Playing to your strengths
We all know we are happiest when we are doing well - and that normally means when we are playing to our strengths. Are you in the role that best matches your natural abilities? Take time out now to consider your strengths - you're going to do best in the role that allows them to shine. And you'll get new challenges from a role that allows you to develop others. Take a look at the list below and see which areas are strong, and which areas you might want to consider developing further. And most importantly consider how this self awareness should impact on your career choices:
Communication skills
- Speaking effectively
- Listening attentively
- Facilitating group discussion
- Negotiating
- Persuading
- Describing feelings
- Editing
- Writing concisely
- Expressing ideas
- Providing appropriate feedback
- Perceiving nonverbal messages
- Reporting information
- Interviewing
- Presenting
Planning and research
- Forecasting
- Identifying challenges
- Identifying resources
- Solving problems
- Extracting important information
- Analysing
- Generating ideas
- Creating alternatives
- Gathering research information
- Setting goals
- Defining needs
- Developing evaluation strategies
Interpersonal skills
- Developing rapport
- Listening
- Providing support for others
- Sharing credit
- Cooperating
- Representing others
- Asserting
- Being Sensitive
- Conveying feelings
- Motivating
- Counselling
- Delegating with respect
- Perceiving feelings, situations
Organisation and leadership
- Initiating new ideas
- Coordinating tasks
- Delegating responsibility
- Coaching
- Selling ideas or products
- Managing conflict
- Handling details
- Managing groups
- Teaching
- Promoting change
- Decision making with others
- Seeing the big picture
General effectiveness
- Implementing decisions
- Enforcing policies
- Managing time
- Meeting goals
- Accepting responsibility
- Organising
- Cooperating
- Punctuality
- Attention to detail
- Enlisting help
- Setting and meeting deadlines
- Making decisions
Now you know your strengths and skills, maybe it's a good time to start crafting an enhanced CV that reflects your true abilities, and acts as a brilliant salesperson on your behalf. Click here for some tips on crafting the Killer CV.