Say your dream job, or any good looking job in this economy, is hiring. What positive traits would you put on your resume/application to really make yourself stand out? What are your strengths? And please don't respond with something like "I have none", because that isn't true. Don't let your negative thoughts cloud the truth, everyone has something to give.
I'd say my main strengths are that I'm a quick learner and that I can adapt to new situations relatively quickly.
For the direct purpose of a job interview, I say I'm self-propelled, and that I take pride in a job well done. From there, I try to spread it out into things like I'm willing to learn any new task and I'm not afraid to ask questions to make sure I'm doing it right. Honestly, for anyone who is having trouble finding what to say (if this is a non-hypothetical situation), you might want to ask people who you've worked with before, whether it's at a previous job or for group projects in school. It's hard to accurately judge yourself from the inside, so getting an outside perspective can really illuminate things.
First thing I would put on there, direct work experience in the field and being able to operate an actual scientific telescope from experience, that will surely get my dream job. More to the point now, I would highlight my abilities to work exceptionally well in team sessions as well as being able to work exceptionally well alone. I'd also focus on my adaptability and the trait that I will do what needs to be done no matter what that entitles.
