How to write about strengths and weaknesses in a resume. What are the shortcomings to indicate in the resume

  • 20.10.2019

Good day, dear friend!

If you value concise answers, then the question “What flaws can be indicated in a resume?” - you will get it.I will answer right away, and you decide whether to read this article to the end or not.

The answer is as simple as five kopecks: in - no shortcomings should be indicated. I hope I didn't disappoint too much.

I can assume that you argue like this: there are no ideal people and everyone has flaws. And you're absolutely right, but...

What is the purpose of writing about the shortcomings in the resume?A resume should be written in such a way as to answer the question: Who are you and why do you need to be invited to?

How will your weaknesses help answer this question? That's right - none.

However, I would not put an end to this. We will need shortcomings very soon, namely, at the next interview. If not by phone, then in person, for sure.

Why do we have disadvantages?

1. The employer needs them

Everything is very prosaic. The employer needs shortcomings so that there is something to point out. A person who tries to hide his shortcomings does not inspire confidence. You will still find flaws, you can be sure.

2. You need them

Understanding your problems is the first step towards solving them. Your flaws are the same distinguishing feature as well as merit. The desire to seem like a superman with a stone chin can not buy anyone now. Rather the opposite.

What not to talk about

  1. About the shortcomings, critical for work. If you are an accountant, but confuse debit with credit, this is not the case that you need to tell everyone about)
  2. Never use worn templates. For example: "I'm a workaholic and don't notice how quickly time flies." Such memorized phrases cause nothing but irritation.

“I tried to sell memorized bullshit” - your obedient servant saw such a record in the interview report of one of his employees. I guess comments are unnecessary here...

Your flaws should be as unique as you are.


Failure is also a plus

It's quite normal to have some sort of failure. For example, he began to accept delivery drivers without taking into account subsequent loading. Rather, he made a too superficial forecast. As a result, he recruited people, but they give few orders. Accordingly, the salary is low, people leave and you have to recruit again.

The most important thing in failure - what conclusions did you draw? Your obedient servant has learned to force his colleagues to make the correct forecast of customer orders and give me as an order for the selection of people. And everyone is fine.

By talking about failures and shortcomings, you show that you are a person with adequate self-esteem.

How do we make up for shortcomings?

Everyone has flaws and that's okay. The problem is if you do not compensate them in any way. That's right, not so much how you fight it, but how you compensate.


Example: I have a bad memory. I can easily forget some important things.

I can fight this as much as I want, and a year or two or more.

But I installed reminder programs on my smartphone. They do not forget anything and compensate for my forgetfulness. It’s even convenient, I write down everything I need, what I don’t need - I forget and free my brain for more important things.

Sometimes a disadvantage can even be presented in a positive light. For example, the same forgetfulness. I get quite a lot of confidential information from the people I talk to, but I forget it, which means I don't salt it to anyone.

My old friend, a colleague in the shop, is a person who is difficult to motivate with a carrot ahead. He is motivated to action by the f@pa in which he finds himself. He doesn't hide it.


The main thing is that he understands his motivation for avoidance and knows how to generate the energy that allows him, as a Baron Munchausen, to pull himself out of the quagmire in which he finds himself by the hair. And in the end - to solve the challenges.

Not every recruiter will understand you. Someone will measure with stamps. But an experienced and thoughtful recruiter will understand. Competent - will always understand.

Take responsibility

What is really valued at? Your adequacy and responsibility.

Show that you are willing to take responsibility for your successes and failures.

Talk about yourself as a person who is the only reason for everything that happens to him.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again

  1. We do not write any shortcomings in the summary.
  2. For the interview: We adequately evaluate ourselves. We find our shortcomings, which are clearly there. We talk about how these shortcomings are compensated.

Thank you for your interest in the article. I would appreciate a comment (at the bottom of the page).

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Have a nice day and good mood!

How to write a good resume for a job?

Recently, most employers have begun to require applicants for workplace summary. And if earlier this trend was observed only in large companies, now even small firms are asking future employees to present themselves correctly. Almost always, after receiving a resume, they carefully study it, trying to understand in absentia what kind of person wrote it.

