by Angela Loëb
Taking stock of your career assets includes taking a look at your personal traits. Traits are not the same as personal values, nor are they the same as skills. Traits specifically describe how we do our work in the world.
Create a list of your traits – you can find traits online, of course, but the best list I’ve ever seen is in What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. Round up what you think are your top 5 traits and then, if you dare, try to prioritize or rank them in order of how you think your traits show up in your personality.
Warning: Be as honest as you can in this self-examination. During this exercise you might be tempted to list traits you admire yet might not really be representative of your style. Also be aware of whether or not you “own” those traits you really do have but haven’t listed. For example, being firstborn and having to step up when I was very young to help care for my three younger siblings, I’ve always seen myself as dependable and responsible. My sister points out that I have a tendency to ignore my adventuresome side and even chastised me for neglecting to claim that trait when making my list.
Another way to get an authentic read on your traits is to ask others who know you well to help you, especially if you struggle to be objective about yourself.
Once you’ve made your this list, cross-reference your findings with the results of assessments like DISC, MBTI, Strong, Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0, etc.
Looking at your natural talents, skills and knowledge, and traits will help you get going on determining your individual brand. Next up, I’ll talk about what else goes into the formula to help you open your eyes and be able to express your unique brand.
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