SWOT is an analysis tool used to help businesses and individuals to have a sustainable strategic plan. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal issues and can be changed. At the same time, threats and opportunities are external issues that cannot be changed. Nevertheless, a company or a person can utilize the available opportunities and safeguard themselves against threats. A personal SWOT analysis is done to self-assess to identify opportunities for career growth, educational choices, ways to improve oneself, or potential career paths (Hansen, 2021).
Strengths
These are characteristics or skills/abilities that make a person stand out from others (Martin, 2019). They help one identify what they are good at, which sets them apart from other people (Hansen, 2021). My high management experience and diverse work history are the advantages I have that others do not have. The achievement I am most proud of is running a store for 11years with low turnover and increased revenue for the store each year. As a recruiter, I can multitask better than other recruiters. Others see my ability to bounce back after failure and still have a positive attitude as one of my best strengths. My personal resources include my direct manager and fellow recruits. As a recruiter, I have a lot of connections to potential recruits and other recruiters who assist in identifying new opportunities.
Weaknesses
These are hindrances to a person’s ability to give their best performance (Hansen, 2021). These help one identify areas needing improvement, which can set one back (Martin, 2019). The task that I usually avoid due to lack of confidence is speaking during morning meetings. I prefer talking to people one on one. My negative work habit is working all the time, which hinders me from achieving a work-life balance. I feel confident in my experience managing people. Still, I am not so confident about my education, so I am going back to school to sharpen my skills. The personality traits that may hold me back are my fear of public speaking and my stubbornness. I have a rigid determination against my change in attitude.
Opportunities
These are positive factors that increase a person’s competitive advantage (Hansen, 2021). They are the external factors that one can utilize to advance one’s career (Martin, 2019). One of them is my networks of influential contacts, such as the fellow recruiters who have different assignments. They offer me advice and assistance in my assignments. My company usually suffers from management turnover for lead managers, and I feel that they ought to promote from within the company to eliminate this issue. I usually suggest solutions to some of the problems in my company; sometimes, they take my advice, and in other instances, they dismiss my suggestions.
Threats
These are external factors that may hinder a person from attaining their set goals- hindrances to career growth (Martin, 2019). These factors can potentially harm one’s career (Hansen, 2021). One of the obstacles I face at work is limited time to get all required done. My co-workers are also competing for positions and projects at work. I have to put in extra effort to maintain my position. The nature of my job has changed from helping people find jobs to just submitting new recruits so we can get paid. My weaknesses pose a threat to my career. These weaknesses include my lack of work-life balance and my tendency to procrastinate. My lack of work-life balance puts me at risk of burnout, and my procrastination tendency after I get off work results in me being behind schedule in my assignments.
The goal of conducting a personal SWOT analysis is to use the results of that analysis to advance in one’s career life. One ought to recognize strategies that help one build on strengths, utilize available opportunities, and find ways to minimize weakness areas and eliminate threats. Martin (2019) suggests turning negative into positives by converting weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities. My major weaknesses are fear of public speaking, lack of a work-life balance, little confidence in my education level, and stubbornness. I can overcome my fear of public speaking by practicing with a small audience of people I am comfortable with and then working my way up to large audiences. I can also make sure I am well organized, concentrate on my topic rather than the audience, and visualize my success. I can also read some materials that coach one to overcome the fear of public speaking. To achieve a work-life balance, I can create a schedule that accounts for work and leisure and ensure to follow the schedule. Taking time off can also assist in achieving a work-life balance. I am working on my confidence in my education by going back to school o sharpen my skills. As for my stubbornness, I can make a mental note to keep an open mind to new ideas and opinions.
The present threats include stiff competition from workers, which I can equally compete by banking on my strengths. My attempt to eliminate the weakness of a poor work-life balance eliminates the risk of burnout. Creating a schedule that I strictly adhere to can also eliminate the threat of late assignments that procrastination presents. A review of my SWOT analysis by peers illuminated the fact that most of my weaknesses and threats can be easily solved by creating a schedule that I adhere to strictly to ensure all the work is completed in time and some time is left for leisure to avoid burnout.
References
Hansen, A. (2021, December 6). The Best 6 Personal Swot Analysis Examples for Students | 2022. Cornerstone International Community College of Canada | CICCC. https://ciccc.ca/cornerstone-blog/swot-analysis-examples-students/#:~:text=What%20is%20Personal%20SWOT%20Analysis
Martin, M. (2019, October 10). How to Do a Personal SWOT Analysis. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5543-personal-swot-analysis.html
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