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How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”

• Joel Schwartzberg

Advice and examples to help you craft an authentic answer to this common interview question.

Don’t take common interview questions lightly just because they’re predictable. Underpreparing for them can make the difference between moving ahead and moving on. One question that often comes up: What are your strengths and weaknesses? In this article, the author outlines clear steps for how to describe your strengths and weaknesses along with sample language to use as a guide.

Some questions come up again and again in job interviews . At the top of the list: “ Tell me about yourself ,” “ Why do you want to work here? ” and “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”

• JS Joel Schwartzberg oversees executive communications for a major national nonprofit, is a professional presentation coach, and is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team . You can find him on LinkedIn and X. TheJoelTruth

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When You Write

Strengths and Weaknesses in Writing

As a writer, I always strive to be better—and in some categories, the best. I believe that understanding my writing strengths and weaknesses helps me improve my writing skills and become a master of this art.

If one doesn’t understand their strengths and weaknesses in writing, it means they can’t genuinely edit their work and cannot pinpoint areas that need improvement and those that are their strengths.

Constant self-evaluation is the passe-partout of any practice or line of work, but to accurately evaluate yourself you have to know what you’re looking for.

Every writer has strengths and weaknesses. For example, you might have a rich vocabulary—which you efficiently use—or showcase good usage of literary devices. Those two would be called strengths in your writing.

You might also have weaknesses in your writing such as lack of coherence, long-winded sentences, and organization.

Let us delve further into writing strengths and weaknesses and understand how you can use your strengths and overcome your weaknesses!

8 Must-Have Strengths for a Writer

It is also important to know and have some particular strengths as a writer to be more than an ordinary writer.

Here are some of those essential strengths:

Focus is essential in almost everything you do. Without focus, you could have the best skill set and still produce average work dues to errors and complacency.

Every writer wants to stay focused, but it’s not easy. You have to teach yourself to stay focused, whether it involves conditioning your body or tricking your mind.

Do whatever is necessary and within healthy limits. When you start writing and reading routinely, your body and mind start responding to them as the normal order of your day.

Enough sleep and a cup of coffee also help you maintain focus during your writing sessions .

And, get rid of distractions! Put down your phone, turn off your Wi-Fi, and get away from your Tele.

2. A Rich, Diverse Vocabulary

We are not talking about having a rich vocabulary only, but also using the words expeditiously.

This diverse vocabulary should make you write pieces that are not readable and make your readers slave through their reading.

So, you should always make sure that you choose (from this excellent vocabulary and diverse word choice) the right and unique choice of words that would look appealing to your readers.

You have to keep learning new words and the correct usage of those words.

3. A Burning Passion for Reading

I hear a lot of writers—self-published writers to be specific—say that they don’t like reading. For them, writing is a natural talent that doesn’t need to be nourished by reading.

One thing they are oblivious of is that without reading, they can’t understand what they are doing wrong, what they’re doing right, and other things that made other writers successful.

These types of writers put themselves in a “box.”

By reading other people’s works, you get to see writing from different perspectives and you can analyze your writing, a vantage point that helps you perfect your writing skills.

You don’t even have to buy these reading resources because they’re gazillions of blogs, eBooks, novels, and others online.

4. Organized Writing that Follows a Logical Flow

If whatever you’re writing doesn’t flow and therefore isn’t coherent, it is nothing but utter rubbish!

Your writing needs to show a naturally logical progression of thought and must be easy to read for the intended audience. If the progression doesn’t make sense to your reader, then who are you writing for?

Your thoughts should be linked within and between paragraphs. The use of transitional words facilitates this purpose. Words such as “however,” “also,” “yet,” and “although,” among others help you show these transitions.

You should aim at making it easy for your readers to navigate and read through your content.

Organized writing is an essential strength for a writer. The way you present your ideas in sentences and paragraphs impacts the readability and navigability of your content.

Make sure your sentences are short and your paragraphs just meaty enough for the ideas presented in them—and avoid run-on sentences.

Your content needs to have enough signposts and breaks. Be efficient with headings and subheadings, and have so many if the information keeps changing from paragraph to paragraph to make it easy for your readers to find the right information in your content.

5. Creativity

For professional writers, creativity is of the greatest essence. It is even more indispensable for fiction writers.

Our goal as writers is not to bore our readers to death. We always have to think out of the box to craft pieces that will win the hearts of the readers and make them want more of our content.

A good and wonderworking—and sometimes libertine—imagination is necessary to craft unique, stirring pieces.

Sometimes, you have to let your imagination wander off and come back with crazy and wild ideas. If you’re a fiction writer, let your imagination help you create a unique world, with unique characters, using your own nomenclature!

Remember, there’s no single rule on what kind of imagination is bad or good in creative writing.

There are various ways of increasing one’s creativity, but I have discovered that I’m more creative when I take time to appreciate other pieces of art before I start writing. Before I write I listen to some music, read poetry, or just look at a painting.

It’s not for everyone, but it works for me!

Your writing should be as clear as a summer day, as lucid as you can make it.

This element goes hand in hand with the organized writing I discussed in strength number 4, your writing should be clear enough for your readers to grasp and appreciate the ideas in your content quickly.

For blogs, newspaper articles, and magazine pieces, writing chunky paragraphs is—for lack of a word—taboo. You should always be conservative with the size of your paragraph and be straightforward with your explanations.

Just make your writing simple but comprehensible.

7. A Unique Writing Style

One thing all successful writers have in common is a unique style. For example, when you read anything by Dr. Seuss, you understand that his style involved the use of mirthful new words. The best writers write using a distinguished voice or style.

You have to discover your writing style—and for many, it just happens naturally and in some cases, it’s the readers or critics that notice the uniqueness of the writer.

8. Understanding Your Audience

We write because it’s our passion, but if we think about it, that is rarely the sole reason for writing and publishing our work.

We want our audience to love our content or appreciate the message in it. So, it’s all about our interests, but also the needs of our audience.

If you want to make your audience happy, you have to know what they like first. Dr. Seuss understood what kids want to read and what characters would work well with a young audience. If you’re writing on a tech-related topic, tech experts and geeks like; likewise, if you’re about MLS, know what soccer fans like.

Armed with that knowledge, you can craft pieces that strike a chord with your target audience, leading to the success of those pieces.

Weaknesses in Writing and Ways to Overcome Them

1. lack of substance.

You might be a yeasty writer with much-needed experience, but if your writing lacks substance, it’s bound to run into negative reviews, and hence it is going to be less impactful!

This is especially crucial for nonfiction content, if your writing straggles and wanders all over the place, your content will be shallow.

For your content to have depth, you have to concentrate on one particular argument at a time.

And, to give your argument more depth, give supporting points and sprinkle some stats here and there.

How do you deal with the lack of substance in your writing?

Here are some tips:

• Focus on the depth of your arguments rather than the length of your article (you could have a cherry-sized paragraph that is more insightful than a chunky paragraph).
• Use literary devices to make your arguments more perspicuous.
• Use stats, case studies, or research findings to further exemplify your key arguments (use infographics where necessary).
• Your content should answer questions relevant to the topic.
• Offer tips to readers.

2. Your Writing Is Too Draggy for Your Readers

Among the 8 strengths that I explained in the previous section was understanding your audience.

If you don’t understand your audience or ignore them when writing, you end up communicating with nobody.

It’s like you’re speaking to yourself, in a big hall!

As said in the previous section, we write to touch our audience in some way; whether we want them to laugh, inspire them, inform them, or educate them.

It is a terrible idea to think that you write for yourself! If that’s the case, why don’t you just hang your content on your wall?

Here are some tips for polishing draggy content:

• Understand who you’re writing for and write for them. It doesn’t matter who (it could be you, your imaginary friends, anybody!).
• Write to solve the audience’s problems. Your writing should be a solution to your reader’s pain, personal struggles, and it should also improve their lives in some way.

3. Lack of Rhythm

Ignore the importance of rhythm at your peril. In truth, writing cannot entertain without rhythm, especially creative writing.

Just like in music, rhythm steers writing and acts as a guide for the reader.

Readers can feel your writing’s rhythm and that alone can be stimulating (that is if your writing has rhythm).

If your content lacks rhythm the pace seems invariable, it neither speeds up nor slows down.

The content also seems to lack a lot of natural pauses.

This is how you can improve it:

• While paying attention to context, mix up your sentence lengths; a long one here, a short there.
• Use transition words to maneuver the passage from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph.

4. Chaotic Flow

Imagine listening to a 5-year-old talk about all the wonderful things she experienced during the day: school, her cousin’s weird laughter, the dog’s thievery.

Unloading all that without any logical arrangement of information. None, at all!

I’d have said that that’s how your readers feel, but they are not listening to an adorable 5-year-old, are they?

They’re looking at a piece of writing—written by a supposedly mature individual—that’s full of hiccups and abrupt endings.

Your writing needs to be structured to unload information step by step. Your readers need to know that from A, they go to B. They need to know this is because of that, and this and that are related.

Your content has to answer your readers’ questions, give tips the reader would care about, and have contextual solutions.

Here are a few tips on improving flow in your writing:

• Go through your main points and ascertain whether they feel logical. If they aren’t, re-organize them in a logical order or start all over again.
• Look at the questions your content is answering and For every section, write down which question the content answers (or summarize in one bullet point)
• When editing , slowly survey the content for inconsistencies. There are little details you could miss if you read fast.

How to Turn Your Writing Weaknesses into Strengths

Nobody is perfect. We all have weaknesses. But, some of these writing weaknesses can be turned into strengths.

As a writer, how can you improve your writing?

• Ask for help . You can strengthen your writing skills on your own (no doubt about it), but it’s a lot less tedious when you reach out to other writers to help identify your weak areas and offer other insights.
• Read . Not only will you get an education from books and publications, but you’ll also find inspiration.
• Persevere . Perseverance can help you deal with problems such as writer’s block. It is also perseverance that will see you through periods during which you’re suffering from imposter syndrome.

