So, our new 2014 HR objectives form has a Self Appraisal section on it, including:
What are your major weaknesses?
What actions are needed to overcome those?
Now obviously I could put 'spending too much time on STW', but somehow I don't think I will.
Any better suggestions?
'Doing self appraisal'
None
N/A
If I did have any, it'd be false modesty
I used to be rather conceited and arrogant, but not anymore, now I am perfect.
The whole thing seems aimed towards forcing people to commit to going on loads of courses to address 'issues'. I suspect our HR bod has got an objective to do with courses.....
I'm addicted to crack cocaine
Give me all your copper wire
Damn you've written off my first choice, hows about
[i]What are your major weaknesses?[/i] Work too hard for too little money
[i]What actions are needed to overcome those?[/i] Be given a pay rise, or become less productive
Sorry in there I would write none.
Bizarre question and I'd ask why (for what future) reason might it be used.
Oh, yes, 'cause, like, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, actually!
Yes, I am. See, for me, it's got to be the best, or it's nothing at all. Like things get a bit dodgy, I just cannot be bothered.
But, hey, I'm getting good vibes about this interview thing today, though, man. Seems to me like it's going pretty well, eh?
Thank you, Mr. Murphy..........We'll let you know
Or
A complete inability to look objectively at my own performance
Someone else to tell me if I'm doing my job properly or not
What are your major weaknesses?
What actions are needed to overcome those?
Oh my lord are we back in the 1990s?
Right now it'd be Tunnocks tea cakes *eats 4th*
Bizarre question and I'd ask why (for what future) reason might it be used.
Pretty sure no one will ever read it. Our HR lass has just been given free reign to come up with yet another objectives form (ever year they're completely different). It's also one of the worst bits of Excel worksheet creation I've ever seen - she has no idea how to format or merge cells.....
Right now it'd be Tunnocks tea cakes *eats 4th*
Best so far!
Invoke the US 5th Amendment - the bit about protecting individuals from being forced to incriminate themselves.
I quite like Bregante's answer though.
weakness = internet porn (still!)
action needed = filters for my laptop, pc, phone, tablet.
*5th*
I've only one left 😥
procrastination... motivating myself when i've not got any work on.
long list of jobs (admittedly the GF's list) to do but usually find sitting watching/reading the net and having a cheeky smoke around midday means the list never gets any shorter.
What are your major weaknesses? Incredibly low tolerance to inane questions.
What actions are needed to overcome those? You need to leave me alone as I have work to do.
[i]What are your major weaknesses?[/i]
Procrastination and indecision
[i]What actions are needed to overcome those?[/i]
More time to make a suitable action list ,that will then prioritise my tasks in a way that will fit my very individual work style.
1 -stress
2 - more holiday.
The whole thing seems aimed towards forcing people to commit to going on loads of courses to address 'issues'. I suspect our HR bod has got an objective to do with courses.....
In which case:
Vitamin D deficiency and a dislike of foreign food?
The whole thing seems aimed towards forcing people to commit to going on loads of courses to address 'issues'. I suspect our HR bod has got an objective to do with courses.....
You could perhaps use this to your advantage - are there any courses you want to do? Perhaps put "railing berms + doubles" as weaknesses, and "Jedi skills course" as the action?
Vitamin D deficiency and a dislike of foreign food?
Sadly, avoiding work related travel is one of my 'secret' personal objectives....
Major weakness - the girls in the HR department
Actions to overcome - soiled underwear from each of them.
Hookers.
Pay rise.
female homosapiens and procrastination
My general issue with these things has always been that I think organisaitons ought to play to their employees' strengths, rather than focussing on weaknesses (since there is no universal concept of weakness (outside of criminal and anti-social behaviour), only suitability to the job you're paid to do).
However, having been through a lengthy psyochmetric testing exercise last year in work, I now have a good idea of what my "strengths" and "weaknesses" are (or my suitability for my role and others within the business).
To answer the question:
Admitting or showing signs of weakness or vulnerability.
Admit when I can't do something, or if I need help.
As a lawyer, this isn't usually seen as a weakness (admitting you don;t know something is the weakness). But for so many other jobs, saying "I don't know" and "Can you help me with this?" are pretty valuable tools.
But it took a psychologist to get me to believe this....
[s]To be considered following 360 degree feedback from two of my underlings.[/s]
Fully recognising & appreciating staff contributions.
Major weakness - kryptonite
Actions to overcome - deal with 'Mr Luthor' when the time comes...
DrP
On that form, I would think of a course/skill that I would really like to do/attain and put that down.
For example:
What are your major weaknesses? Video Colour Grading
What actions are needed to overcome those? Hardware suitable to run Adobe Speedgrade and a training course.
No ambition or potential.
For obvious reasons I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned: not reading the whole of the thread.
Annual appraisals and Human Remains departments - two of the banes of modern corporate life.
Major weakness - knives pressing firmly against my flesh
Actions to overcome - carbon knuckle guards.
DrP
I've always wanted to reply to that unimaginative interview question "What are your 3 main weaknesses?" with "I'm lazy, stupid and dishonest."
Never had the cojones though.
If we are being honest. I'm slow to action. If someone takes the piss/acts rufty-tufty with me I'll let them off. Guess thats also a major positive... I've not had to break someones nose for years 
A love for punching people in HR.
