Top 10 Strategies for Writing Personal Weaknesses in Job Application CVs

When writing personal weaknesses in a job application CV, it's essential to present information truthfully and professionally. Below are the top 10 best strategies for writing personal weaknesses in a job application CV.

1. Why Write Strengths and Weaknesses in a CV

A CV is the 'interface' of job seekers that employers observe the most during each interview session. Therefore, the CV plays a crucial role in the job application, probation, and job search process. A well-crafted CV not only helps facilitate your job search but also enables employers to understand your personality, leading to suitable job placements where you can fully utilize your talents. When you have suitable jobs, the likelihood of long-term commitment to the company increases, which is what every HR desires.

Many individuals writing their CVs often avoid mentioning weaknesses because they perceive them as negatives, things not to be disclosed. However, this is entirely misguided. Including weaknesses in your CV provides recruiters with a more objective view of candidates and also prevents your CV from having too many gaps.

Strengths and weaknesses are considered the 'keys' in CVs as they greatly determine whether recruiters agree with you or not. Information about your strengths and weaknesses should be written meticulously and clearly to receive the most objective evaluation from HR. Don't shy away from your weaknesses; sometimes, they can be beneficial in various ways.

2. Top 10 Ways to Write Personal Strengths in a CV

In a professional CV, personal strengths are indispensable to help recruiters grasp the standout criteria of candidates, thereby identifying the most suitable positions and environments. Below are the highly regarded suggestions for writing personal strengths in a CV, evaluated highly by HR.

• Enthusiastic and proactive in work
• Effective time management
• Strong professional expertise
• Reliable and honest
• Thrives on challenging oneself, unafraid of difficulties
• Team leadership and member connection abilities
• Proactive in tasks
• Completes tasks on time
• Quickly adapts to new environments
• Willingness to learn
• Confident in front of crowds
• Flexible working hours
• Capable of handling multiple tasks
• Excellent language skills
• Creative
• Flexible, sharp, enthusiastic, and passionate about the work environment
• Capable of planning and problem-solving
• Artistic talent
• Enthusiastic and friendly at work
• Patience
• Respectful and kind to everyone

3. Top 10 Strategies for Writing Personal Weaknesses in a CV

When your CV still has many empty spaces and isn't filled out, adding weaknesses is a perfect choice. However, when writing weaknesses in your CV, you need to choose appropriate weaknesses, ones that are true to yourself so that recruiters have the most objective and accurate view. Below are the weaknesses to write in your CV, which don't affect HR's goodwill much.

• Lacks confidence in front of crowds
• Not proficient in office computing
• Weaker critical thinking skills
• Ineffective time management
• Quick-tempered when disturbed
• Introverted and avoids conflict
• Overly meticulous and perfectionistic
• Rigid problem-solving approach
• Self-imposes pressure in work
• Not yet proficient in foreign languages (English, Chinese, Japanese, etc.)
• Self-centered
• Restricted relationships with friends and family
• Negative habits….

4. Key Considerations When Writing Strengths and Weaknesses in Your CV

Every detail written in a CV needs to be thoroughly checked and handled to avoid unnecessary mistakes. In a job application CV, whether it's strengths or weaknesses, you shouldn't write too much. Specific considerations for writing strengths and weaknesses in your CV include:

• Avoid Listing Too Many Strengths and Weaknesses: Just like anything else, when there are too many, it becomes 'too much.' The same goes for listing your strengths and weaknesses. If you list too many strengths, recruiters will think you're too confident, overly promoting yourself, which can directly disadvantage you. A highly rated CV usually has the top 5 standout strengths and a maximum of 3 weaknesses. So, when choosing your strengths and weaknesses to write in your CV, you need to think carefully to have the best completed CV.
• Avoid Using Overly Formal or Technical Terms: For a job application CV, you must use refined, clever language that is easy to understand to avoid HR feeling that you're arrogant. Overly formal terms may include: Super, top-notch, excellent, outstanding, top, etc.
• Consider the Relevance to the Position Applied for: When selecting strengths and weaknesses in your CV, consider whether they directly affect the position you're applying for. If those strengths and weaknesses impact the position, you shouldn't mention them or find a clever way to mention them so that HR doesn't evaluate them too much.
• Present Strengths and Weaknesses at the End of the CV: Strengths and weaknesses are just supplementary parts of the job application CV, so the most appropriate position is at the end of the CV. You should write weaknesses at the end to try to fill out the entire CV. In case your CV is full, you don't necessarily need to find ways to list your strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, Software Tricks has shared with you the simplest ways to write about your strengths and weaknesses in a CV. Have a great day!