At the Digital Corps, we believe in students helping other students learn new skills. One of our Corps values is “be the best and striving to be the best,” and we are able to achieve this by allowing students to mentor one another.
We also reward students who excel at their work and act as leaders to other students by promoting students. We follow a guild system of promotions: all students start as Apprentices, then can be promoted to Specialists then Masters. Our Masters, in particular, are in a position to mentor other students. The Masters have been given the opportunity to teach their fellow workers about a certain craft by hosting a presentation and inviting everyone interested to attend.
The most recent Masters’ presentation was hosted by Communications Team Master Eddie Metzger. He presented on several types of self-analysis students can do to help them analyze their professional and personal abilities and set strategic SMART Goals.
“A personal analysis tool is going to really reveal your strengths and weakness and what situations you might excel in. It can help you determine how you work with other people. They are going to give you a better understanding of yourself. The better you understand yourself the better you can work with others,” says Eddie.
Although there are several different tests, methodologies, and analyses you can use, Eddie Metzger presented on three: Myers Briggs Personality Test, CliftonStrengths Assessment, and SWOT Analysis. Let’s take a closer look at all three.
Myers Briggs Personality Test
If you want to take a test that will give you interesting insights about yourself, then check out the Myers Briggs Personality Test. ( Note: This link will take you to the 16personalities website, a free version of the Myers Briggs Personality Test. The real Myers Briggs Personality Test is a paid evaluation. The results from the free version will be more than enough to get you thinking about yourself.) Now, disclaimer, this test should not be taken as the 100% truth about yourself. According to the website, “The information on this website is meant to inspire personal growth and an improved understanding of yourself and your relationships…” Therefore, take the information you find on this test to inspire yourself. Performing this test first can stir your mind to think more deeply about yourself. This deeper understanding can help you grow, to reach the goals you are trying to achieve.
The results of the test will give you 5 letters: I or E, N or S, F or T, J or P, and A or T. These letters are meant to represent different traits that you might possess.
Along with the letters is a fun title to your personality. “Commander”, “Advocate”, “Consul”, and “Adventurer” are all titles of personalities types. Each title includes long, thought-out answers to questions such as “how to handle romantic relationships” and “workplace habits” based on that specific personality type. Eddie’s results indicate his personality type is the “Executive”. This indicates he is an excellent administrator, unsurpassed at managing all thing — including people”.
CliftonStrengths Assessment
Eddie Metzger also talked about the CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly Clifton StrengthsFinder). This assessment is meant to help you “discover what you naturally do best, learn how to develop your greatest talents, and use customized results to live your best life”. Basically, by taking this hour-long test you will receive a list of talents that the assessment thinks you possess (with uncanny accuracy). Please note that it does cost $49.99 to take this assessment.
The results of this test can help you make decisions using your strengths. Your strengths will help you reach your goals. However, knowing what is not on your list of strengths is just as important as knowing what is on your list. You can use that knowledge to work on the traits you do not currently possess.
“This assessment has given me a better understanding of my strengths. So my number one strength is that I am a learner. I enjoy learning new things about a wide variety of topics. I keep this strength in mind when I approach a new project because I have a tendency to say yes to too many things because I want to learn them all. But knowing this, I know that I need to say no to some things so I don’t overwhelm myself.”
SWOT Analysis
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Often, when you hear the term “SWOT Analysis,” it is in a business context. It is used to determine a business’s position in the competitive environment to be able to make a plan to improve the business’s position. However, if you simply think of yourself as the business, you can perform the same analysis and gather great insight. What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? What is your position in the competitive environment? How can you improve your position based on your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
When performing your personal SWOT analysis, be sure to write down your thoughts. Keep it organized by using some sort of table pattern. Take a look at the example below for direction and inspiration. Keep in mind, your strengths and weakness are what you possess internally whereas opportunities and threats are what can affect you externally.
Once you complete the analysis, you can look at your weaknesses and think of a SMART goal to improve upon that area of your life. How can you use your strengths to capitalize on the opportunities you listed? How can you overcome your listed threats?
In summary, it is important to do self-analysis to understand yourself. It is in understanding yourself that you can make better decisions and set better goals to get to where you want to go. As you are doing internal reflections, you can use Myers Briggs Personality Test, CliftonStrengths Assessment, and SWOT Analysis to help you on your way.
