Because the man was well-qualified, the board gave him a second interview -- and demanded a fuller explanation of his weak spots. He said he had been 'unprepared for that question and nervous about coming out with a big fatal flaw,' then described his tendency to make decisions too fast during workplace crises. Board members' doubts disappeared, and they picked him for the nonprofit's top job.

但因为这位申请人其他条件很好，董事会给了他第二次面试机会，并要求他对自己的缺点作更充分的说明。他说，他第一次面试时“对那个问题毫无准备，担心会说出什么大的致命缺陷，”随后，他向面试官提到自己在工作遇到危急关头时，往往会过于仓促地做出决策。董事会的担心消除了，最后安排他担任了这家非营利机构的负责工作。

Ideally, your reply also should exclude the word 'weakness' and cover your corrective steps. Dubbing your greatest fault a 'window of opportunity' signals your improvement efforts should benefit the workplace, says Oscar Adler, a retired Maidenform Brands sales executive and author of the book, 'Sell Yourself in Any Interview.' For instance, he suggests, a salesman might note that he sold more after strengthening his facility with numbers.

理想的情况是，你在回答中应尽量避免使用“缺点”这样的词，同时还可以提到改正措施。Maidenform Brands销售主管、《在面试中推销自己》(Sell Yourself in Any Interview)一书的作者阿德勒(Oscar Adler)说，将你最大的缺点转化为“机会之窗”，表明你的改善措施将使工作受益。比如他建议说，销售人员可以说，在强化数学能力后，销售业绩上升了。

When an interviewer pops this nerve-wracking query, your body language counts as well. The wrong nonverbal cues undercut your credibility. Certain candidates hunch over, glance furtively around the room or wring their sweaty palms. 'They sort of look like they're being asked a question they can't handle,' says Mr. Adler.

当面试官突然提出这样的刁钻问题时，你的身体语言也能反映一些问题。不当的肢体语言会削弱你的可信度。某些求职者会蜷缩身体，茫然地瞟着房间四周，或是扭动出汗的手掌。阿德勒说，他们看起来就有点像遇到了他们没法对付的问题。

Maintaining eye contact, regular breathing and a broad smile impress employers that 'you're prepared for the weakness question,' says psychotherapist Pat Pearson, author of 'Stop Self-Sabotage!'

心理学家皮尔森(Pat Pearson)说，保持视线接触、正常呼吸和明朗的微笑可以让雇主觉得“你对有关弱点的问题有所准备”。皮尔森着有《停止自我摧毁》(Stop Self-Sabotage!)一书。

For the same reason, you seem thoughtful if you pause before responding. But don't wait too long. 'If you're going to take a minute,' Mr. Morrow cautions, 'I've just identified your weakness.'

同理，如果你回答问题前稍作停顿会让你看起来深思熟虑。不过不要时间过长。莫罗警告说，如果你的停顿时间长达一分钟，那我已经能发现你的弱点了。