How to Answer “What Areas Need Improvement” – Interview Questions

As an employer, one common interview question is asking candidates about areas in which they could improve. This question enables employers to determine a potential employee's skill level and predict their willingness to improve to advance their careers.

However, a good number of times, candidates find it quite hard to provide answers to this question, which to some extent dims their chances of getting hired.

In our latest update today, we shall provide a comprehensive clue on How to answer “What Areas need Improvement”- Possible Interview Questions. 

To prepare for a job interview, it's important to prepare your responses to common interview questions like the one we stated above. How smartly you answer questions goes a long way in making a good impression about where employers are. 

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Why Do Hiring Managers Ask What Areas Need Improvement?

It is common for employers to ask you about what areas you need to improve to assess your skill level, self-awareness, and eagerness to advance.

Your answer to this interview question may vary based on the position for which you are applying, but you can consider talking about your strengths.

Potential employers can tell by the way you answer this question whether you will invest in your professional development so that you can become better at your job. Here's a reality check: you will never be perfect.

Employers know this and don't expect you to be. Interviews allow potential employers to get a better sense of who you are behind the glowing resume, cover letter, and recommendations.

How to answer “What Areas Need Improvement” – Possible Interview Questions

The details below provide step-by-step clues on how to answer these interview questions and boost your confidence in front of the employer.

#1. Evaluate The Areas that You want to Improve On

You should think about some of your weaknesses and what you can do to improve them when answering this interview question.

Consider some of your weaknesses to discuss and what you can do to improve them. If you have difficulty giving presentations at meetings because you're nervous, learn more about public speaking.

It's okay to choose areas for improvement that may relate to the position, but they do not have to relate directly. You can also choose to discuss professional areas that interest you. 

You could say, for example, that improving your graphic design skills is your goal if you want to incorporate graphic design skills into your work as a marketing coordinator.

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#2. Select Topics to Discuss

Select the topics that you want to address in your response after thinking about a few areas that need improvement. To appear as qualified as possible, it is helpful to focus on skills that are related to the position rather than those that are essential.

For example, if you're applying for a computer science job, you may mention that you are interested in learning about cybersecurity.

This can convince the interviewer that you're qualified and interested in improving your skills.

#3. Don't Shift Your Tone, Stay Upbeat

Generally, people have a different tone when talking about a shortcoming than when talking about something positive.

But if you change your mood while answering this question, you might hurt your chances for success.

When you mention your area of improvement, you want to be serious, but when you talk about how you want to improve and what you are doing to improve, your tone should be positive. 

This stimulates your growth, development, and goals, thus increasing your chances of being noticed by the hiring manager because of your passion rather than your shortcomings.

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#4. Explain How You are Improving

How you are improving is another crucial element in How to answer “What Areas need Improvement”. You can explain what steps you have already taken or what you plan to do in the areas you mentioned.

For instance, If you're hoping to become a better leader, you might mention your desire to earn a leadership certificate.

It is important to show employers you will invest in your professional development so that you can make yourself a more valuable candidate and increase your chances of landing a job.

#5. Show You are Available for Hire

Find relatable examples, but identify which skills or traits you're currently working on, or could do immediately.

If you show the hiring manager you're focused on improving the shortcoming, they'll be more likely to see you as a valuable hire.

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Common Answers to “What Areas Need Improvement'' Interview Questions

To further drive home our point, we have outlined some of the best responses to what areas need improvement in interview questions.

Sample One

 If you want to improve your leadership skills, here is how you can answer this question:

“I want to take on a leadership role in my organization, so I want to develop my leadership skills. I want to become better at speaking in front of large groups and motivating teams. I plan to complete a leadership certification to get better at doing these things.”

Sample Two

Here is how best to answer while focusing on presentation skills

‘'To improve my public speaking skills, I have read books on public speaking. While I am confident in my ability to write reports, I have had little practice presenting them. I would like to gain more experience so that I can give confident and effective presentations.''

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Sample Three

This is how best to make your answer concentrate on the supplemental skills

‘'To improve my public speaking skills, I have read books on public speaking. While I am confident in my ability to write reports, I have had little practice presenting them. I would like to gain more experience so that I can give confident and effective presentations''.

Sample Four

Here is how to answer when asked about your writing skills

‘'I'm interested in publishing research in this field; therefore, I would like to improve my writing skills. To begin the process, I have enrolled in an online writing course. I have also begun reading articles in peer-reviewed journals.”

Sample Five

Here is how to answer any question related to your trait

“When I enter a new workplace, I am overly formal with my colleagues and managers. It takes me time to open up on a personal level. As a result, some people assume I am very standoffish when, in fact, it's mostly out of caution and a desire to get to know others”

“In spite of this, I'm aware that this tendency is sometimes misinterpreted. This has caused me to focus more on finding opportunities to bond quickly with my new teammates. For example, I've found that asking people about their roles and careers provides me with some context about their professional lives”

''I may not adapt as quickly as other colleagues, but in the end, I can form those important bonds, allowing me to become a trusted colleague.”

Sample Six

‘'As part of my previous job, I spoke with customers on the phone, and I became quite good at it. However, a few other people on my team handled most of the emailing to customers, so I'm not too familiar with this area. Communication via email is really important in customer service because a few incorrect words can lead to the message being misinterpreted. So I've been reviewing and brushing up on some of the best ways to ensure customers are satisfied with email communication.''

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Proven Tips you can use to Answer what Areas need Improvements

With the help of some resource associates and career coaches, we could draft out what is commonly known as the STAR method for answering what areas need improvements. You can prepare effective interview answers by using the STAR method.

This method contains the following components:

• Situation: The STAR response begins with you describing how professionally you handled a situation.
• Task: Your professional role and responsibilities are explained in the task section of your response.
• Action: In this section of a STAR response, you describe the steps you took to deal with the issue
• Result: Your STAR response is completed so, which is the tangible outcome you achieved.

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Common Mistakes When Answering “What Areas Need Improvements” in an Interview

Before we delve further into how to answer “What areas need improvement?” in a job interview, let's talk about common mistakes people make.

• The most common is talking about a core job skill as a weakness. Saying you need to improve in that area may cost you the job if it's a capability that's considered essential.
• Also, don't mention any familiar technology. For instance, mentioning that you aren't good with computers isn't a good move if the job is primarily administrative or office-based
• Masquerading a positive as a negative also works against you. Hiring managers know that answers like, “I work too hard,” or “I'm a perfectionist” aren't usually genuine shortcomings. Although you may think that answer will impress a hiring manager, it won't. Instead, they'll see your answer as dishonest or manipulative, neither of which is good.

Summary

Finding out how to answer “What areas need improvement?” can be tricky. However, by using the information above, you can craft a fantastic answer that shows you as an honest, self-aware professional who strives to always improve. 

Besides our guide above, you can equally put in your words to craft a good impression before hiring managers. We shall release subsequent updates as regards how to answer “what areas need improvement” Subscribe to our newsletter here for you not to miss out.

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