Interviewer: What’s your biggest weakness?
Applicant: I’m a perfectionist
Most people now avoid this answer as an interview cliché; the idea being that perfectionism sounds like self-criticism, but is actually a boast – an early form of humblebragging.
But are you really a perfectionist? And, if so, is this a good thing, as the old cliché assumes? On a five point scale, how much do you agree with the following (1 = completely disagree to 5 = completely agree):
- I try to achieve perfection in everything
- If I didn’t do my best all the time, others would think I’ve failed
- I have very high goals
- I cannot bear it if I make a mistake
If you have an average score of 4 or more across the four questions, then you are something of a perfectionist (though a true perfectionist would insist on 5s across the board). This is both good and bad news. Perfectionists are usually academic high-achievers (indeed, one recent study finds it is usually academic success that causes perfectionism, rather than the other way around). However, perfectionists are more likely to be unhappy, and to suffer from anxiety and depression. So don’t worry if you scored 3 or less. Although you’re less likely to be a high-flyer, you’re also more likely to be happy.
Order Are You Smarter Than a Chimpanzee? by Ben Ambridge (Profile Books, £12.99) for £11.04, at bookshop.theguardian.com
