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The below section serves as a guide to assist you, as a student, in developing an understanding of how the skills you build up now, can assist you in future.

The Kit - Header Tabs (23)-1.png Assessing Your Strengths

In recent years, organisations have shifted their focus towards a 'strengths-based' approach to help people understand and leverage their individual talents rather than the traditional management emphasis on addressing weaknesses. Even though it is a paradox of human psychology that while people remember criticism, they also respond to praise. Organisations have recently started realising that building up employees' strengths can assist them in reaching their highest potential.

So, how can this assist you as a student?

It is always better to start sooner, rather than later - If you start focusing on and developing your strengths as a student already, you will have time to properly develop, nurture and promote these strengths by the time you start applying for work after you qualify. By doing this, you will be able to maximise your contributions towards your studies and continue to feel good about what you are giving and receiving from university life every day.

The Kit - Header Tabs (29).png Focusing on Your Strengths

You can watch the below Ted Talk by Dr. Shane Lopez on Focusing on Your Strengths.

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The Kit - Header Tabs (25).png Top Tips - Put Your Strongest Qualities First

Below are three tips on how to best let your strongest qualities work for you:

1. Identify your strengths, name them and concentrate on them - Reflect on those core strengths that make you unique, valuable, and passionate about the things you do. There are robust ways to discover your unique talents, abilities, and ways of thinking by talking with your mentors, peers, lecturers, or family members. Try them all and see what works. Self-understanding and self-support is key. Concentrating on your strengths brings a better sense of fulfillment and forward progress.

2. Don’t compare yourself with others, but approach people who inspire or even challenge you for your growth - It is a whole new world and we have so much to learn from each other; explore the sides of yourself that you may not even think existed. Consider associating, in a healthy way, with people you may feel a sense of competition towards and give yourself permission to learn.

3. Offset your development areas by capitalizing on the strengths of others - One of the greatest values of having people around us, is the variety of perspectives, talents, and skills we get exposed to regularly. While we cannot be experts at everything, we typically are surrounded by others who have the know-how to get things done successfully. Learn from those around you. Capitalize on the strengths of others, and use their experience as an opportunity for observation and personal progress.

Your Personal SWOT - Strentghs, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Focusing on your strengths does not mean you should completely ignore your weaknesses in hope that they disappear. It is important to still acknowledge those aspects that you need to work on so that you have the opportunity to develop these and turn them into strengths as well. There are many skills in which a basic level of competence is required these days to be regarded as 'employable' by organisations. Some of these include interpersonal skills, organisational skills, IT, emotional intelligence, etc. Avoiding a weakness you have in these key areas could lead to problems later. By taking the time to address those weaknesses now, you’ll have achieved the basic level required so that you are freed up to focus again on the things you do best - you strengths!

You can complete this personal SWOT exercise to reflect on those skills that you believe need improvement. PersonalSWOTStrengthsandWeakness.pdf

To learn more about your strengths and how you can play to them or information on learning more about yourself, you can go to the UCC Career Services page by following this link.

Focus On Your Strengths