Personal SWOT

Analysis
Move Your Career in the Right Direction

Bite-Sized Training™
Personal SWOT Analysis
Bite-Sized Training™

This e-book is published by Mind Tools Ltd.

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Version 6.0

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Cover image ©Getty Images/ Angel Mato

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Contents

1. Introduction 4
2. What Is SWOT? 5
3. Strengths – What Makes You Stand Out? 6
4. Weaknesses – What Can You Improve? 8
5. Opportunities – What Is Possible? 10
6. Threats – What Might Harm You? 12
7. Your Action Plan 14

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1. Introduction

SWOT is an acronym for:

• Strengths.
• Weaknesses.
• Opportunities.
• Threats.

When you analyze yourself and your goals In this Bite-Sized Training™ session, we’ll focus
using these four elements, you can start to on the essentials of conducting a personal SWOT
make yourself stand out from the crowd, and analysis. We’ll look at the tools you need to take
further develop the specialized talents and a quick snapshot of your personal situation, and
abilities you need to advance your career. develop a meaningful strategy to accomplish your
professional and personal goals. In around an
You might have thought about your strengths hour, you’ll learn how to:
and weaknesses already, but you may not have
identified any opportunities or threats. What • Identify what makes you stand out, and find out
opportunities are out there, waiting for you to how this relates to the opportunities available
pursue them? Are there any threats that could to you.
derail your current course of action, or the one • Understand the threats that your environment
you dream of taking? and your weaknesses expose you to.
• Use your SWOT analysis as the starting point for
a solid career and life plan.

Let’s get started!

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2. What Is SWOT?
SWOT analysis is a classic tool that organizations use to
analyze their strategic position.

It encourages companies to examine the external By applying this model to your career, or to
and internal factors that affect business performance, any other aspect of your life, you set yourself
identify their best chances of success (strengths and up to achieve your goals, and to eliminate the
opportunities), and what they should watch out for weaknesses that might undermine you or hold
along the way (weaknesses and threats). you back. And, you identify opportunities to
exploit that you might not have thought of before.
But it’s possible to apply the process to yourself,
too, and carry out a personal SWOT. In this session, we’ll work through each of the four
quadrants shown in Figure 1, below.

Figure 1: SWOT Analysis Grid

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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3. Strengths – What Makes You
Stand Out?
It’s not boastful to acknowledge your strengths; it’s a
practical and necessary way to move yourself toward
your goals. But how aware are you of your strengths?

Doing “what comes naturally” might not seem

anything special to you, or you might doubt ACTION
your qualities when you’re with apparently more
Brainstorm your strengths, and list them in the
confident co-workers. On the other hand, you “Strengths” section of your SWOT analysis grid
could value highly aspects of yourself that no one on the next page.
else appreciates!

So, when you look at the “Strengths” quadrant of

your SWOT analysis, ask yourself the following
questions:
Top Tips
1. Don’t be shy… this is your chance to brag
• What am I really good at? about yourself with no one else listening!
• What skills do other people compliment me on,
2. D
 on’t limit yourself to the strengths that you
or associate me with? demonstrate in your current role. List all of
• What do I do (or what skill do I possess) that is your strengths, even the ones you don’t use
unique and sets me apart from my peers? at the moment. Pay particular attention to the
attributes that your peers don’t have – how
Remember, your strengths are internal factors that are you different, unique and special?
are largely under your control. Consider things like:

• Education/knowledge.
• Experience. ACTION
• Competencies/skills/abilities/aptitudes.
After you’ve completed this session, ask people
• Interests. in your personal and professional networks
• Personality traits. what they think your strengths are. Look at any
differences between your list and theirs.
• Resources that you have access to, and
connections that you can draw upon. What’s surprised you and what’s confirmed
your beliefs? Note down on the grid what you’ve
learned about your strengths, and which of them
you’d like to make more use of.

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 Strengths (What Makes You Stand Out?)

Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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4. Weaknesses – What Can You
Improve?
We all have weaknesses. They can be things that only
you know you about, or that you receive regular feedback
on. They may be bad habits, or underdeveloped skills.
Weaknesses can stop you achieving your goals, but you
can work on them to improve your performance.

If you downplay your weaknesses, you risk setting

yourself unachievable goals, so be honest about ACTION
them, even if you find it difficult. Your weaknesses
Fill in the “Weaknesses” section of your SWOT
are as important as your strengths: only when you analysis on the next page.
acknowledge and understand them can you work
to eliminate or manage them.

