Question

3) As an individual, what are your strengths and weaknesses and how will they impact you as a PhD IT student?

please need in 500 words.

Answer 1

I understood this question might be for an interview or atleast I'm assuming so.

My Strengths:

I feel that I’m a good written communicator. My existing academic and professional work demonstrates an ability to put forward ideas clearly and concisely. I think this will help me manage the weight of information my PhD research needs to cover and the challenge of producing an effective thesis.

My weaknesses:

I’m not always as organised as I’d like to be. I want to address this as part of my postgraduate training and hope to take advantage of classes and development opportunities early in my doctorate.

Considering an interview scenario, this might be a well-worn question, but a great opportunity to reflect on your abilities - and opportunities for further development during your PhD.

The important thing to remember about this question is that the panel isn’t as interested in judging your ‘actual’ strengths and weaknesses as they are in your ability to identify and reflect upon them.

In practice, this means giving solid examples for strengths and showing how they relate to the PhD project you have in mind.

Don’t just say you’re a good time-keeper. Point out when you’ve had to be well organised and show that you understand the importance of self-directed study to a successful PhD.

When it comes to weaknesses, maintain the right balance.

A PhD interview probably isn’t the best time to wallow in existential self-doubt (unless you’re applying for a very specific topic in Philosophy*). Equally though, answers like ‘my only downfall is excessive perfectionism’ can sound a bit contrived. If the panel is asking you about strengths and weaknesses, they want you to identify and reflect on both.

Be honest about the things you find challenging, but identify them as training needs and say how you expect to improve upon them as part of your PhD.

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