We all have something that makes us unique. and sometimes it can be so small that we might overlook it, take it for granted or not understand the full potential of  how mighty that little gift is.

It might be that you have an excellent retentive memory, or excellent at analysing, forecasting and predicting things. These attributes are key in various positions and industries. For example being very analytical and demonstrating the ability to forecast and predict is very essential in Finance and Business Analysis. Having retentive memory is really self-explanatory, it helps you to be an all-round productive professional.

Now, we all have the degrees, masters, Phd’s, and the professional accreditations coupled with the professional experience. But what makes you stand out from your fellow Master Degree holder? or your fellow accreditation member?

It is the gifts that make YOU unique, because there is only one version of  YOU! yes I am talking about you, the reader of this post.

How do I zone in on my gifts? you might be thinking. It’s simple, and can be done through meditation and liaising with those around you. Ask them what they feel your strengths are? What do they think you’re really good at? What they feel you excel in? and also what they feel your weaknesses are? Treat it as though you are doing a market research project on yourself, and ensure that you get clear and unbiased opinions from colleagues, previous employers, friends, and family (though one can debate that family may be a little biased).

In form of a journal, you can write all your findings down, mediate on them and then most importantly draw YOUR OWN analysis based on the feedback and your own personal/professional feedback about yourself.

If you are completely honest during the exercise, you will yield results and these are the results that you can apply to your life everyday.

As much as you develop a sense of your strengths, you should also pay the same attention to your weaknesses. You can develop ways to improve them, so they shouldn’t be overlooked but seen as constructive criticism.

We cannot be perfect, it’s virtually impossible because we all have our various beliefs of what we believe “perfect” actually is. However you can work on them if they are detrimental to your career advancement for example being too rigid, not being susceptible to change etc. But if they are “little habits” then you can learn or cultivate yourself to curb them.

Whether you’re looking for new opportunities, improving your productivity at work, or vying for a promotion. You should identify your strengths, key into your natural abilities, and make them work for you with the objective of distinguishing yourself from your peers.

With your weaknesses you can develop an action plan on how to improve them. This can be in form of personal  development training or just being more aware of the things that let you down.

In business, leverage is key. It is a environment that operates purely on the supply and demand which requires leverage to be successful, and you should see yourself as a point of leverage. Your academics can only get you so far, after all the recruitment ratio is 60-70% competence and 30-40% soft skills/personality. For example if there were 2 candidates interviewing for a role who were equally as educated, with the same accreditations,and work experience It would be the candidate who exhibits more personality what will get the job.

So with this ratio it’s actually proven that it is your unique gifts that will  make you an exceptional employee and it is also those same gifts that will give you that boost in your career advancement.

So tune in to what you have and utilise them. Create a need with your skills that businesses demand for and leverage it with your professionalism.