Often in an interview you are asked what your biggest strength is, but sometimes it can be hard to identify these things, because strengths often come naturally. Let’s explore some ways to discover your personal strengths.
Ask yourself “When do you feel flow?” If you lose track of time doing a certain task or action, you are probably experiencing that “flow.” It’s something that just feels natural for you. Maybe this is research, you could research for hours and easily soak in the information. Maybe it’s teaching, you get a thrill and feel like you’ve been doing it for years when you break down something for others to learn. Strengths usually lend a sense of flow or natural ease. It might take some reflection for you to recognize the times when this flow is happening.
What have other people told you you’re good at? What do you get compliments on? This can be at work, in class, or social settings. Maybe you can talk to anyone, and you’ve never met a stranger. That is a strength that other people just don’t possess. Keep track of those compliments to take inventory of your strengths.
Take the CliftonStrengths and/or YouScience Assessment. These are free resources for students and alumni where you can take an assessment that will actually list out your top 5 strengths to provide you with personalized information about what makes you uniquely you. You will also have access to the reports that help you learn more about what you’re naturally inclined to be good at!
Knowing your strengths can help you not only answer the interview question, but make career decisions. If you know you are great at working under tight deadlines and thrive in that environment, you might want to choose a career that will give you the opportunity to use that strength. You also want to realize that your strengths are unique to you, so you might be taking them for granted. Take inventory of yourself and when you feel like you’re doing your best work.
Once you’ve taken the CliftonStrengths and/or YouScience assessments, please set up an appointment with one of our staff by visiting Handshake or calling our office at 806-651-2345.
For information on upcoming Events and Webinars, click here. Head over to our YouTube channel to find previous workshops and employer information sessions.