Career applications

Career Applications for StrengthsFinder – adapted from StrengthsQuest
Achiever
 Focus on goals and action planning
 Workplaces that provide incentives can be a good fit
 Find a place where your productivity, stamina, intensity and drive will be appreciated
 Look for roles that will challenge you and reward your hard work
Activator
 You like to jump in and get started – try out various possible jobs/roles
 Look for leadership opportunities
 Look for jobs where you will be rewarded for getting things moving
 Consider being an entrepreneur
 Understand some people may feel threatened by your need to make decisions and get things
going
Adaptability
 You do well with changing demands; look for jobs where a quick response and flexibility are
important
 You may thrive in chaos – avoid places that are highly structured with lots of routine, rules and
regulations
 You may do well in the entertainment or hospitality industries
Analytical
 A hallmark of analytical talent is the ability to ask good questions – use this to interview people
in careers that are of interest to you
 Explore jobs that will require you to weigh evidence and make decisions based on facts, data,
and research
 Look for environments that allow you freedom to explore and think
Arranger
 Arrangers have a way of having all the pieces fall into place eventually. As you plan your
career, keep your options open – it will all come clear!
 Look for opportunities for freedom, flexibility, planning and people contact
 Consider event planning, human resources, city management, or travel
Belief
 Think about your ―calling‖ – your career must match your personal values and beliefs
 Consider finding a mentor
 Look for organizations focused on positively affecting the quality of people’s lives
 Look for work-life balance
Command
 Try out various possible jobs/roles
 Look for leadership opportunities
 Look for careers with upward mobility
 Look for jobs where you can use skills in persuasion (law, sales, politics or theater)
 Consider environments that call for rapid decision-making
Communication
 Talk to people in possible jobs/roles —their stories will inform you
 Look for environments that offer you social interaction on a daily basis—cooperative,
interactive, educational environments are best for you
 Look for careers where you can tell stories (comedian, actor, motivational speaker, teacher,
PR, minister, trainer)
Competition
 Look for leadership opportunities
 Choose environments where your work can be quantified and compared
 Consider sales, law, politics, athletics and business
 Look for careers with upward mobility
Connectedness
 Look for humanitarian organizations
 Look for environments that allow you to interact with others and help them find meaning and
purpose
 Be aware of your own values and make sure you work for an organization that shares them
 Consider working within your faith tradition
Consistency
 Look for environments that have regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines firmly
established
 Look for environments that are structured and predictable
 Consider quality assurance, risk management, safety compliance, human resources and law
enforcement
Context
 Examine your past choices for clues as to what you love and are good at
 Look for environments that allow you to explore how things came to be the way they are and
have a strong sense of organizational history
 Consider careers like archeologist, historian, curator, humanities professor or antiques
appraiser
Deliberative
 Gather as much information as you can about possible jobs/roles
 Look for environments where you can independently conduct thorough analysis / avoid those
with a lot of socializing/interpersonal interaction
 Think about a career as a risk analyst, financial officer, or judge
Developer
 Consider a career where you can help people become ever better at what they do
 Look for careers where you can provide some type of service to people (life coach, counselor,
teacher)
 Look for environments where focus is on interpersonal interaction, collaboration and teambuilding
Discipline
 Make a timeline for your career planning process
 Look for environments that are structured, where you can maintain order for yourself and
others, and use your organizational talents
 Think about a career as an air traffic controller, brain surgeon, tax specialist, or executive
assistant
Empathy
 Seek work in organizations where emotions are valued and not repressed.
 Look for environments that are positive and uplifting, with a lot of interpersonal interaction and
collaboration
 Think about a career as a teacher, counselor, or clergyperson
Focus
 Gather as much information as you can about possible jobs/roles
 Look for environments where you can focus and concentrate without interruptions or need to
multi-task
 Structured environments that are predictable and detail-oriented will bring out your best
Futuristic
 Choose a career where you can help others to envision the future and inspire them to create it
 Look for environments that reward vision and creativity
 Think about a career as an architect, designer, commercial artist, or city planner
Harmony
 Talk to mentors about your career planning process
 Look for environments where you can be a part of a project team, and where consensus-based
decision making is used
 Environments that lack structure or are highly unpredictable will not be as comfortable for you
Ideation
 Brainstorm and dream as much as you can about possible jobs/roles
 Look for environments that are loosely structured, and that reward out of the box thinking,
creativity and experimentation
 Think about a career in strategic planning, consulting, market research, design, or advertising
Includer
 Think about working with a group not always included by others, like the physically or mentally
challenged
 Look for environments where you welcoming role, such as orienting new employees
 Think about a career as a youth worker, therapist, social worker or special education teacher
Individualization
 Look for environments where you can mentor, train and provide feedback to others
 Look for careers where you can work one-to-one with people
 Think about a career as a teacher, counselor, corporate trainer, life coach or HR professional
Input
 Gather as much information as you can about possible jobs/roles
 Look for environments where you can pursue threads of information
 Think about careers where you are always on the cutting edge of knowledge and give you the
chance to become an expert collector and consumer of research
Intellection
 Read, read, read about careers
 Look for a career where you can share ideas and pose questions – avoid ―status quo‖
organizations
 Look for environments where you have the time and space to think and reflect before
responding
 Think about a career that will challenge you intellectually
Learner
 Explore career inventories, and read and study about careers
 Look for environments that encourage constant learning and personal development
 Think about a career as a college professor, teacher, or corporate trainer
Maximizer
 Interview people who are among the ―best of the best‖ about what they like in their jobs or
careers
 Look for environments that encourage ―best practices‖ and where you can work with others to
continually improve the organization
 Think about a career where you can help others develop their talents
Positivity
 Choose work that you are passionate about and that supports your hopeful view of the future
 Look for environments that are fun, fast paced, and people-oriented, and where you can use
your sense of humor
 Think about a career as a coach, sales rep, teacher, or manager
Relator
 Talk to your trusted circle of friends about how they see you
 Look for environments where friendships are encouraged and you can keep learning about
others
 Think about a career as a counselor, teacher, mediator, HR director, school administrator or
manager
Responsibility
 Look for environments where you can work independently and where you will be given more
responsibility over time
 Look for places you can build trusting relationships with others
 Think about a career that focuses on outcomes rather than process, such as law clerk,
librarian, executive asst.
Restorative
 Talk to people who have a reputation for salvaging bad situations or stepping in to solve
problems – ask them what they enjoy about their work
 Look for environments where you are called on to diagnose problems and design solutions
 Think about a career as a customer service rep, surgeon, or TV producer
Self-Assurance
 Try out possible jobs/roles (you’ll be good at a lot of different things, so it’s most important to
see what you like)
 Look for environments where you will be challenged AND have a lot of freedom
 Consider a career in sales, entertainment or training
Significance
 Think about the legacy you want to leave – what career does this point you towards?
 Look for environments where you will receive recognition for your accomplishments
 Think about a career where you can make a real, lasting contribution to improving the world
Strategic
 Look for a career that will allow you to develop new programs and ways of working to solve old
problems
 Look for environments that are flexible and encourage creative thought, AND that give you
opportunities to see the big picture
 Think about a career as a psychologist, lawyer, or consultant
WOO
 Introduce yourself to a wide variety of people in different jobs
 Look for environments where you can meet new people daily, and that value your ability to
persuade or sell
 Think about a career as an entertainer, trainer, sales rep., attorney, or PR specialist