Here are some sample traits that you can work on improving, but you should not tell employers about:
- Bad temper: Nobody likes people with bad tempers. Work on controlling yours, but don’t tell an employer about it unless you’re specifically asked.
- Lack of patience: We all lose our patience at some point, especially when overwhelmed. Patience is a virtue, and the lack of it is not well perceived.
- Stubbornness: If you’re stubborn like a mule, you should work on being more open. Being stubborn implies that you’re set in your ways even when common sense says that you should do otherwise. This is a character trait best not mentioned.
- Not delegating: This is a strong negative if you’re a manager, but if you’re just starting out it’s fine to tell the employer. Although it is an area to improve, it’s also a sign that you’re not afraid to take on work and that you do what needs to get done.
- Being an introvert: This is not necessarily a bad trait, especially if you’re in an individual contributor role where you don’t need to interact a lot with others. You can mention this as an area of improvement. If you have examples of how you’ve overcome it, even better.
- Worrying too much: Do you tend to stress a lot about certain things? Being able to control stress is a good quality. On the other hand, an employer can interpret your tendency to worry in a positive light because it means you’ll worry about doing a good job.
Improve where you can and don’t feel compelled to share your weak spots with employers. But be ready to talk about them when asked.