The World's Worst Interview Question and Why We Should Aboli

I can not agree more with Priscilla Claman of the Harvard Business Review who, in a recent blog post, casts her vote for abolishing the most hated of hated interview questions: What do you consider to be your greatest weakness?

In doing so, Claman also points out that, unfortunately, we're probably years away from the complete disappearance of this hated inquiry (on account of some extremely uncreative hiring managers), and offers some helpful and creative answers, including (1) My biggest weakness is that my professional network is in San Francisco, but I am looking for a job in Boston to be with my fiancé; (2) My biggest weakness is my undergraduate degree is from a college that has a good reputation in the East, but is not well-known in the Midwest; and (3) My biggest weakness is that while I'm great at advocating for something I believe in, I find it uncomfortable to talk about myself.

I would also like to offer some advice on the topic. If you're ever asked the aforementioned question (What do you consider to be your greatest weakness?), absolutely do not answer with one of the following (even if it happens to be the truth): (1) Jack Daniels; (2) Off-track betting; or (3) Redheads.

(HBR)