Why you should mention your weaknesses in a job interview, CEOs say

When it comes to job interviews, there are several points to keep in mind: Get there early — or, at least, be on time. Research the people interviewing you and come prepared to ask questions about their backgrounds. Dress appropriately.

And, though it may sound counterintuitive, don’t shy away from mentioning your professional weaknesses, says Ryan Simonetti, CEO of hospitality company Convene, which has raised more than $280 million in funding.

Do your homework, learn what that role is going to be then say, “I know that there may be gaps in what that role is relative to my capability,” he says. “And I think I can close them, but I need help.”

Here’s why he and other CEOs say being open about your shortcomings makes you stand out.

For Simonetti, being open about where you might need help is about starting to build a workflow that serves everyone. If you’re coming into an interview saying, I can do this role but “here’s what I might need from you,” he says, then “it’s that type of two-way, honest dialogue that I think sets everyone up for success.”   

“Really talented people that are evolved professionally and emotionally can have that type of conversation,” he says. And it bodes well for their future performance.

If you’re forthcoming about what you might need from the organization to succeed, both you and your interviewers might be able to tell before you even start the role if they can provide that kind of help.

“It is so much better to have that conversation in an interview, to make it a true match and a true partnership, than to find out like the opposite of what you needed is true once you’ve hired somebody,” says Djenaba Parker, general counsel and chief people officer at Goop.

Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscars, agrees. “I love seeing humility and kindness in people that I interview,” he says.