Have you ever stopped to consider why some individuals stroll into the office with a twinkle in their eyes while others trudge through the week hoping for a Friday night? The answer is not as elusive as it appears—when your work engages your strengths, even Monday mornings are no longer painful.
A career is more than a means of making a living—it is an enduring path that provides stability, fulfilment, social and personal identity and a sense of purpose. Picking a profession that aligns with your strengths has the power to enable you to lead with purpose instead of feeling burdened with work.
To discover your strengths and tie them to your career plan, begin by thinking about your previous successes. Consider which projects, situations or roles gave you confidence and energy. These situations often contain the secrets of your greatest strengths. For example, if you loved debating at school and continue to excel when making presentations, communication is potentially a strength. You could also maintain a weekly or daily journal to record your successes and monitor your pattern of motivation, creativity and passion. Look for activities that give you energy and a sense of achievement like no other.
Ask people who know you best. As the adage goes, mentors are often able to see you more clearly than you see yourself. You might brush off some as natural habits but others may identify them as valuable professional skills.
To develop an objective perception of your positives, use career quizzes, personality instruments or standardised tests like the VIA Strengths Survey and Clifton Strengths. Examine your results intently since they tend to expose concealed abilities and latent strengths.
Once you have established what you do best, implement that knowledge in your career. Consult a career counsellor to look into many options for implementation and understand how your technical and soft skills integrate in that field. We live in an increasingly connected world and career coaches and industry experts are within easier reach than ever before; connect with them.
Participate in internships in your study years to get exposed to various work environments and try out whether your abilities match professional requirements. Seek feedback on a regular basis from guides and colleagues to keep yourself on the right path and develop a strong portfolio to present your abilities at the time of job interviews.
Stay updated on emerging career paths and future trends. Think about how automation and artificial intelligence shape the job market and focus on opportunities that are much less likely to be replaced by technology while still fitting with your strengths.
Always have more than one career path in thought. Chart every strength to potential positions and work at being able to confidently present these strengths. Creating clarity, commitment and confidence around your skills can turn your career path into one of meaning and fulfilment.
When you know your strengths, you do not just work—you thrive! Align them with the right career path and every day becomes a step towards a life of purpose, growth and fulfilment.
