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Identifying Your Dependable Strengths

Identify your strength

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
44 views4 pages

Identifying Your Dependable Strengths

Identify your strength

Uploaded by

jellyllasiddique
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS

Explore Your Strengths from Good Experiences in Your Life


Recognizing your strengths is the first step to discovering a career fit that maxi­mizes your oppor­tu­nities for success and sat­isfaction.
Significant strengths are mo­tivated skills that are used re­peatedly in ex­pe­riences you have done well and en­joyed doing. The
more you know about your strengths, the more you will un­der­stand how to adapt to the changing demands of the workforce. By
using your strengths you will be able to im­prove in­terper­sonal re­la­tionships, build your career, increase your job sat­is­faction, and
re­duce stress on the job.

Four Basic Steps to Exploring Your Strengths…


1. Accept yourself as having a unique kind of excellence that is always growing within you.
2. Recognize that the elements of your ex­cellence have been demonstrated from time to time throughout your life. These el­ements
have most likely been demonstrated in experiences you identify as achievements: Good Experiences in which you did things well,
you enjoyed doing them, and you are proud of what you did.
3. Believe that by carefully iden­ti­fying and studying your Good Ex­pe­riences, you will find the pattern of skills and tal­ents you have
re­peatedly used to make those ex­pe­riences happen.
4. Focus on using this pattern of skills and talents or strengths. They are the re­liable elements of your spe­cial ex­cellence. This pattern
of strengths provides clues to the kinds of career activities that are likely to be part of your future achievements regardless of
your job titles or job descriptions.

Four Ways to Identify Good Experiences (something specific you...did well, enjoyed, are proud of):

1. What is the "good experience" that first comes to your 3. In your latest assignment, project, activity, or work,
mind? De­scribe it briefly in the following space and list which parts of it did you do best and enjoy most? Give
your age at the time it took place. two or more examples.

2. What activities give you the most enjoyment when you 4. In your formal schooling, which two or three sub­jects
are not at work? These could include hobbies, volunteer did/will you continue to study and enjoy most?
work, ven­tures, projects with the family, or anything
else. Give two or more ex­amples.

The Career Center 6 [Link]


IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS
List 10-15 or more of your good experiences, de­voting a few words to each. It doesn't matter when they occurred, but rather what
you did to make the good experiences happen and whether there were outcomes that you felt good about. These ex­pe­riences can come
from any part of your life: school, sports, employment, personal re­la­tionships, etc. Cover all parts of your life from childhood to
the present. Remember the definition of a Good Experience: 1) Something you did well; 2) Enjoyed doing and; 3) Are proud of.

3 EXAMPLE: Inventing a Study Abroad Ex­pe­rience For 4 - 5 of your top 10 experiences write one or two paragraphs
describing the situation, the tasks you completed, the actions you
1 EXAMPLE: Business Management Group Project took and the outcomes you felt good about. See STAR method on
5 EXAMPLE: Annual Backpacking Trip page 29 to help you construct your "story."

2 EXAMPLE: Helped Plan Friend's Wedding Example of Good Experience


4 EXAMPLE: SAE Formula Competition Inventing a Study Abroad Experience
†† The problem I had to solve was that I couldn’t afford any of the
study abroad programs offered by my school, but I felt strongly
†† that experiencing another culture was necessary to the education
I wanted—so I decided to go find one I could afford. First, I went
†† to the registrar to find out what I would have to do to get credit
and discovered that the school had to be accredited and that the
†† credits could fulfill some of my general education requirements.
Then I asked professors and other students and checked all the
†† bulletin boards near all the language, culture and international
studies departments. I wrote to several schools in Mexico and
††
Spain for more information and signed up for work-study jobs on
†† campus. I also took a job during Winter break to save money for
my trip.
†† One of the accredited schools in Mexico seemed to have what I
wanted: language, culture and history courses in Spanish and a
††
home-stay experience. So I looked for transportation to Mexico
†† and discovered a cheap bus tour package that would get me
there and back (and it turned out to be a wonderful adventure,
†† too). While there, I worked and played hard and the whole
experience exceeded my expectations and raised my confidence.
†† My language skills improved enough that I also was able to travel
independently by bus to Mexico City, which led to several other
†† adventures, and I learned more than I ever anticipated about
life in another very different culture. Finally, when I returned to
Which Good Experiences stand out as the best? school the following year, I had earned eight general education
Prioritize your top ten ex­pe­riences above, and place credits toward my Bachelors in Latin American Studies.
the ranking (1 for the top) in the boxes to the left.

List Your Prioritized Top 10 Good Experiences

1. 6.

2. 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5. 10.

[Link] 7 The Career Center


IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS
Strengths Exploration Chart
This chart enables you to re-examine your Good Experiences and identify possible strengths. Significant strengths will be those
skills or talents that have shown themselves repeatedly in your top ten Good Ex­pe­riences. A significant strength is inner-mo­ti­
vated—one that you almost can't help using whenever the opportunity comes up.
Instructions for using the chart: The first column is for exploration of your top Good Experience. Go down the columns scanning
each of the skills, talents or strengths in the chart and put a check mark beside the ones that have been strongly applied in that
experience. Do the same with the other Top 10 Good Experiences you described. The blank spaces at the end of the chart are for
skills, talents or strengths you feel should be on the chart but are not there.

