Start with honest self-observation. Before you think about the employer, look at your own working patterns. Which tasks pull you in so fully that you lose track of time? Which situations bring out your best thinking? When do you feel sharp, useful and engaged? Just as importantly, which tasks leave you heavy, depleted or hesitant even when you can do them well?

I have been asking this question a lot lately, not even in interview settings, just in conversation. “What are your strengths?” And more often than not, people pause, hesitate, or give an answer that feels half-formed. That tells you something. It is not a lack of strengths. It is a lack of clarity on how to express them.