Using Your Strengths as a Multipotentialite

Happen To Your Career - Meaningful Work, Career Change, & Career Design

Melanie, like you, identifies as a multipod.

When Melanie Buford was making a college decision, she felt torn between two very different directions: On the one hand, she had a knack for math, and she felt she could excel in an engineering type role. On the other hand, Melanie felt fascinated by psychology and humanities. These two areas of interest had little to no overlap, so not only was Melanie choosing between majors but also universities.

This was the first time Melanie experienced the familiar pull of the multipotentialite journey.

After college, Melanie accepted a role with Americorps and moved to San Francisco, where she participated in a program called Public Allies. Working for Americorps was a combination job, as Melanie served at a nonprofit for four days per week and spent her Fridays completing Public Allies’ social justice leadership development program. Melanie and her coworkers were passionate, multifaceted people.

Fast forward to now, and Melanie has become a professor of career education for the University of Cincinnati, researcher and nonfiction writer, nonprofit supporter, and science fiction writer. She enjoys helping multi-talented students discover a future that fits their unique wiring, and she loves digging into data on multipotentialites, personality tests, and strengths assessments.