"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." —Arnold Schwarzenegger

"What are your strengths"? may seem to be one of the simpler job interview questions, an interviewer will ask you. But, for some applicants, it can be tricky, because either they fail to highlight their on-target strengths or are too modest in their response.

What the Hiring Manager Really Wants to Know By Asking This Question?

The primary reason the recruiters ask this question is to distinguish whether your strengths line up with the requirements of the organization and the job responsibilities. The interviewer wants to know whether you're a good match for the job you're interviewing for.

Your response to this question will enable the employer to decide whether or not you are the strongest candidate for the position. That implies, if you're applying for a computer engineer job, it's not useful to feature your quality in event organization.

It's essential to show the recruiter that you have the characteristics the employer is looking for. There are a few strengths that all employers look for in the applicants they hire. Others will usually be specific to the job and the organization.

A Formulaic Approach

A Formulaic approach to answering the question "What Are Your Biggest Strength" is given beneath:

1. State your strength
2. Provide recruiter an example of when you utilized this strength and how
3. Think about a quality that fits well with the job.

Sample Answers

Here are some sample answers of the interview question, "What is your greatest strength?" These sample answers will assist you in thinking the ideal answers and leave a positive impact on the employer.

Source: pinterest

Sample Answer 1: What is your biggest strength?

An example for skill-based strength

For example, you are going to apply for a copywriter/content writer/ creative writer job.

I love writing and have incredible knowledge of various niches. These two skills make the biggest strength for me that reward me in my professional career. Even though I have an expertise in academic writing, I additionally have a hand on writing for a broad range of niches. So, I believe that writing for numerous audiences is my core strength.

Pro Tip: Tailor your answer that adjusts more to the job role.

Sample Answer  2: What is your greatest strength?

An example for soft skill-based strength

I have a good command over problem-solving skill, which I consider as my greatest strength. It's inspiring for me to come up with various ideas and tackle unique issues. In my previous company, I invested time building this expertise where I dealt with redesigning the whole manufacturing process and helped the company in diminishing the overall cost by 60%. I was also recognized by the Head of the Department for my accomplishment.

Answer Sample 3: What is your greatest strength?

A sample for Character-based strength:

My friends and colleagues say they consider me to be a trustworthy and reliable person. I feel obliged to help other people and have helped numerous colleagues in the previous company in their key projects where they required my expertise. I consider this as my biggest strength; but, it additionally takes the time that I can use in my own work. Not letting my work suffer, I have now begun to maintain a proper balance between my priorities and sharing my insight and learning with others. I let others know when I am free, and they connect with me, suitably for their issues. I am happy that I have figured out how to balance between the two.

List Of Strengths On The Type Of The Job

If you are still confused about the strengths that suit you perfectly apart from the above-discussed sample answers, check out the list of strengths based on the type of job you're applying for:

Source: novoresume.com

Mistakes When Answering, "What Is Your Biggest Strength?"

Now that you have an idea of how to respond to questions about your biggest strengths and have seen a few sample answers for this question, let's talk about a few mistakes to avoid in your response!

First Mistake

Never say, "I don't know" or "I am not sure". Always have one exact answer prepared, that is "tailored" for the organization you're interviewing with.

Second Mistake

The next mistake to avoid is naming too many strengths or sounding scattered. It's ideal to pick one single strength to discuss. You can extend this to two strengths if you truly need, but don't mention any more.

Third Mistake

The third and last big mistake to stay away from is sounding too shy/humble. There's a specific time and place to be humble, and an opportunity to be confident and boast somewhat about yourself. This is an HR interview question where you indeed should be comfortable talking profoundly of your own skills.

So ensure you work on sounding confidence when you give your answer.