Oh, Hi ....
Hmm, I could be approaching the job market again soon, I guess I have this and many other fun questions to look forward to!
Hmm, I could be approaching the job market again soon, I guess I have this and many other fun questions to look forward to!
Best punch the HR person after you've got the job though.....
Overhead Squats!
Hayfever, milk chocolate Hob Nobs, dark chocolate Hob Nobs, Hob Nobs creams (chocolate variety), caramel ice cream, the first three Ramones records, the decolletage of Monica Bellucci, thin and crispy pizza (all varieties other than marinara), long-travel hardtails, Lib Tech snowboard deck art, 4OD, Penguin Classics, old detective novels, reasonably fast family hatchbacks with fairly ridiculous MPG, the island of Guernsey, New York (Sept-Nov and March-May), 6 Music, the West Country, Tunnock's Wafers/Tea Cakes/Caramel Logs, daytime drinking in a provincial Wetherspoons, the smell of freshly cut grass,lamb or pork when cooked on a BBQ, prawn toast, pontificating, ambling about on sunny days, almost everything that Sub Pop have ever released, those blatantly fixed horse racing games in penny arcades and failing to properly read posts at the beginning of threads on special interest website forums.
Major Weakness: Internet forums and the ability to stay away from them.
Actions to overcome: Believe every word Junkyard writes.
Overhead Squats!
Viscous exercise, but really separates the men from the boys as you can't cheat.
[quote=footflaps ]Overhead Squats!
Viscous exercise, but really separates the men from the boys as you can't cheat.
I thought you were talking about free weights, not hydraulic machines?
footflaps - Member
Viscous exercise, but really separates the men from the boys as you can't cheat.
Weakness - Spelling? 😉
Weaknesses - committing to drop-offs & jumps, staying relaxed in the air
Actions to overcome - taking time to plan approaches and landings, working on technique, building up to larger jumps / drops
The best thing about being a self employed contractor is not having to deal with this bullshit any more
Cake, biscuits and having to work with anyone I perceive to be less intelligent than me.
Marry a sugar momma
It is interesting though isn't it? That kind of question should be your employer saying "hey let me help you develop your skills" and thus a precious and valued question.
Yet its often than not seen as a bunch of HR nonsense. Not trolling, just curious why that's happened?
TM
Quite right, it should be an employer offering the employee the opportunity and encouragement to increase their skills. If they don't want to (e.g. they want to carry on doing their current job) they shouldn't have to. I'm pretty sure that was the perceived wisdom when years ago the company I worked for investigated the "Investors in People" programme.
Unforunately these appraisals seem to have become tied up in the business of determining performance and awarding bonuses.
Quite right, it should be an employer offering the employee the opportunity and encouragement to increase their skills. If they don't want to (e.g. they want to carry on doing their current job) they shouldn't have to. I'm pretty sure that was the perceived wisdom when years ago the company I worked for investigated the "Investors in People" programme.
It's all wrapped up in process, so if you fill anything in and then can't prove you've done something about it at the end of year appraisal, you'll end up being penalised. So it's just an opportunity to catch yourself out. The best answer is nothing.
Not necessarily that easy. We have a number of development objectives assigned from on high and have to dream up one or two of our own.
It is interesting though isn't it? That kind of question should be your employer saying "hey let me help you develop your skills" and thus a precious and valued question.Yet its often than not seen as a bunch of HR nonsense. Not trolling, just curious why that's happened?
See my post above. I seem to have landed with a bunch of reasonably enlightened HR people - lead by quite a visionary guy - and there seems to be a genuine desire to help people.
Those who use this stuff in a negative way are the middle management, who are under pressure to use weaknesses as a means of bonus/pay review reduction.
So, as always, you sort of have to put your hand up for this stuff and get as much out of it as you can. Anyway, who doesn't like a free two day, full expensed jolly learning soft skills?
That's it, the STW IT crowd.
Just catching up and no one has mentioned quick-lime use in the solutions section which is poor for an IT bunch. (Old carpet and shovels would also have been acceptable).
Left Tricep
Kryptonite
Yep mostly stupid answers but I guess you would expect that.
Personally I'd pick 2-3 things that either had to be outsourced or opportunities lost in the last 12 months that you could have done with some more training etc. at a saving or increased revenue to the business. That would be your training, improvement and business case there.
Anyone who can't think of areas of their work that could be improved on is obviously perfect and deserves to remain stagnant at work for the next 5 years bitching about how HR and management are useless and show no interest in the staff, and why does x or y always get to go on those courses.
I'm a slave to every urge.
Other than that I'm pretty well behaved.
a 50% skivving ratio.
Personally I see this type of question as a slight on management, basically saying, we haven't a scooby, gonny tell us how to do our jobs.
Weakness - low Salary : Talent ratio.
Solution - increase Salary : Talent ratio.
Weakness: Low tolerance to being near people who I hold in utter contempt.
Solution: Removal of Head of Department
Weakness: easily distrac..
Solution: squirrel!
I am a colossal pervert. animal, vegetable, or mineral I'll do anything TO anything.
Which is both a strength and a weakness.
Doughnuts
Fast cars and loose woman.
Poor tolerance of bullshit.