Final Words on Strengths and Weaknesses in Writing

To be a better writer, you’ve got to know which areas to strengthen and which weaknesses to overcome.

 You’ll—in abundance—focus, perseverance, creativity, and a lot of humility. It will be laborious work but worth every joule expended and every second used.

You have got to believe in yourself as a writer, but don’t let your confidence blind you—there will always be something that your writing is missing.

Recommended Reading...

How to get over writers block: 30 ways to unleashing your creative potential, 9 effective ways to overcome your fear of writing.

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Strengths and Weaknesses in Writing

Sarah Oakley

Table of Contents

5 writing strengths you need to have, 4 writing weaknesses to overcome, how prowritingaid can help you become a better writer, conclusion on writing strengths and weaknesses.

Even the best writers have strengths and weaknesses in writing. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is vital if you want to be a good writer.

If you develop your writing skills, you’ll be able to ensure all your writing is of high quality. This applies to creative writing, academic writing, and business writing. 

In this article, we’ll explore five strengths you need and four weaknesses to work on. You’ll also learn how ProWritingAid can help you become a better writer.

A writing strength is a characteristic of great writing and it gives your reader the impression you know exactly what you’re doing. You can learn and develop writing skills so you don’t need to worry about being naturally gifted.

You can build your writing strengths before you write so your first draft has solid foundations, or you can gain them over time as you write. Don’t exhaust yourself trying to make the first draft perfect; it’ll need editing later on.

We’ve picked five strengths we think are the most important when writing any document. These skills are imperative for those who want a writing career.

Strength 1: A Rich Vocabulary

One of the best things you can do as a writer is to develop the number of words you know. Therefore, you’ll have a diverse word choice to pick from when you’re writing.

You can achieve this strength through reading. Read everything you can get your hands on. It’s not enough to read within your chosen genre, business area, or subject area.

By learning new things and opening your mind to other writing categories, you’ll develop a vivid imagination, and you’ll have an excellent vocabulary to work with.

Learning new words and concepts can also help you reduce writer’s block, which is a bonus strength that will help you achieve your goal of finishing writing projects more often.

It’s said that only 3% of novel writers actually finish writing their novel. Arming yourself with a rich vocabulary will help you become one of those 3%.

If you don’t have time for reading as widely, or you’re not sure you’ll be able to remember so many words, some writing apps have built-in thesaurus features you can use. 

Strength 2: Use of Literary Devices

There are many literary devices writers can use to keep their readers engaged. You might be familiar with a few of them, but if you develop your knowledge of all of them, you’ll create variety in your writing by having more to choose from.

We can’t go over every single literary device you could use in this article. However, we have picked three important ones you can use to strengthen your writing straight away.

Foreshadowing is the technique of revealing details and clues for your reader to give them an idea of what is coming. You can use this in fiction writing to create suspense, excitement, or apprehension. In business and academic writing, you can mention something briefly that you will go into detail about later.

Metaphors and similes are ways to describe things as though they are something else or compared to something else. They are great devices to use in poetry and fiction writing. You can engage your reader with metaphors and similes by making their mind work harder to imagine the things you’re describing.

The opposite of using metaphors to describe something figuratively is using concrete imagery in your descriptions. This is where the “show, don’t tell” rule comes into play. You need to show your readers what you’re writing about through sensory details.

Strength 3: Varying Sentence Lengths

Sentence lengths are important as they help the flow of your writing and contribute to its pacing. Long sentences take longer to read but can include a lot of information. Shorter sentences can have more impact.

If you want to give the reader a sense of urgency in the pacing of your writing, use shorter, snappier sentences. They can be as short as one word. 

Be careful when writing short sentences for pacing. You don’t want to write an entire scene in short sentences because your reader might rush through without picking up any details.

Longer sentences can comprise several clauses and even feature additional information in brackets or between em dashes. They take a while to read, so do your reader a favor and remember to add punctuation for pauses. 

Strength 4: Target Reader Awareness

When you know who you are writing for and what they expect, you can focus on achieving and exceeding those expectations. This works for creative, business, and academic writing. The ability to tailor your content to the intended audience is a mark of a great writer.

If you’re working on a creative writing project, such as a novel, you need to be aware of the basic requirements of a novel and any specific elements of your chosen genre. This could include story length, number of characters, and the amount of exposition.

For business writing, such as sales emails and internal company documents, it’s important to use the correct professional tone and vocabulary for your intended reader. You need to ensure your writing is clear and doesn’t use too much business jargon that could make your reader lose interest.

When writing an academic essay or thesis, your reader is likely to be an examiner or a peer in your academic field, so they should understand the subject you’re writing about. This means you can use more technical language and statistics to back up your points. You’ll also need to use formal language.

Strength 5: A Strong Writing Voice

Your writing voice makes anything you write sound uniquely yours. So it’s important to work on achieving a strong, authoritative voice to make readers pay attention to what you’re writing about.

Developing your writing voice is something that takes time and a lot of practice. Most writers start off by emulating other writers to learn how to write things effectively. Once you know how to write well, you can start developing your own way of doing it.

You should adhere to the objective elements of good writing, such as grammar and spelling, to avoid making mistakes. You might even have to follow style guides for business or academic writing. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t break stylistic or optional writing rules, such as using the Oxford comma, to develop your personal writing style.

When you’re writing with confidence, the reader will hear it. You’ll use phrases and details only experts and enthusiasts would know. Your writing will sound natural, like you’re talking to your reader directly. A strong writing voice is one of the most engaging parts of writing.

Producing great writing is tough, and there are several weaknesses you’ll need to overcome if you want to create amazing pieces of writing. Luckily, most weaknesses only require practice and some studying to resolve them.

I’ve highlighted the four most common weaknesses writers should work on.

Weakness 1: Your Writing Lacks Substance

If you are trying to convince your readers you know what you’re talking about, you need to include details that will give them the right impression.

For a fiction writer, it’s not enough to just add extra details to your descriptions. You need to create unique characters and worlds your reader will want to invest their time in. Even genre fiction readers want to see a new spin on tried and tested plot structures.

You can always improve business and academic writing with some facts and statistics. If you’ve got research findings, add them where appropriate.

In essay writing, don’t use vague statements or general ideas. Your reader will believe your points if you can prove there’s weight to what you’re writing. Make strong points and back them up with evidence. Don’t forget to check your references and citations.

Weakness 2: Poor Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

A sure-fire way to lose a reader’s attention is poor grammar, misspelled words, and punctuation that skews the meaning of your sentence. Mistakes make the reader focus on the quality of the writing rather than what you are writing about.

There are many books and online courses available for improving your knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If you’re uncertain about a rule, you can simply Google it to find out more. Writing style guides are also great places to find grammar rules.

Alternatively, you can use an editing software to tighten up your writing after you’ve finished your first draft. ProWritingAid is an editing software that includes helpful tips and information about the rules you need to brush up on. You’ll learn by doing if you edit your writing with ProWritingAid.

Never make another grammar mistake

ProWritingAid's AI-powered spelling and grammar checker will help you sound professional every time.

Weakness 3: Disorganized Writing

There are structures and templates for literally any piece of writing these days. So there’s no excuse for writing that meanders from one point to another with no apparent connection between each one. Organized writing is a must for all writers.

Before you write anything, you need to plan what you’re going to write. This plan doesn’t need to be very detailed, but it needs to have a logical flow from one point to the next. 

For academic writers, you’ll need to include transition words to join points and ideas together. Connecting your points with transition words will keep your reader engaged.

Weakness 4: Lack of Focus on Writing Projects

One of the biggest weaknesses writers face is a lack of focus. If you allow distractions to overwhelm you when you’re trying to write, it will affect your writing.

Writers need to create a suitable environment that will encourage creativity. This is different for each person, but most writers agree that a quiet room with a desk and a comfy chair are the minimum requirements.

Another factor to consider is whether you’re getting enough sleep. Tired writers don’t make amazing literature. First drafts might be safe to complete when you’re sleepy, but editing is something you should do when you’re alert and able to check your work for imperfections.

As I mentioned earlier, ProWritingAid is a piece of editing software that will coach you through your strengths and weaknesses as you make edits to your writing. One of the best things about ProWritingAid is that you can use it at any stage of your writing process.

When you use a ProWritingAid integration, you can check for grammatical errors as you type with the Realtime checker. If you hover your cursor over an underlined word or phrase, you’ll see a pop-up that will tell you what improvement needs to be made, and it’ll give you an option to apply a pre-generated improvement.

The Realtime checker gives you suggestions to improve your grammar, spelling, punctuation, readability, and passive voice. If you want to edit your writing further, you can run any of the 20+ reports that will explore specific things, such as your average sentence length and the use of sensory details.

While there are many strengths that great writers possess, the five strengths and four weaknesses we’ve highlighted in this article are some of the most important ones to focus your efforts on to begin with.

Remember, weaknesses will undermine your hard work to become a better writer. You’ll need to make sure you’re not letting yourself down by making the mistakes we’ve mentioned above.

ProWritingAid is here to help you with strengths and weaknesses in writing so you can ensure your own writing is perfect every time. Though it won’t tell you how much sleep to get or how to rearrange your writing environment. That’s all down to you.

If you want to become a skilled writer, give ProWritingAid a try today.

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Articles & Advice > College Admission > Articles

How to Find Your Strengths for College Application Essays

Everyone has strengths, even if you can't think of any right now! Here's how to identify your best and write about them in your college admission essays.

by Dia Huth CollegeXpress Student Writer

Last Updated: Jan 30, 2024

Originally Posted: Sep 2, 2015

One year ago, I was exactly where you are right now. Okay, maybe I wasn’t sitting in front of your laptop, but I was working hard on my college applications, trying (sometimes desperately) to answer all of those tough questions: Where did I see myself in five years? Why did I want to attend this college? And, hardest of all, what personal strengths would I add to the college community? This last question came in many different wordings, but it was always there, and it was always the most challenging for me. Honestly, sometimes I thought I didn’t have any strengths!