Think about the following when you complete the

“Weaknesses” section of your SWOT analysis: Top Tip
While it’s important to “get real” about your
• What do you lack that others around you have? weaknesses, don’t beat yourself up over really
• What could you do better? (Many of us are small stuff.
masters of deception: we cover up our
weaknesses and hide them from others.
Even if other people don’t know what your
weaknesses are, you will.) ACTION
• Are there things that you receive consistent
Even the most honest of us tend to downplay
criticism for? our weaknesses, so finding out what others
• Do you have any habits or characteristics that think is really important. Consider how their
plague you at work or at home? feedback compares with your own beliefs.
Do they confirm what you thought, or are there
• What do other people see as your weaknesses? surprises? Note down your findings on the grid.

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 Weaknesses (What Can You Do Better?)

Strengths

Opportunities Threats

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5. Opportunities – What Is Possible?
An opportunity is an event, trend or change that you
could take advantage of in the future.

Think about how you want your career to develop Think about the following to identify possible
and grow. You likely want to learn and practice opportunities in your professional or personal life:
new skills, and take on new responsibilities. But
opportunities to do so may not always be obvious. • How can you turn your strengths into
They could arise suddenly, and they might not be opportunities?
around for long, so you need to be prepared to • How can you create opportunities by enhancing
make the most of them. your strengths?
• How can you create opportunities by managing
You should also try to make your own opportunities.
or eliminating your weaknesses?
Waiting for exactly the right opening to come along
may mean you miss out, particularly in organizations • What is happening in your organization that may
with open, nonhierarchical structures. Ask about provide an opportunity for you?
trying new roles, and volunteer for projects that • What is happening in an industry that you’ve
interest you. had your eye on for a while?
• Are there any general political, economic,
Many people talk themselves out of progressing technological, demographic, and social trends
their careers. They feel they don’t deserve that you can take advantage of?
opportunities, or aren’t qualified. This negative
• Do any changing circumstances in your
thinking is self-sabotaging, so recognize it,
personal life present an opportunity for you to
challenge your assumptions about yourself,
capitalize on?
and work to develop a more “can do” attitude.
• Are you working on any goals that will provide
opportunities once you’ve accomplished them?

ACTIONS
On the next page, spend a few minutes
brainstorming your opportunities, using the
bullet points above as a starting point.

Find out what people you trust think, too.

Consider how their feedback compares with
your own perception. Do they confirm your
beliefs or are there surprises?

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 Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities (What Is Possible?)

Threats

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6. Threats – What Might Harm You?

Threats are any events or trends that have the potential to

jeopardize your success. You can’t control them directly,
but you can often manage, contain or neutralize them,
so that they don’t cause you harm – as long as you know
about them in advance.

Career threats can seem to be out of your control, Ask yourself the following:
particularly if they’re caused by strategic changes
in your organization, or problems in the wider • What obstacles do you face?
economy. Nevertheless, being able to anticipate • Are your peers doing things that you haven’t
them and adapt your career plans accordingly puts started yet?
you at an advantage. • Does changing technology threaten your
position?
The key to filling in the “Threats” section of your
SWOT analysis is to be far-sighted enough to spot • Is your current role changing (or even
the problems you might face, without worrying disappearing)?
excessively about things that aren’t likely to • Are any of your weaknesses significant enough
happen. to threaten your overall success?

Threats can come from many different angles, so

look closely at what you hope to accomplish, and
list as many things that can go wrong as you can ACTIONS
think of.
Take a few minutes to fill in the final section of
your personal SWOT analysis on the next page.
Remember, a threat is only dangerous if you don’t
address it. By identifying your threats, you’re being Find out what people you trust think, too. Consider
proactive and taking control of your success. how their feedback compares with your own
perception. Do they confirm your beliefs or are
there surprises? Note these in the grid.

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 Strengths Weaknesses

Threats (What Might Harm You?)

Opportunities

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7. Your Action Plan
Now that you’ve completed your SWOT analysis, your
final step is to prioritize and plan the actions that you’ll
take. This is what makes the whole exercise worthwhile.

ACTIONS Top Tips

1. Look back at the previous chapters and, on the next page, list Be sure to look at all
the key learnings and possible actions that you’ve identified four areas. Don’t list
during your SWOT analysis. only your strengths and
weaknesses, for example!
2. Categorize each by whether it is a Quick Win (something
you can do right away), a Habit to change (a behavior you Finally, remember to review
need to start or stop soon), something to Learn (longer-term and repeat your analysis
research, study or reflection), or involves People (individuals regularly, so you are always
or groups you could build – or break – connections with). on top of your game.

3. Now it’s time to act. Be realistic but avoid procrastinating.

Plan and schedule when you’re going to put your analysis
into practice, and go for it!

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 Quick Date
Key Learnings Possible Actions Habit Learn People
Win and Time

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