic points that must be spelled out. Indicate your strengths in your resume, avoid unnecessary things, only be informative. A resume is a brief summary of skills and qualities. From the first lines, show that you are a person with a serious character, focused on results. So what you need:

  1. Personal information: full name, date of birth, Family status. If desired, you can add a photo.
  2. Contacts. Please include your phone number and email address at the beginning of your resume. This will make it easier for them to find you when they want to contact you.
  3. Desired vacancy. This item must be filled out.
  4. Education. Indicate all institutions, courses, trainings that you have completed. School, university, attended a seminar on NLP - your knowledge base should be impressive. Be prepared to document each point.
  5. Experience. Have you already held a similar position? Put this on your resume. To a person who does not have a single entry in work book, will be treated with suspicion.
  6. Additional Information. Here you can talk about your hobbies, strengths and weaknesses. Carefully select personal qualities for your resume. It will be a plus if they prove useful in the position.

Professional skills and abilities

Describe yourself in your resume: Show the employer that you are qualified for the position. Possession computer programs, knowledge of languages, availability of a driver’s license - all this must be described in this paragraph. Place resume skills and abilities in order of importance for future work. If you have a specific, not-so-useful talent that you want to list, put it at the end of the list.

Personal qualities of a person

Education and experience are not the only evaluation criteria. Personal qualities for writing good resume Although they are not mandatory, they can play a decisive role in many situations. Imagine what kind of employee the director of the company wants to see? Do you have anything in common with him? positive traits, can you look competitive? Be sure to write about it, use your advantages!

Character strengths and weaknesses

Correctly selected good and bad personal qualities for a resume will help you get a job. If you cope with your responsibilities, character weaknesses will not be so important. Often the same trait becomes a trump card or interferes with work. Present your shortcomings as advantages in your resume and show your willingness to work on yourself. Determination is strong point character, which is valued in the team.

Positive character traits for a resume

Negative character traits for a resume

Ambiguous character traits for a resume

Responsiveness

Contempt

Individualism

Sensitivity

Closedness

Pedantry

Sociability

Coarseness

Scrupulousness

Hard work

Negligence

Self-criticism

Accuracy

Sloppiness

Self-esteem

Care

Conceit

Responsibility

Passivity

Vanity

Integrity

Negligence

Mistrust

Punctuality

Touchiness

Self-confidence

Friendliness

Arrogance

Hyperreactivity

Discipline

Hot temper

Straightforwardness

Resourcefulness

Indifference

Demandingness

Focus on results

Greed

Pedantry

Organization

Envy

Modesty

What weaknesses can be indicated in a resume?

The employee’s task is not to scare you away, but to show that you do not suffer from inflated self-esteem. Be honest, but strongly negative personal qualities are inappropriate for a resume and should not be included. The second column of the table will scare away the employer. Character traits from the third will play a positive role for certain positions. Don't be cunning and don't try to present advantages as disadvantages. This will be conspicuous and reveal insincerity.

Examples: individualism is good for a creative profession; it helps presenters or artists stand out from the crowd. When working in a team, on the contrary, you need to be able to become part of the team and take into account the opinions of others. A pedantic character will interfere with working quickly, but it is appropriate where quality comes first. Modesty will prevent you from communicating freely with clients, however, when the right approach will put the company in a good light.

Irina Davydova


Reading time: 4 minutes

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How to please your future boss if his profile contains an insidious item - character weaknesses? In a resume, unlike an ordinary conversation, every word has weight, so it is better to prepare in advance for uncomfortable questions, and weak qualities must be presented as very useful for the business.

