Discovering your strengths and weaknesses

What makes you unique as a professional? Discovering your strengths and weaknesses helps you define your unique selling points (USP). A USP helps you distinguish yourself from the rest. 

What are my strengths and weaknesses? 

Recognising strengths 

Your strengths are qualities and qualifications that allow you to better complete your tasks, as well as your personality traits that will help you contribute to a positive atmosphere at the office. 

How can you discover your strengths? 

• Check your qualities: what are you good at, what are you proud of? What characteristic or competence distinguishes you from others? 
   
• Collect examples or results that you can use to make your qualities concrete. 
   
• Take a step back and look at all the examples. What do you excel in? Can you identify a core USP? 

Recognise weaknesses

There is a chance that you will be asked about your greatest strengths and weaknesses during the job interview. 

Be honest and show that you are aware of your weaknesses also. This is not so much about what you do not know (such as a language or technical system) as it is about a more personal 'weakness'. For example, you are very thoughtful/cautious and therefore sometimes have difficulty reaching a decision. This example shows that a strong point (being thoughtful) can automatically have a counterpart (difficulty reaching a decision). This may help you to identify your weaknesses. 

Tips for shaping your story 

A common mistake is that applicants do not clearly enough show the match with the job. 

• Consider carefully whether your USP matches the position and whether you understand the role you are applying for. 
   
• And what about your match with the organisation? Make your story relevant and appropriate for the company by doing sufficient research. 
   
• Stay sincere and straightforward and create your own, authentic and structured story. 

Knowing what you stand for, a clear motivation and a visible match with the position are the key elements in your job application. Recognising your strengths and weaknesses will help you find a new job.