Many of our clients want to know: is there a way to get new aptitudes? Of course people are interested in getting new aptitudes – after all, the more aptitudes the have, the better you are at various activities!
Unfortunately, because aptitudes are inherent, there is not much you can do to acquire them. Furthermore, you can do little to develop those you have. However, no matter what set of aptitudes you have, you can become more proficient in the skills associated with them. In order to do that, you must first know your aptitudes. The aptitude test that we recommend the most is The Highlands Ability Battery. It’s the best way to find out what your aptitudes are. And knowing your aptitudes is the first step in developing them!
To develop your aptitudes, you must simply “exercise” them. Find ways to use them at work and at home. For example, you may have been lucky enough to have been born with the two engineering abilities to reason spatially. Find projects to work on at home: build something from scratch, repair things, remodel a room, serve on the building maintenance committee at church, or the office remodeling committee at work. Doing activities that use your aptitudes will increase skills that that aptitude allows.
How to develop your aptitudes
Now, there is definitely nothing you can do to acquire an aptitude you do not possess. But there is hope. In certain situations, people are able to “work around” the lack of an aptitude. You can use an aptitude you do have to overcome a lack of an aptitude in a specific situation.
For example, let’s say you lack reading comprehension. You find it difficult to recall the details of something you’ve read. But, you possess two other learning aptitudes – design and rhythm memory. Take the smart route and use your aptitudes instead of struggling through an activity that requires an aptitude you do not have.
You can get into the habit of recalling what you have read in a way that doesn’t require reading comprehension. Rather than remembering the words on the page themselves, you can underline certain sections of text and later remember the pattern of underlines you made. Your memory for design and rhythm will recall the feeling of underlining through body movement. In this way, you can use your strengths and sidestep your weaknesses to get the same job done.
Practice makes perfect! Exercise your aptitudes every day
However, there are many careers that require a set of aptitudes in order to be successful in that job. A person can not learn how to reason spatially if they want to be an engineer. It’s not a matter of working hard or being “smart” enough. There is no amount of study and memorizing that enables a person to deal with the variety of engineering situations and problems naturally. Perhaps even more importantly, if you get into a job like engineering when you don’t have those aptitudes, you will not be happy or successful. Instead, know your aptitudes, learn how to use them better, and land the job that’s perfect for your unique set of aptitudes.
Are you interested in developing your aptitudes? Or finding out ways to use your aptitudes to enhance the areas of your life where another aptitudes seem required? The Career Profiler can help you brainstorm ways of exercising your aptitudes. She can answer your career aptitude questions and start on a plan to improve your personal life and career today.