As some of you may have noticed, I am actively seeking opportunities involving strategic work at content, digital, creative or integrated agencies. Besides the age old "So, tell me about yourself!" that always gets asked, the interviewers also won't fail to ask for strengths and weaknesses.
Being a normal late 20-something, who is always seeking to do better in some way, I usually sheepishly say that I have a lot of room for improvement. In fact, I suspect that it will be my default answer for the rest of my life. Not because I consider myself preposterously inadequate in any way, but because I think keeping an open mind will encourage a constant process of growth and change. Which is something healthy for someone whose career involves thinking differently.
Anyway, I think strengths and weaknesses are but two sides of the same trait; it just depends on the situation. Here are three of the traits I have, and how they can be good/bad for a strategic role.
A strong sense of urgency - aka "I want to do all the things right now."
Ok, confession time: While at university, I was that one student who had the entire semester's readings photocopied by first week of term. The down side is you don't match everyone's pace and can really stick out due to your behaviour, which may not be a good thing socially. But the up side is, you won't be fighting with everyone else in the course for the few copies of the book later in the semester. And you get to save the people who know you well enough, by lending them the notes to photocopy.
At work, especially when there's a project that I am interested in, I sometimes wind up trying to do 80% of the work in 20% of the time. (I do have very clear priorities though.) Some people don't appreciate it because I can make them look bad in comparison, or simply because their pace of work is slow and steady. On the up side though, I get to spot all the later stage problems much earlier, and have the opportunity to start all over if necessary. It also means I always have a fairly well-considered Plan B for my clients.
Selectively chatty - aka "I either talk a lot or not at all."
Given that I read about 2 books a month, absorb a ridiculous amount of reddit and memes, and scan the news every day, I definitely have an opinion on things and know what's up. But, I prefer to listen, read, and observe, rather than make small talk. Mainly because I value everyone's time, and see my reticence as a blank canvas.
I guess the down side to this is it takes a while for people to know me well. But the plus side is, I don't have any difficulty getting attention when needed.
Quirky - aka "I'm not very predictable."
Perhaps this is due to instinctive curiousity and my training, but I am comfortable with a wide variety of topics and interests. I can fangirl about the idols on Produce 48, talk about urban legends, review the latest fast food items, explain ballet techniques, and pick up a Chinese book on weiqi strategy at the end of the conversation.
On the down side, some people make the assumption that I don't have strong passions or areas of expertise. Or think that I'm very distracted. Actually, there is a logic behind the madness, and the subjects I delve into form a larger picture. (If you're curious, grab me for a coffee and I'll explain.)
As for the up side... It's time to quote Hegarty! "Originality is dependent upon the obscurity of your sources."
