What are the best ways to identify your strengths through a performance evaluation?

2 Ask for feedback

Another way to identify your strengths is to ask for feedback from your manager, peers, clients, or mentors. Feedback can help you gain a different perspective on your performance and highlight the areas where you excel or need improvement. You can ask for feedback in various ways, such as surveys, interviews, 360-degree reviews, or informal conversations. When asking for feedback, be specific about what you want to know, such as your strengths, weaknesses, or areas of development. Also, be open-minded and receptive to the feedback you receive, and thank the people who provide it. Feedback can help you validate your strengths and discover new ones that you might not have noticed.

3 Use assessment tools

Another way to identify your strengths is to use assessment tools that measure your personality, aptitude, interests, or values. These tools can help you understand yourself better and discover your natural talents, preferences, or motivations. Some of the popular assessment tools are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the StrengthsFinder, the DISC Profile, or the Holland Code. You can find these tools online or through your employer or career counselor. When using assessment tools, be honest and objective, and remember that they are not definitive or comprehensive. They are meant to provide insights and suggestions, not labels or limitations.

4 Analyze your challenges

Another way to identify your strengths is to analyze your challenges and how you overcome them. Challenges can reveal your resilience, adaptability, and learning ability, which are valuable strengths in any work environment. Think about the difficulties you faced in your work, such as conflicts, changes, failures, or mistakes. How did you cope with them? What did you learn from them? How did you improve or grow as a result? Write down the specific examples of your challenges and the skills or qualities that helped you overcome them. For example, you might have resolved a conflict with a coworker, showing your emotional intelligence, communication, and collaboration skills. Or you might have learned a new software, demonstrating your curiosity, initiative, and technical skills. These examples will help you identify your strengths and how you can apply them to future situations.

5 Compare yourself with others

Another way to identify your strengths is to compare yourself with others in your field or industry. Comparing yourself with others can help you benchmark your performance and identify your competitive edge or unique value proposition. You can compare yourself with others by researching the best practices, standards, or trends in your field or industry, or by networking with other professionals and learning from their experiences. When comparing yourself with others, be realistic and constructive, and avoid being arrogant or insecure. Use the comparison as a way to identify your strengths and how you can leverage them to stand out or add value.

6 Plan your development

Once you have identified your strengths, you can use them to plan your development and career goals. Your strengths can help you determine your areas of interest, passion, or potential, and guide you to pursue the opportunities that match them. You can also use your strengths to enhance your performance, productivity, or satisfaction in your current role, or to seek new challenges or responsibilities that allow you to use them more. Additionally, you can use your strengths to improve your weaknesses, by focusing on your positive attributes, seeking feedback, or learning from others. Finally, you can use your strengths to communicate your value, by highlighting them in your resume, cover letter, portfolio, or interviews.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?