Boost your confidence and solve your career conundrums by creating your own SWOT analysis. Like strategic business planning for an organization, you’ll write out your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, focusing on what makes you, YOU.
There’s only one of YOU.
One of our most significant prospects for advancement is reinforcing our strengths. People who enjoy their work stand out. Their passion comes through, and they can separate the results of their work from who they are as individuals. This detachment leads to the pure enjoyment of the work itself regardless of the situation, so they aren’t relying on things going a certain way.
Embrace what distinguishes you from the rest.
When you are confident about your skills, strengths, and talents, you can effectively differentiate yourself. Equally important is recognizing and appreciating what doesn’t come as easily to you. These can be aspects that you may want to improve or minimize, depending on the necessity.
Before you begin creating your SWOT analysis, clear out any inner conflict you may be experiencing.
Conflicts are usually ego-based. They arise from those repetitive messages churning around in your head and often start with “I should” or “It’s expected that I.” They may even show up as a paradox – that absurd or self-contradictory proposition, such as the saying, “If I know one thing, it’s that I know nothing” or Oscar Wilde’s, “I can resist anything but temptation.” Regardless of how your inner critic shows up, you want to approach your SWOT objectively, removing any sense of right or wrong. Be honest, trust your instincts, and own who you are with conviction.
Once you’ve cleared your mind, start your SWOT analysis.
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ke the picture shown here, take a piece of paper and divide it into four quadrants labeling the headers as follows:
• Top Left: STRENGTHS
• Top Right: WEAKNESSES
• Bottom Left: OPPORTUNITIES
• Bottom Right: THREATS
Next, think through the following questions, placing your answers in the appropriate quadrants.
STRENGTHS
- What do you excel at and enjoy doing?
- What skills and competencies do you have?
- What do others see as your talents?
- What is your unique value proposition?
WEAKNESSES
- What skills or talents could you enhance?
- Where do you know you need to improve or do better?
- What constructive feedback have you received?
- What do you try to avoid?
OPPORTUNITIES
- Which strengths could you turn into opportunities?
- How could you improve upon your weaknesses?
- What learning and development opportunities exist within your team or company?
- What external resources or trends could you take advantage of?
THREATS
- What is going on at work that causes concern?
- What external factors could create obstacles or issues?
- What aren’t you focusing on that you should pay more attention to?
- What threats do your weaknesses or limiting beliefs expose you to?
Lastly, align your analysis with your career goals.
Examine if and how your SWOT aligns with your career aspirations and tasks. Think through what you can do to amplify your strengths, making the most of your current work dynamics. Trust your instincts if you’re sensing that what you value about your job has changed. This is to be expected as you’re exposed to new opportunities and experiences. Check out these previous blogs for ways to define your career goal and gain clarity on your career values. This insight, coupled with overcoming any resistance, limiting beliefs, and quieting your inner critic, will support you in your overall assessment.
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