STRENGTHS

and YOUR CAREER Katy Hinz, Office for Student Engagement

Strengths Experience

• What have your experiences been with Strengths so far, positive & negative?

• Share with a partner

StrengthsFinder Facts

• 34 themes

• Online assessment, you get your top 5 with descriptions and action guide

• 33.39 Million

Predisposition Developed Requires Effort

Talent x Investment = Strength

Investment is a MULTIPLIER of talent! Investment includes time spent practicing, developing skills, &

building knowledge Louis, 2008

Knowledge

Of student development theory

Of psychology

Of management and mentoring

Strength: Supervising and Mentoring students

Skills

Facilitating meetings

Support and challenge

Talent themes

Empathy Learner Maximizer Arranger Positivity

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Barrier Labels

• When your strengths act as a weakness or someone misunderstands your behavior and labels you – weakness - when something gets in the

way of your success or other people’s success.

• “Work is more important than people” - Achiever

• “Cliquish” - Relator

Writing Challenge

• Sign your name five times on a sheet of paper.

Writing Challenge

• Now switch hands…

• Sign your name five times on a sheet of paper.

Understanding Your Strengths

• Strengths are more than simply 5 words……you need to describe strengths in your own words & give examples of how you use your strengths

• Read through your report and

note words and phrases that describe you

Activity • Pick one of your Top 5

Strengths that resonates with you

• Draw an image and/or write

down a word or phrase that represents what this strength means to you

• Get up and find a partner and ‘share & tell’

Strengths and Major/Career Choice

Strengths on the Job

A good job is when 75% of the time you get to do what you love

Strengths & Your Major/Career

• Your Strengths do not match one career field or one major, instead they help you understand how you can be successful in your career or major of choice

• The best people in a role deliver the same outcomes, but with different behaviors (strengths)

• When you find a career or major that fits you work doesn’t really seem like work

Job Analysis Event and Communications Intern, American Heart Association

• Overall implementation of fundraising

event including, but not limited to: logistics, event planning, social media communications and volunteer recruitment.

• Ability to organize time and work independently

• Ability to multi-task • Computer skills, including word

processing and experience with Microsoft office Written and verbal skills.

• Ability to work well with people, face-to-face, on the phone and over online communications

Juan -Achiever -Learner -Communication -Context -Belief Ann -Restorative -Empathy -Futuristic -Intellection -Maximizer

Leadership Domains

Executing: Make things happen, take and idea and bring it to fruition Influencing: Help team reach more people/larger audience, “sells” teams’ ideas and achievements outside of department or organization, helps team to have a voice that is heard Relationship Building: “Glue that holds the team together,” “Creates groups and organizations that are much greater than the sum of their parts” Strategic Thinking: Keep people focused on potential and the future, absorb and analyze information to help make effective decisions

Major/Career Exploration Strategies

Executing:

• Create a to-do list for yourself. For instance, maybe you commit to reading ten different job descriptions or researching 10 different majors: http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/

• Majors: it will be important for you to understand what the expectations are of each major so you know how you can best set yourself up to be successful

• Careers: find jobs where you will have deadlines and a tangible project/outcome

Major/Career Exploration Strategies

Influencing:

• Attend employer events, such as information sessions and job fairs

• Talk to faculty members

• Majors: find a major in which you can share your knowledge, present, write, or compete in some way

• Careers: find a career where you can lead and contribute in meaningful ways

Major/Career Exploration Strategies

Relationship Building:

Ask your academic advisor about the mentor program in

your college

Talk to people (faculty, advisors, professionals)

Major: find a major in which you can get to know your

classmates and can build a community--You will also most

likely enjoy discussion based or team project based courses

Career: find a career in which you can work with others to

get things done

Major/Career Exploration Strategies

Strategic Thinking:

• Reflect on which classes have you enjoyed the most? The least?

• Read Major Profiles and Career Profiles: http://www.cape.umn.edu/majors/umn/ and http://www.onetonline.org/

• Majors: find one in which you are challenged to analyze and reflect, and one in which you can collect and absorb information and ideas

• Careers: find one in which you are constantly learning and where your critical thinking abilities are valued

Now What? • Seek to learn more about your Top 5

– Talk to people about your Top 5 • Friends, family, academic advisor, career counselor, CAPE

coach – Reflect, reflect, reflect! – Visit STRENGTHS.UMN.EDU, read other people’s strength

stories! Find out about events! – Follow us on Twitter! @UMN_Strengths – Meet with a Peer Strengths & Engagement Coach! Drop-in

hours M-F 11am-2pm in STSS 511 • Act on your Strengths! Student Action Items found at:

www.strengthsquest.com (log in and click on ‘apply”) or use the U of M Strengths Tip Sheets – Academics – Extra Curricular – Career