Time for the good news: I did have strengths, and they helped me get where I am today—sitting in a comfy chair in the library of my dream university, to be specific. Time for the even better news: you can lock in on your strengths and achieve your college goals too. And we’re gonna start right now with some questions you can ask yourself to figure it all out.

What have you overcome?

You have to be strong to overcome challenges, and a good first step toward finding your strengths is to look at the obstacles you’ve faced in life. Perhaps you’ve struggled with a health problem, like a physical or mental illness, or maybe you  fought against bullying in your high school . If nothing immediately comes to mind, look back at where you were a year ago, five years ago, 10 years ago. How have you changed since then? What lessons have you learned? Now, I know what you might be thinking: “But, Dia, all the obstacles people talk about in essays are huge. I don’t have any of those.” And I know what you mean. You may have read some essays about people at the forefront of a natural disaster, or people learning how to walk or simply hold a pencil again. Those are huge obstacles, and those stories are amazingly inspirational, but they aren’t the only ones out there. 

I didn’t have a story like that—or so I thought. At first glance, I’m pretty much your run-of-the-mill girl. But I needed to zero in on my strengths, so my solution was using the “five years ago” trick. It allowed me to see a massive change in my life: I had made amazing strides in healing my social anxiety. That might not seem like much, but it was “huge” in my life. Your obstacle might be along those lines too! Struggles come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe you overcame your stage fright to have a teeny tiny part in a school play like you’ve always wanted. No matter what kind of obstacle you’ve faced, coping with it shows your strength and drive. Think about  how you have overcome that obstacle: did it require diligence? Courage? Persistence? Those are wonderful traits that you can highlight in your admission essay.

Related: Top College Essay Tips From Admission Insiders

What do you enjoy?

The second way to find your strengths is a little easier. All you have to do is answer this question: If you could spend a day exactly the way you wanted to, what would you do? Think about the activities you instinctively turn toward when you want to relax or have a great time. These activities are “hints” at what your strengths are! Do you like to spend time with others? You’re social and might have strengths in communication. Do you enjoy volunteering? You like to help others , which shows compassion. Do you like to read or write? That shows communication skills as well as strengths like diligence and organization. Sports can show teamwork and persistence; a love of travel can show an appreciation of different cultures and a sense of adventure. Make a list of what you enjoy and brainstorm what each activity might say about you. It’s okay to “brag” a little here—just make sure that you are honest with yourself! You have strengths, and it’s okay to not have strengths in every single area that I’ve covered. We’re all wired differently.

What do people tell you?

For this third admission essay tactic, think about the people you trust. What do they have to say about your strengths and skills? Feel free to ask them too! You aren’t looking for endless praise; you’re just asking for help identifying your strengths. If you aren’t comfortable asking someone in person, shoot them a text or a Facebook message. I would recommend turning to your parents, your best friend, your youth leader, or anyone else who routinely lifts you up and makes you feel better about yourself. Sometimes, people tell you about your strengths without calling them by name. For example, let’s say that the president of your club asked you to be the club’s treasurer. He may not have said, “You’re so amazing at math, I need you to be our treasurer,” but the invitation can point to strengths in organization or financial skills!

Related: What Do Admission Counselors Look for in College Applications?

What stories do you have?

This is an important step of the essay-writing process, even if you've already found your strengths. What stories can you tell? Do you still remember the day you decided you wanted to work in a particular industry? Did you always help your grandmother cook dinner when you were a kid? Strong stories, anecdotes, and memories can help you identify your strengths, and they make interesting essays. Beginning an essay with a story that catches your reader’s attention; then, for your conclusion, all you have to do is finish the story and reiterate how it demonstrates your point!

If you can’t think of any stories, spend some time scrolling through your social media feed or flipping through photo albums. You might look back in your diary if you keep one. I’ve also found that parents and grandparents are usually excellent at telling stories or reminiscing over fun times! The best part about these stories is that they fit in with everything else discussed here. If you have overcome a challenge, odds are there's a story behind it! If you enjoy a certain hobby, I know you can think of a particularly memorable time when you did that activity. A conversation with a trusted person might bring up a story too. For example, your best friend might remind you that you’re always a positive thinker, which you demonstrated the time you and she were stuck in traffic for two hours.

Related: 5 Ways to Brainstorm Your College Essays

As you work on identifying your personal strengths for your college applications and essays, remember that they are there, and they all matter! While we all have different strengths, there isn’t such a thing as a “more important” strength. The world can’t run without leaders, but it also can’t run without compassionate people, good listeners, adventurers, and original thinkers either. Wherever your strengths lie, they are valuable, and they will be an excellent addition to whatever campus community is right for you.

Find more advice on strengthening your admission essays (and your writing in general) in our Application Essay Clinic .

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How to Showcase Your Strengths in Your College Application Essays

Your admission essay is an adcom’s greatest insight into who you are as a person. It can also be a tool to showcase your high school accomplishments. So, how can you craft an essay that both conveys your personality and portrays your strengths—without coming off as arrogant? Here are four tips to guide you.

1. Paint a picture.

This is a phrase that English teachers have drilled into your head, but it’s true for your college essay and in all your written work. Painting a picture of your accomplishments through examples and rhetorical devices helps adcoms visualize the steps you’ve taken to get to where you are today and the person you are and strive to be.

How can you show rather than tell? There are many ways to express yourself through language, from personalized metaphors —actions, experiences, or objects that mirror and symbolize your journey—to rich, vivid details. This is especially true in your essay, but you can also employ these rhetorical devices and language throughout your application, such as in your extracurricular accomplishment descriptions.

For instance, if you’re a pianist, you might use imagery to describe the progression of your musical development, initially exploring playing one note at a time to learning how to play the music you play today. You could evoke specific sounds and melodies to illustrate this development.

2. Use action-oriented verbs.

Rather than relying on soft adjectives, use action verbs like “implemented,” “facilitated,” and so on. These types of words are much more powerful and demonstrate that you do and make things happen. They also emphasize your ownership of your achievements, signifying that these achievements don’t just happen to you: you made them happen.

For example, rather than saying that you were responsible for speaking on behalf of the student body as student council president, you might say, “Raised awareness of X issue and implemented a procedure for handling complaints.”

3. Offer examples and details.

Examples are an essential feature of your essay. They illustrate your accomplishments, provide context, and show adcoms how you’ve made an impact in concrete ways. You should also use numerical values and other details to quantify your accomplishments.

In this post on successful activity entries, students use details to summarize and portray their accomplishments. While this post concerns another section of your application, you can apply the same concepts to your essay.

Example: “Provided homework and study help to underprivileged kids. I studied with one girl until her Cs became As. I love being the “go-to” mentor.”

Here, the applicant shows the impact of her tutoring, rather than simply stating that she tutored. In doing so, she demonstrates the impact on both her and the students she tutored.

Example: “I have been studying piano and performing in recitals since kindergarten. I’m currently working on Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor from Opus 2.”

This entry shows the progression of the applicant’s work by demonstrating how far she has come, exemplified by the challenging piece she’s currently playing.

These examples bring your experiences to life, so you’re not just listing achievements but also quantifying them and pointing to concrete ways in which they’ve affected you and others.

4. Tell a story.

Like any good story, your essay should have a narrative arc. Instead of a list of achievements, it should portray an experience that shaped you. No matter what topic you choose, you should be able to tell an account that captures your reader’s attention and has all the hallmarks of a compelling narrative.

For instance, if you’re a first-generation student, you might begin by describing a specific moment in your childhood when you realized that you would be the first member of your family to attend college and then narrate specific events along your journey, such as encouragement from your parents or teachers, difficulties you faced and how you overcame them, and how you finally reached this moment and are excited about the next chapter. This is much more effective than simply stating that you’re a first-generation student and listing the reasons why attending college is important to you.

If you can’t weave together a compelling story with the topic you’ve chosen, you may want to rethink it. Spend some time brainstorming to hone your topic and ensure that it is one that will both capture your audience and showcase your accomplishments.

Your Essay: A Reflection of You

Your essay is a concise glimpse into you as a person. While other areas of your application detail your accomplishments, grades, and extracurricular achievements, this is a place to showcase your qualities as a person. Still, your accomplishments are most likely integral to your personality. Keep these tips in mind as you craft an essay that both captures your character and your strengths as a candidate for admission.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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4.6 SELF-REFLECTION: What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses in Writing an Academic Research Essay in English?

• What are your strengths in writing an academic research essay in English? 
• What are your weaknesses in writing an academic research essay in English?

ACADEMIC Writing Skills

• Getting ideas, planning, and organizing my essay
• Writing thesis statements for an essay
• Writing effective introduction and conclusion paragraphs
• Developing and supporting my ideas with good examples and complex sentences
• Organizing my ideas logically into strong paragraphs
• Using grammar correctly (verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, etc.)
• Using vocabulary correctly (including spelling)
• Using MLA format to cite information that I use from other sources
• Identifying and evaluating secondary sources of information to support my own ideas or opinions
• Summarizing and paraphrasing information from other sources
• Editing and proofreading, finding and correcting mistakes

Synthesis Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context Report (Assessment)

A review of the basic procedures of a comparison vs. an evaluation argument, strengths and weaknesses of living in cape breton, the weaknesses of living in cape breton, other negative aspects of cape breton include the following, a draft of this essay.

Bibliography

The usual sense of argument differs from argument concepts in formal circumstance such as when we engage in writing an essay. The context of weakness and strengths in the thesis of an essay brings about a literally argument on the part of the writer. This means, the writer argues with himself in a personal debate, strongly arguing in favor of his own subject and at the same time, disagreeing with the same. For instance, the writer may be discussing a serious and complex political issue wherein, he explains in detail his views and suggestions in favor of the political issue, however, he has to explain and discuss the other side of this political issue comprehensively (Kay, 14-16 ). Thoroughly he must discuss the negative aspect of this political debate from his own perspective similarly as how he argued about his positive perceptions on the debate.

The everyday sense of an argument dissents in perspective to proper arguments. In an essay, the debate about the strengths and weaknesses of a context are generative. An essay argument structure is different from the everyday sense of an argument; indeed, the latter is not a typical difference in opinion and disagreement involving emotions. It is a well-researched and structured guide and conclusions supported by facts. The essay writer should be critical about his opinion and equally critical in thinking about the essays paradigm.

