Investment Banker Question:

► Big Picture Thinking: One of my criticisms this summer was that I concentrated too much on getting my work done quickly without sometimes taking a step back and thinking about the rationale behind everything. This can be advantageous for getting individual tasks done, but I realize this limitation will hinder my professional development down the line, and it is something I will need to improve as I gain more responsibility.

► Communication Skills: I've never been fully comfortable speaking in public. I knew that communication skills are an essential skill no matter what field you go into, so I took initiative last semester and joined a class focused on helping students prepare for public speaking. This forced me to speak in front of groups that put me out of my comfort zone. It has helped quite a bit but I know that I will constantly want to improve my communication skills.

► Networking: I think my greatest weakness would have to be networking. Initially, I am soft-spoken with people. I like to concentrate on my work, so much that it often hinders me from developing relationships. That's exactly why I want to go to New York, so that I can work on my people skills and build my network.

NOTE: What most candidates fail to do is to actually give real strengths and weaknesses. This might sound counter-intuitive but this is a chance for you to be honest and focus on the qualities interviewers are looking for when answering the question. When listing your weaknesses, make sure to list real weaknesses, but make sure you can demonstrate that you are aware of them and explain how you can improve upon them.