Find Your Strengths and Interests
Eighteen easy tips to find your strengths and interests, so your job search starts with who you really are.
Start with you. Strengths point the way.
27 tips that really help
These ideas come from What Color Is Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles), Designing Your Life (Bill Burnett and Dave Evans), The 2-Hour Job Search (Steve Dalton), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
Why start with you
A job search works best when you know what you do well and enjoy. Strengths lead to better jobs and happier days.
Begin.
List what you do well
Write ten things you do well, big or small. Include skills and kind habits.
Write ten.
List what gives you energy
Notice tasks where time flies. Joy is a clue to your best work.
Write five.
Ask three people
Ask friends or colleagues what you are great at. Others see strengths you miss.
Ask three.
Look at past wins
Think of times you felt proud. Patterns will show your strengths.
Write three wins.
Check your values
Think about what you care about, such as helping, learning or creating. Values guide good choices.
Name three values.
Notice what you dislike
Knowing what drains you helps you avoid the wrong jobs.
List three drains.
Use a free strengths test
Free quizzes can spark ideas. Treat results as hints, not rules.
Try one.
Script: strength
I am good at explaining things simply. Say it with confidence.
Use it.
Script: joy
I feel most alive when I help people learn. Say it warmly.
Use it.
Script: ask
What do you think I am especially good at? Say it kindly.
Use it.
Mistake: copying someone else’s path
Their dream may not fit, so listen to your own.
Listen to you.
Mistake: ignoring what you enjoy
Joy matters for long careers, so give it weight.
Include joy.
Mistake: underrating soft skills
Listening, kindness and reliability matter, so include them.
Include them.
Troubleshoot: when you do not know your strengths
Ask people who know you well and read your old feedback.
Ask and read.
Troubleshoot: when you feel stuck
Try a small project or volunteer task to learn what you enjoy.
Try something.
Drill: write your top five strengths
Write your five main strengths and one example of each.
Write five.
Drill: ask two friends today
Message two friends and ask what they think you do best.
Ask two.
Look at what friends ask you to do
Friends often ask for help in areas you do well. Their requests point to your real strengths.
Write three requests.
Notice what you do without being asked
Habits you follow in free time show real interests. Write what you do on rainy Sundays.
List your habits.
Separate what you can do from what you love
You may be good at tasks you dislike. Aim for work where skill and joy overlap.
Draw two circles.
Collect praise you have received
Save kind messages and reviews from the past. They name your strengths in other people’s words.
Gather five notes.
Example: the teacher who loved data
Kia loved patterns in student results. She moved into education data work and felt alive.
Look for your pattern.
Example: the cashier who loved people
Omar loved helping shoppers. He moved into customer care and grew quickly.
Find your joy.
Mistake: choosing a job only for status
A glamorous title with tasks you hate leads to misery, so check the daily work.
Read daily tasks.
Troubleshoot: when interests keep changing
Look for the theme behind them, like helping, building or learning. The theme stays.
Find the theme.
Drill: write your strengths on one page
Write ten strengths and one example each. Keep the page for your CV.
Write ten.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many networking and career moments.
“I am good at this.”
“I love doing that.”
“What do you see in me?”
“I did this well last year.”
“I notice a pattern.”
“Now I know my direction.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
List your skills
List your joys
Ask three people
Look for patterns
Check your values
Write a summary
Review
Further reading
- What Color Is Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles)
- Designing Your Life (Bill Burnett and Dave Evans)
- The 2-Hour Job Search (Steve Dalton)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
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Start freeThese lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.
More lessons in “Finding the Job You Want”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
Next: Describe Your Ideal Job →
- Find Your Strengths and Interests
- Describe Your Ideal Job
- Research Roles and Companies
- Write a Clear CV
- Write a Cover Letter That Gets Read
- Polish Your Online Profile
- Use Your Network to Find Jobs
- Talk to People in Jobs You Like
- Apply to Fewer Jobs, Better
- Handle Rejection in a Job Search
- Keep a Weekly Job-Search Plan
- Look After Your Energy