That is why the preparation of this presentation document must be approached quite seriously. If you fail to make the right impression with it, then it is likely that you will not be invited to a personal meeting with the employer.

What qualities of an employee does an employer need?

Qualities that any employer will love

Almost all people who write resumes for the first time focus on skills related to the job they want to get. That is why most of all they try to show how competent they are in what they have to do. Of course, you can also indicate such data in your resume, but as practice shows, most employers pay attention to completely different qualities.

They do this because they understand that no matter how well a person learns, without practice his knowledge means nothing. That is why it is easier for them to take a person who takes the initiative and is ready to learn something new, rather than someone who is trying to prove his superiority without confirming it with any actions.

Qualities that any employer will like:

  • Initiative
  • performance
  • Attentiveness
  • Responsibility
  • Accuracy
  • Punctuality
  • Discipline
  • industriousness

Oh, and remember that a resume is first and foremost a good presentation, so if you want to get the right opinion about you, then try not to overpraise yourself. In no case do not allocate half of the resume to your positive qualities. It will be quite enough if you name 5-7 pieces and, of course, do not forget to mention negative traits of his character. After all, as sad as it is to admit, each person has his own disadvantages. Therefore, if you do not say anything about them, then the employer will think that you are trying to look better than you really are.

Also, do not forget that the resume refers to official documents, so when compiling it, it is undesirable to use slang words and comic phrases. You should talk about yourself rather reservedly, but at the same time show that you are quite sociable and easily make contact. Believe me, if you take into account all these nuances, you can pleasantly surprise the most strict boss with your resume.

Universal personal qualities for a resume - positive and negative for men and women



Universal personal qualities for a resume

If you realize that you do not have some outstanding abilities, you can always list universal qualities in your resume that are suitable for all professions. Such a little trick will help you form the right opinion about yourself, and it is likely that the employer will not begin to focus on some specific professional qualities. And remember that the qualities that are most suitable for the position you want to get should be included in the resume.

After all, if you get a job as a loader, but at the same time indicate that you have good charisma, then this will only make the person who will read it laugh. If you describe yourself in just a few words, it will be quite clear to the employer what they can expect from you. As practice shows, resumes, in which it is written on 2 pages about what a good person is, employers simply refuse to read and immediately delete such individuals from the list of applicants for a place.

Positive qualities for a resume, for men and women:

  • Learnability (you can indicate that you are ready to attend additional courses and trainings)
  • Ability to work overtime (including weekends)
  • Complete absence bad habits(assuming you don't smoke or drink alcohol at all)
  • Stress resistance (you are not afraid of any difficulties)
  • Industriousness (willingness to devote oneself to the full for the sake of a common cause)

Negative qualities for a resume, for men and women:

  • Directness (prefer to tell a person everything you think about him)
  • Scrupulousness (do not like to do work quickly because you think that this worsens the result)
  • Demanding (always expecting more from people)
  • Pedantry (always meticulously follow some rules)
  • Self-esteem (think that in some cases you are head and shoulders above the rest)

Personal and personal qualities for a resume - strengths and weaknesses for a man



Personal and personal qualities for resume

As you probably already understood, a resume is a kind of calling card for an applicant for a job, so it should be compiled as briefly and informatively as possible. If possible, you should make sure that all the information about you fits literally on one piece of paper. And this means that in addition to generally accepted professional qualities, you must also indicate personal ones. Usually, it is by them that the employer judges how ideally the applicant suits him.

But still, keep in mind, no matter how much you want to embellish yourself, you should not do this. If you write that you are a very kind person, but in reality it turns out that this is not at all the case, then in the end everyone will find out about it anyway and you will earn yourself a small minus that will prevent you from moving up the career ladder. Therefore, it would be better if you immediately write the truth about yourself, and if your alleged bosses can initially accept your cons, then in the future you will not get into unpleasant situations.

