avatarLalitha Brahma

Summary

Lalitha Brahma offers career advice to her 16-year-old self, emphasizing the importance of leveraging personal strengths and continuous learning for professional development.

Abstract

In an article titled "A Sixteen-Year-Old With These Strengths Can Do Wonders," Lalitha Brahma reflects on the career advice she would give to her 16-year-old self, focusing on the acronym STRENGTHS. She advises embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, teaching oneself to be a team player, showing respect to advance careers, enjoying the learning process for intrinsic motivation, being assertive without complaining, guiding others with unique skills, seeking on-the-job training, maintaining honesty for future opportunities, and using self-assessment tools to align job roles with personal strengths. Brahma encourages readers to subscribe to her stories for more insights and to support her work.

Opinions

  • Making mistakes at 16 is acceptable if one learns and does not repeat them.
  • Being a team player is a crucial trait for career success.
  • Respect for superiors and colleagues is essential for career progression.
  • Enjoying and embracing the learning process contributes to professional development and well-being.
  • Assertiveness is preferred over complaining when communicating with superiors or colleagues.
  • Young employees can guide others and contribute significantly to their workplace.
  • On-the-job training is valuable, whether paid or unpaid.
  • Honesty in all professional acts is non-negotiable and can lead to future opportunities.
  • Self-awareness through strength assessments can aid in making informed career choices.
  • Subscribing to the author's work supports her and other writers on the platform.

Day 19: Daily Prompt: What career advice would you give your 16-year-old self?

A Sixteen-Year-Old With These Strengths Can Do Wonders

Knowing Your Strengths Is the First Step

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

I firmly believe in bringing my strengths into play, both in my personal and professional life.

It has worked for me.

That being said, I am going to play with the Acronym

STRENGTHS

S: You are Sixteen, and it is OK to make mistakes as you enter your first teen year and land your first job. However, learn from your mistakes and make sure not to repeat them.

T: Do what it takes to teach yourself to be a team player, a trait that will make you a suitable candidate for the job you love.

R: Respect your boss and co-workers, a Strength that will help you switch employers when you want to advance your career.

E: Enjoy and Embrace the process of learning the skills associated with becoming efficient at what you do. Enjoying and embracing the process will help develop intrinsic motivation and contribute to your overall well-being and Professional Development.

N: Never complain, but be assertive in what you want to communicate to your Boss or co-workers.

G: You may be the youngest on your team, but with your unique skills and talents, you can guide other people and contribute to the growth of the Institution.

T: Grab any opportunity for free on-the-job Training in your Organization. If you get paid that is icing on the cake.

H: Be honest in all your acts. Honor the first job not just because of the lucrative Pay Package associated with it but for the possible future opportunities that come with it.

S: By taking the Character Strength and Clifton Strength Assessment, bring self-awareness into play and observe which part of your job:

1. You love to do, and comes to you easily 2. You do it correctly in the least amount of time 3. Matches with your top five Character strengths/Clifton Strengths

This will help you make smooth Career transitions and handle major life transformations such as Single to married to Parent to Grandparent with confidence and ease.

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Refresh The Soul
Sixteen
Career Advice
Self-awareness
Advice
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