Interviews

Everyone is looking at you. Or maybe it is just one person, certainly with a poker face, perhaps with a slight scowl. They have better things to do. They have their own tasks for the day to accomplish. And then they drop that most dreaded of interview questions: “What is your greatest weakness?” Or even worse, “Tell me about your biggest weaknesses.” Not just one…multiples.

Well, to be perfectly honest, I don’t think any of my self-perceived weaknesses outweigh the multiple skills I bring to the table. I get nervous in interviews; I can be a grammar nazi (although I hate that phrase) but I try to not be insufferable about it and I don’t bother at all on social media like Twitter and Facebook; and I prefer to use the Oxford comma. Doesn’t fly with most American style-guides for business literature, so I have to suppress that urge on a regular basis.

But none of these are really all that important, or could be conceived as deal-breakers. The one that could be is probably the one I have to work the hardest on to overcome: Owning my skills. Owning the fact that I am an asset to any company I work with, and being able to talk about it without caring that I may be perceived as arrogant. When a woman works on a project, takes on a leadership role, and directs others to work in the same vein as her, she’s often called “bossy,” “pushy,” or maybe even “bitchy” by the less-enlightened. Add that to body-confidence issues when a less-skilled but perhaps more attractive person gets a sought-after position and suddenly you have the recipe for not wanting to be out-spoken about your accomplishments. Or even walk out your front door. 

It’s time to say, “Screw that!” Own your skills. Own your greatness. Own the fact that you can juggle 10 different skills you spent a lifetime acquiring and know exactly how to toss them out in the perfect combination to excel in any capacity you see fit to pursue. 

Other people’s perceptions are meaningless, but do what you need to do to be your best you. There is a lot of buzz these days about how female empowering it is to not wear makeup, but it’s all one-sided. If wearing makeup is empowering for you (as it is for me) WEAR IT. If not wearing it is your comfort zone, then don’t. It’s as simple as that. Exercise or don’t. Read self-help books or don’t. Dance like no one is watching or don’t.

But be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. It’s not arrogance. It’s not bragging. You’ve earned the right to be who you are and to know that you are worthy.