Career Management – Using Your Strengths
June 9, 2008
Do you know what strengths you possess? Interestingly, this is one of the main questions interviewers/hiring managers ask and most of us struggle for the answer. We all seem to know our weaknesses or areas where we can improve, but seem to have problems identifying our own areas of strengths. I am sure there are many Internet tools out there to measure these areas, but two that I have found helpful were on www.authentichappiness.org (which is free, but you do have to register on-line–they do not SPAM, though) and www.strengthsfinder.com (you purchase the book for approximately $19.95 and then use the code in the book to take the assessment).
Strengthsfinder.com also has other useful tools to help you discover what strengthens you and weakens you in your job. Logging this information in the journal Marcus Buckingham provides in his book or in the on-line tool will help you to see where you are most effective in your position. Marcus Buckingham’s books, “Strengths Finder 2.0″ and “Go Put Your Strengths to Work” are two books which I highly recommend. Knowing your strengths are an integral part of career management as it helps you to map and identify your unique promise of value that you can offer to your present or future company.
