WP8 - Using strengths-based approach to researcher support and career development

The field of Positive Psychology promotes the use of personal strengths as a lever for career positioning, confidence-building, resilience and enhanced performance. Many organisations have mainstreamed strengths profiling within talent management, with 43% of employers using strengths based recruitment in some way. It has been shown that when conversations focus on weaknesses, performance can decrease by 20% but when individuals can discuss strengths, it increases by 36%.

The researcher community is hard-wired to be critical of data, methodologies and existing evidence. However, it is known that wellbeing and esteem are compromised when this critical capability turns inwards and manifests in perfectionism or imposter syndrome . We have piloted the use of a strengths profiling tool to inform a workshop, “Strengthening Your Profile”, to help PhD students recognise and deploy their strengths in order to support their research performance and communication, personal confidence and approach to applications and interviews.