The CliftonStrengths assessment, formerly known as Clifton StrengthsFinder, is a tool developed by Gallup to help people maximize their potential in school, the workplace, and in all aspects of life. It is based on the foundation of positive psychology.

During the online assessment, you will select from paired statements and choose which best describes you. According to Gallup, the assessment “measures your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, so when you’re done you’ll have discovered your talents.”

There are 34 talent themes within the CliftonStrengths assessment (e.g. Analytical, Competitive, Input, Strategic, Developer, Maximizer, etc). The themes help to explain the things that you do very well and why you make certain choices or like certain things.

After taking the assessment, you will find out what your top 5 talent themes are. The odds of having the same top 5 Talent Themes in the same order as someone else are approximately one in thirty-three million.

The themes fall within four domains: strategic thinking, executing, influencing, and relationship building.

90% of Fortune 500 companies are using CliftonStrengths. As you move forward in your business career it is important to be familiar with the tool and how you can build upon it.

By taking the CliftonStrengths assessment at Pitt Business, you will gain a better understanding of your natural talents. You will then receive guidance on how these talents can be applied to reach your goals.

In the workforce, you will be surrounded by people who are leveraging their talents for professional success. It is important that you have the self-awareness of what you naturally do well so that you can set yourself up to maximize your talents and reach your full potential.

Furthermore, the CliftonStrengths assessment used at 90% of Fortune 500 companies. Nearly 21 million people have completed the assessment.

Your academic advisor has access to your CliftonStrengths results. During your confidential appointments with your advisor, your strength themes may be discussed as it relates to your academic, career, and personal journey at Pitt Business.

You will receive support and guidance based on your CliftonStrengths themes from your academic advisors during your one-on-one appointments.

You also have the option of meeting one-on-one with staff members who have received an extra level of certification to become certified strengths coaches by Gallup.

Learn more and make an appointment here.

Absolutely not! The results from your CliftonStrengths assessment are intended to help you develop more self-awareness as you begin to develop as a business professional in college.

Your individual CliftonStrengths themes are not used to limit your potential. They do not dictate which career path a student should pursue or which classes a student should take.

The strengths-based model does not ignore or dismiss a person’s weaknesses. On the contrary, what it does is shift the focus of one’s efforts. Now, instead of spending the bulk of your time or attention on correcting a deficiency, you are now focusing your attention on building upon what you naturally do well. Our academic advisors and strengths coaches can help you understand how to use your strengths so that your weaknesses don’t hold you back.

The CliftonStrengths assessment is not used to help students understand which career paths or academic major(s) they should pursue. For example, if you have the talent theme of “Analytical,” that does not mean that you must only pursue a career in Accounting or FInance. There are just as many opportunities for analytical thinkers in fields like Marketing or Human Resources Management.

The strengths-based approach will help you understand what you are interested in so that you can select an academic and professional path that can give you a platform for doing what you naturally do well.

Data from Gallup says that retaking the assessment will likely lead to similar results but perhaps in a different order. However, if you are unhappy with your test results, please contact us at cbaadvising@katz.pitt.edu and we can discuss.