Learn how to confidently answer "What is your greatest strength?" in interviews

One of the most common interview questions is: “What is your greatest strength?” While it may seem straightforward, crafting the perfect response takes careful thought. The key is to confidently showcase what sets you apart, back it up with real-world examples, and align your strengths with the role you're pursuing. In this guide, learn how to give a standout answer, with practical strategies and examples to inspire your response.

Why do interviewers ask about strengths?

Asking about your greatest strength is a popular interview question. It's designed to help prospective employers understand what sets you apart as a professional and how your unique skills can benefit their team.

This question matters to hiring managers because it helps:

  • Showcase why you're the best candidate: Employers want to see that you not only have the skills required for the role but also the ability to excel in it. This is your chance to explain how your strengths make you uniquely qualified.

  • Align your strengths with the role: It's not just about naming any strength; it's about highlighting one that matches what the job requires. For example, leading a team to success is impressive, but if the position doesn't involve leadership, you've missed an opportunity to make your case.

  • Demonstrate your self-awareness: This question also helps employers gauge whether you can identify your own talents and back them up with examples, showcasing your ability to grow and adapt.

  • Assess your preparation: A well-thought-out answer signals you've done your interview homework and are serious about connecting your skills to the employer's needs.

In short, this question gives you the opportunity to highlight the strengths that matter most to the role while proving you're both prepared and self-aware. By tailoring your answer, you can show not just that you're a good candidate, but the right one.

Different ways interviewers might ask about your strengths

Interviewers don't always phrase the “What is your greatest strength?” question the same way. To get a well-rounded understanding of your abilities, they might reframe it to explore your main strengths from different angles. Here are some variations you could encounter:

  • Tell me about a time that you achieved success.

  • How does this position play to your strengths?

  • What qualities will help you to excel in this role?

  • What do you consider to be your key skills or talents?

  • How would your colleagues or manager describe your strengths?

  • What makes you stand out from other candidates?

  • What do you feel most confident doing at work?

  • Which tasks or responsibilities do you enjoy most and why?

  • What strengths have helped you achieve your biggest accomplishments?

By preparing for these variations, you'll be ready to confidently highlight your biggest strengths no matter how the question is phrased.

7 strategies for answering “What is your greatest strength?”

Answering this question well is your opportunity to showcase your abilities. Here are strategies to help you craft a focused and impactful response:

1. Tell a story

Show, don't just tell. Use a brief, relevant anecdote to bring your strength to life. Using the STAR method is ideal for this. For instance: "When my manager couldn't attend a meeting with the CEO, I stepped in with an hour's notice, presented our quarterly data, and answered follow-up questions confidently." Stories like this make your strength memorable.

2. Get specific

Details matter. Back your claims with measurable results or clear examples. For instance: "In my last role, I grew our social media following by 200% in 12 months by implementing targeted campaigns." Numbers and results make your strength more impactful.

3. Tailor your answer to the role

Match your strengths with the job description. If the role values teamwork, emphasise your collaboration skills in your answer. If leadership isn't required, focus on a different strength. Tailoring your response shows you're the right fit for the position.

4. Connect your strength to company goals

Go beyond listing your strengths – show how they help the company. For example, “My creativity led to a 40% increase in brand visibility, and I'm excited to bring that to your team's expansion efforts.” This shows how you can contribute to the company's success.

5. Highlight transferable strengths

For career transitions, focus on strengths that apply across industries, like problem-solving or adaptability. For instance, “Adaptability is one of my strengths – I transitioned from in-person events to virtual campaigns, increasing attendance by 30%.” Transferable strengths show you can succeed in different roles.

6. Balance confidence with humility

Share your strengths without sounding boastful. Support your claims with specific outcomes, like, “My project management skills helped a team meet tight deadlines, reducing turnaround by 25%.” Acknowledge achievements while showing you're open to learning.

7. Be honest and authentic

Be truthful about your strengths and back them up with examples. Avoid exaggerating or embellishing. Authenticity builds trust with the interviewer and ensures you're presenting yourself as a confident but self-aware professional.

By applying these strategies, you'll deliver a concise, strong, and authentic response that highlights your best qualities.

“What is your greatest strength?” answer examples

Examples of well-crafted responses can help you understand how to confidently showcase your strengths in a way that aligns with the role you're applying for. A strong answer highlights your skills, backs them up with real-world accomplishments, and demonstrates how they can bring value to the employer.

Here are a few sample answers to inspire your own response:

Example 1: diplomacy

My greatest strength is diplomacy. At my previous job as a project manager, we faced significant miscommunication between the product and marketing teams during a major launch. Recognising the tension, I organised and moderated a series of meetings to improve collaboration. These sessions helped the marketing team understand the product team's concerns, leading to revised marketing materials that satisfied everyone. The launch was a success, and both teams felt valued and heard.

Example 2: relationship building

I'm a natural “people person,” which has been key to my success in sales. For example, I consistently exceeded quarterly targets for four years by building strong client relationships. One client even chose our company for a major contract because I remembered her son was sick and asked about him during a follow-up call. She said this showed our company prioritises personal care, which mirrored her values.

Example 3: adaptability

Adaptability is one of my greatest strengths. In my last role, I transitioned our in-person events to virtual platforms during the pandemic. I quickly learned new tools, trained the team, and developed engaging online strategies that boosted attendance by 30%. This ability to pivot under pressure ensured our department's continued success.

These examples of the best answers to “What is your greatest strength?” show clearly defined competencies and back them up with stories of real accomplishments. Once you have the basics of your pitch down, just breathe, tell your story, and remember that you have something valuable to give – you'll knock this out of the park!

Sharing strengths should happen on your CV too. You can get a free CV review to find out if your CV is doing your strengths justice.

This article was originally written by Lillian Childress and has been updated by Laura Slingo.

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