Use this students strengths and weaknesses list to identify your academic strengths and weaknesses. Understand the areas you excel in and those that need improvement in order to increase your chances of success.
Student and academic strengths and weaknesses examples
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses as a student demonstrates important insight into yourself, a quality that is critical to your success and one that future employers value highly. Consider this students strengths and weaknesses list and use the descriptions of what the strength or weakness looks like to find those that resonate with you. This will help you to successfully answer student job interview questions about your strengths and weaknesses.
10 Top student strengths list
1. Planning and Organizational Skills
What this strength looks like:
- sets goals and targets for self
- able to accurately prioritize work, assignments and activities
- able to effectively plan your day and allocate your time according to your priorities
- able to handle competing demands and interests
- meets deadlines and efficiently complete tasks
2. Independent Learning Skills
What this strength looks like:
- self-regulates and takes responsibility for own learning
- proactively finds learning resources to improve own performance
- displays genuine curiosity to learn more
- takes on extra learning such as online courses and reading
- tracks, monitors and evaluates own progress towards learning and development goals
- pursues opportunities for growth and development
3. Critical Thinking Skills
What this strength looks like:
- able to identify and evaluate sources of information to determine validity
- able to analyze information to gain a full understanding of a topic or question and make sound judgments and decisions
- effectively analyzes arguments and debate to reach well-reasoned conclusions
- actively questions assumptions and opinions
- considers a variety of outcomes to make a decision
- able to identify and define problems and possible solutions
4. Creativity
What this strength looks like:
- able to develop different and unique perspectives
- generates new ideas
- finds innovative solutions and approaches to a problem or challenge
- displays a willingness to think outside the box
5. Communication Skills
What this strength looks like:
- able to clearly express ideas
- able to present information in a concise and accessible manner bother verbally and in writing
- listens actively
- asks pertinent questions to gain clarity
- understands and respects other’s point of view
- able to respond appropriately in different situations
6. Collaborative Skills
What this strength looks like:
- able to work effectively in a group or team toward a shared goal or outcome
- makes a significant contribution to the achievement of group objectives
- respects and supports other group members
- communicates effectively with group members
- is open to feedback, negative and positive
- able to resolve group conflicts in a productive manner
7. Reliability and Dependability
What this strengths looks like:
- can be trusted to fulfil obligations
- performs consistently and to standard
- complies with agreed rules and procedures
- follows through on commitments
- takes responsibility for own actions
8. Perseverance and Resilience
What this strength looks like:
- able to handle disappointment
- maintains performance in the face of difficulties
- makes an effort to overcome obstacles and meet challenges
- stays focused on goals despite adversity
- able to bounce back from failure
9. Strong Work Ethic
What this strength looks like:
- puts in extra time and effort to achieve excellent outcomes
- completes projects and assignments before time
- imposes own standards of excellence
- takes a pride in one’s work
- takes full ownership of own performance and results
10. Leadership Skills
What this strength looks like:
- able to motivate and inspire others towards common goals
- able to influence others towards a desired outcome
- effectively and persuasively communicates ideas
- able to build strong relationships
Top 10 students’ strengths
5 Common student weaknesses list
This students strengths and weaknesses list includes those areas that can be worked on and improved. Recognize your area of weakness and then consider what can be done to successfully overcome it. When answering student interview questions about your weaknesses it is always advisable to elaborate on the steps you are taking to improve.
1. Procrastination
What this weakness looks like:
- puts off work tasks to the last minute resulting in a rushed result
- spends time on less important activities
- seeks out distractions
- over-analyzes and gets stuck in indecision and analysis paralysis
Steps to improve:
- prioritize and schedule tasks and activities
- break large tasks into smaller more manageable activities
- set realistic deadlines for yourself
- avoid distractions
- get the necessary assistance if you are unsure of how to begin a task
2. Poor Time Management
What this weakness looks like:
- unable to effectively balance activities and demands
- displays a lack of focus
- misses deadlines
- does not complete assignments
- does not set priorities and spends time on the wrong activities
Steps to improve:
- set goals and priorities based on importance and urgency
- keep an up-to-date planner or to-do list
- develop realistic schedules and deadlines
- use effective tools to monitor and track your progress
- minimize distractions
3. Unassertive
What this weakness looks like:
- struggles to set boundaries
- unable to say “no” to requests
- agrees with others despite own feelings and opinions
- reluctant to make oneself heard or contribute to group activities
Steps to improve:
- plan your responses ahead of time
- practice strategies for saying “no”
- set actionable boundaries
- practice using positive language and expressing yourself confidently
- ask for help and support when you need it
4. Self-doubt and self criticism
What this weakness looks like:
- unable to recognize when you have performed well
- setting harsh and unrealistic standards for yourself
- fear of failure
- struggles with negative feedback
- lack of belief that you can achieve your goals and desired outcomes
- negative self talk
Step to improve:
- examine the evidence and identify what you have done well
- replace negative self talk with realistic positive statements
- become more realistic about the standards you set yourself
- accept that mistakes and failures are a normal part of self growth
5. Uncompromising and Impatient
What this weakness looks like:
- impatient with others’ lower standards or pace of work
- does not accept mistakes easily
- resistant to different ideas and opinions
- unwilling to step back and fully evaluate a situation
Steps to improve:
- recognize and understand different approaches to activities and tasks
- try to see the situation from other people’s perspectives and points of view
- actively ask for and be open to different ideas and opinions
How to answer student job interview questions
This is the definitive student job interview question and answer guide.
How to answer the strengths and weaknesses interview question
Identify your own strengths and weaknesses using this students strengths and weaknesses list. Use the excellent resources below to craft your own winning responses to the “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” interview question.