Strengths of men:

  • Active
  • Contact
  • Conscientious
  • creative
  • Plodding

Weak sides men:

  • hot-tempered
  • careless
  • Optional
  • Arrogant
  • Selfish

Personal and personal qualities for a resume - strengths and weaknesses for a girl, woman



Strengths and weaknesses for a girl, a woman in a resume

It just so happened, but in our country it is very difficult for a woman to find a good well-paid job. As practice shows, most employers are afraid that the applicant has children and she will constantly go on sick leave or ask for time off in order to solve some problems associated with her children. In view of this, it would be better if you specify in your resume that you are ready to stay after work when it is needed, and then calmly move on to listing personal qualities.

At the same time, be sure to consider what you will be doing and indicate the qualities that are more suitable for the field you have chosen. That is, if you want to get a job, for example, as an economist, then it is best for you to clarify that you are very diligent, attentive and meticulous. If you wish, you can indicate that you already have experience in a similar field and draw up short story. Short means that it should consist of a maximum of 5 short sentences. Ideally, it should take approximately 2 minutes to read. If it takes longer, then the employer may think that you are trying to overpraise yourself.

Strengths of women and girls:

  • Patience
  • Responsibility
  • purposefulness
  • Cheerfulness
  • Determination

Weaknesses of women and girls:

  • Impulsiveness
  • Excessive emotionality
  • revenge
  • Touchiness
  • Intolerance

What to write about yourself in the column of additional information in the resume, personal qualities?



Information in the resume

Count Additional Information about yourself gives you the opportunity to talk about what you love and know how to more extensively. In this case, it is acceptable to make small descriptions instead of lists with enumerations of qualities. For example, if you want to tell your future employer that you are very sociable, then write that in any situation you will try to build your relationships in the team in such a way that all colleagues can trust you. Also in this column you can show how much you are in demand in society.

An idea of ​​this will help to give information about what professional useful contacts you have. In addition, you can indicate that you are volunteering or are a member of the parent committee. Such information will show you as a person who can spend his time for the benefit of others completely free of charge. If the job you are trying to get is related to traveling around the country or abroad, then be sure to check that you have rights and a passport.

Also be sure to indicate how much driving experience you have. At the very end, you can talk about what you like to do in life. Although very rare, employers still select employees who like the same things that they like. This makes it possible for two unfamiliar people to quickly understand each other, and sometimes even make friends.

What are the best 5 positive and 5 negative qualities to indicate in a resume for a manager



Positive qualities of a leader

If you were attentive, you probably realized that knowing some of the nuances, you can write the right resume in just 20 minutes. All that will be required from the applicant for the place is simply to tell about yourself as truthfully as possible and do it without any exaggeration. This is how all job seekers should act, including those who apply for a managerial position. True in the case of the head of one positive qualities few.

It would be better if you indicate whether you have similar work experience and, most importantly, what financial results your unit has achieved while you were managing it. Also in this case, you need to clarify how well you know how to make plans for the development of employees, how well you understand financial reports, and, of course, whether you know foreign languages ​​(be sure to list which ones and specify at what level).

5 positive qualities for a leader:

  • mentally stable
  • Eloquent
  • Disciplined
  • Leader by nature
  • Responsible

5 negative qualities for a leader:

  • Hypocritical
  • Cunning
  • Arrogant
  • Aggressive
  • hot-tempered

What are the best 5 positive and 5 negative qualities to indicate in a resume to a manager



Positive qualities of a manager

At the moment, the vacancy of a manager is the most popular among job seekers. As a rule, in this case, people are attracted by the fact that they definitely do not have to work in the cold and do hard physical work. And although managers are recruited in different areas(sales, purchases, advertising, recruitment), almost always employers expect one thing from them. Maximum activity, sociability and, of course, openness.

If you do not possess these three qualities, you are better off not trying to get a job as a manager at all. Indeed, as practice shows, if a person is too slow, lethargic and non-contact, then in most cases he cannot cope with the goals set for him.

5 positive qualities in the summary of the manager:

  • openness
  • Energy
  • Ability to think clearly in difficult situations
  • diligence
  • Decency

5 negative qualities in the manager's resume:

  • Conflict
  • inattention
  • Irritability
  • indecisiveness
  • envy

What are the best 5 positive and 5 negative qualities to indicate in the resume to the secretary



Positive traits of a secretary

Enough a large number of people find secretarial work very easy. That is why young girls who have mastered the simplest computer courses begin to storm offices. large companies already imagining his future salary.

