"What are your strengths and weaknesses?" answer template (A2, B1, B2)
How to use this template
Choose the level that fits your English and fill every blank with a true detail from your own work, in 3 parts: Strength, Weakness and Balance. Plan your example on the STAR worksheet, tick the checklist, then say the answer out loud.
A2 template: simple English
Short sentences, one idea in each. Good if your English is basic or you feel nervous.
- Strength: My strength is ________ (strength). For example, ________ (proof).
- Weakness: My weakness is ________ (weakness).
- Balance: I ________ (action) to make it better.
B1 template: linked sentences
Joins your ideas with because, and, then and so. Good for most interviews.
- Strength: My main strength is ________ (strength); for example, ________ (short proof).
- Weakness: One weakness is ________ (weakness), which is not central to this job.
- Balance: To improve it, I ________ (action), and it is getting better.
B2 template: fuller answer
Adds a reason, a result and a little more detail. Use it if you can say it without reading.
- Strength: On the strength side, I would point to ________ (strength), shown when ________ (proof).
- Weakness: As for a weakness, I sometimes ________ (weakness), although it does not affect ________ (core part of the job).
- Balance: I am addressing it by ________ (action), and recently ________ (sign of progress).
STAR worksheet: plan your example
Your answer needs one true example. Plan it here in notes, not full sentences, then use it in the "Weakness" part of the template.
Situation
A moment at work when this strength was needed.
Task
What you had to do in that moment.
Action
What you did that shows the strength. Write the verbs: I checked, I organised, I explained.
Result
What happened, and who noticed.
Checklist before you say it
Tick each point when it is true for your answer.
- Strength: Give one strength that matters for this job, with one short sentence of proof.
- Weakness: Give one honest weakness that is not central to the job, and one thing you do about it.
- Balance: Keep both halves about the same length, and the whole answer to about a minute.
- Avoided: Spending all your time on the strength and rushing the weakness. The interviewer wants both.
- Out loud: I said the whole answer out loud, with only true details, in about one minute or less.
A finished answer to compare
This is one way a hospitality staff might answer. Compare it with your template: the same parts, with real details. Do not copy it.
Hospitality Staff answer
My strength is working well with the kitchen; I pass on changes and allergies clearly, so plates come out right. My weakness is that wine questions used to make me nervous, because I knew very little about wine. I have been learning the wine list one section at a time with the bar manager, and I can now recommend a few options with confidence.
Learn more about this question
- How to answer "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" — the short answer, the steps, mistakes and phrases
- Template: What is your greatest strength?
- Template: What would your previous manager say about you?
- All answer templates
- Example answers for your job: Care Worker · Hospitality Staff · Kitchen Porter · Barista · Hotel Receptionist · Retail Assistant · Warehouse Operative · Delivery Driver · Customer Service Advisor
Questions people ask
Should I learn the template answer by heart?
No. Learn the order of the 3 parts (Strength, Weakness and Balance) and your own details, then say it in your own words. A memorised answer can sound flat, and an interviewer may ask a follow-up question.
Which level should I use for "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"?
Use the level you can say without reading. If you are not sure, start with A2, say it out loud twice, and move to B1 when it feels easy. A short, clear answer is better than a long one that is hard to follow.
How do I print this template?
Use the Print or save as PDF button near the top of the page, or your browser's print menu. Only the template is printed, without the menus and buttons.
Practise this answer aloud
Say your answer to "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" out loud or type it, and see what an interviewer may notice and what to fix first. Free to start, no card needed.