STRENGTH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total STRENGTH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total


Accountable Mechanical Ability
Adventuresome Multi-Tasking
Analysis/Analyzing Negotiating
Articulate Observant
Artistic Ability Organization Ability
Budgeting Persevering
Communicating Persuasive
Coordinating Planning Ability
Creativity Policy Making
Critical Thinking Practical
Design Problem Solving Skills
Detail Oriented Productive
Energy/Drive Program Development
Economical/Frugal Research Skills
Follow-Through Sales Ability
Foresight Service Oriented
Imagination Showmanship
Independence Systems/Procedures
Initiative Teamwork
Interpersonal Skills Technology Skills
Innovative Training/Teaching
Leadership Troubleshooting
Liaison/Collaborate Writing
Maintain Perspective
Managing
Manual Dexterity
Marketing
Mathematic Ability

Implications: Items with the highest totals could be significant strengths. Examine those skills that have the highest totals and think about the many
situations in which you have used them. How could you use these skills in your ideal job? Are there ways you could combine some of the skills to create
opportunities? The completion of these activities begins a process of iden­ti­fying significant strengths and finding mean­ingful work where you can be at
your best and utilize more of your [Link] may want to consider meeting with a career counselor in The Career Center to discuss the process of
un­cov­ering your strengths and ways of creating new opportunities that provide career satisfaction.
Used with permission from Dr. Bernard Haldane, CENTER FOR DEPENDABLE STRENGTHS, info@[Link], [Link]

The Career Center 8 [Link]


IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS
Strengths Reality Test
To identify your significant strengths, perform the following reality test (try to test 6-12 strengths):
Write the strengths you wish to test in the boxes below. For each strength, identify three distinct examples of experiences in which
you strongly applied that strength. First, review the Good Experiences used to complete the Exploration Chart on the previous
page for ideas. Next, think of other experiences that are good examples of using that strength. It should be relatively easy to come
up with three examples, if the strength you are testing is truly a significant strength.

Strength: Strength:

Examples: Examples:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Strength: Strength:

Examples: Examples:
1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Strength: Strength:
Examples: Examples:
1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Implications: When seeking employment the best opportunities will be those where there is a match between the skills needed to
do the job and your significant strengths. Feature the strengths you have tested above on your resume in a Back­ground Summary
(see the resume example on page 18). Incorporate examples of how you have dem­on­strated these strengths in your an­swers to
interview questions (see “How to Answer 'Tell Me About Yourself'” on page 30). Meet with a career counselor at The Career Center
to explore further how your strengths can be used in your job search.
Used with permission from Dr. Bernard Haldane, CENTER FOR DEPENDABLE STRENGTHS info@[Link], [Link]

[Link] 9 The Career Center

Common questions

Powered by AI

The self-developed study abroad experience exemplifies identifying and leveraging personal strengths by showcasing initiative, problem-solving, and resourcefulness. The individual identified their desire to study abroad despite financial constraints and proactively sought alternatives. They researched accreditation and credit transfer, networked with professors and students, and explored financial options through work-study programs. This experience exemplifies the use of perseverance, planning, and adaptability, ultimately enhancing their language skills and intercultural competence .

Reflecting on the process used to create a self-directed study abroad experience is important for career exploration because it highlights critical competencies such as initiative, adaptability, and resource management. This reflection helps individuals understand how such skills contribute to broader career goals and informs future decision-making in pursuing educational and professional opportunities. It provides a framework for identifying challenges and creating actionable plans in unstructured environments .

Exploring Good Experiences plays a crucial role in understanding one's unique kind of excellence by uncovering repeated use of motivated skills and talents. This knowledge allows individuals to identify their specific strengths and how they can be applied to career pursuits. Recognizing one's excellence helps adapt to workforce changes, enhance interpersonal relationships, and reduce job-related stress .

Creating a self-directed study abroad program reflects effective career planning by demonstrating the ability to independently identify and pursue educational opportunities that align with career goals. This process involved researching credit requirements, networking, and resource management, all of which are crucial components of strategic career planning. Additionally, adapting to challenges such as financial constraints showcases critical skills needed in career navigation, such as flexibility and proactive problem-solving .

Significant strengths can be utilized in the job search process by highlighting them on a resume in a Background Summary and incorporating them into interview answers. The document suggests framing strengths with specific examples from past experiences to demonstrate their application. Additionally, career counseling can further explore how these strengths match with job opportunities, creating a strategic pathway to jobs that align with one’s strengths .

Identifying Good Experiences is significant in career development as it helps reveal patterns of skills and talents that can indicate one's strengths. These experiences highlight what an individual does well, enjoys, and feels proud of, providing clues for career paths that maximize success and satisfaction. Recognizing patterns from these experiences enables individuals to adapt to changing workforce demands, improve job satisfaction, and reduce stress .

Identifying strengths from repetitive Good Experiences can inform future career choices by uncovering reliable elements of personal excellence. Understanding these strengths helps determine career paths that complement one's skill set, increasing the chances of success and satisfaction in chosen fields. This process encourages individuals to seek opportunities that inherently match their strengths, leading to more fulfilling careers .

The document suggests prioritizing top Good Experiences by listing them and analyzing each in terms of what was done well, enjoyed, and made one proud. From this list, individuals should select experiences that most frequently demonstrate their motivated strengths. This prioritization helps identify patterns of skill use and provides insight into the types of career activities most likely to lead to successful outcomes .

The Strengths Exploration Chart involves several key steps for identifying and utilizing one's strengths: 1) Re-examine past Good Experiences to identify skills or talents that have been repeatedly used. 2) Use the chart to explore top Good Experiences by checking off relevant strengths. 3) Focus on skills with the highest totals on the chart as significant strengths. 4) Consider how these skills have been applied across various situations and think of ways they can be combined for new opportunities. 5) Engage with a career counselor to explore potential career paths that align with these identified strengths .

Matching job opportunities to one's significant strengths implies a higher likelihood of career satisfaction and success. When job roles align with an individual's strengths, it can lead to increased job performance, engagement, and fulfillment. This alignment also reduces stress and enhances career growth prospects, as individuals are more likely to thrive in environments where they utilize their inherent talents .

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