16A

1)    Describe five ways in which you think you have human capital that is truly unique. What is it about you, exactly, that makes you different? Write this up in a detailed list. 

a.     Problem solving skills – I definitely think that I have stronger problem solving skills than most. It is engrained in me through my engineering degree and also just by how I look at the world

b.    Empathy – I try my best to be empathetic towards others. I try to take a step back and understand what others are going through whenever I want to judge them.

c.     Honesty – I’m extremely honest to the point of being blunt. This aids in my communication skills because I will never let anything be swept under the rug. I want to know what’s going on and I want to attack it immediately.

d.    My range of experiences – I do think between my family experiences, high school, and college that I have had a lot more go on in my life than others. Everything that I have gone through personally makes me stronger – and I am definitely one tough cookie.

e.     Silent leadership – I tend to be the voice for others in the room that won’t speak up. I am definitely more of a listener, and I lead through my actions. This has always been the way that I have acted, and it is one of those characteristics that are engrained within me.

2)    Interview the five people who know you the best. Ask them what they think makes you different -- remember, focus on your knowledge, skills, abilities, emotions -- in other words, your human capital. Try to stay away from discussing your other types of capital (such as who you know). Record each interview. In your post, please post each interview, as well as a two-three sentence summary of each interview, explaining what your key takeaways are. There is no time limit on these recordings. As long as you cover the information asked for above, that's all you need to do. 

a.     My first friend spoke about my kindness. I’m always willing to be there for my friends and she thinks that is my strongest trait. She always wants to come to me first because she knows that I will listen and understand.

b.    My second friend spoke about how outgoing I am. She said that I am always willing to take on a job, and she looks up to me because of that. She says that I’m always so busy running around doing something important.

c.     My third friend spoke about my intelligence. She says she thinks that I’m her smartest friend. She says she can’t even begin to imagine how I do what I do with my chemical engineering major, and she’s always embarrassed to say that she is struggling with marketing sometimes around me.

d.    My fourth friend spoke about how I present myself. She says that my confidence is my biggest strength. She says that she always notices that I have a respected presence when I enter a room of my peers. She also says that I’m always polite and never cocky.

e.     My fifth friend again spoke about my kindness and how I’m willing to help others. She says that I’m always there for people, and even with all of my responsibilities that I always find time for others.

3)    Reflect on the differences. How do you see yourself, and how do others see you? Are there differences in how you assess yourself compared to others? What do you think causes these differences? Do you think your interviewees are correct about you? Finally, going back to your list from part 1, would you make any corrections to the list? How? 

My friends don’t necessarily know everything that I’ve experienced in life, so I never expected them to bring up my experiences as a strength. I think a lot of similarities lie in what I think of myself and what others think of myself. I think my friends see me as more outgoing that I think that I am, which is a good thing I suppose. Also, I never thought that how I presented myself would be a strength. It was interesting to hear. Also, I think that my intelligence could sometimes be a weakness, because if people are embarrassed to talk about their struggles with school around me, couldn’t that build walls?