How to Take a SWOT Analysis of Self
It is recommended that everyone take a personal SWOT Analysis when entering into their career. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and will help to really understand who you are and the steps needed to be successful and confident in yourself. The SWOT correlates and supports learning to accept yourself and being more of your authentic self at work.
Strengths
In regards to your strengths, you have to think about your positive attributes. What good things do people say about you? What good things do you know about yourself that others may not know? What are your talents? Your strengths should include traits that are inherent to you as an individual. Your dope sneaker collection should not fit into this category. You need to think inward, not outward, for your strengths.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses are the opposite of strengths. What are your inner traits that you need to work on, or rather think you need to work on? What key areas make you vulnerable and could leave you open to negative situations? What situations in your life do you actively work to ignore? What about yourself makes you cringe? Do you hate asking for help? Do you think of yourself as inadequate?
Opportunities
Opportunities are the external factors that you should be working to develop. Do you have a great network of people that you can look to for mentorship? How about your LinkedIn profile? Is it popping? Have you interned and gotten a glowing recommendation from one of the business leaders that you worked for? Maybe you just had a bout of good luck or stumbled into the right places at the right times. Opportunities should encompass fleetings or even temporary circumstances that are beyond your control but nonetheless great, and can work in your favor. If you cannot think of anything to put here, you can definitely add your membership to this blog! You will gain insights that help you along your professional and personal journey. Additionally, you can also contribute and if your article is accepted, you’ll be able to add “Writer” to your resume!
Threats
The concept of threats are not as serious as they sound. The threats referenced in the SWOT Analysis are not along the lines of “I’ll punch you in the face, B!” or “I will fire you if you’re late again!”. The threats we are focusing on are external factors that have the potential to do some type of damage to your career or image. What snafu did you make that you like to pretend did not happen? What are some loose ends that you never took care of? What are people around you doing that could have a negative impact on you? For example, if your spouse has poor money management skills and your bank accounts and credit cards are shared, welp, that’s a threat. You need to protect yourself against this because employers check your credit. Another example is if you were to work in a highly competitive industry and your new coworker is very chummy with the boss or worse a relative… Yup! Neotipsm a threat. Any external factor that you cannot control should fall into this category. This category requires you to take specific action to protect your interests. Look for intervention outside of yourself, your department and your boss.
If you want to discuss my SWOT or yours, let me know in the comments.
