This document discusses using StrengthsFinder assessments to develop a personal brand. It explains that StrengthsFinder identifies 34 themes that make up a person's top 5 strengths. Developing strengths into talents requires investment of time and practice. The document provides examples of how to incorporate strengths into job interviews, cover letters, resumes, and elevator pitches. It also discusses defining one's personal brand by identifying skills, values, passions, life experiences, and personality. The key message is that being intentional about one's personal brand can help with career success.

1. Strengths & Your Personal
Brand
Katy Hinz, Office for Student Engagement

2. My Top 5
Learner Positivity
Maximizer
Arranger
Empathy
My Top 5

3. StrengthsFinder Facts
• 34 themes
• Online
assessment, you
get your top 5
with descriptions
and action guide
• 33.39 Million

4. Talent
(a natural way of
thinking, feeling,
or behaving)
X =
Strengths Building Equation
Investment
(time spent practicing,
developing your
skills, and building
your knowledge base)
Strength
(the ability to consistently
provide near-perfect positive
performance)

5. Writing Challenge
• Sign your name five times on a sheet of paper.

6. Writing Challenge
• Now switch hands…
• Sign your name five times on a sheet of paper.

7. Strengths on the Job
*Harter, J.K., Schmidt, F.L. (2002). Employee engagement,
satisfaction, and business-unit-level outcomes: Metaanalysis.
Gallup Technical Report
One study* found that employees
who answered yes to the question,
“I have the opportunity to do what
I do best every day” (i.e. use their
strengths) had a 44% higher
probability of employee retention
and a 38% higher probability of
productivity.

8. Strengths & Your Career
• Your themes do not match one career field, instead they help
you understand how you can be successful in your career of
choice
• The best people in a role deliver the same outcomes, but with
different behaviors (strengths)
• Utilize the ‘Career’ section of the ‘Student Action Items’ report
and/or the U of M Strengths Guides
• When you find a career that fits you work doesn’t really seem
like work

9. Don’t use the StrengthsFinder words to explain
your strengths to an employer….
WHY NOT????

10. Your Top 5
• Choose two of your Strengths
• Write down how you would explain
these strengths in your own words and
one-two examples of how you use these
strengths. Pretend that you are
explaining them to an employer!
• Share in small groups

11. Job Analysis
Social Media Assistant
- Coordinate online marketing and advertising
campaigns and update Web sites
- Collaborate with other team members in service
of client specific projects and campaigns
- Organize project coordination and community
outreach
- Creatively develop the "Brand" and "Vision" of
our clients Campaigns
- Utilize Social Media as a tool for online
marketing and promotion
- Manage campaign and project related task in the
best interest of the clients.
• How could you
use your
Strengths to do
this job?
• How would you
communicate it
to the
employer?

12. Incorporate Strengths:
• Interviewing: STARS Method
– Situation/Task
– Action
– Result
– Strength(s)
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Elevator Pitch

13. Personal Brand

14. Identify the Brand

15. Identify the Brand

16. Identify the Brand

17. Identify the Brand

18. What’s Your Brand?
What do people think of when they
see your NAME or FACE?
What are you KNOWN for?

19. What’s Your Brand?
Who do you go to when…
You need advice about a problem you are having with a friend?
Need a movie recommendation?
Need help with your math homework?
You need to laugh and have fun?
What do people come to you for?
• Whether you know if or not all of your actions
are creating your brand.
• Being intentional about your brand will help you
be successful in your career.

20. “…Your unique promise of value”
-William Arruda
“A Brand is what someone does
consistently with effectiveness”
–Rob Swanson
Personal Brand Video
What’s a Personal Brand?

21. Defining Your Brand
Your personal brand is your set of
unique qualities that make you
marketable to employers including:
• Strengths
• Skills
• Values
• Passions
• Unique Life Experiences
• Personality

22. Skills
• Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written)
• Analytical/Research Skills
• Computer/Technical Literacy
• Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple
Priorities
• Interpersonal Abilities
• Leadership/Management Skills
• Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness
• Planning/Organizing
• Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity
• Teamwork
Pick 2 skills
you feel
confident in

23. Values
• What are your Top 3
Values?

24. Passions
• Environment
• Helping People
• Travel
• Cars
• Reading
• Knitting
• Fashion
Identify one
thing you are
passionate
about

25. Unique life experiences
• Military
• Experiences
abroad
• Internships
• Volunteering
• Leadership
roles
Think of 1 unique life
experience you have had, how
would you explain the impact
to an employer?

26. Personality
How would you describe
your Personality?

27. Create Your Personal Brand
Statement

28. Now What?
• Seek to learn more about your Top 5
– Talk to people about your Top 5
• Friends, family, academic advisor, career counselor
• Reflect, reflect, reflect!
– Visit STRENGTHS.UMN.EDU, Job Search Guide
– www.thepersonalbrandingblog.com
– Meet with a Strengths & Engagement Coach, drop ins M-F 11am-
2pm in STSS 511
• Student Action Items found at: www.strengthsquest.com
– Academics
– Study Techniques
– Extra Curricular
– Career
Choose an item
to act on!

29. Questions?