In fact, the modern secretary has many obligations. In addition to fast and competent typing, he must be well versed in the rules for compiling various documents, have basic Photoshop skills and, if possible, know at least one foreign language.

And only if you have all these skills, you can get a job in a good company. But still remember that in addition to the above qualities, it is very important for the employer that his assistant be organized. Therefore, it will be better if, when writing a resume, you focus on your ability to organize business meetings and properly prepare documents for them.

5 positive qualities in the resume to the secretary:

  • Initiative
  • Punctuality
  • Responsibility
  • Awareness
  • Politeness

5 negative qualities in the resume to the secretary:

  • talkativeness
  • inattention
  • Rudeness
  • slovenliness

What are the best 5 positive and 5 negative qualities to indicate in a resume for an accountant?



Positive qualities of an accountant

An accountant is one of those professions that require maximum concentration and perseverance. Therefore, when creating a resume for this position, you should clarify that you are the most attentive person who is able to do monotonous work for hours. But still remember that in most cases, employers require from applicants for this place not only the ability to sum up the numbers for hours.

They seek to get an employee who will keep all the financial secrets of the company. In view of this, you are simply obliged to focus the attention of the future boss on the fact that you are not inclined to talk too much and know how to keep other people's secrets.

Another quality that must be mentioned in the resume is high responsibility. Like it or not, sometimes an accountant has to prepare financial statements just when everyone else is resting.

5 positive qualities in an accountant resume:

  • Ability to analyze
  • self-organization
  • Attentiveness
  • perseverance
  • trustworthiness

5 negative qualities in an accountant resume:

  • self-confidence
  • deceitfulness
  • Impudence
  • Suspicion
  • distraction

Non-conflict, high learning ability, no bad habits, sociability: how to prove their presence to the employer?



Example of a good resume

As practice shows, most job seekers slightly embellish their resume, so some employers try to understand how true it is in person. An applicant for a job is invited for an interview and asked leading questions that help to reveal the person as well as possible.

Most often, such questions are asked covertly, for example, an employer may, as if by chance, find out your opinion about some conflict situation, and based on your answers, draw a conclusion about how truthfully you wrote in your resume about your attitude to scandals and squabbles.

In view of this, if you want to prove that your resume is true then:

  • Look the person in the eye while talking.
  • Don't look away if you don't like what you hear
  • Try to listen to the interlocutor's questions until the end.
  • Speak calmly, pronouncing all sounds clearly
  • Don't allow yourself to make snarky jokes.
  • Try to surprise the employer with knowledge related to the desired job

Video: How to write a SUMMARY - step by step instructions, tips, mistakes in a resume

Hello dear blog readers! It does not matter if you are on its pages for the first time, or are regular visitors - in any case, welcome. Today, our topic related to earnings and employment will be replenished with another interesting problem - how to indicate the strengths and weaknesses of a person in a resume. An example of how NOT to do this is pretty straightforward.

Some applicants who have read Western literature, which calls for being extremely sincere with the employer, do not hesitate to dump all their ins and outs in front of him, and then naively wonder why they were “pushed out” with the vacancy. Ideally, of course, you shouldn’t do this, but you shouldn’t describe yourself as an impeccable person and employee either - in any case, the truth will become clear as soon as you start your immediate duties.

From this article you will learn:

When a person writes a resume, he rarely puts himself in the place of an employer and in most cases does not understand that texts containing entirely positive characteristics are pretty boring, and it is understood that they are not true in 90 percent of cases. This is easy to understand, because the task of the applicant is to make a good impression on potential bosses, and strengths, listed in the text, help to do this in the best possible way.

However, there is a little secret: when you write about weaknesses, it kind of involuntarily sets the employer up for the fact that you are a sincere person, so you can be dealt with.

