Knowing your strengths is essential to telling the best possible story about yourself in your CV, LinkedIn profile and job applications, but many people often have only a vague idea of their strengths or they downplay them.
We can take our strengths for granted and assume that because we enjoy using them they aren’t a big deal, when actually, if we find something fulfilling or energizing, it’s often simply a sign of it being a strength.
So, how can you best ensure you know what your strengths are?
Do a stock take
Think back over your life – it’s important to think across your whole life and not just your working life. You can try writng a mini autobiography of around 500-800 words, focusing on the strengths that have helped you to achieve the highs and kept you going through the lows.
Think about your current and previous jobs. What strengths have you shown in them? What sort of feedback have you received from managers and colleagues, whether it was formal in an appraisal or more informal?
Ask other people
This may sound toe curlingly embarrassing, but hearing others tell you about the strengths they see in you is truly revealing. I ask my coaching clients to choose a mix of friends, family and colleagues/former colleagues and ask each of them to describe that person’s top 3 strengths. And you can offer to do the same for those you ask. We often don’t give each other this type of positive feedback, but it carries weight because we know it comes from people who truly know us.
Do an online “strengthsfinder” assessment
If you take the Clifton Strengthsfinder assessment it will play back to you what it sees as your signature strengths. The top five report is $19.99.
Find out your personality type
You can do this by using the Myers Briggs indicator – this can be done for free at 16personalities As part of the report you receive on your type, you’ll find a list of your strengths.
Gather your evidence
Try all or some of these suggestons for gathering information on your strengths and put your feedback in one place. Creating a wall of Post-its is a great way to do this. What patterns do you notice? And which of your strengths do you most enjoy using? Like any information you find out about yourself, knowing your strengths gives you clues to the type of work you’ll most enjoy. And it also means you’re well armed with evidence to persuade future employers that you’re the right person for their job.
© Michelle Bayley
Find out more
Michelle Bayley is a Certified Professional Life and Career Coach based in Twickenham, South West London.
Read about Michelle’s career, life and executive coaching services, or contact Michelle to arrange a free consultation.
