StrengthsFinder 2.0 By Tom Rath

I once took this quiz for free. It was fun. It provided a long list of my strengths, pretty much in the order I would've guessed. Because that was a long time ago and because I thought I might get out of the book, I purchased this 2.0 version. There are several places that mention the 34 talents or themes. On one page, it's stated that I'll receive a top five theme report, but, on the next page, it states that I'll receive an overview of each of the 34 themes. I thought that meant an overview, i.e. something brief, of MY remaining strengths. After taking the quiz this morning, I discovered that I would have to pay extra for the remaining 29. I believe the sale price was approximately $39. I reread the book's description on . It DOES mention a customized version of your top five. Maybe most people would understand that to mean *only* five. After previously taking the quiz for free and getting a detailed report, I assumed the wrong thing.
This was my first experience of getting partway through a book then needing to spend money. It's like Offers In App Purchases. When I called the contact number, the representative told me I'm the first person to complain. Do I believe that? No. Tom Rath This book is quite simplistic and valuable. When I returned to college as an adult this book was a requirement in one of my business classes. It really does nothing but have you go on line and answer a survey that takes very little time and based on your answers comes back to your five greatest strengths. The book is so incredibly accurate that based on one of my strengths it told me I am probably the type of person who collects baseball cards, which I have done for over 40 years. There wasn't a single question about cards in the survey. My wife and I have since bought each of our children one so that they could take the survey before they finished high school in hopes that it might help steer them towards a career that although they might not know it could be something they are actually quite interested in and could do quite well. Much better then having them figure that out in there third year of college when they decide they are majoring in the career field. Highly recommend this book to anyone with high school students, or even themselves. How well it will completely analyze you is absolutely amazing and the book clearly explains each of your strengths to help provide you with an insight to yourself. Well worth the money!!!! vicksburg-campaign Here's what you need to know about StrengthsFinder 2.0:

Buy the book new. Each copy includes a scratch off passcode that gives you access to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 test. It can only be used once and the book is a waste without the test.

The book itself is largely a description of the strengths measured by the test. It's a companion to the test and not something you wold read on its own, but it does a great job of bringing the test to life.

The test is worth the price of admission. It's 177 rapid fire questions that reveal the top five themes, or strengths associated with your personality. Knowing these strengths is critical, because they are unchangeable traits that will enable you to succeed to your fullest potential.

I also purchased the recommended StrengthsFinder 2.0 The concept is excellent, and the eventual assessments I received is spot on. The actual meat is extremely useful. However

Two important things:

1. You can purchase the assessment online directly.

2. The book itself does not provide you with tools to assess yourself. It’s a reference of classifications with action items that is useful to know.

The only thing that bothered me is that Gallup is trying to up sell the “new version” claiming that they provided “integrated” solutions for you, individualized based on their millions of data points. Let me tell you that is a total bull. They merely cut and pasted the sections from the same book, spiffed it up with a few action questions. Then they try to sell you their packages and that you need a coach.

They would have been just fine without that lame marketing.

Do not buy a used book if you want to take assessment test. It’s a one time code inside a sealed document. Kindle This book comes with an access code so the reader can take the test online. However, the test only delivers the top five traits the user scores in. A few other helpful reports are available as well, with the Strength Insights and Action Planning Guide being the most in depth. The catch? It costs another $90 to gain access to the report that details where the user ranks in all 34 areas. No thanks. I'm not that curious. Had this been stated in the book description, I would not have bought it. StrengthsFinder 2.0

My review at this time is not reflective of the content as I have not read it through. The book was recommended by a well known life and relationship coach that I am using.