An essay’s argument should be cosmological. The writer should only discuss the strengths and weaknesses from his cosmological knowledge or borrow from existing literature. Normally, this segment of an essay is referred to as a literature review. It is a comprehensive analysis of arguments and relevant debates about the concepts of the particular essay. The perspective of the essay should follow an inductive trajectory. The term cosmological connotes universal concepts hence an inductive argument. The essay writer argues throughout the essay from experience, from particular subjects to a relevant conclusion (Kay, 445-6).

An essay has to follow the cosmological trajectory. This means that, the argument about strengths and weaknesses should be based on observation. Objectively, the observation about the specific matter should be recent and may well show previous observations (Pritchard, 46-56). This helps identify if we have been led to wrong assumptions. Living in a particular environment reflects the various social-economic capabilities of an individual. Living in up market residences depicts that individual as rich and vice versa. However, living in a particular environment does not explain the individual’s feelings about the place. These feelings and perceptions about the place are his own hence cannot be debated unless the individual argues in a debate that aims at establishing the negative and positive of living in that particular environment; For example, living in Cape Breton. This paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of living in Cape Breton without comparing the protagonist with somewhere else.

Essays, which feature both the inductive and deductive, should follow a basic procedure. The procedure is a trajectory of the argument of the essay. The first element of an argumentative essay is an overview or an answer to a question or task that has been recommended as the subject of the essay. The essay writer should focus on answering the question or rather debating and drawing out a clear picture of what the subject intends to give credence.

Secondly, the essay should have an argument. The argument is the review of literature related and arguing, both, in favor and in negative perspective of the subject of the essay. Normally, a literature review is a profound debate about the strengths and weaknesses of the subject and the facts that support it. In this case, the subject of the essay is subject to a debate that aims to verify the credibility of the subject. The argument draws facts from past debates and facts and lays bares the strengths and weakness of the subject of the essay.

An essay should develop a thesis. A thesis gives an essay a meaning and a story line which the reader can follow and understand the objective of the essay. This entails discussing a particular subject or the core element of the subject. As a result, a set of closely related points are debated and developed into facts through reasoning and using past and present literature and enough evidence drawn from various credible sources. The essay should draw its support to its perspective throughout its arguments from credible sources

Writing an essay should involve concentration and focus on the subject. The subject of the essay might vary with sub-subjects. Understanding what the structure of the essay is like is very vital. The subject of the essay might be a question while several questions may follow and at some point dissent with the purpose of the initial question (Hairston, 11-57).

Living in Cape Breton provide an insight about life in a farmhouse and a farming culture in modern society. Cape Breton is an Island Northeast of Canada. It is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Canso. The centre of Cape Breton is occupied by a lake known as Lake Bras d’Or salt lakes. The inhabitants of Cape Breton are mainly the Scottish of highland descent. The Island is developed with modern facilities like hospitals, schools, and industrial centers present. Beach resorts and fishing villages are available making the Island an ideal place to live.

The lifestyle here is both cosmopolitan and metropolitan. This provides a unique platform to attain a multi-cultural experience. The Scottish farmlands have inspired insights about agriculture and an understanding of how food is grown and processed. Looking at multiculturalism, Cape Breton is an ideal example. Learning cultures and different religions has provided a gateway to knowledge about other people’s way of life. Tourism in Cape Breton is an activity embraced by the community here. Indulging in exploring and enjoying the vast flora and fauna of Cape Breton has helped create a dynamic reasoning about places and their natural beauty.

Cape Breton is an ideal platform for learning industry practices and related faculties. Why; proximity to industries and factories provides hands on experience on what goes on in these factories. It is easier to identify the core business processes carried out by industries and other institutions due to their proximity. Farming and the geography of the land offers the necessary knowledge about how cultures adopt economic practices based on the environment they live in. Cape Breton inspires a quest for knowledge and understanding of multiculturalism in the modern society.

The panorama of Cape Breton expanse is breath taking. It distracts ones imagination of tourism. Valleys and canyons where farming activities go on show a unique landscape, which is well supplied with agricultural produce. Cape Breton has rich farmlands, which enjoy short growing seasons. However, the harsh weather inspires desire to travel away to sunshine.

Conclusively, the insight about living in Cape Breton provides a clear picture of an island that evokes a desire to experience the fullness of life. The Island is complete and suffices to provide the experience of life a soul desires; However, this only the positive side of perception about Cape Breton. On the contrary, other elements of life in this island do evoke negative attributes defined as weaknesses.

These are understood as the negative factors and environmental effects on individual’s feelings. What could these be? Based on a truism approach, there are quite a number of weaknesses evoked by Cape Breton. One is the weather. The harsh weather conditions, which are backed up by brutal snow and cold spell, inspire a desire to have a change of climate in the island. One is tempted to think what life is beyond Cape Breton. The weather, especially the short summer or rather fewer days of sunshine are indicative of a long-suffering, which many wish to get over. Living in Cape Breton was once described as chaotic. Waves of crime were reported but they later subsided as opportunities kept on increasing.

This evokes desire to evaluate the rapid industrialization. Life is fast here; today you might see this and tomorrow something else. Industries have popped up like proverbial mushrooms on dung heaps. Economic activities are many in numbers and opportunities are on the rise. Settling here is ideal for the dynamic human. However do such business opportunities provide the right climate for social health; no. Such rapid economic developments only create a deep hole for moral and social imbalance. Many black hat business processes might come up as a result.

The place offers too much experience to an individual such that, one has nothing to learn from outside Cape Breton. This is attributed to the multicultural nature of the island.

The diverse culture and religion provides one with hands on experience about living with other people rather than allowing a gradual process of growth and development in such environments.

One is forced to believe that this is the only place where life is fast and provides opportunity. There are emerging markets and a hungry market from services and products here making everyone to be comfortable.

This essay has focused on outlining the basics of formulating an essay. It is a clear guideline on how an essay should be structured, especially when arguing about strengths and weaknesses of a subject or an opinion. Literally, the essay lays bare the various paradigms of structure and trajectory of an essay (Hacker, 20). This is observed in the introduction where the essay debates inductively the process of generative arguments.

The aspect of structure is discussed throughout the Cape Breton review. In this part, the essay uses both the inductive and deductive principles of writing an essay about strengths and weaknesses. We observe how putting aside each aspect of the essay is important. The essay weighs both sides and proffers each a thorough analysis. The strengths are discussed in a positive manner and various projections outlining the context of strengths is equally inductive. On the other hand, the essay considers the weaknesses as fewer and overshadowed by the strengths. As such, the essay proffers the weaknesses a comprehensive analysis of their effects on an individual as well as the environment and the society.

The essay has a literature review, which features scholarly debates about the context of strengths and weaknesses when structuring arguments. Each element of proper essay writing is discussed in the literature review making the facts argued in the essay to hold. The scholarly works connotes comprehensive approaches and insights about how the process of arguing should be, especially, from a scholarly perspective.

Hacker, Diana. Canadian Writer’s Reference . 4. st. Martin’s: Bedford, 2008. Print

Hairston, Maxine. A Contemporary Rhetoric. 3rd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1982.

Kay L. Stewart, et al. Essay Writing for Canadian Students with Readings. 6th-ed. Pearson/Prentice Hall.2008: 14-446

Pritchard, R. J. “A study of the cohesion devices in the good and poor compositions of eleventh graders (doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri.” Dissertation Abstracts International . 46.668a (1980): 48,56,. Print

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IvyPanda. (2024, March 16). The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-strength-and-weaknesses-of-the-essay-context/

"The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context." IvyPanda , 16 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/the-strength-and-weaknesses-of-the-essay-context/.

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IvyPanda . 2024. "The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context." March 16, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-strength-and-weaknesses-of-the-essay-context/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context." March 16, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-strength-and-weaknesses-of-the-essay-context/.

IvyPanda . "The Strength and Weaknesses of the Essay Context." March 16, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-strength-and-weaknesses-of-the-essay-context/.

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Strengths & Weaknesses MBA Essay Examples

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Strengths & Weaknesses Essay Samples

Many MBA applications include a strengths and weaknesses essay prompt, either directly or indirectly.

SBC has former MBA Admissions Officers and top MBA graduates from every top program. If you’d like to speak with one of our Principals about your candidacy, please request a free analysis here.

In the meantime, see examples of strengths and weaknesses essays from our successful admits below.

My diverse upbringing and career choices have provided me with a broad skill set that I intend to further cultivate in business school. My analytical and interpersonal skills have been integral to my success, and I aim to further enhance these skills while also honing my leadership abilities at Kenan-Flagler.

Analytical skills are instrumental in my role as a planner at Fossil Inc where I combine historical sales metrics with current trends to forecast sales opportunities and maximize sales potential nation-wide. Working on a tight budget, I scrutinize sales and inventory reports to make the most accurate allocation and purchasing decisions. My precision in forecasting has led my team to achieve the most productive product assortment of any Fossil merchandise category. Most recently, I architected the Holiday 2010 Sunwear assortment purchase for North American stores by determining which silhouettes sold best in different geographies and which price points were the most effective in certain regions. For instance, large round shaped frames are not as productive in many west coast and Hawaii stores as these shapes do not fit Asian faces as well. Also, customers are less price-sensitive in Las Vegas and New York, as most of the customer base is tourists who are willing to pay higher prices. Because of my precise analysis of purchasing trends, I created a highly accurate assortment purchase and led my team to achieve same-store comparative sales of +6% in October, a result that had not been reached in over 14 months.

Interpersonal skills have also driven my career success to date. When working with the international planning department, I was quickly recognized for these skills and was selected to serve as an ambassador to our international counterparts when they visited the corporate headquarters, directing them to meetings and organizing break-out sessions with the individual planning groups. Due in part to my strong interpersonal abilities, I was moved to the domestic planning team where I have relished the challenge of more corporate and executive exposure. I quickly became the contact person within the stores planning department for the entire Sunwear business, partnering with our wholesale teams to discuss best practices and sales drivers.

