16A Secret Sauce

Five ways in which I think I have human capital that is truly unique:

·      Creativity: Yes, obviously there are a lot of people who are creative, especially in an entrepreneurship setting, but I think I have a great balance of creativity, while still being able to cater to what something may need. By that, I mean I won’t just create something that I think is great or perfect, but something that will attract the right people (such as packaging catered to adults).

·      Sense of Humor: I have a sense of humor that is a lot different from people in my age group, which gives me a perspective on things that sets me apart from those of my peers.

·      Innovation: I know that there is never just one solution to a problem. I remember that I was once locked out on my balcony when the door handle fell off, so I used the cap of a gas can and one of the screws to get the knob to turn from the outside.

·      Observation: I like to think I have a decent sense of observation in that I can see how people react to certain things or situations without having to speak to them. It’s kind of like a more analytic version of people watching. People rarely say what they truly feel, but their body language gives off much more insight.

·      Genuineness: When I speak to people, I truly do care about what they are saying. If I’m speaking to you, I’m there for a reason, otherwise we wouldn’t be speaking. I don’t mean that to come off as harsh, but I don’t believe in being fake to people and having ulterior motives when I communicate.

Five Interviews- as a disclaimer, I didn’t tell my interviewees what the interview was about before I started recording, nor did I let each one hear any of the other interviews because I wanted to climate to be as organic as possible:

1.    Dani J: My roommate and one of my best friends. Dani laughed when I first asked her the question. She spoke mostly about my personality and sense of humor (it’s a common trend).  After I was done recording she wanted to add “Oh wait, you’re smart too, right?” 

2.     Erin C: My sister. Erin focused more on my outgoing ability, but not as much on my skillset. She also said I have a good sense of humor. 

3.     Syd S: Syd focused more on my personality. She used an anecdote of when I helped out with someone’s birthday, which was kind (and nice to hear something different than funny).

4.     Jenna: Jenna was my roommate last year, and now lives just two doors down from me. Jenna commented on my creativity, my ability to bring people together, and (thankfully) my sense of humor.

5.     Sydney: Sydney is my other roommate ( I live in a triple). She spoke about my role as my sorority’s T-Shirt chair. This is a position that has taught me a lot about deadlines, organization and definitely patience, and it has helped evolve my design skills.

Ultimately, I am happy that people value my sense of humor. As silly as it sounds, I think it is something that helps those around me feel more comfortable and able to open up, which adds to my value. I was also happy to hear people speak of my compassion, which aligns with my genuineness as well as my creative ability, because that is important to my career goals. I notice that people don’t say much about my academic merit but, while I am very proud of my grades, I don’t talk much about them so I can understand that.  I definitely wouldn’t revise my list, and I am pleased with the results.