“What is your biggest weakness?”
The Pros and Cons of Perfectionism, According to Research
Extensive research has found the psychology of perfectionism to be rather complex. Yes, perfectionists strive to produce flawless work, and they also have higher levels of motivation and conscientiousness than non-perfectionists. However, they are also more likely to set inflexible and excessively high standards, to evaluate their behavior overly critically, to hold an all-or-nothing mindset about their performance. So while certain aspects of perfectionism might be beneficial in the workplace, perfectionistic tendencies can also clearly impair employees at work. Researchers combed through four decades of study on perfectionism to answer: Are perfectionists better performers at work? Taken as a whole, their results indicate that perfectionism is a much bigger weakness than many job applicants and interviewers probably assume.