  1. You can simply not indicate your weak professional qualities in your resume. Focus on your skills, experience, education, and personal qualities can be discussed at the interview. However, it is impossible to refuse this point if you fill out your resume electronically. Read also:
  2. A dash instead of information is another mistake of future employees. If the boss decided to leave this column, it means that he is really interested in this information. And it’s not even about it, but about checking an adequate perception of oneself, the ability to learn and understand the leader. Emptiness can indicate excessively high self-esteem or, on the contrary, lack of self-confidence. Read also:
  3. Of course, you shouldn’t list all the shortcomings in too much detail or engage in self-flagellation. It is enough to remember that any weaknesses in the resume have reverse side for the employer. And what may be a problem for one may be an advantage for another. For example, if you are an accountant, your lack of sociability will be useful in your work. And if you are a manager, then this is a serious omission.
  4. When filling out strengths and weaknesses in your resume, try to build on the position you want to occupy. For example, choose weaknesses that are not related to your activities. Restlessness is the norm for a sales manager, but a minus for an accountant.
  5. "Turn weaknesses into strengths" - old approach. It works if you can think creatively. Otherwise, your efforts will be too primitive and you will be found out. So the trick “with an increased sense of responsibility, workaholism and perfectionism” may be unsuccessful.
  6. Remember that some bosses aren't looking for flaws in you at all. , but only evaluate adequacy, truthfulness and self-criticism.
  7. It is better to describe your weaknesses in your resume, which can be improved. This must also be stated in the text of the questionnaire. There are some bosses who want to train workers for themselves. In this case, your frankness and willingness to work on yourself will be appreciated.
  8. Indicate not only individual characteristics, but also your qualities in teamwork .
  9. Do not use flowery phrases like “my shortcomings are extensions of my strengths.” This will not surprise you, but will only show your reluctance to engage in dialogue with your employer.
  10. The optimal number of flaws is 2 or 3 . Don't get carried away!

Weaknesses in a resume - examples:

  • Selfishness, pride, scrupulousness, inflexibility in labor matters, the habit of telling the truth directly, inability to establish contact with strangers, increased demands.
  • Tendency to formalism, overweight, unpunctuality, slowness, restlessness, fear of airplanes, impulsiveness.
  • Reliability, high anxiety, hyperactivity, distrust, straightforwardness, need for external motivation.
  • Hot temper, isolation, self-confidence, stubbornness.
  • Another weakness you can indicate in your resume is that you You don’t always express your thoughts perfectly or are prone to reflection . And if you are asked why this interferes, answer that you would like to spend less time analyzing the problem.

Not everyone requires you to list your weaknesses on your resume. But if there is such a clause on the form, then putting a dash through would be a mistake. Better look at an example of character weaknesses in your resume.

What to write

Before filling out the box in which you need to indicate your shortcomings, think about your answer. Do not miss it under any circumstances, because ideal people do not exist. As a rule, managers want to see how adequately you evaluate yourself. If you don't know what to write, look at the suggested options and choose something that suits you best.

A universal formula: select character traits that are an advantage for performing this particular job, but in ordinary life can really be considered a human flaw.

The following weaknesses can be written:

  • excessive directness, the habit of telling the truth face to face;
  • difficulty establishing contact with strangers;
  • inability to show flexibility in labor matters;
  • reliability;
  • increased anxiety;
  • excessive emotionality, hot temper;
  • love of formalism;
  • restlessness;
  • slowness;
  • hyperactivity;
  • fear of air travel.

All of the weaknesses listed in your resume can become strengths if you look at them from a different angle. An example is restlessness. For a sales representative or active sales manager, this can even be a plus. The same goes for reliability. This is a signal to the manager that you may be the person who will do all the overtime work.

Linking weaknesses to the characteristics of professions

All applicants should think about how to write my weaknesses for a resume. For example, a future accountant or design engineer might write:

  • distrust;
  • excessive scrupulousness;
  • increased anxiety;
  • excessive demands on oneself;
  • straightforwardness;
  • pedantry;
  • modesty;
  • inability to lie;
  • difficulties in establishing contact with strangers;
  • self-esteem;
  • lack of flexibility in labor matters;
  • integrity;
  • inflated sense of responsibility;
  • lack of diplomacy.
  • hyperactivity;
  • self-confidence;
  • restlessness;
  • impulsiveness;
  • the need for external motivation;
  • distrust, desire to double-check and confirm all information.

Disadvantages for one profession can become advantages for another.

You can also indicate in your resume among your negative qualities:

  • straightforwardness;
  • workaholism;
  • excessive love of communication.

Applicants for management positions need to prepare before filling out the specified column. It is better to think in advance about what weaknesses to include in your resume. You can write to them about the following character traits:

  • excessive emotionality;
  • pedantry;
  • love for little things;
  • thoughts about work and planning occupy most of your free time;
  • increased demands on others.

A good example would be the following:

  • inability to respond to rudeness with rudeness;
  • tendency to make decisions based on one’s own opinion;
  • distrust of people and love of confirmation of facts.