While I have also been recognized for my leadership skills, leadership is a strength I intend to leverage in the future as I progress up the management ranks. Recently at Fossil, I assumed an ad-hoc leadership role on my team and was selected to be the new store coordinator based on my performance. Organizing meetings, communicating critical milestones and ensuring flawless execution of product delivery, I have led the store planning team in the opening of 18 new global sites in 2010 and will lay the framework to open an additional 50 sites in 2011. At Kenan-Flagler, I plan to continue my leadership development by assuming the role of team leader on a STAR team, where I will gain unmatched real world and leadership experience and skills. I also intend to leverage the “continuous learning cycle” method and the leadership development program at Kenan-Flagler to evolve into a recognized leader in my newly launched career.

?Leadership ability is one of my greatest strengths. The most vivid example of this ability was my role spearheading the move of our $3 billion Wealth Management business from Matstone to GTR amid the chaotic financial system meltdown and the collapse of our firm in 2008. My attention to detail, organization, and capacity to adapt quickly resulted in significant progress, but it was my ability to effectively delegate responsibilities and empower team members that enabled us to be successful. As a leader, my open-minded, results-driven style made me more productive and respected and I used feedback from my team to make effective changes in my management style. My versatility and self-awareness elicited a positive response from my team members, which was reflected in their attitudes and in the quality of their work. The end result: today we operate as one of the largest and most successful teams at GTR.

Another area of strength is my communication skills, which are essential to building and fostering relationships in the financial services industry. The dynamic interrelationships of markets and the growing complexity of financial products regularly exceed clients’ levels of sophistication and it is my job to interpret and explain these investments in a language they can easily understand. During Matstone’s bankruptcy, I interacted in person and over the phone with our panicked clients to comfort and reassure them we were actively seeking the most accurate information and consistently looking out for their best interests.

An additional strength is my ability to think analytically across a wide spectrum of interrelated disciplines, from trading to developing investment solutions, to estate planning and operations. In Wealth Management, decision-making occurs in real-time and requires the ability to proactively synthesize large amounts of information and react accordingly. I earned the CFA designation in 2008 to further develop my analytical skills and it is this critical thinking ability that has drawn clients to seek my advice and perspective, adding value to our team and to GTR. I look forward to leveraging my creative and teambuilding skills while capitalizing on the diverse curriculum offered at Kenan-Flagler. The STAR program, for example, will provide me with an entrée into the consulting field and the opportunity to work collaboratively with students and global business leaders, turning real world business challenges into profitable business solutions. As a varsity “athlete” at Kenan-Flagler, I am also eager to utilize these skills as an active participant in case competitions, leading my team to a first place finish over Duke University in the “Battle of the Blues.”

Philanthropy is also an integral part of my life and I intend to leverage my extensive non-profit leadership experience while continuing my commitment to community service at Kenan-Flagler. As a leader of the Kenan-Flagler Habitat for Humanity Project, an organization for which I have done extensive work, I can contribute to an MBA culture that exemplifies a positive impact on society and supports leadership development on campus and in the UNC-Chapel Hill community.

I define myself as a person with strong values, intelligence, passion and perseverance, who is committed to making a difference in her country and her region. These qualities were instilled in me at an early age by my family and my environment.

My father’s death when I was one year old changed my life significantly. To cover her grief, my mother put her focus on my education during my pre-school years. Through her commitment I entered school directly into the second grade and since then, I have succeeded in doing many things earlier in life. Although, at times I was put in situations I was not really prepared for, including entering university as a precocious age of 15 years old, on the whole, I have matured faster than people my age, built a strong character to overcome challenges, and become self-confident. These qualities have helped me achieve success both personally and professionally: I was a top performer in my marketing career in three international companies; I lived and thrived in three different foreign countries; and most recently, I started my own venture.

My mother also instilled in me a strong moral character. That strength, coupled with my problem solving skills, makes me a good leader; I have led teams successfully in diverse situations with different leadership styles, from an intellectual style based on data-driven decision-making and strong analytical thinking, to a more participative style, requesting ideas and fostering teamwork. I am aware of my weaknesses too: I am impatient, it is difficult for me to deal with ambiguity, and sometimes I react quickly and emotionally. To overcome these weaknesses, I keep a log of the situations that trigger them so I will be more careful in the future. I also seek out coaching from people who are strong in these areas, and read relevant self-help materials.

Starting my own venture helped me further develop perseverance and overcome my impatience. Launching my company was very difficult because I lacked a network in Chile, knowledge of the country, and experience starting a business. However, with perseverance and creativity I learned how to make an impact and provide a compelling offer to local companies, I also learned how to absorb negative answers and deal with adversity. After the success of my first project, people learned about my good service and my business is now well positioned.

Perhaps the most important aspects of my upbringing in Canada was seeing the difficulties poor people face first-hand. I am aware of the advantages I have received, and I am passionate and committed to improve the quality of life of all North Americans.

One of John’ greatest strengths is his personal drive. Even though he has a full workload, often requiring weekend work, he requested authority to hire and manage an intern this year too. Though it added to his work-load, John felt that an internship program would give us an opportunity to develop talented young people for future positions, while providing local students with the experience they need in today’s competitive job market. John has also taken this opportunity to build on his own management and delegation skills. However, drive alone does not translate into high performance. John is extremely intelligent; he grasps and synthesizes complex concepts quickly. I can think of numerous instances where I explained a complicated accounting concept to John, and he quickly demonstrated a firm understanding and incorporated it into a financial model. Also, John stands out among his peers for his work ethic. We can always count on him to take on extra projects with immediate deadlines. It is never necessary to ask John to stay late or put in extra time as he takes the initiate to put in whatever it takes. Moreover, he completes these extra projects by the deadlines every time, while continuing to complete his standard duties in a timely manner as well. Finally, John is committed to giving back. He places a high priority on contributing his time to help Oregon State students. Additionally, he coaches the varsity girls’ volleyball team at a local high school.

The Library Foundation’s (TLF) motto reads that “the love of learning is the guide of life.” I have always lived my life to this effect, majoring in History and studying and travelling abroad whenever possible. Desiring to give back and inspire others to follow their own love of learning, I became involved in TLF, initially through fundraising and later through a program called The Upper School Awards, whose proceeds go towards scholarships for local, underprivileged students. I volunteered to co-chair the awards committee and read through each application. I was honored to present these awards to the recipients in a ceremony at the TLF headquarters.

Following this effort, I further collaborated with a TLF Board member to spearhead a Fundraising Committee, not only to continue raising money for the Upper School Awards, but also to fundraise for member events and speaker series, and eventually launch a small endowment. We created a proposal and presented to the Board, discussing the reasons why we felt this committee would be fruitful to TLF, our monetary goals for the year and specifics as to how we planned to raise money through donations and special events. The Board ultimately voted in favor of the Committee and members of the association recognized my dedication to the organization and its cause; as a result, I was elected to become the youngest Executive Committee Member on TLF’s Board.

Through this experience I learned that I am adaptable. When asked to co-chair the High School Awards committee, while I did not have direct experience in education, I used my analytical skills and love of learning to select three well-qualified individuals for scholarships. I also learned that I am skilled at communicating effectively not only in the corporate world, but in the non-profit world as well. For instance, I determined it would be worthwhile to invest our limited funds to generate a small return. While other board members had suggested this to no avail in the past, I performed my own due diligence and clearly communicated my findings in layman’s terms to the Board, which ultimately signed off.

Through this experience I also learned that I could be impatient when others are resistant to change, as was the case when I suggested investing our funds. Ultimately, I was successful in this pursuit. However, next time I will approach impatience as an opportunity to find a useful solution, rather than a hindrance in accomplishing a goal. Additionally, I learned that I have difficulty accepting that a non-corporate environment could have a different pace, and there weren’t necessarily the same kinds of experts to which I was accustomed. I am learning to adjust my expectations and in turn take advantage of learning about concepts in non-profits with which I am unfamiliar.

I hope to continue following my love of learning by pursuing an MBA at Tuck. In doing so I am confident I will bring the same enthusiasm for teamwork, adaptability and effective communication as I did to TLF.

I am a leader, and I would like to emphasize a few characteristics I have found to be especially important in terms of my leadership skills. In my opinion, the biggest challenge of leadership is taking responsibility rather than assigning it. I’ve always taken responsibility. For me, personal example is not a slogan, but a regular practice. I believe that a real leader is someone with full integrity and high moral standards and all my life I have striven to keep the highest standards in my personal and professional lives.

I am a very open minded person. While I believe in myself, I am also highly self-critical. My gift, as a journalist, has been to interact with a lot of people who are smarter and more experienced than me. I believe I am a quick learner and for me, criticism is a means of self-improvement. I must admit that I make many mistakes, but I try not to repeat them and to understand what went wrong in order to improve in the future.

I’m a man of action and not a man of words. I know that this statement sounds funny coming from a journalist, but I truly believe first in action. The Jewish leadership includes two items: responsibility and action. A Jewish leader is judged on his deeds, rather than his words.

I tend to make difficult decisions on my own, rather than reaching out for help. This is an advantage when the process requires speed and decisiveness, but I believe that I need to be more open to discussion and that is something I have been focused on improving. I am a very curious individual; over the years I’ve gained an extremely large base of knowledge, but I acknowledge that I lack international exposure as someone who has never been away from my home for more than 4 months. I’m also aware that I don’t have the broad base of knowledge required of a 21st century global manager. I believe studying at HBS could help to address these weaknesses.

Lastly, I am an ambitious and determined individual. My efforts are to keep those characteristics in balance so they will be strengths and not weaknesses. A thorough understanding of personality brings me to the conclusion that balance is the key differentiating factor between strengths and weaknesses. Most characteristics are neutral in nature and the way that you use them determines whether they become a weakness or a strength.

