Using StrengthsFinder
In Your Job Search
Crossroads Career Network
Monthly Networking Meeting
March 5, 2015
Presented by
Natalie Ackerman
Cornerstone Career Consulting

Your Strengths are the “Secret” Ingredient!
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

In your Job Search…
You’re a Salesperson
(whether you like it or not  )
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YOU are the product!
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To sell your value to a potential employer you have to…
Know Your Product & Believe in it!
How well do you “know” your product?
How will you “sell” yourself?
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

What Makes You Stand Out?
All things being equal…
Candidate A STRENGTHS Candidate B
The difference between A and B is STRENGTHS !!
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

Strengths are the things you do that make you feel energized and alive when you do them
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You were born w/them
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They’re how you’re hard-wired
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They’re easy & effortless
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They’re so natural you think -
”doesn’t everyone do that?
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It’s the HOW & the WHY of what you do
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Talk to people in elevators, airplanes, grocery stores, and wherever you go
Have a color-coded/organized closet
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Keep a list of things to do and stick to it
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Believe things can always be done better
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Pick someone to race while driving
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Ask too many questions
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Focus more on people than work
REPEATEDLY push the elevator button
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

How Do My Strengths Make a Difference?
 Behavior patterns that make you effective.
 Thought patterns that make you efficient.
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Beliefs that empower you to succeed.
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Attitudes that sustain your efforts toward achievement and excellence.
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Motivations that propel you to take action and maintain the energy needed to achieve.
© Gallup Organization
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Effortlessly and instinctively starting conversations
(Woo)
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Thinking in an orderly or timely manner (Discipline)
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Easily and naturally influencing others (Command)
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Seeing patterns in data (Analytical)
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Consistently having a positive outlook on life (Positivity)
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Sorting through clutter to get to the heart of matters
(Strategic)
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Naturally organizing people & events for optimal outcomes (Arranger)
© Gallup Organization
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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40+ years of research
10+Million interviews across the globe
20% - people that are working from their strengths
80% - not engaged, bringing their best to work every day
98.9% accuracy – 1 st time
Rank vs. Function
1:33.5 mill. – possibility of anyone having top 5 in the same order
Approx. 179 people of 7+ billion on the earth w/your same 5 in the same order!
Similar to your fingerprint, your strengths are unique to YOU!
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

The themes most commonly appearing in the top 5 are:
Achiever, Responsibility, Learner, Relator, and Strategic.
The themes least likely to show up in the top 5 are:
Command, Self-Assurance, Significance, Discipline and Context.
32% Achiever
32% Relator
32% Responsibility
28% Learner
26% Strategic
22% Maximizer
20% Input
18% Arranger
18% Harmony
16% Connectedness
15% Empathy
14% Adaptability
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting
14% Belief
14% Developer
14% Positivity
13% Ideation
13% WOO
12% Activator
12% Analytical
12% Communication
12% Focus
12% Individualization
11% Intellection
11% Restorative
10% Competition
10% Deliberative
9% Consistency
9% Includer
8% Context
8% Futuristic
6% Command
6% Discipline
6% Self-Assurance
6% Significance
© Gallup Organization

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What kinds of activities are you naturally drawn to?
What activities energize you?
What kind of activities do you seem to pick up quickly?
What activities do you seem to automatically know the steps to be taken?
What activities give you a kick, and you think, “When can I do that again?”
What activities are frustrating or drain you?
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

What did you enjoy doing before you were
18 years old?
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Teach a classroom
Sing to a large audience
Organize parties/events for classmates
Organize & staff a lemonade stand
Top Salesperson for fundraisers - Boy/Girl Scouts
Team captain for sports team
Settling conflicts between classmates
Studying science/history
Fixing broken things
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

Natalie’s career history:
Sales & Sales Management
Recruiter /Trainer
Project manager
Program manager
Professional Development Coach
Entrepreneur
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Woo – one who is able to easily persuade.
Maximizer – one who seeks to take people & projects from great to excellent.
Activator – one who acts to start things in motion.
Arranger – one who enjoys orchestrating many tasks & variables to a successful outcome.
Positivity – one who has a knack for bringing the bright side to any situation.
Does what you did “then” look similar to what you do “now” ?
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting
© 2008 Strength Based Leadership

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“Out of the box” solutions
Recognize emerging needs & imagine solutions
Masters of “possibility” thinking
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Like to synthesize ideas, develop theories, research information, and design innovative solutions
Challenges the status quo and asks: “What about this idea? Have you thought about trying that?”
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Envisions a brighter future
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Encourages everyone to see possibilities and think differently
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Organize and take charge
Drive projects across the finish line – outcome driven
Manage, run, and improve core processes & systems
Remove barriers to performance
Manage the details and ensure results
Want to know the goals, deadlines, and what’s expected of them
“no-nonsense” – hate inefficiency
Ask the tough questions no one else does
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Motivate others and gain commitment
Help people work collaboratively and build trust & teamwork
The “glue” that makes projects and relationships work
Highly intuitive to others needs & concerns
Like to connect, communicate & inspire others to do their best
Experts at listening, coaching, communicating & facilitating
Listen & advise, resolve conflict
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Change agents
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Champion & launch new ideas and ensure their success
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Sells the team’s ideas & excels at forging alliances inside and outside the organization
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Set up projects and change initiatives up for success
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Know what it takes to create lasting change – big change
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Put systems and resources in place to achieve the vision
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Will sell the idea, assemble the resources & design the infrastructure to support the project
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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Any surprises? Disappointments?
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Which strength do you appreciate the most?
Why?
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Which 1 or 2 strengths help you succeed the most in your job?
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How do those 1 or 2 strengths add value to the team you work with every day?
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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ABSOLUTELY!
Self-Confidence – know who you ARE & are NOT
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Clarity about who you are and the specific value you offer an employer
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What cos. need most + what you do best = success!
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Sell yourself more effectively because you come across with authenticity & conviction
 Saves wasted time spent on companies or jobs that aren’t a fit with your values/strengths
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

 StandOut – Marcus Buckingham
 Strengths Based Leadership – Tom Rath & Barrie Conchie
 Strengths Based Selling – Tony Rutigliano and Brian Brim
 Discover Your Sales Strengths – Benson Smith & Tony Rutigliano
 Go Put Your Strengths to Work – Marcus Buckingham
 Living Your Strengths – Donald Clifton & Albert Winseman
 StrengthsQuest – (college students)
 Strengths Explorer – (children ages 10-13)
 Your Child’s Strengths – Jenifer Fox
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting
THANK YOU!

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I help others peer over the horizon to see the potential for the future by asking “did you ever think about…or wouldn’t it be great if…”. When others say “this can’t be done”, I look for options and figure out how it can be done.
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If a team needs to be created, I should be involved. I recognize talents, skills, and knowledge in people. I intuitively sense how very different people can work together.
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I have a relentless need for achievement - an internal fire that pushes me to set goals and do more. I set the pace for the team and facilitate highly productive work groups.
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting

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People tell me that I’m genuine and authentic in my approach and
I can develop enduring, trusted relationships with virtually anyone.
Because of this, I build productive, long-term relationships with internal and external clients at all levels.
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I have the ability to quicken the pulse of my surroundings and engage the exchange of ideas. I can take performance up a notch, or several just by engaging others in conversations and bringing talented people together.
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Is enthusiasm contagious – I hope so! There are always challenges but I’m the cheerleader and we’ll keep moving forward no matter the obstacles.
© 2015 Cornerstone Career Consulting