Some applicants prefer to indicate that they:

  • overly trusting;
  • can raise their voice to subordinates;
  • straightforward, express their opinions without veiled embellishments;
  • hot-tempered;
  • always looking for confirmation of words;
  • have a hypertrophied sense of responsibility;
  • prone to formalism and pay excessive attention to detail;
  • irritated by clutter;
  • slow;
  • do not like to do something to please others.

For all occasions

Many people are afraid to write about shortcomings, believing that the employer will immediately send their resume to the trash bin. Of course, you shouldn’t be too frank, but you shouldn’t completely skip this section of the questionnaire. In this case, you can write about some neutral qualities that will not affect your work in any way. For a person applying for any vacancy, among the inherent weaknesses one can indicate:

  • fear of airplanes;
  • arachnophobia (fear of spiders), vespertiliophobia (fear of bats), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes);
  • excess weight;
  • lack of experience;
  • age (suitable for people over 40 years old);
  • love of shopping;
  • love for sweets.

This information does not characterize you in any way, it simply speaks about your fears or small weaknesses.

The following disadvantages can be mentioned:

  • I don’t always express my thoughts accurately;
  • I trust people too much;
  • prone to reflection;
  • I often analyze past mistakes, focusing too much attention on them;
  • I spend a lot of time evaluating my actions.

This negative qualities, but they should not affect the workflow.

Regardless of the position for which you are applying, you can write the following weaknesses in your resume:

  • I get so carried away with work that I forget to take breaks;
  • I can’t build relationships with colleagues because I don’t like gossip;
  • I can’t fight back in response to boorish treatment;
  • I constantly pass all situations through myself;
  • I let people get too close;
  • I don’t know how to swear;
  • I get noticeably worried when I have to lie.

Important nuances

Please note that there are items that are best left unindicated. You should not write, for example, that you:

  • love to be lazy;
  • afraid to take responsibility;
  • don't like making decisions;
  • unpunctual;
  • are often distracted;
  • you only think about your salary;
  • love office romances.

For example, if you write about your laziness in your resume, you run the risk that the employer will decide that you don’t want to work.

Each person has strengths and weaknesses of character that can play to his advantage or to his detriment. Especially when applying for a job or during an interview on which your future depends.

Human Strengths

It is known that among us ordinary people there are no “saints”. And each person has his own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the first of them. In order to “shine” in live speech during an interview and live communication, think in advance about the qualities that you think are inherent to you.

Example good list human dignity:

  • Communication skills;
  • Determination;
  • Integrity;
  • Performance;
  • Friendliness;
  • Stress resistance;
  • Responsibility;
  • Punctuality, etc.

If you list at least some of the above traits and qualities, that's half the success. If the manager sees how seriously you approach this issue, he will appreciate your ability to correctly express thoughts and convey the essence. You should not praise yourself and promise what you cannot fulfill.

For example, if you do not specialize in a particular industry, but you are asked provocative questions about a specific problem, it would be more honest to answer that you do not yet have such skills, but are striving and want to expand your boundaries and skills. Then the employer will be able to appreciate your honesty and desire to develop and climb the career ladder.

The future leader may ask you tricky questions, the answers to which will not be entirely convenient. The candidate's endurance and ability to get out of difficult situations are tested in this way.

It doesn't seem right. But if you are applying for a good position with a high salary and you will be required to be able to communicate with people competently and without emotions, then you must have self-control and discipline.

A potential employer, through live communication, will be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses and draw conclusions about your personality.

The manager will also ask you about your strengths and weaknesses. You should not take this issue seriously and completely remove all the “skeletons” from the closet. It will be enough if you name some minor shortcomings: for example, shyness. This little vice rarely deters. Therefore, there is no need to worry about this.

To avoid embarrassment during an interview and personal conversation with a potential employer, make a list of your strengths in advance. It will be useful for you to analyze your mentality and character, thereby you will be ready for such a question and will not be confused.

Take a blank piece of paper and start writing down the qualities that you are proud of. For example, kindness, understanding, responsiveness, sociability, learning ability, etc. This is a kind of training. You will be able to objectively evaluate your pros and cons. And in advance, you can write a list of those qualities that you do not possess, but are trying to develop in yourself. This will give you a push and incentive to change.

Weaknesses of a person, their list

Now let's try to consider the weaknesses of human character. Most often, when trying to get a job, during the interview the employer may notice some shortcomings of the future candidate for the position. For example, he may be alarmed by inattention, absent-mindedness and slurred speech.