Since an early age, balance has played a critical role in my personal growth. I define balance as embracing new activities and perspectives that challenge me, broaden my worldview, and ultimately allow me to enrich my work environments and communities. Consciously maintaining a balance in all elements of my life has trained me to be versatile and has helped me develop numerous strengths. My team leadership and adaptability skills have grown most under this philosophy.

My life-long passion for team sports culminated in a leadership role as a member of Colgate’s Division I lacrosse team. Although I was not the most physically gifted athlete, I compensated for my lack of innate skill with a dedicated work ethic, uncompromising team loyalty, and strong performance under pressure. A consummate student, my experiences during the first years on the team taught me that the most effective leadership style requires a mix of leading by example and leading by instruction. Recognizing that I was developing these attributes, our coach selected me as captain my senior year. In turn, I leveraged this strength to help lead the team to the Patriot League regular season title.

Subsequently, I have applied the team leadership skills developed on the field to my career, where I have led several teams. Most recently, I partnered with the Global Head of a new sales team at AllianceBernstein to execute the strategic direction of the company. In this role, I have collaborated with multiple levels of stakeholders to determine that we should shift the firm’s sales strategy from one focused on equity products to one oriented towards alternative investments.

Although I have been successful in my post-collegiate career, my career alone does not define me. I am deeply involved in several non-work activities, adapting to each activity’s demands in order to meaningfully contribute. In particular, I embrace and thrive in a diversity of environments. To maintain ties to nature, I annually climb fourteen-thousand foot mountains in my native state, Colorado. To maintain ties to team sports, I captain a club lacrosse team and race for a cycling team in New York. To maintain ties to the arts community, I supportively patronize emerging artists and am a young member of the MET. My most meaningful non-career activity, however, has been my work with two philanthropic organizations in New York: the Fresh Air Fund and Year-Up. Each group supports at-risk urban youth from New York’s five boroughs. My involvement has been balanced between ground level support, tutoring Fresh Air Fund students and mentoring Year-Up participants, and fundraising support, ensuring the organizations have resources to achieve their goals.

While my adaptability and team leadership skills will allow me to immediately contribute to the MBA program, I believe my perspective on seeking balance is the strength that will enable me to truly enrich the McCombs community. I plan to share my experiences and skills with fellow students while leveraging the full resources of the school to gain not merely a degree, but a broadening educational experience.

Living in Malaysia was a defining moment in my life. I attended an international school where I developed an appreciation for diversity as I interacted with people from countless countries and societies. My experiences living and traveling abroad also shaped many life choices I made going forward. I chose to attend Tufts University because of its diverse population, international relations coursework, and extensive study abroad opportunities.

These international experiences have been beneficial thus far in my career, namely in working with global teams at Fossil. These skills will also be an asset to the McCombs community, enabling me to effectively work with diverse classmates on team assignments and club activities. My understanding of other cultures will help me relate to my international peers, serving as a link, when needed, between international and domestic students. While at McCombs, I plan to be an active member of the International MBA Student Association and Graduate Marketing Network. I believe that the purpose and team building on which these associations are built are fundamental components to both a well-rounded MBA experience and an extensive global perspective.

Living abroad also instilled a desire to give back to my community. My family participated in a number of company-organized community outreach events in Malaysia, inspiring me to serve my community since. After college, I decided to focus my efforts on two organizations where I feel I make a substantial impact: Vickery Meadow Learning Center, an ESL center in an impoverished neighborhood, and Attitudes and Attire, a women’s outreach program. My work with both organizations involves helping diverse people turn their lives around, whether it is through teaching English or offering job interview advice. These are highly rewarding experiences as evidenced by my long-standing tenure at each. I strive to hold a leadership role in the Net Impact Student Club, and leverage my business knowledge to help solve social issues in the Austin community. I also plan on making an impact on the Net Impact Club and McCombs community by proposing new local organizations, namely ESL centers, so that my peers can experience their inspiring nature and create personal relationships with the greater Austin community.

I also believe that my retail industry experience will add richness to classroom discussions, and my knowledge of trend identification, strategic data analysis and sales forecasting will be valuable for case studies. Furthermore, because of the entrepreneurial spirit at Fossil, I have sharpened my persuasion skills, as I often propose visual statements or other initiatives to the executive team.

Both my diverse upbringing and retail industry background will bring a fresh perspective to the McCombs classroom and community. Moreover, my involvement in the McCombs community will not end at graduation; I plan on being a dynamic member of my local McCombs alumni chapter. Exposure to diversity and investment in the community are key initiatives in my life, and I intend to make a significant impact at McCombs, both as a student and an alumna.

?One way I’ll enrich the McCombs community during my two years in the program will be by sharing my passion for community service. Giving back is incredibly important to me for a number of reasons, most prevalently because there were times in my youth when my family was on the receiving end of charitable giving. That experience left me with a deep and unwavering commitment to the people and organizations that help families through hard times. I’ll be eager to share this passion by challenging my fellow students to use their unique skills and knowledge to improve the lives of less fortunate people. At McCombs I’ll look to bring my experience as a Life Circuit board member to the Board Fellows program and will work with Net Impact to organize a student trek aimed at meeting and evaluating successful nonprofits in an effort to share best practices and strategy with local nonprofits.

Another way I’ll enrich the McCombs community is by bringing a unique, creative perspective, both inside and outside the classroom. Since graduating with a degree in creative writing, I’ve continually found ways to apply the creative processes I refined in college to problems and opportunities in business. When the Life Circuit faced the inherent challenge of maintaining long-term communication with the homeless youths on the street, I developed an outreach program that relied on social networks, public library computers and a small but spirited troop of volunteers. When LOCO converted to a new data management system, I developed alternative uses for the program that significantly improved my team’s data mining efficiency. At McCombs, I’ll continue to deliver creative solutions and ideas, specifically in terms of innovative approaches to economic development and social capital management.

I’ll also enrich the McCombs community by sharing my passion for health and wellness. Living an active lifestyle became an important part of my life a few years ago when I set out to compete in an Ironman Triathlon, which is a 140.6 mile race composed of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a full 26.2 mile marathon. I had never been much of a runner or biker, let alone an endurance athlete, so the experience was a transformative process. My goal was to go from “everyman” to “Ironman”, and after roughly eight months and over 700 hours of training, I was able to do just that. Going through that transformation motivated me to help others live healthy lifestyles. Now I’m passionate about creating inroads to wellness for novices like me and I write about these efforts on my blog. We all live busy lives and often experience fitness in waves of motivation. However, I have a core belief that when it comes to wellness, a small effort goes a long way and we are all much closer to a healthy life than we realize. Through student clubs, forums, and launching events such as fitness themed fundraisers for nonprofits, I’ll spread this philosophy and passion at McCombs, where I expect to find many students eagerly trying to maintain balance between work, school and personal health.

My first major project as the new store coordinator was arguably one of the largest milestones in Fossil Inc.’s history. A local Fossil Clothing concept store was undergoing a major transformation. The re-opening of this store marked the first full-fledged “lifestyle brand” site, and all corporate staff members, both domestic and global, were eyeing the implementation of this project closely. With the annual proforma rising by 200% and an unparalleled amount of money being spent on the state of the art light fixtures, wall displays, and check-out counter, this site was a very expensive testing ground and astonishing results were anticipated. The execution of this new store opening had to be airtight, and I was determined to deliver tremendous results. When I was presented with the responsibility of launching the new lifestyle brand location, I immediately took action. In order to effectively communicate critical information to my team, I needed to understand the vital tasks involved in a successful store opening. I began attending team meetings with the various departments involved in the new store process, compiled each team’s key objectives and timelines, and kept all team members updated on project progress via email and meetings. In order to balance my new leadership role and my everyday job duties, I knew serious process changes had to be made or I would find myself living at the office.

To ensure the successful execution of this project in the most efficient manner, I established new communication strategies. I created an unprecedented template that displayed the most critical projects pending completion from each team. Amended weekly and distributed to all departments, this template helped all teams involved plan and coordinate tasks better with other teams. I also arranged for the store manager to visit the corporate office, so that my team could field any merchandise questions and explain the financial objectives that needed to be met.

Two weeks prior to the store opening, I received word that the Board of Directors wished to view the space in its completed form the day before the official re-opening. To fill any inventory gaps, I enlisted the support of our wholesale and ecommerce partners. The evening before the Board visit, there were still some key items pending delivery, so I arranged a hand-carry of merchandise from the warehouse to the store and helped with last minute aesthetic touch-ups.

The presentation of the new lifestyle brand location to the Board was a huge success for all teams involved, not to mention critical in my leadership development. I needed to make a solid impression on my colleagues in order for them to fully trust my leadership and organizational skills in my new role. After the project reached completion, I was applauded by my peers for my embodiment of two of Fossil’s Core Values: “Be Resourceful,” and “Be Relentless.”

In reflecting on this experience, I initially found myself struggling with time management, working late hours and inefficiently juggling the two responsibilities. Thus I learned the power of communication in leadership and developed new communication documents and a hands-on approach to correspond with the field team. I not only streamlined my communication to all teams, but was also applauded for my entrepreneurial and resourceful abilities.

Moreover, my experience during this project taught me the ability to think strategically under pressure and take the necessary measures to react to challenges with confidence and positivity. In doing so, I demonstrated my relentless attitude and secured the confidence of my colleagues from my quick, yet calculated response to providing a seamless early viewing of the store to our Board. The store remodel was a huge accomplishment for both the Fossil brand and me. The store has far exceeded financial expectations, and since then, I have played a large role in the successful execution of 18 global Fossil sites in 2010 and will lay the critical framework to open another 50 sites in 2011. ?

My team at Knoxland manages LOCO’s international trade operations. In early 2010, I led a project that became a defining leadership experience in that it challenged my quantitative and analytical abilities, as well as my ability to inspire innovation while managing a group of my peers.

After a long-term review of an ongoing operational problem, I presented a plan to management aimed at reducing LOCO’s risk exposure and operational costs. I asserted I could lead a small cross-functional team to analyze trade flow at boutique brokers and ultimately reduce trade risk and costs by developing customized data management solutions to meet the unique needs of broker-dealers in small and emerging markets.

