How to Answer 'Greatest Weakness' at Lazard 2027 (With Example)
"What's your greatest weakness?" — the classic Lazard greatest weakness question — is the most feared and most botched question of the 2027 cycle. The two classic failures: a fake weakness ("I'm a perfectionist") that insults the interviewer's intelligence, or a real one ("I'm bad with details") that disqualifies you. There is a third option.
What the Lazard Greatest Weakness Question Really Tests
The Lazard greatest weakness question tests self-awareness and honesty — two things that matter enormously in advisory work, where analysts must flag their own mistakes before they reach a client. Interviewers aren't looking for perfection; they're looking for someone who knows their gaps and actively manages them. A candidate who can't name a real weakness looks either dishonest or unreflective. Neither gets hired.
Answering the Lazard Greatest Weakness Question: The Formula
A strong Lazard greatest weakness answer has three parts:
- A genuine weakness — real, but not fatal for banking. Good territory: public speaking, delegating, over-committing, impatience with slow processes. Bad territory: attention to detail, work ethic, integrity, maths.
- What you're doing about it — specific actions, not intentions. Courses taken, systems built, feedback sought.
- Evidence of progress — one concrete example showing improvement.
Worked Example: Greatest Weakness Answer for Lazard
"Early in my internship, I realised I struggled with delegating — I'd rather redo a task myself than explain it, which doesn't scale on a deal team. I've been working on it deliberately: I now write brief task notes before handing work off, and I ask for feedback on my instructions. Last month my manager trusted me to coordinate two interns on a data room review, and it went smoothly. I still catch myself wanting to take things back, but the system works."
Why it works: the weakness is real and relatable, the fix is concrete, and the evidence shows trajectory. Nothing about it disqualifies you from banking.
The Answers That Fail
"I'm a perfectionist" — the interviewer has heard it a thousand times and it signals you prepared a dodge, not an answer. "I work too hard" — same problem. On the other end, "I struggle with attention to detail" or "I'm not great under pressure" are honest — and fatal. Pick the middle ground: genuine, managed, and irrelevant to your ability to do the job well.
FAQ
Should I use the same weakness answer in the video interview? Yes, but tighten it — you have about two minutes recorded, so cut the example to its essence.
Can I mention a weakness I'm still working on? Yes — in fact you should. "Fixed" weaknesses sound fake; "managed and improving" sounds honest.
What if they probe deeper on my weakness? Welcome it. Have a second example ready showing the fix in action. Depth here builds trust.
Is 'greatest weakness' asked at every stage? It appears most often in final rounds and CV-based interviews. Prepare it once, use it everywhere.
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