It can be a common thought that people believe asking for help is a sign of weakness. In certain situations, this is an opportunity for growth and initiative, and it allows you to figure things out on your own. However, it is important to recognize when you do require help and not be ashamed of it. Remember that experts are experts and asking for help is actually a good thing.
For example, a student came into the Resource Area recently to fix up her resume and write a cover letter. She came into the Job Gym knowing she needed help. She knew she was a good student, but not the best resume writer. What she came in with limited her potential as a job candidate. Her resume formatting was basic, in the sense that it wouldn’t catch an employer’s attention, and her cover letter was written like an essay. Her content was great, but she needed some serious help and she knew it. So, we teamed up, tore apart her documents and transformed them into something she could be proud to send out.
The moral of the story is that she had the courage to admit she needed a little help to solve her problem. We helped her understand how to take her writing skills, which were her strength, and use them to improve an area of weakness. As we were sitting with her, explaining the reason for the changes we made, not only did she learn something valuable, she gained a support system for her future employment needs. This example shows that asking for help not only improves your skill set, but also helps you grow as a person. So, next time you find yourself struggling with something, employment related or otherwise, remember you have the supplies and the tools, they may just need a little tune up.
