When you’re at the start of your career or considering a career change, the task of “selling yourself” on a resume, cover letter, or in an interview can often feel overwhelming to some. How do you make yourself stand out?
With some self-reflection, you can discover your top strengths that will help you feel more confident in your job search and point you in the right direction for the best-suited career path for you.
In a recent episode of #GetHired Live, a LinkedIn News weekly live stream, career, and interview coach Kyle Elliott offered tips on how to discover and own your greatness.
Elliott suggests that you reach out to at least three people you’ve collaborated with or worked with in the past and ask them what makes you special. This takes a little bit of vulnerability, but as Brené Brown says in her book Rising Strong, “Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” Let the people you reach out to know what you’re trying to achieve and why you’re seeking their insight.
Once you have this information, plot it on one side of a Venn diagram. On the other side of the diagram, put your childhood interests. Notice where the interests overlap and put them in the center of the diagram. These interests are your biggest strengths!
Elliott suggests using these strengths to tell potential employers how you do jobs differently than others. It’s a way to show your unique attributes from a place of authenticity, which often has a more significant impact in an interview than many of the more off-the-cuff strengths like “detail-oriented,” “hardworking,” and “organized.” Allow your unique strengths to illustrate that you are a one-of-a-kind resource.
Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash
