Katie Sturino, founder of Megababe, believes that transparency is essential when hiring for her small but growing company. With a team of just 11, Sturino knows that in a tight-knit environment, everyone’s strengths and weaknesses quickly come to light. That’s why, during job interviews, she always asks one key question: “What’s the most frequent piece of negative feedback you receive?"
Sturino’s approach isn’t about catching candidates off guard or focusing on their shortcomings. Instead, she wants to understand where a new hire might need support and how she can help them succeed. “You can’t hide at a small company,” Sturino says, emphasizing that close collaboration makes it impossible to mask areas that need improvement. By identifying these early, she can anticipate challenges and offer guidance where it’s needed most.
She isn’t alone in valuing this kind of honesty. Tom Gimbel, CEO of staffing firm LaSalle Network, notes that employers appreciate candidates who are self-aware and proactive about addressing their weaknesses. Sturino encourages candidates to be open about their struggles and to share examples of how they’ve worked to overcome them. “Everyone has their own struggles,” she says, and showing growth is just as important as acknowledging flaws.
For anyone preparing for a job interview, Sturino’s advice is clear: don’t be afraid to talk about your challenges. Instead, use the opportunity to show how you’ve learned from them and how you plan to keep growing.