The jobs market is competitive, and while graduate training programmes offer a foot in the door, securing a permanent position after the scheme has come to an end can prove tricky. Employers expect you to be able to hit the ground running and step into new roles with confidence. This means you need to know what makes you different and how you can use your own unique selling points to contribute value both now and in the future, ultimately maximising your chances of being hired.
Your strengths aren’t necessarily just the things that you are good at; they are what you have the most energy for and what you enjoy the most ? an important distinction when we are increasingly spending more time at work. As Steve Jobs once said: “If you don’t love it, if you’re not having fun doing it, you’re going to give up”. Understanding your passions and strengths helps to prevent this.
How can you be at your strongest?
The latest advice for graduates if you want to get noticed and retained is to use your early months to showcase your talents. Look for opportunities to test out different roles to see where your strengths fit best, and build confidence in communicating the value you will bring to the organisation using these strengths.
The benefit to you is clear: when you focus on your strengths and communicate these to others, it is much more likely your employer will keep giving you the kind of work you enjoy. This can create a virtuous cycle which sees you doing more of the work you love, which you then deliver to a higher quality standard, resulting in you getting more of this kind of work to do, as well as making your future position in the organization more secure.
Read more at The Guardian.
