The Personal SWOT Analysis

What is a SWOT analysis?

An effective process for understanding yourself and formulating proactive strategies is an analysis called the SWOT.

This analysis can help you better understand the skills that need to be acquired and better prepare for the development of a career or for pursuing a goal.

What does SWOT mean?

S = Strengths W = WeaknessesO = OpportunitiesT = Threats

Strengths

Strengths identify what is unique to you, or what you do

better than others.

A personal strength is an asset to you and can be used as a way to differentiate yourself

from others as you work towards your goals, when

interviewing, or trying to obtain your next promotion.

Identifying your strengths

• What advantages do you have that others don't have (for example, skills, certifications, education, or connections)?

• What do you do better than anyone else?• What personal resources can you access?• What do other people (your boss, colleagues, or friends) see as your strengths?• Which of your achievements are you most proud of?• What values do you believe in that others fail to exhibit?• Are you part of a network that none of your colleagues, peers, or friends are involved in? If

so, what connections do you have with influential people?

Weaknesses

A personal weakness is a liability or an area of

opportunity for growth.

These are characteristics you could improve upon to

increase future opportunities.

They can be addressed in training opportunities, personal development

experiences, or future job positions where these skills might be acquired or fine

tuned.

Identifying your weaknesses

• What tasks do you usually avoid because you don't feel confident doing them?

• What will the people around you see as your weaknesses?

• Are you completely confident in your education and skills training? If not, where are you weakest?

• What are your negative work habits (for example, are you often late, are you disorganized, do you have a short temper, or are you poor at handling stress)?

• Do you have personality traits that hold you back in your field? For instance, if you have to conduct meetings on a regular basis, a fear of public speaking would be a major weakness.

Opportunities

Opportunities are the possibilities that an individual might take advantage of. For

example, reading about future likely trends in the industry

might help to recognize which direction one might move in.

You can take advantage of opportunities, but you can’t

change them.

Identifying your opportunities

• What new technology can help you? Or can you get help from others or from people via the internet?

• Is your industry growing? If so, how can you take advantage of the current market?

• Do you have a support network of strategic contacts to help you, or offer good advice?

• What trends do you see in your organization or field, and how can you take advantage of them?

• Are any of your competitors or colleagues failing to do something important? If so, can you take advantage of their mistakes?

• Is there a need in your company or industry that no one is filling?

Threats

Threats are those issues that might prohibit the

future success and hinder movement of

individuals.

You can protect against threats, but you can’t

change them.

Identifying your threats

• What obstacles do you currently face at work, at home, or at school?• Are any of your colleagues competing with you for projects or roles?• Is your job (or the demand for the things you do) changing?• Does changing technology threaten your position?• Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats?• Are your personal traits hurting your career advancements?

References

Buhler, P. M. (2019). Career development - Preparing for the future now. Supervision, 80(2), 6–8.

Quast, L. (2013, April 15). How to conduct a personal SWOT analysis. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/04/15/how-to-conduct-a-personal-s-w-o-t-analysis/?sh=dc57d4c28d8b

Mind Tools (n.d.). Personal SWOT analysis: Making the most of your talents and opportunities. Mind Tools. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05_1.htm