Name Your Own Weakness Before They Find It

Even if you’re self employed now, you’ve probably sat through a job interview at some point

Donned your fakest warm smile, hoped they’d notice your personality, not the stain from your nervous 7am coffee on the train

You have likely wrestled with the worst question of all time,

‘What would you say are your weaknesses?’

And you probably picked a strength that sounds like a weakness.

‘If caring too much is a crime, then lock me up hahahaha…haha…ha’

Mariana Kobayashi did the opposite

She got laid off by LinkedIn in 2023 and decided she wanted to work at Google

She skipped the application portal entirely and sent everything straight to the hiring manager

She made a video - around ten hours of work - with videotaped references from old colleagues in it

She kept weekly contact with the recruiter

And then, before the third interview round had even closed, she sent two documents that nobody had asked for

The first one argued the case for hiring her.

Fine - everybody would write that one

The second one listed her own weaknesses

It started with the fact she had no sales experience - but also attached a plan for fixing each one

She got offered a job that was close to double her old salary.

That second document took the interviewers’ job off them

They were always going to find the gap in her experience, she just presented it to them before they got there.

It didn’t work because of vulnerability, or humility.

It worked because it’s expensive

Anyone can list their strengths - it costs nothing and it proves nothing

There’s a self-assuredness that comes with naming weaknesses, that disarms people and can be endearing (when used correctly)

It plays on the ‘Pratfall Effect’

When people consider working with you

They’re often mostly convinced, whilst also scanning everything for ‘the catch’

If you don’t name some? They’ll find one, or worse - invent one.

So name it.

It’s expensive, it doesn’t help this person, it’s only good for you if, if you can’t get to this yet then it’s a waste of time

If they fit the criteria?

They’ll feel the double bonus of being a good fit, and feeling like they’ve done due diligence before proceeding.