Once management consented, I began the work of executing the plan. I outlined the project with colleagues from different business units, emphasizing the value it would create for our client. I gained the support of foreign broker representatives by highlighting the benefits they’d see through an improved system. And eventually, once all parties were on-board, I led the cross-functional team to orchestrate the technology review and data customization process.

The plan relied on extensive collaboration between operations specialists and IT teams from firms around the world. As project manager I managed deadlines, set goals, mediated conflicts and guided overall strategy. But the more rewarding aspects of the project centered on training my team to address problems creatively.

Each boutique broker presented a different set of technological and operational limitations. By helping my team develop unorthodox and nonstandard solutions, we overcame each broker’s unique set of challenges. I did this by empowering my team to allocate resources and time towards exploring ideas and alternative approaches to longstanding processes.

When the project was complete, LOCO’s risk exposure and operational costs were reduced and an array of longstanding problems resolved. I was pleased to have created added value for our client and proud to have left a lasting footprint on the methods my colleagues now employ when approaching operational problems and solutions.

The experience gave me a great deal of valuable insight into my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. I reaffirmed that effective communication is a key leadership skill and one that demands constant attention. Had I not successfully persuaded managers across a number of departments that the project would strengthen our client relationship, I wouldn’t have had the cross-functional support needed to carry out the project. By highlighting how the project’s success could regularly be quantified and how it would serve the ongoing mission of our division, I was able to get the project off the ground.

Another personal take-away from the experience is that I thrive in a team setting, in part, because I lead by building consensus and advocating collaboration. During each stage of the project, from the initial planning through the final stages, I made it a point to gather feedback from each member in the group in terms of how they felt we should move forward. This was especially helpful since the team was cross-functional and few of us had detailed insight into the challenges each department would face, but it was also helpful because when it came time to execute the plan, each member had a strong sense of ownership in our approach. One personal weakness that surfaced during the project was my inexperience managing direct reports. I learned I tend to rely on collaborative, consensus-building leadership because I have room to grow as a “directive” leader. While I expect leadership via collaboration to be a constant and vital aspect to any MBA program, to be a successful CEO I’ll need to be proficient leading a team of subordinates in a non-restrictive, non-authoritarian manner. I want my direct reports to thrive, personally and professionally. As a result, part of my MBA experience will be about exploring opportunities to develop my personal “directive” leadership style, such as holding leadership positions in various clubs, soliciting feedback from students and faculty, and through specific leadership classes such as Leading People and Organizations and Creating and Managing Human Capital.

It was June of 2005. I had just completed three long years of flight training and was on my way to my first operational squadron. I couldn’t wait to get there, start learning how to tactically employ the F-18, and go on my first deployment. After all, the war on terror was raging and that is why I had signed up three years earlier. But when I arrived, I found out there would be one more detour. I was immediately sent for three weeks to the Naval Legal Justice School where I received a crash course on the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), the laws that regulate behavior in the Armed Forces. After the training, my first job in the squadron would be Legal Officer. A Legal Officer handles administrative paperwork, investigates alleged violations, gathers evidence, and advises the Commanding Officer (CO) on how to best deal with sailors who have found themselves at odds with the law — specifically, what punishments could and could not be legally rendered. I initially thought the job would be no big deal — a few weeks of training and then an hour or two a day dealing with legal matters. I could not have been more wrong.

To begin with, I quickly realized that law school is three years, and not three weeks, for a very good reason. There was simply more to learn than you possibly could in three weeks. Plus, up to that point in my career, I had only been in flight school where my sole responsibility was learning to fly. Now, one month into my first operational tour, not only was I overwhelmed by the new tactics I was expected to learn and execute in the airplane, but I also had a completely different set of skills to master.

Second, it became readily apparent that being the Legal Officer entailed a lot more face time with the CO than most brand new officers were comfortable with, including me. Because violating an accused sailor’s rights can cost a CO his job, he took a great interest in mine. In fact, every time he asked me a question, he wanted the answer yesterday. I also learned that the CO had spent twenty years in the Navy waiting for his chance to be in charge, so he didn’t like being told that he couldn’t do something. While he was very knowledgeable on the inner workings of the Navy, he was unfamiliar with the rules of the UCMJ. So, as the newest member of the squadron, I had the precarious task of advising the boss on what he could do and, on occasion, telling him what he couldn’t.

My initial thought was the squadron made a mistake; someone of my rank and experience should not be given this much responsibility. After I let the overwhelmed feeling sink in, I had to step back and evaluate the situation. What weaknesses were preventing me from doing an outstanding job? I realized I had to get organized, both with my time and study management. Like it or not, I now had two very important jobs to learn. Second, I had to be more assertive when speaking to authority. I had the knack for analyzing a situation and developing a strategy; I just needed to develop my communication skills so that I could effectively convey those options to the CO without negatively affecting my career. By putting these realizations into action, I became more comfortable in my role and over time I even began to enjoy the job. About a month before I was relieved by a new Legal Officer, the CO approached me at a squadron social function. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye and said, “Wanted you to know that you’ve done a great job,” the ultimate compliment for a new officer.

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3 Best Written Essays on My Strengths & Weaknesses

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Everybody is the sum total of few strengths and weaknesses. They are naturally part of one’s nature. With certain time and proper identification of one’s abilities one can work to improve those skills and strengths. The following Essay on My Strengths & Weaknesses talks about the meaning and importance of skills and ways how to improve those in life

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Essay on My Strengths and Weaknesses | List of Strengths & Weaknesses

A man is the mixture of both strengths and weaknesses. They both are the part and parcel of one’s personality. The strengths and weaknesses show up in one’s attitudes, behavior and thinking. Some people are born with a lot of strengths while some have to develop them with time. However, everyone has their own set of weaknesses which they need to work on. It is very important to know your strengths and weaknesses in order to grow as a person.

>>> Related Post:   ” Essay on Humanity ” 

My Strengths:

• I am blessed with few good strengths that have made me a successful fellow.
• I am Creative and Innovative
• Being creative and innovative has helped me a lot in my studies as well as in my professional life. It has helped me to come up with new ideas and ways of doing things. I have always been appreciated for my out-of-the-box thinking.
• I am the man of Good Communication Skills
• I have good communication skills which help me to interact with people easily. I can express my thoughts and feelings clearly which makes me an effective communicator. I am also very good at listening to others and taking their feedback positively.
• I Love Hardworking
• I am a hardworking person and I never give up easily. I always strive to achieve my goals and objectives. I work diligently until I achieve what I want. This quality has helped me a lot in my professional and personal life.

My Weaknesses:

• I also have few weaknesses which I need to work on.
• I can be lazy at times and this affects my productivity adversely. I need to work on this weakness so that I can be more productive.
• A Little Impatient
• I am an impatient person and this quality often gets me into trouble. I need to learn to control my emotions and stay calm in difficult situations.
• A little Poor Decision Making Skills
• I have poor decision making skills and this often leads to wrong decisions. I need to work on this weakness so that I can make better decisions in life.

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In conclusion, it can be said that everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. It is very important to know your strengths and weaknesses in order to grow as a person. You need to accept your weaknesses and work on them so that they don’t become a hindrance in your life. Strengths should be used to overcome weaknesses and to achieve success.

Essay on My Strengths & Weaknesses:

As humans, we all have unique qualities that make us who we are. Some of these qualities are our strengths, while others can be considered our weaknesses. In this short essay, I will discuss my personal strengths and weaknesses.

One of my biggest strengths is my ability to adapt to new environments and situations quickly. This has helped me in various aspects of my life, whether it be in my personal relationships or my professional career. I am always open to learning and trying new things, which has helped me grow as a person.

Another strength of mine is my determination and perseverance. When faced with challenges, I am motivated to overcome them and never give up. This has helped me achieve many goals and overcome obstacles that seemed impossible at first.

On the other hand, one of my weaknesses is my tendency to overthink and second-guess myself. This can sometimes lead to self-doubt and hesitation when making decisions. However, I am actively working on improving this weakness and learning to trust my instincts more.

Another weakness of mine is procrastination. While I do work well under pressure, I often find myself putting tasks off until the last minute, which can lead to unnecessary stress and subpar results. I am trying to implement better time management strategies to overcome this weakness.

In conclusion, our strengths and weaknesses make us who we are, and it is important to embrace them and continuously work on improving ourselves.

Essay on My Strengths & Weaknesses as a Student:

As a student, I have had my fair share of strengths and weaknesses. Some may say that identifying your own strengths and weaknesses is a difficult task, but it is an important one. Knowing your strengths allows you to capitalize on them and use them to your advantage, while knowing your weaknesses gives you the opportunity to work on improving them.

One of my greatest strengths as a student is my dedication to learning. I have always been a curious and inquisitive person, seeking knowledge and understanding in all subjects. This has not only helped me excel academically, but it has also allowed me to develop a deeper passion for learning. I am constantly seeking out new information and challenging myself to think critically about the world around me.

Another strength of mine is my organizational skills. I am a planner and like to have everything in order, whether it be my notes, assignments, or schedule. This has helped me stay on top of my workload and manage my time effectively. It also allows me to prioritize tasks and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

On the other hand, one of my weaknesses as a student is procrastination. As much as I try to stay on top of my work, I have a tendency to leave things until the last minute. This can lead to unnecessary stress and impact the quality of my work. However, I have recognized this weakness and am actively working on improving my time management skills.

Another weakness of mine is being too hard on myself. While it’s important to strive for excellence, I often set unrealistic standards for myself and become overly critical of my own work. This can be a hindrance to my learning, as it can prevent me from taking risks and trying new things.

But I have learned that acknowledging your weaknesses is just as important as recognizing your strengths. It allows for personal growth and improvement. So instead of dwelling on my weaknesses, I use them as motivation to do better and become a well-rounded student.

In conclusion, as a student, I have identified my strengths and weaknesses. While my strengths have helped me excel in academics and develop a love for learning, my weaknesses have challenged me to improve myself.

