What is your biggest fear?
As you hear this question, many things that scare you must have come to mind. Everyone is afraid of something, from insects to heights and so much more.
But when asked in an interview, this question is not so existential as it is professional. It is not always easy to talk about our fears, especially when you are trying to bag your dream job.
But the challenge is that one of the most commonly asked behavioral interview questions is What is your Greatest fear?
If you are looking for ways to answer this question and impress recruiters, then you are on the right page. This article discusses different ways to answer What is your Greatest fear with tips and sample answers.
"What is your Greatest Fear?" sample answers
Here are some sample answers to help you navigate the question What is your Greatest fear?
Sample answer 1- Fear of public speaking
One of my greatest fears is speaking publicly in front of a large audience. I am surprisingly comfortable in a setting where I am required to communicate with 20-30 people.
But speaking in a room of 100+ people often makes me anxious. Ever since I was in school, I had trouble participating in inter-school competitions, and I think that fear stuck with me.
It does not affect my day-to-day work but does make me apprehensive about leading conferences and seminars. To remedy this, I have signed up for public speaking courses that teach techniques to overcome these fears and build confidence.
I feel that they have helped me immensely, and as I continue to practice with them, I am hopeful I will overcome this fear for good soon.
Sample answer 2: Fear of failure
This may sound like a generic answer, but nothing scares me more than failure. I have always been competitive and have had this need to excel for as long as I can remember.
Underperforming and not accomplishing work goals make me uncomfortable, triggering the fear of failure.
Over the years, I have tried to get comfortable with the idea that failure is a part and parcel of life, not the end of the world.
Books like Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure by Tim Harford and John Maxwell’s Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success and many others have helped me change my perspective. Hopefully, I will eventually learn to accept this part of life.
Sample answer 3: Fear of rejection/not being liked
One of my greatest fears in life is rejection. Not being chosen for projects, not being included in team activities, etc., makes me feel rejected, and while I understand that it is not personal, just a fear that occupies my mind.
I have always been an introvert and had a tough time making friends in school, and those experiences have led to this fear in me.
But I am trying to overcome this feeling and feel better about this fear by journaling, rationalizing incidents that make me feel this way, and voicing my fears.
Sample answer 4: Fear of underperforming
Not achieving my full potential is one of the biggest fears in my life.
I know I am a creative person with ideas, aspirations, and skills, but I still fear that I will fail to utilize my skills to achieve my professional goals.
There is a sense of imposter syndrome that used to limit my thinking abilities, but I am happy to inform you that, while this is still my greatest fear, it does not consume me anymore.
How to Answer "What is your Greatest fear?"
Coming to the question of the hour, what is the right way to answer the question- What is your Greatest fear?
Here are some ways to get the answer right
1. Focus on a career-related fear
You may be scared of spiders, reptiles, heights, or crowded places, but when asked What is your Greatest fear?, you can not talk about any of these!
Recruiters ask this question to analyze your suitability to their company. Through this question, they are trying to assess your professional limitations. So, discuss fears that concern your professional life.
2. Talk about how you coped with the fear
Apart from talking about a professional fear, you are also required to talk about how you cope with it. The steps you take to overcome your fear will help the recruiter understand your willingness to overcome your limitations and showcase awareness.
You can also quote an incident where you used some technique to cope with your fear.
3. Answer honestly, and avoid fabricating false stories
Recruiters are smart people capable of identifying exaggerated and false answers. The best way to answer this question is with honesty.
Talk about a real fear that you experience and in the rare case that you do not fear anything, take this opportunity to talk about a weakness that you think may be your Achilles’ heel.
Make sure you share authentic experiences and do not make up any incidents to make an impression.
4. Draft your answer in advance and practice answering
This can not be stressed enough, but while answering any interview question, draft answers in advance and practice them.
Outline your talking points, elaborate on them with relevant details and incidents, and practice the answer a few times before the interview.
Mistakes to avoid while answering “What is your Greatest fear?”
Recruiters ask this question to assess your confidence and analyze how you deal with stressful scenarios. To help you answer well, here are some common mistakes that you must avoid while answering the interview question:
- Do not insinuate that you are helpless in the face of these fears
- Avoid talking about failures caused by these fears unless asked
- Do not make up a fear – be authentic in your answers
- Do not talk about random fears that are not related to your professional life
- Keep your answers relevant, short and crisp
- Do not answer with “I don't fear anything”
Conclusion
Answering questions like What is your Greatest fear? is not always easy and can put anyone in a difficult position. The trick is to keep the answer as relevant and authentic as possible.
The silver lining to talking about your fears in an interview is that you get to discuss your weaknesses and how you are overcoming them.
Above, we tried to explain how to answer this interview question with four sample answers and tips. To learn more about behavioral interview questions, check out this article here.
With these sample answers and tips, we hope that you will ace this interview question. To bag your dream job, explore more interview questions on the Naukri blog.
All the best!