Read below on how to find " golden mean»between such a resume, which indicates only the pros, and one that will scare the employer away because of the minuses.

speak the truth

When compiling a resume, do not try to overly exaggerate and compose something. Just speak the truth. There are numerous examples of how a beautiful legend invented when applying for a job fell apart after a couple of clarifying questions or a check by the company's security service, so it's best to be sincere with the employer. Everything that you want to write in your resume must be confirmed, otherwise, it will greatly discredit you. Before you, check again if you have attributed to yourself, carried away by fantasies, the third higher education or work experience in a foreign corporation abroad.

Answer the questions

Often, many employers provide a ready-made resume form, offering to answer a question about their negative qualities. Leaving this field blank is at least impolite, so write something there that can hardly be called a serious flaw. At the same time, it is best to focus on those personality traits and character traits that you can work on by improving them.

For example, write that you are shy - for a person who works in the field of communications, this is a critical, but surmountable shortcoming.

By the way, if you think it's better to use the standard "template expressions" in it and do not write anything about your cons! In order to describe them briefly, a small column in the resume is enough.

Don't forget to praise yourself

Each of us has achievements, and in the resume it is very important to highlight exactly what the employer is interested in. If you're good at making great presentations, or good at graphic editors, or fluent in English, be sure to mention it, especially if the job offers something similar.

Turn imperfections into virtues

Describing my negative traits, try to present them in such a way that the employer perceives them as positive.

For example:

self-confidence can be applied as leadership qualities;

restless character- as readiness to perform new tasks;

straightness– as the self-confidence necessary for conducting important negotiations.

Don't confuse the personal with the professional!

When deciding the issue with your employment, do not forget: first of all, employers are interested in your work achievements, and it is on them that you should focus. That is, if you still set out to point out the negative sides, let them not be personal traits, but something related exclusively to the work process (excessive meticulousness, difficulties with the team due to dislike for “freeloaders”, inability to deceive, lack of experience work, etc.).

It's the same with the merits - list only those that are directly related to work, because it is unlikely that your excellent culinary skills can become a decisive argument in your favor if you get a job as a purchasing manager.

The key is moderation.

Try not to write a "sheet" that is not too easy to read. The best option is to indicate 4-5 of your characteristics, which are the main ones. By the way, if your resume successfully passed the first stage, and you were called for a personal interview, you shouldn’t get too carried away there either and lay out all your ins and outs in front of the personnel officer - answer strictly the questions posed, hardly your interlocutor is interested in anything else.

So, we figured out how best to tell in a resume about your positive and negative sides, now you just have to try it out in practice. If the material is of interest to you and is useful, share it in social networks with your friends - let them also know how to make the process of finding a job easier for themselves! Do not forget to subscribe to blog updates so as not to miss the release of new publications. And now I say goodbye to you for a while.

Irina Davydova


Reading time: 4 minutes

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How to please the future boss if his profile contains an insidious item - weaknesses of character? In a summary, unlike a normal conversation, each word has weight, so it’s better to prepare in advance for uncomfortable questions, and weak qualities in must be presented as very useful for the cause.

  1. You can just not point out your weaknesses professional quality in resume. Concentrate on your skills, experience, education, and you can talk about personal qualities at the interview. However, it is impossible to refuse that item if you fill out a resume in in electronic format. 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 the point is not even in it, but in checking an adequate perception of oneself, the ability to learn and understand the leader. Emptiness can speak of excessively high self-esteem or, on the contrary, self-doubt. Read also:
  3. Of course, you should not 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 communication will be useful in your work. And if you are a manager, then this is a serious omission.
  4. Filling in the summary of strengths and weaknesses, try to build on the position you want to occupy. For example, select deficiencies that are not related to your activity. Restlessness for a sales manager is the norm, but for an accountant it is a minus.
  5. "Turn weaknesses into strengths" is the old approach. It works if you can think creatively. Otherwise, the efforts will be too primitive and they will figure you out. So the trick of "with a heightened sense of responsibility, workaholism and perfectionism" may not be successful.
  6. Remember that some bosses do not look for faults in you at all. , but only evaluate the adequacy, truthfulness and self-criticism.
  7. It is better to describe your weaknesses in a resume that can be improved. This should also be reported in the text of the questionnaire. There are some bosses who want to train employees for themselves. In this case, your frankness and willingness to work on yourself will be appreciated adequately.
  8. Specify not only individual characteristics, but also your properties in teamwork .
  9. Do not use flowery phrases like "my flaws are extensions of my virtues." This will not surprise, but only show the unwillingness to conduct a dialogue with the employer.
  10. The optimal number of flaws is 2 or 3 . Don't get carried away!