At this time I only want to warn anyone considering buying this book used, DON'T DO IT. There is a reason they are so inexpensive. The book goes with some online surveys etc. that are accessed using a code in the back of the book. The code can only be used once, so the used books don't allow for the entire experience. I will be purchasing a new version now to get that code. Bought this as part of an initiative at work. You are essentially buying an enthusiastic introduction and an access code for an online quiz. The quiz follows the usual pattern in which each of the 177 questions asks you to choose somewhere between two statements that are mostly related but not mutually exclusive (e.g. 'do you like fish or fishing?'). You are given 20 seconds for each question, you may miss questions if you run out of time so make sure you have an undisturbed half hour. You may only take the quiz once. This stops you from checking their assertion that the outcomes remain reasonably stable over time (unless you buy another book). The results are processed in about 2 minutes on line into a report that comes in long and short versions and which you can save in PDF. The report highlights five (out of about 35) strengths that your answers indicate that you think you have. The report is fluently written which somewhat conceals the rather obvious fact that it is an automated assemblage of pre prepared statements. It also includes some pre prepared suggestions for what kind of work would suit you, some interesting, some hilarious.

So is it any good? Well you need to bear in mind that the report is simply reflecting back at you what you have 'told' the machine through your choices. So it is not really surprising that you will probably agree with most of it. If you are deluded in thinking that you are outgoing or analytical or empathetic or whatever then you will answer accordingly and you will then agree with your deluded self when you read the report; it will not independently reveal any hidden inner truth, how can it? At work, we hope simply to use it as a way to beginning conversations about what we are good at, or being able to say I really enjoy X type of work with a veneer of independent analysis. For that, it is probably good. For anything , you will need proper psychoanalysis by a real person who pretends to care. English No access code ever emailed to me. Checked to make sure the email address was correct. It is. I am VERY frustrated and there is no where to be found to send a complaint or get money refunded. Thanks for nothing!! Ok, let's be clear. What you're really buying access to is the fantastic online psychometric test. I bought the kindle version of this as it's slightly cheaper. The book itself is fairly short: it contains an intro (about a fifth of the book) which explains the Gallup point of view. This is basically that if we all understood and focussed on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, we would be happier and far, far productive (after decades of work on this, they have the research to back this up). It's articulated really well, and is really convincing.

The rest of the book is a summary of each of the different strengths, including how people with that strength might want to make the most of that strength, and how to work with people like that. But the truth is you don't need to read that for yourself, because when you take the test (relatively short) you get a personalised report on each of your strengths (ok, it's not totally personalised, but it adapted for exactly *how much* you have each strength, and the mixtures you have). And here's where the transformative bit comes in.

This personalised report really affected me. When I read some of it, I welled up. I hadn't felt that *got* for ages. And it opened up all sorts of things: I understood why I had left a particular job, which had mostly been a great job, I understood why I was so attracted to the career path I am developing into. And I just know that I will be able to use this going forward.

I work as a coach now, and I often recommend this to clients. Mostly they don't do it, because it costs £10 or so, and you can get free psychometric tests about strengths online. But the ones who take it find it transformative, too. It's WAY better than the free ones, and for me the £10 is one of the best £10s I've ever spent. Go on, get it! I liked the survey and being able to take a look at the results, HOWEVER, you only get five of your 34 and that only goes so far. The resources you get when you take the online test are basically the same information that you get in the book. And then they send you a lot of emails to buy stuff and take advantage of coaching, etc. I'd love to, but I don't know that it's worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on all the extras. Without seeing tangible results, it's hard to justify going down the rabbit hole on this one.

**Once you have purchased this ebook, the unique access code will be sent to the email address you have registered with Kindle.**
DO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST EVERY DAY?Chances are, you don't. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in the 2001 management book Now, Discover Your Strengths. The book spent than five years on the bestseller lists and ignited a global conversation, while StrengthsFinder helped millions to discover their top five talents.In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much (see below for details). While you can read this book in one sitting, you'll use it as a reference for decades.Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself and the world around you forever.AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE NEW & UPGRADED EDITION OF STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0(using the unique access code included with each book)* A new and upgraded edition of the StrengthsFinder assessment* A personalized Strengths Discovery and Action Planning Guide for applying your strengths in the next week, month, and year* A customized version of your top five theme report* 50 Ideas for Action (10 strategies for building on each of your top five themes)* The user friendly StrengthsFinder 2.0 companion website, with a strengths community area, library of downloadable discussion guides and activities, a strengths screensaver, and a program for creating display cards of your top five themes StrengthsFinder 2.0