My talking points.

My goals for my career are certain. I would like to end up working PR for the LDS church or for the U.S. government, and in either scenario I would prefer international relations. Neither one would be easy to get into, but I figure with an objective set in my mind, achievement is made that much easier.

To help me in my goal of making it into one of these departments, I have been asked to decide on the three points of my talents, or traits, that best qualify me for these jobs. So, here they are.

The first one is that I am adept at conflict resolution. One of the things PR is called in to help with is to resolve some issue that is going on, and if I already have skill in that area, it is a jump start for me. I think one of the ways I have been able to develop this is the fact that I have seven siblings. Further, I was one of the smaller and quieter siblings. This is definitely a way to learn how to either disappear, or make the problems disappear. Luckily for me I chose the latter.

The second trait that I believe helps me is that I am good at understanding other cultures. Some of my best friends are from a foreign nation, from places such as Japan or India. I love hearing their stories, and learning more about them. And one thing that having these friends has helped me with is understanding which differences are truly important, and which ones are not. And I think this skill is crucial for the area in which I would like to work.

The third trait that I would make mention of is my strong moral drive. Simply put, I am a straight-laced person. I do my best to keep integrity in my work. I have a belief system and I stick to it, despite what the consequences may be. My parents taught me well in my youth, as have the many great people that I have had the opportunity to work with in my life. This to me seems the most vital of the traits. No matter what other skills I may have, if I cannot be trusted by my employer, or if I cannot be trusted by the clients or whomever I may be dealing with, I am worthless. This is the trait I am proudest of.

I am not sure if these traits will be enough to get me a job in these positions or fields, but I think they are a marvelous start.