Home
Preparation Tips
Interview Checklist
Questions&Answers
Typical Questions
Difficult Questions
Questions to Ask
Interview Tips
Behavioral Interview
Interview Guides
Manager Interview
Project Manager
Accounting Interview
Sales Interview
Customer Service
Secretary Interview
Teacher Interview
Nurse Interview
Nanny Interview
Job Descriptions
Sample Resumes
Cover Letters
Information Interview
Phone Interviews
Panel Interviews
Group Interviews
Dress for Success
Close the Interview
Interview Follow Up
Thank You Letters
Job References
Background Checks
Employment Tests
Job Offer Help
Negotiating
Resignation Letters
Surviving a Layoff
 Best Articles
Job Interview Blog
Contact Us
Site Map
About Us
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

 

What are Your Strengths?

Original article by the authors of best-job-interview.com

"What are your strengths?" is one of the most common job interview questions and can be difficult to answer. Prepare before the interview by using simple guidelines to identify your strengths.


what are your strengths

Before you can answer the job interview question "What are your strengths?" you need to understand your specific strengths.

What is a strength?

A strength can be defined as a combination of talent, behavior, skills and knowledge that you apply consistently to produce a successful result.

To identify your strengths you need to look at four criteria.

What activities make me feel involved and engaged?

Ask yourself these questions:

  • When I am busy with this activity do I think about other things and when it will be over or am I totally concentrated on the task at hand?

  • Do I look forward to doing this activity again?

What are my spontaneous reactions to the situation and activity?

Ask yourself:

  • When do I feel a sense of "rightness" and enjoyment?

  • What activities give me a sense of satisfaction?

What activities consistently produce the desired results?

Ask yourself:

  • Where do I perform at a high level?

  • What provides a consistent pattern of successful results?

  • What seems to be done well and effortlessly?

Where and when do I experience rapid learning?

Ask yourself:

  • What activities and tasks have I been able to learn quickly?

  • In what areas and activities have I experienced quick insight and understanding?

Use the strengths-finder list below to identify possible activities/skills/knowledge-areas/behaviors that can be translated into strengths by answering the questions above.

What are Your Strengths?

  1. activating, adapting, administering, analyzing, arranging

  2. budgeting, building, briefing, balancing

  3. communicating, controlling, co-ordinating, creating, checking

  4. deciding, detailing, developing, directing, devising

  5. empathizing, evaluating , examining, explaining

  6. finding, fixing, formulating, finalizing

  7. guiding, gathering, generating

  8. helping, handling, hosting

  9. imagining, implementing, influencing, initiating, innovating, improving

  10. judging

  11. keeping

  12. learning, listening, locating, launching

  13. managing, mentoring, monitoring, motivating

  14. negotiating, navigating

  15. observing, organizing, overhauling

  16. persuading, planning, preparing, presenting, problem-solving

  17. questioning, qualifying

  18. researching, resolving, reporting, recording, repairing

  19. scheduling, selling, setting -up, supervising, simplifying, speaking

  20. teaching, team-work, trouble-shooting, training, tracking

  21. understanding, uniting, upgrading, updating

  22. verbalizing, volunteering, verifying

  23. writing, working

If it feels good when you are performing an activity the chances are that you are using a strength. Your strengths are things that come naturally and relatively easily to you.

Once you have identified your strengths it is important to understand what they mean on a practical, work-related level in order to answer the question What are Your Strengths and Weaknesses? Relate your strengths to the tasks and activities involved in the job you are interviewing for. Get help with answering this typical interview question at Free Interview Answers

View this comprehensive List of Strengths and Weaknesses

More about how to answer Interview Questions about Weaknesses

These are the 12 Core Competencies identified as essential for successful job performance.

View common Job Interview Questions and Answers such as Tell me about yourself and Why should we employ you?

Top Interview Questions & Answers

Standard Interview Questions

Typical Interview Questions & Answers

View these Free Job Descriptions to find out the competency and skill requirements for different jobs. Match your strengths to these in your job interview answer.

Focus on your strengths when you are changing careers. Use this Career Change Cover Letter Advice to help you secure a new career.

Please Note - This article is owned by Best-job-interview.com and permission to republish it must be granted by the authors in writing.

Go to Interview Articles Homepage to view the latest articles covering job search and interviewing skills. Use the expert advice and information to help you get the job you want.



Return from What are Your Strengths to Best Job Interview

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Google