“What Is Your Biggest Weakness?” – How Finance

FRS 102 Revised Seminar Brings South Yorkshire Finance Leaders Together

In collaboration with Shorts Chartered Accountants, we recently hosted a seminar for senior finance professionals from across the region.The event brought together a number of Finance Directors, Financial Controllers and senior leaders from across the region for a morning of insight, discussion and networking over breakfast. It was a pleasure to welcome so many familiar faces, alongside new contacts, reflecting the strength and depth of the Yorkshire finance community. The seminar was presented by Howard Freeman, Audit & Accounts Partner, and Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner at Shorts. We are extremely grateful to both speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and for delivering a clear, practical overview of the forthcoming changes to FRS 102, which came into effect on 1 January 2026 and are expected to impact a significant number of UK businesses. The session explored what is changing and why, particularly in relation to lease accounting and revenue recognition, and considered what the updates mean in practice for finance teams and business leaders. The speakers also addressed the new reporting requirements under FRS 102, the potential impact on EBITDA and valuation methodologies, and the key considerations for organisations as they prepare for implementation. Rather than focusing purely on technical detail, the seminar encouraged broader discussion around readiness, communication with stakeholders and the commercial implications of the changes. This led to a highly engaged Q&A session, with attendees sharing perspectives and experiences from their own organisations. At Sharp Consultancy, we are committed to supporting the finance community beyond recruitment alone. Events such as this form part of our ongoing effort to create opportunities for connection, knowledge-sharing and professional development among senior finance professionals. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Shorts for partnering with us on this event, and in particular to Howard and Andy for delivering such an informative and thought-provoking session. We are also grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We look forward to hosting further events in the coming months and continuing to work closely with our network of finance leaders across the region.If you would like to discuss how these changes may impact your finance team, or if you are considering strengthening your leadership function, please contact us for a confidential conversation.

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At first glance, this can feel like a strange — and slightly uncomfortable — interview question.

Why would a hiring manager ask you to highlight something you’re not particularly good at when you’re trying to secure a new role? In reality, this is one of the most commonly used interview questions, particularly within accountancy and finance recruitment, and it serves a very specific purpose.

Interviewers aren’t trying to catch you out. Instead, they’re assessing your self-awareness, honesty, and ability to reflect on your own performance — all qualities that are highly valued in finance roles, where accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement are essential.

What Interviewers Are Really Looking For

When asking about weaknesses, hiring managers want to understand:

Whether you can recognise areas for development
How you respond to constructive challenge
What steps you take to improve your performance
How you manage risk and responsibility in your role

A well-considered answer can actually strengthen your application and demonstrate professionalism and maturity.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Don’t say you don’t have any weaknesses

Everyone has areas they are working on. Claiming otherwise can come across as unrealistic or lacking self-awareness.

Avoid disguising a strength as a weakness

Answers such as “I’m a perfectionist” or “I work too hard” are well-worn and tend to signal that you’re sidestepping the question rather than engaging with it honestly.

Don’t mention weaknesses that are irrelevant

Focus on something that has a genuine connection to the workplace. Personal habits with no bearing on your professional performance won’t add value to your answer.

Be careful not to undermine your suitability

If a role requires strong Excel, systems, or technical accounting knowledge, highlighting deficiencies in these areas could raise unnecessary concerns.

How to Frame a Strong Answer

The most effective responses focus on development, not limitation. Choose a real but manageable weakness and explain how you’ve worked to address it.

For example, you might discuss how you previously struggled with workload prioritisation during busy reporting periods, but have since introduced better planning tools, clearer communication with stakeholders, or improved delegation. This shows accountability, learning, and progression — all key traits for finance professionals.

Three people sit around a white conference table in a modern meeting room; one works on a laptop while the others listen, with a large wall‑mounted screen behind them.

It’s also important that the weakness is one you’ve identified yourself, rather than something repeatedly flagged by others. Employers want to see initiative and reflection, not reactive behaviour.

Show Growth and Professionalism

A strong answer should clearly cover:

What the weakness was
How it affected your work
What steps you took to improve
How you manage it now

Handled well, this question becomes an opportunity to demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous development — qualities that employers across Yorkshire’s finance and accountancy market actively seek.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim, and permanent accountancy and finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield, our experienced consultants work closely with candidates and employers across Yorkshire and beyond.

Contact us today for expert advice on your next career move.

“What Is Your Biggest Weakness?” – How Finance Professionals Should Answer This Interview Question