Dependable Strengths

Activities to explore and identify your strengths!

The career exploration process starts with you. You should reflect and ask yourself:

  • Who am I?
  • What do I have to offer?
  • What are my strengths, skills, talents, abilities—in general and that I’ve learned through my academics or major?

You can then use that information to explore areas of interest and career options. We know these questions are hard to answer, so these activities are designed to help you identify your strengths and talents.

Activity #1: Identifying Good Experiences (GE’s) in Your Life

There are certain criteria around what constitutes a “Good Experience” (GE) in this Dependable Strengths exploration process. A GE may be tied to an accomplishment of some sort, but could also be a small “triumph” in your life that gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

A GE must meet the following criteria:

  • Something YOU feel you DID WELL …this means your opinion counts and you must have actively made it happen
  • Something you ENJOYED doing …the event brought out joy in you; do not include things you do well but do not enjoy
  • Something you are PROUD OF …the event was accompanied by a sense of pride

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Reflect on and list 10 Good Experiences from your life (consider different stages of your life, including childhood, adolescence, and recent experiences).
2. Write down a phrase that helps you remember what each experience was.

Things to consider:

  •  What is a GE that first comes to mind?
  •  What activities give you the most enjoyment when you are not in school/work?
  •  In your most recent assignment/project/activity, which parts did you do best and enjoy most?
  •  In your educational experiences (UW and other), which 2-3 subjects did you do well in and enjoy?

Examples:
1. Created my own study abroad experience
2. Business management class group project
3. Hiked Mount Rainier
4. Tutored middle-school aged kids in math

Activity #2: Writing Stories About Your Good Experiences

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Look over your 10 GEs and identify the 3-4 experiences you feel most strongly about.
2. On a separate paper, write one or two paragraphs describing the situation, the tasks you completed, the actions you took, and the outcomes you feel good about.

Things to consider:

  • Try using the STAR method (identify the situation and task, then explain your actions and the result) to help you construct your “story.”
  • Focus on what you did, how you did it, and the results you achieved.

Need an example?
Here’s an example for the GE “Created my own study abroad experience”:
“I wanted to have a study abroad experience, but could not afford the cost of existing programs. To make it happen, I first went to the registrar to find out what was needed for credit. I learned the school I attend must be accredited and that the credits could fulfill some of my general education requirements. Then I talked with professors and other students to gather ideas and checked all the bulletin boards near the language, culture and international studies departments. After identifying several accredited schools in Mexico and Peru, I emailed them for more information. To increase my finances, I secured additional work study employment and full-time employment during winter break. From my earnings, I saved $1000. I chose one of the accredited school in Peru that had everything I wanted: language, culture, history courses in Spanish and a home-stay. I researched transportation to Peru and found a cheap flight to Ecuador and a bus package taking me from Ecuador to Peru that was more affordable than a direct flight (a wonderful adventure on its own). In Peru, I attended a Spanish-speaking university, made friends with both locals and other exchange students, immersed myself in the culture and arranged my own travel throughout the country over the weekends. The experience exceeded my expectations, raised my confidence and provided me with lifelong friends. I fulfilled my goal of a multicultural educational experience and earned 8 credits toward my BA in Political Economy.“

Now go write your own!

To learn more about Dependable Strengths, visit the Dependable Strengths website.