Consider a list of the most common human shortcomings and weaknesses:

  • Indecisiveness;
  • Emotional stiffness;
  • Shyness;
  • Timidity;
  • Coarseness;
  • Rudeness, etc.

When talking, try to tell your boss about your interests, hobbies, and a little about the family in which you grew up. In this way, you will win over the employer, and he will appreciate your aspirations and see that you are ready to do a lot for the sake of work. Honesty and unobtrusive frankness will benefit you.

Weaknesses in a resume

When writing your resume, be careful when indicating the reason for leaving your previous job. For example, if it were conflict situations with employees, or disagreements with the employer. It doesn't matter why you quit. Do not write about the reasons for leaving; it is better to write about it discreetly. For example, you weren’t happy with your work schedule, or you had to change your position due to a move.

Also, try not to get personal and tell your future employer about your past work team. It is better to avoid inconvenient topics tactfully and carefully. At the same time, without losing composure and self-esteem.

Strengths of a person in a resume example

When writing your resume, be careful to highlight your strengths. For example, you should not write about character traits that you do not possess. It’s better to focus on the strengths of your character. For example, you could write the following traits:

  • Determination;
  • Curiosity;
  • Stress resistance;
  • Communication skills;
  • Ability to get out of different situations;
  • Active life position.

By listing these qualities, you will definitely make a positive impression on your boss, and your candidacy will be considered.

Strengths and weaknesses of a leader

Additionally, you may be asked what qualities and personal merits you would like to see in your boss. It’s worth thinking about the answer to this question in advance. For example, you can say what you want to see in a leader:

  • Determination;
  • Restraint;
  • Responsiveness;
  • Demandingness;
  • Communication skills;
  • Individual approach to employees;
  • Decisiveness, etc.

You won't be asked questions like this for nothing. After all, every employer wants to see what the employee expects from his superiors. If you answer adequately and your potential boss likes you, you will get a permanent position.

Character strengths and weaknesses

Let's summarize. When applying for a job, you must think through your answers in advance in order to produce good impression on future employers. If you communicate actively, express yourself with the best side By focusing on the strengths of your character, you will definitely get promising job and desired position.

82 960 0 Hello! In this article we want to tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of a person. After all, everyone has to face this question when writing a resume or during an interview for a job.

Strengths and weaknesses of a person

The strengths and weaknesses of a person are closely related and should not contradict each other. Each person has their own disadvantages and advantages. As a rule, we are used to talking about strengths, but we are often silent about weaknesses.

An independent, goal-oriented and self-critical person always recognizes that there are many weaknesses in his character. And there's nothing wrong with that. We are all humans. But every purposeful person can turn his shortcomings into advantages through painstaking work on himself.

So, what are a person's strengths and how to find them? To do this, first of all, pay attention to your talents and skills. This is where you will find your strengths. When you have found your advantages, pursue them and develop them. This will allow you to open up to your fullest potential.

If you cannot independently determine your strengths for the questionnaire, ask your acquaintances and friends for help. Thanks to their opinions, you may discover advantages in yourself that you were not aware of before. And in some ways your opinion will agree with the opinion of your friends.

In addition to the strengths on your resume, there is often a question about your weaknesses. There is no need to be ashamed of them. If you claim that you have no negative character traits, this will become a sign to the recruiter of an undeveloped personality. Which is unlikely to help you get the desired position in the future.

Table 1 - Strengths and weaknesses

Your strengths if you: Your weaknesses may include:
Results-orientedInability to remain silent in time
TenaciousExcessive emotionality
HardworkingLack of willpower
Strong-willed personality
ConfidentInability to speak in public
SociableExcessive irritability and aggressiveness
Organized and independent person
You perceive information wellFormalism
Learn quicklyHyperactivity
Responsible for their own actions and the actions of their subordinatesFear of traveling by air and sea
DisciplinedInability to lie
Love your profession and workIntegrity
Active and energetic personLack of flexibility
PatientModesty
Honest and don’t like to lieExcessive self-criticism
You have organizational skillsStraightforwardness
Love for formalism
PunctualPedantry
Are you a good performer?Self-love
ScrupulousImpulsiveness

Exceptions to the rules

When applying for a job, indicate in your resume those strengths that will help you get the desired position. After all, some of your strengths for a certain position may turn out to be weaknesses that an applicant should not have.