Q: What are your strengths and weaknesses in an essay?

A: In an essay, you’d discuss your personal strengths and weaknesses, focusing on attributes or characteristics that are positive (strengths) and those that need improvement (weaknesses).

Q: What are my strengths and weaknesses?

A: Your strengths are your positive qualities, skills, or attributes, while your weaknesses are areas where you may have limitations or areas needing improvement.

Q: How do you start a strengths and weaknesses essay?

A: Start a strengths and weaknesses essay with an introduction that introduces the topic and provides a brief overview of what will be discussed in the essay. You can also mention the importance of self-awareness.

Q: What is strength and weakness in short note?

A: Strengths are your personal or professional attributes that you excel in, while weaknesses are areas where you may struggle or need improvement. Recognizing both is important for personal growth and development.

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Essay on My Strengths And Weaknesses

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Strengths And Weaknesses in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Strengths And Weaknesses

My strengths.

Everyone has things they are good at. My strengths are being kind, working hard, and learning quickly. I like to help friends and always do my best in school. When I get new lessons, I understand them fast. This helps me do well in class.

My Weaknesses

But, I also have things I’m not so good at. I sometimes worry too much, which can make me feel stressed. Also, I get shy around people I don’t know, making it hard to make new friends. I’m working to get better at these things.

250 Words Essay on My Strengths And Weaknesses

Introduction to my strengths and weaknesses.

Everyone has things they are good at and things they are not so good at. These are called strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what these are can help us get better and feel proud of what we can do.

My Good Points

I have a few strong points that help me in school and with friends. One of my best strengths is being kind to everyone. I like to share and make sure no one feels left out. I am also really good at reading. I can understand stories and learn new words quickly. Being organized is another strength. I keep my things tidy, so I don’t lose them, and it helps me do my homework on time.

Things I’m Working On

Just like everyone, I have some weak points too. I find math hard sometimes. Numbers and formulas can be confusing, and I need more practice to get better. Another weakness is that I am shy. Speaking in front of the class makes me nervous, and I am quiet when I meet new people. I am also not very good at sports. I am not as fast as the other kids, and I don’t catch the ball very well.

In the end, knowing my strengths and weaknesses is important. It shows me what I am good at, like being kind and organized. It also shows me what I need to work on, like math and speaking up. By understanding these things, I can try to become better every day.

500 Words Essay on My Strengths And Weaknesses

Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. It’s like having a bag of tools that we use to handle different situations in life. My strengths are the tools I use the most, and they help me do things well. My weaknesses are like the tools I don’t use often because I might not be very good at using them. Let’s talk about what some of these are for me.

One of my big strengths is being a good listener. When my friends talk to me, I pay close attention to what they are saying. This makes them feel important and cared for. Another strength I have is being organized. I keep my school work and toys in order, so I know where everything is when I need it. This helps me save time and stay calm because I’m not looking for things at the last minute.

I’m also pretty good at learning new things. When I get interested in a topic, I read a lot about it and try to understand as much as I can. This curiosity makes school more fun because I like finding out new facts and ideas. Lastly, I’m kind to others. I believe that being nice to people is important, and it makes me happy to see others smile when I help them.

Now, for my weaknesses. Sometimes, I can be shy, especially around new people. It takes me a while to feel comfortable enough to talk a lot with someone I just met. This can make it hard for me to make new friends quickly. I’m also not very good at sports. I can be clumsy, and I don’t catch or throw balls very well, which makes team games a bit tough for me.

Another weakness is that I get frustrated when things don’t go the way I planned. If I’m working on a puzzle and can’t find the right piece, I might feel like giving up. This is something I need to work on because not everything will always be easy. Lastly, I sometimes rush through my homework and make silly mistakes because I want to go play. This means I have to do it again, which takes even more time.

Working on My Weaknesses

I know that it’s okay to have weaknesses because everyone does. The important part is that I try to get better at them. For example, to help with my shyness, I practice talking to my family about my day, so I get used to sharing more with others. For sports, I keep playing and having fun, even if I’m not the best at it. I learn from my mistakes, and slowly, I get a little better each time.

When I get frustrated, I take deep breaths and remind myself to be patient. I tell myself that it’s fine to take breaks and come back to a tough puzzle later. And to stop rushing through my homework, I set a timer to make sure I spend enough time on each question.

In the end, knowing my strengths and weaknesses helps me understand myself better. It shows me what I’m good at and what I can improve. By working on my weaknesses, I can turn them into new strengths one day. And by using my strengths, I can help others and do my best in school and life. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and that’s what makes each of us special.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Plans For Next Weekend
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• Essay on My Plans After Graduation

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Guest Essay

My Country Is Witnessing a Messy, Buffoonish End of Rule

By Boubacar Boris Diop

Mr. Diop is a Senegalese novelist, journalist and screenwriter. He wrote from Dakar, Senegal.

On Dec. 31, 1980, Léopold Sédar Senghor , the first president of Senegal, announced that he was leaving power. At 74, he felt that his time was up. When courtiers tried to convince him to reverse his decision, he reportedly replied, with a smile: “Don’t you know how the Senegalese are? If I go back on my word, they’ll laugh at me.” His act was especially remarkable at a time when dictators for life were common across the African continent. Even if his political record remains controversial to this day, Mr. Senghor, a fervent Catholic poet, was open-minded enough to lead a majority Muslim country and even managed to make it a model of stability in the region.

Things are very different today. In Mr. Senghor’s homeland, we are in the midst of a messy and at times buffoonish end of rule that threatens to capsize the country’s hard-won equilibrium. In early February, President Macky Sall, approaching the end of his two terms in office, postponed an election set for later that month. The move immediately plunged Senegal into disarray, setting off widespread protests, parliamentary chaos and a full-blown constitutional crisis. In one of the very few African countries never to have experienced a military coup , the last-minute postponement felt tantamount to a coup d’état.

If Mr. Sall’s gambit was to remain in power, it didn’t work. Into the vacuum stepped the constitutional council, the country’s highest court, which ruled that the delay was illegal . Backed into a corner, Mr. Sall eventually agreed to leave office on April 2 and the election was rearranged for March 24 , this Sunday. For Mr. Sall, holed up in the presidential palace he was so loath to leave, it marks an embarrassing reversal, to say the least. But for Senegal it is much more serious. The country’s destiny, entrusted to Mr. Sall for 12 years, is now in danger.

Since committing not to run for a third term last summer, Mr. Sall has never been quite the same. He has become irritable, humiliating his ministers in public and naming boulevards after himself. Let down by his own people and his traditional Western supporters, he gave vent to his anger in a February speech with a very strong Wolof expression — “Doyal naa ci sëkk!” — which can be politely translated as: “I’m more than fed up with this power, take it back whenever you want!”

Such a disastrous end to Mr. Sall’s career is all the more perplexing given that he had very good intentions at the outset. In April 2012, two weeks after his swearing-in, he announced from the Élysée Palace in France his decision to reduce presidential terms of office from seven to five years. After the change was eventually upheld in a referendum , applying to his second term rather than his first, Mr. Sall seemed to have honored his word. But his subterfuge in recent weeks suggests that, in the end, even this dream was too big for him.

This post-independence president, the fourth to hold the office, is the first to be so often called a dictator. Is he one? The answer is no, when you consider the carnage being perpetrated by Mahamat Idriss Déby’s regime in Chad, for example. I’m well aware, however, that this kind of comparison not only leads nowhere but is also rather dangerous. Each country must be judged on the basis of its own history, and it would be very sad to end up congratulating ourselves on having fewer dead bodies in the streets of Dakar than in those of Ndjamena.

Nevertheless, the man who vowed in April 2015 to all but eliminate the opposition has shown himself to be increasingly authoritarian and violent in the past three years. After turning the opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, into a mythical figure by demonizing and imprisoning him, Mr. Sall brutally repressed all demonstrations in his support. Since March 2021, when Mr. Sonko was arrested, security forces have killed at least 40 young protesters. For good measure, the government threw 1,000 activists in prison, including Bassirou Diomaye Faye, another leading opposition figure. Credible reports of torture have not been investigated.

It’s a lot of collateral for Mr. Sall’s ultimately failed attempt to outstay his welcome. His detractors would like to see him prosecuted by international justice but, in the world as it is, this seems unlikely. Senegalese civil society, though, may demand that whoever succeeds Mr. Sall hold him accountable for his actions. That’s where a new amnesty law passed by Parliament in early March could prove crucial. The law, which pardons acts committed in connection with political unrest since March 2021, has led to Mr. Sonko and Mr. Faye, who is a candidate in the election, both being freed . But many fear that it could be also used to protect the security forces and, of course, Mr. Sall himself.

For now, the constitutional council has succeeded in calming things down, but Senegalese democrats shouldn’t sing victory too soon. The worst — contested results setting off violently repressed protests, for example, amid the threat of military involvement and foreign interference — could be still to come. Even if the election goes smoothly, it’s hard to imagine certain high-profile figures in the presidential camp allowing themselves to be held to account by the next administration without a major reaction. There could well be more trouble ahead.

But whatever happens, these three years of turmoil may not have been in vain. Senegalese citizens are now more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their democracy — and it is reasonable to assume that no future president, unless he has lost his mind, will try to serve more than two terms. This is a great thing, but it could have been achieved without disgracing the country and creating this much grief.

Indeed, the debates about Mr. Sall’s successor have rarely gone beyond speculation about who will soon occupy the presidential palace. The question of what the winner intends to do for the country is almost never raised. In the lead-up to Sunday’s election, many voters will have only a vague idea of the programs and capabilities of the many different candidates. As things stand, there is every reason to be concerned about the near future. Only one person is responsible for this uncertainty: Mr. Sall, the man who turned his back on the history of his people.

Boubacar Boris Diop is a Senegalese novelist, journalist and screenwriter. He is the author, among other books, of “Murambi, the Book of Bones” and the winner of the 2022 Neustadt International Prize for Literature.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Strengths — Strengths And Weaknesses Of Target

Strengths and Weaknesses of Target

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Published: Mar 25, 2024

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