Focus On Your Strengths for Long-Term Career Gains
By Seleena Juma
In our jobs, most of us have a natural desire to be really good at what we do – to be recognized as star performers and to make a significant contribution to the company we work for. In our efforts to do that however, often times we try and do too much.
We all naturally excel at certain things, and are less skilled in other areas. You’ll have a much easier time of being valued in the marketplace and within your own company however, by focusing on your strengths and those things you’re naturally good at. In addition to the promotions and raises you’ll be more likely to receive, you’ll also find yourself enjoying your job more when you’re doing what comes naturally, and when you combine passion with strength.
Do Fewer Things Really Well
In your quest to hone in on what you’re really good and take your career to the next level, you may find that you’ll actually have to force yourself to do LESS work – and by less we mean less in terms of scope of work. One thing that happens all too easily is getting caught up in many different projects and spreading ourselves too thin. In an effort to be part of everything, we may do a good job, but not a great job – and unfortunately “good” doesn’t get recognized like “great” does.
Start by determining what things you’re best at, and which things you’re not as strong at. What tasks would your time best be spent working on? What do you currently do that someone else may be better at? Or that you could pass off to others? Being able to delegate effectively allows you to focus on and use your core strengths more which will lead to higher levels of job satisfaction and performance, and greater productivity overall for your company.
Be the "Go-To" Person
In every company, there are usually people that are the known experts around certain topics, and are sought out when problems, questions, or issues arise around that item. These people have become the “go-to” people in these areas by being the most knowledgeable about them. This status as the “go-to” person provides leverage because they have something that other people in the company want or need. Without that person and their expertise, there’s the possibility that the company would be unable to provide the same level of work in certain areas. If that work affects a product or service that consumers purchase, or deliverables for a client, then there’s a big risk in not having that expertise available.
Think of which skills you possess or knowledge you have that allows you to be the “go-to” person on something. Almost everyone has something that they could offer in this capacity, but very few actually leverage it and derive the huge benefit it can offer.
Make Your Core Strength Unique
One of the most important parts of determining your core skill offering is ensuring that the things you deem as your core strengths are both unique as well as relevant to your company, and your industry. Think about what your unique point of difference is. Are your key strengths something that many others possess, or are they unique enough that they truly put you in a position of advantage? If the answer to that question is “no” then you need to find something you’re strong at that is unique and helps to differentiate you.
Being great at something that fewer people are knowledgeable about, quite simply gives you leverage within your company, as well as within your industry. By being the resident expert at something within your company, you make your self indispensable, or at least much more difficult to replace or continue on without.
When the time comes to venture out and explore other employment opportunities within your industry, again you’ll put yourself at a significant advantage if you possess a unique, relevant skill that few others have. The key thing you’re trying to get at here is to find ways of positioning yourself as the best person for a specific job and create as little competition for yourself as possible – the less people who are great at doing what you’re great at, the less competition you‘ll have.
Build Your Personal Brand Around Your Strengths
Building your career around what you do best entails becoming well-known for your unique strengths and the great work you’re able to do as a result. Once you have honed in on what your core strengths are, and have had success in delivering great performance based on those, you’ll be able to see even greater return by building a personal brand around that.
Once you’ve built a significant body of work and accomplishments around your strengths, invite clients, colleagues and peers who have been pleased with the results to write a testimony on your behalf. List these testimonials as recommendations on your LinkedIn profile, or include any particularly notable recommendations with your resume.
As a way to further boost your profile, offer to speak at industry-related conferences and networking events to both share and demonstrate your expertise. Get your profile out there and increase your visibility. Become a mentor for others in your company who aspire to advance in their roles and are interested in tapping into your specific knowledge base and skill set.
Let Your Strengths Guide Your Success
We all have to do some work that doesn’t fall under our core strengths, but much of the time we thrust this work on ourselves, not realizing our time could be better spent on those things we’re truly gifted at. Part of everyone’s job is to show their employer what they excel at, and when done properly, most companies are happy to allow you to focus more of your time and effort on these tasks. It’s all about showing your employer where the greatest benefit for them lies.
Once you’ve determined what your core strengths are, go out there and make yourself the absolute best at it. Don’t rest on your laurels content with knowing what you know. Dedicate yourself to continuous learning so that you can remain a valued member of your team and a key part of your company’s continued growth and success. Become the go-to person internally and build your brand as an expert externally. Let your network work for you so that you become the go-to person on a larger scale, and the career success will be sure to follow.
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As a Consultant, Seleena Juma works in partnership with some of the brightest minds in the legal, financial services, and media industries.
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