What Are Your Best Professional Qualities?
by Hallie Crawford Thursday, May 27, 2010
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Hallie Crawford is a certified career coach, speaker and author from Atlanta who helps people live a purpose-driven life, identify their ideal career path, navigate their transition and nurture their careers. Her team of career coaches work with people of all ages, have clients all over the country, and have helped thousands of people achieve their career goals.
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Are you looking to make a career change or break into a new field? Are you dissatisfied with your current profession but not sure what your next career move should be? Before you make a major shift in your career, it's a good idea to take some time out for self-exploration. When was the last time you took stock of your personal strengths? Career coaching can help you uncover the hidden talents and abilities that, once discovered, can start you on the path to a job you've always dreamed of having! All you need is a pen and paper or your computer, and some quiet time to do some reflecting. There are no right or wrong answers here. Just be honest with yourself.
1. As a child, what types of leisure activities did you enjoy most?
(Were you handy with tools? Good at making crafts? Did you write stories, enjoy brain teasers? What about sports or outdoor exploration? Were you a budding entrepreneur, with lemonade stands, a paper route, or other lucrative childhood pursuits? What about science projects or caring for, spending time with pets?)
2. When asked to volunteer for a group project, whether it's on the job, with your church, school, or other organization, in which areas do you typically offer your assistance?
3. Which electives did you sign up to take in high school, college, or other training school? Out of those, which classes stand out in your mind as being the easiest and most enjoyable for you? Which ones did you get the best grades in, and for what types of assignments or projects?
4. What about extracurricular activities at your high school or college?
(To which groups did you belong, and in what areas did you offer your contributions? Were you on the school paper or yearbook committee? Did you enjoy building stage sets for the theater group or work as a deejay for your school radio program? Were you a sports team member or assistant coach? Part of the computer or math club?)
5. Think back to all the memorable moments in your life where you were congratulated or thanked profusely for your efforts. What did you do at that time to warrant recognition? If you can think back to notes of thanks, testimonials or other expressions of appreciation, what did people have to say about your best qualities?
6. When asked to write out performance reviews for your job, which areas of proficiency did you most excel at, and in what ways? Take some time to explain these, citing examples of moments where you exhibited stellar performance on the job.
When you're finished writing out the answers to the above questions, go back and give your answers a re-read. What personal attributes can you see popping up repeatedly over the course of your life? Can you think of different types of jobs where you'd be able to best utilize these skills and personal strengths?
Hallie Crawford is a certified career coach, speaker and author from Atlanta who helps people live a purpose-driven life, identify their ideal career path, navigate their transition and nurture their careers. Her team of career coaches work with people of all ages, have clients all over the country, and have helped thousands of people achieve their career goals.
She is regularly featured as a career expert in the media including Fox, CNN, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hallie attended Vanderbilt University where she obtained a degree in communications. After receiving her masters in communications at the University of Illinois, she jumped from job to job, searching for a satisfying and fulfilling career. However, instead of finding what she did want to do, Hallie only found what she didn’t want to do.
She struggled and was frustrated for years before realizing there were other people undoubtedly experiencing the same thing. It was then that she realized what it was she wanted to do: help others who are in a career transition avoid the struggle she had gone through.
Hallie’s entrepreneurial spirit and her desire to create something from the ground up led her to quit her full time job and start her own business in March 2002. Through coaching, Hallie helps others determine what they are really looking for in their careers and then gives them the confidence and assurance to take the steps in order to obtain their dream job.
She is a member of the International Coach Federation, Coachville, and the Georgia Coach Association. When she is not helping a client one-on-one, Hallie coaches small groups through virtual teleclasses and regularly holds speaking engagements and career workshops. She also offers various products, including a her book Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles which can be purchased at www.halliecrawford.com/products.
Visit Certified Career Coach Hallie Crawford at www.halliecrawford.com or sign up for Hallie's monthly e-newsletter, Creating Your Career Path, here: www.halliecrawford.com/newsletter
1. As a child, what types of leisure activities did you enjoy most?
(Were you handy with tools? Good at making crafts? Did you write stories, enjoy brain teasers? What about sports or outdoor exploration? Were you a budding entrepreneur, with lemonade stands, a paper route, or other lucrative childhood pursuits? What about science projects or caring for, spending time with pets?)
2. When asked to volunteer for a group project, whether it's on the job, with your church, school, or other organization, in which areas do you typically offer your assistance?
3. Which electives did you sign up to take in high school, college, or other training school? Out of those, which classes stand out in your mind as being the easiest and most enjoyable for you? Which ones did you get the best grades in, and for what types of assignments or projects?
4. What about extracurricular activities at your high school or college?
(To which groups did you belong, and in what areas did you offer your contributions? Were you on the school paper or yearbook committee? Did you enjoy building stage sets for the theater group or work as a deejay for your school radio program? Were you a sports team member or assistant coach? Part of the computer or math club?)
5. Think back to all the memorable moments in your life where you were congratulated or thanked profusely for your efforts. What did you do at that time to warrant recognition? If you can think back to notes of thanks, testimonials or other expressions of appreciation, what did people have to say about your best qualities?
6. When asked to write out performance reviews for your job, which areas of proficiency did you most excel at, and in what ways? Take some time to explain these, citing examples of moments where you exhibited stellar performance on the job.
When you're finished writing out the answers to the above questions, go back and give your answers a re-read. What personal attributes can you see popping up repeatedly over the course of your life? Can you think of different types of jobs where you'd be able to best utilize these skills and personal strengths?
Hallie Crawford is a certified career coach, speaker and author from Atlanta who helps people live a purpose-driven life, identify their ideal career path, navigate their transition and nurture their careers. Her team of career coaches work with people of all ages, have clients all over the country, and have helped thousands of people achieve their career goals.
She is regularly featured as a career expert in the media including Fox, CNN, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hallie attended Vanderbilt University where she obtained a degree in communications. After receiving her masters in communications at the University of Illinois, she jumped from job to job, searching for a satisfying and fulfilling career. However, instead of finding what she did want to do, Hallie only found what she didn’t want to do.
She struggled and was frustrated for years before realizing there were other people undoubtedly experiencing the same thing. It was then that she realized what it was she wanted to do: help others who are in a career transition avoid the struggle she had gone through.
Hallie’s entrepreneurial spirit and her desire to create something from the ground up led her to quit her full time job and start her own business in March 2002. Through coaching, Hallie helps others determine what they are really looking for in their careers and then gives them the confidence and assurance to take the steps in order to obtain their dream job.
She is a member of the International Coach Federation, Coachville, and the Georgia Coach Association. When she is not helping a client one-on-one, Hallie coaches small groups through virtual teleclasses and regularly holds speaking engagements and career workshops. She also offers various products, including a her book Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles which can be purchased at www.halliecrawford.com/products.
Visit Certified Career Coach Hallie Crawford at www.halliecrawford.com or sign up for Hallie's monthly e-newsletter, Creating Your Career Path, here: www.halliecrawford.com/newsletter