Here are the most common examples. To get a manager position, you shouldn’t talk about your ability to sing. This is unlikely to help you get a job. But if you tell a hiring manager that you are a good cook, this will indicate your discipline, creativity, perseverance and accuracy. After all, to prepare a new dish you need to spend a lot of effort and time on choosing products and on the direct cooking process. In addition, a good cook is always creative in creating a new masterpiece, but always follows it exactly in accordance with the culinary recipe.

Below we will give several examples of what qualities must be specified when applying for a particular position.

Table 2 - Strengths and weaknesses by specialty: examples

Strengths Weak sides

If you are applying for the position of accountant, then you:

AssiduousYou don't know how to lie
Attentive to detailsAlways straightforward
DisciplinedScrupulous
PunctualPrincipled
HardworkingDistrustful
Honest and decent personModest

If you are applying for a leadership position, you:

InitiativeHyperactive
ActiveA person with high demands
Goal orientedScrupulous
AssertivePrincipled
Possess leadership qualitiesPedantic
Love to develop and learn new things
Confident

If you are an applicant for creative vacancies, you:

Have a creative mindHyperactive
You know how to work for resultsModest
You know how to soberly evaluate your workEmotional
Initiative

If you are applying for a manager or office employee position, you:

SociableAre you afraid of flying?
Results-orientedYou don't know how to lie
Can you listen?Principled
ConfidentHyperactive
Speak competently
Punctual
You know how to find a way out of difficult situations
Attentive and polite
Responsive
Have a creative mind

The table shows that not all positive sides It’s worth indicating in your resume, since some are simply not needed to get the desired position or can be “harmful.” For an employment application, we recommend that you select such weaknesses that will help characterize you as a responsible person and worthy of holding this position. The negative qualities of your character should help you perform the functions assigned to you.

What else should you pay attention to in your application or resume?

  • Be sure to indicate in your resume that you you always set goals for yourself and achieve them, that is, you are a goal-oriented person. At the same time, you show persistence and always follow the pre-drawn plan.
  • It is also worth pointing out that if unforeseen circumstances arise, you will be able to find a way out of the current situation - you have creative thinking.
  • Another important component of any successful applicant is self confidence. This will characterize you as a confident person who is not afraid to take a step forward. You are not inclined to panic due to unforeseen circumstances; you are calm and confident in your abilities.
  • It is also very important ability to communicate with people. Let it be clients, colleagues, subordinates, suppliers. You just need to be able to find relationships with them " mutual language", accept their point of view and correctly present your opinion.
  • One more positive feature character that must be indicated in the employment application is responsibility. Whatever position you apply for, you must always be responsible for your actions. Otherwise, you will become a burden to the company, which will ultimately lead to your termination.

Also, when applying for a new position, indicate that you are highly trainable. You can give examples from your past work or university practice. When you come to new company, at first you will need to study: learn about the company, the features of its activities and learn how to fulfill your direct responsibilities.

Exercises to identify strengths and weaknesses

Sometimes it is very difficult to determine your personal qualities on one's own. Especially if you are nervous or writing a resume for the first time. To avoid worries, and unpleasant moments Before the interview, make a list of your qualities. And we will help you how to do this. So:

  1. Conduct an analysis of your character. To do this, remember what you do well and what you do poorly. And also, what qualities are needed to complete these tasks. Write everything down so you don't forget.
  2. If you cannot independently assess your qualities, ask your loved ones and friends whom you trust to do so. They will help you find your strengths and point out your weaknesses.
  3. Assess your surroundings. Determine what positive and negative character traits your friends have. Compare with yourself: what you have and what you don’t have. Write it down.
  4. Next, evaluate the qualities you indicated. You need to select which of this list are your strengths and which are your weaknesses. Let’s say at university you couldn’t give a presentation in front of an audience. So yours weak side is the fear of the public. But you made this report, which means you are a diligent, attentive, responsible and hardworking person.
  5. Next, from the selected qualities, you need to choose your personal and professional qualities.
  6. Determine what qualities an applicant for your vacancy should have. Write them down.
  7. Now make a selection from your personal and professional qualities in accordance with the qualities that an applicant for the desired position must have. Write it down.
  8. After the work has been done, identify your shortcomings and how you can overcome them.

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