Weaknesses in the resume - examples:

  • Selfishness, pride, scrupulousness, inflexibility in labor matters, the habit of telling the truth directly, inability to establish contact with strangers, increased demands.
  • Propensity for formalism, overweight, lack of punctuality, slowness, restlessness, fear of airplanes, impulsiveness.
  • Reliability, high anxiety, hyperactivity, incredulity, straightforwardness, need for external motivation.
  • Hot temper, isolation, self-confidence, stubbornness.
  • Among the weaknesses, you can indicate in your resume that you do not always express your thoughts perfectly or tend to reflect . And if you are asked why this interferes, answer that you would like to spend less time analyzing the problem.

The weaknesses of a person in a resume show how objective he is in relation to himself. Rarely does anyone include such an item on their own initiative. But if the employer himself provides a questionnaire to fill out, such a question may well appear there. We will tell you what weaknesses to indicate in your resume in order to fulfill the requirement and not spoil the impression of yourself. We will also teach you how to turn them into advantages.

What flaws to indicate in a resume: an example

Do not write that they do not exist at all. Ideal people do not exist, and overly narcissistic people are reluctant to hire. But it is not necessary to list all the weak qualities of a person. Your task is to demonstrate that you are quite critical of yourself, and not to expose your vulnerability.

Win-win negative character traits for a resume:

  • excessive demands on oneself and others;
  • increased responsibility;
  • pedantry;
  • hyperactivity;
  • shyness;
  • incredulity.

All this is not good for Everyday life, but for work it gives significant advantages.

Sample

Weaknesses in a resume: examples of transformation into virtues

Finding your weaknesses is half the battle. The next step is to use them to your advantage. If there are free columns where you can paint the details, do it. Point out how good your shortcomings are in your resume: for example, a distrustful person will not cooperate with dubious suppliers.

If the questionnaire is concise, then these issues will be discussed at the interview. It is better to prepare for it properly. And our cheat sheet (table) will help you with this. But even if you do not plan to give explanations, it is useful to know how your manager will perceive your minuses.

My weaknesses

shy

I maintain subordination.

I will not conflict with colleagues.

I won't sit with the boss.

I can't be rude to a client.

Hyperactivity

I will not sit idle.

I will do everything and more.

I can’t sit on the sidelines when I need to take the initiative.

slowness

I will not miss important details in a hurry.

I will not bring chaos to the workflow.

I will not bore clients and colleagues.

exactingness

I will not allow myself to work half-heartedly.

I can organize a team.

I will negotiate effectively.

I will do my best to achieve results.

Reticence

I won't waste my time on chatting.

I won't talk about company business where I shouldn't.

I talk less, I do more.

Obvious flaws in a resume: examples

Some cons are better left unsaid. Especially if they are harmful. professional duties. So, for example, the mentioned laconicism is good for an accountant or a programmer. But a sales manager or a teacher cannot be silent, otherwise the effectiveness of his work falls.

Therefore, strengths and weaknesses must be compared with the specifics of the profession.

Inappropriate character weaknesses in a resume (examples)

Profession

Invalid cons

Supervisor

  • credulity;
  • emotionality;
  • insufficient activity;
  • shyness;
  • frivolity.

Client Relations Specialist

  • reticence;
  • irascibility;
  • slowness;
  • propensity for formalism;
  • straightness.

Employees lower level

  • ambition;
  • self-confidence;
  • stubbornness.

Representatives of creative professions

  • inability to be flexible;
  • propensity for formalism;
  • self-doubt;
  • pedantry.