Vicinity Jobs: Know your strengths

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Know your strengths
Lesley Deugo, York Region Learning Connections

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Do you often ask yourself why you are still at the same job you've disliked for years? Do you think that you could do a lot more given the opportunity? If these questions seem familiar to you, then you are one of many people that are not conscious of their strengths. Whether it is fear, uncertainty, or simply inexperience, many employees are not in jobs that allow them to achieve their full potential.

To discover your strengths, you need to simply ask yourself, what am I good at? And the answer can be simple too. You are good at talking and relating to people. You are good at organization and time management. You are good at coming up with new ideas. However, many people have difficulty recognizing their strengths because they don't view them as something worthwhile.

The best way to understand your strengths is to write them down. If you think back in your experiences to when you were praised in a work environment, or in a school environment, those can be considered strengths. By digging deeper into your personal life, you can also discover things such as communication, empathy, and understanding.

If you feel that your strengths are still limited, you can ask your co-workers, your employers, or your personal friends what they think. You may be surprised by what some may say. Through conversations, your strengths can be apparent immediately, whether you've helped others solve problems or given them great advice or ideas.

Once you have seen the results of your strengths, it is hard to imagine why you ever though you didn't have any! And after you accept and recognize that you are someone that has a lot of potential, it will become much more clear to you what you current job is lacking or what your career goals should be!

Lesley Deugo is a Youth Outreach Worker for YorkYouth and Discover, at York Region Learning Connections in Richmond Hill. YorkYouth is a youth employment initiative delivered by the York Region District School Board, providing outreach and support in Southern York Region. For more information, visit www.yorkyouth.ca.


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