During an interview, it is quite likely that the HR person will ask you to describe your strengths. Many candidates wonder how to answer this question without overpraising themselves and coming across as a narcissist.
We have put together a collection of coaching questions to help you describe your strengths.
1. Do what you love. What do you enjoy? What do you love to do? The chances of succeeding in a field you do not enjoy are very small. If you want to ensure career success, do what you love.
2. Be natural. What are you naturally good at? Everyone is natural at something. Do you connect easily with people? Do you notice small nuances and details? Are you naturally curious? Are you responsible? Do you write well? Draw on your natural gifts.
3. Be determined. What happens when you fail? Have you faced adversity? Did you set out to do something and fail? Often we discover strengths we never knew we had when we fail or face adversity. Think of a moment when you failed and analyze every situation that made you smarter, braver or wiser.
4. Be self-aware. What do your friends, teachers and mentors say about you? Self-awareness is knowing who you are and how you interact with others, so the best way to get to know yourself is to ask those who are close to you. It can be scary to ask people you know for feedback. In fact, that is normal. Go back to “Be determined” and think again about everything you learned from the time you failed. Failures are great teachers.
5. Be observant. What gives you energy? Pay attention to how you feel when you do something: do you feel a surge of energy or drained? Once you understand the difference, you can choose a career that fulfills you rather than exhausts you. In the morning, as you look over your schedule, ask yourself: what energizes me? Your strengths lie in what makes you feel good.
6. Be fulfilled. What makes you feel useful? Understand the difference between fear and poor performance. Fear is always the first step. The fact that you are afraid to give a presentation does not mean you cannot speak in public. Maybe you just need more practice. Go back to “Be observant” and find out whether it energizes or drains you. What you do should make you feel useful, even if it scares you at first.
7. Be proactive. We discover something new when we do something new. Do not wait for opportunities to fall into your lap. Ask yourself: “What am I capable of that I do not know yet?” The best way to expand your skill set is to broaden your horizons.
8. Be curious. What is your biggest dream or goal? Dreams come from your intuition, which is a blend of your life experience and education, so trust that if you have a dream, it is not for nothing. Follow your intuition. Do not be afraid to dream big, and believe that you will succeed.
9. Be motivated. What do you care about? Are you passionate about helping people? Do you love animals? Are you fanatical about math? Passions should not be limited to hobbies. Whatever career you choose, developing it will require getting through difficult challenges, and you will need motivation.
10. Be yourself. Do you follow the crowd? To uncover your strengths, you have to act on your own. Friends will help, teachers will guide, but no one can live your life for you.