Focusing On Your Strengths

While reading the third chapter of What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard Nolles, I remembered the importance of perspective. In this chapter, titled "How To Deal With Any Challenge You Have in the Job Search," Nolles encourages the reader to focus on the positive and urges to discover one's unique talents and skills.

I was lucky enough during my undergraduate years to work for a great organization: the Office of Student Life at the College of DuPage. It has been six years since I worked there as a student worker, yet I remember my time there fondly due to the culture my supervisors instilled into our environment.

The culture of that particular office at COD revolved around diversity and strengths. As part of the boarding, you had to take the StrenthsQuest assessment by the Gallup Group. The name has changed several times, but the purpose remains to determine your top five strengths. These are particular attributes you have for which you have a natural talent.

The reason behind taking this assessment was two-fold:

1. Ensuring you know what unique talents are innate to you. Knowing this, you can focus on honing those talents to turn them into strengths.
2. Encouraging contained diversity of mind, abilities, and talents within all teamwork or task force groups. Having people with different strengths working together encourages creativity and problem-solving. 

My top five natural talents are (1) context, (2) input, (3) empathy, (4) significance, and (5) adaptability. According to Gallup, my top five talents make me a strategic thinker with keen relationship-building talents and a drive to influence those around me. I think that is spot-on.

As I get ready to enter the job-search world again, I am thankful to be reminded of this: my strengths.

Bolles encourages the reader to change their perspective. In the job search, you must focus on what you can add to a company. How will you play your talents and strengths to add to the environment? 

Remember,