Help!!! I Need to Determine My Strengths!!

Having sat on both sides of an interview, I can't tell you how many times I've listed and listened to strengths and weaknesses (or areas of opportunity). This seems easy enough when you think about it, but what happens when you don't know what your strengths are? Sometimes it is easier to articulate our areas of improvement in comparison to what it is we do well. A strength can be a skill that you've worked hard to master or even one that comes natural to you. If you haven't identified your strengths, it is my hope that this article will change that. Employers are constantly assessing an employee's ability to demonstrate strengths and skills that translate into their current role within an organization. As a matter of fact, some skills are not only desired, but they are also preferred by employers. According to Quintessential Careers, the following list contains critical skills sought after by employers:

1. Communication Skills (listening, verbal, and written)

2. Analytical Skills/Research Skills

3. Computer/Technical Literacy

4. Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities

5. Interpersonal Abilities

6. Leadership/Management Skills

7. Teamwork

8. Planning/Organizing

9. Problem Solving

10. Multicultural Awareness

I believe that everyone is good at something, so at least one of the items listed above pertains to you. Instead of rejoicing where you are because your strengths have been identified, I challenge you to go one step further. Research you strengths so that your perspective is broadened and so that you don't sell yourself short. Let's say for example that you have leadership skills. This is how one might describe you: goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance standards. As a leader, you are responsible for more than "just leading". With access to Google, research can happen in a matter of minutes. I "googled" leadership skills out of curiosity only to find that there were over 14 million results found in .12 seconds!! One skill might be a catalyst for discovering many others, so know your strengths and know them well. Your next career move may depend on whether or not you know just how good you really are.

Ericka Spradley
www.mynxtlvl.info