Where to From Here?

Things moving a little slow for you on the work front. Your current business or job not looking like it is going to re-open anytime soon? Wondering, where to from here? Maybe it is time to start taking an inventory of your personal skills and consider your post Covid-19 future. Are you prepared to do this?

There is more to it than just updating your resume or making a few networking calls. Take a step back and think about it…What are your personal strengths, do you have weaknesses that could slow you down, what opportunities do you see on the horizon and what threats could keep you from attaining your goals? Sound familiar, it should, it is a SWOT analysis. SWOT or Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats has been a staple in the business world for many years as it should because it works.

Applying the same principle in your personal career is a practice that has been used by many successful people across the country in advancing their careers. It is not the only thing you should do but it is the best place to start. Understanding what you offer, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there is central to your success. Watch this short video from Kreative Leadership on how to get started.

The first step

Socrates said, “Know Thyself”. If you are going to fully benefit from the process keep this in mind. Be honest with your answers… nobody is reading them but you. It is not a complicated process and will help you determine where to from here.

SWOTis a simple and useful framework for analyzing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It helps you to build on what you do well, address where you are lacking, minimize risks, and take the greatest possible advantage of chances for success. Keep in mind that strengths and weaknesses are considered internal attributes while threats and opportunities are considered external. Create a grid with four quadrants like the one shown below and begin to fill each section with your thoughts. There is no specific number of entries for each section, but they will need to be pared down to the top four or five and then prioritized in the next step, Once you have completed the process take the time to match and convert. As described in the video match your strengths to your opportunities to determine where to be aggressive and take action. Match weaknesses to threats to expose those areas you should work on or situations you should avoid.

Creating your grid

The grid provided is just an example of what a personal SWOT grid may look like. As you begin to create your own grid keep in mind that you will want to match your strengths to opportunities and weaknesses to threats. You are accountable for your strengths and weaknesses (internal) while opportunities and threats come from the outside (external). There are many other grid templates available online.   

What am I looking for?

As you go through this exercise keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish, what you want from this process. Are you looking for a new job, a step up the corporate ladder, or are you looking to try something new altogether? Take the time to think clearly and honestly about the questions you must ask yourself in each quadrant. With this as the criteria try to view yourself from the outside in. Try to see yourself objectively from the standpoint of a colleague, peer, or a bystander. Viewing yourself in this manner is not always easy but is highly productive.   

Don’t be shy about listing your strengths or limit yourself to listing only current strengths. Search your memory banks and include skill sets that you have not recently used. Think about past accomplishments and look for those traits that make you different or unique.  

What will it do for me?

It will help you decide on what direction you want to take and identify any limitations you may have for making change. Most importantly it is a brainstorming session that requires you to seriously consider where you are and where you want to go. Objectively pay attention to friends or peers closest to you when determining attributes on each quadrant of your grid. Once you have completed everything on your SWOT then begin the process of matching strengths to opportunities and converting negatives into positives.

Is a personal SWOT infallible?  

Realistically a personal SWOT is by its nature highly subjective. It will give you a directional picture through your eyes, but it is possible you might need something else to complete the picture. Employers and prospective employers are looking for two things; skill set, and job fit. You should have identified your skill sets in the SWOT process, but job fit does not become visible until the company, its culture and the position are identified. To round out your professional desirability you might want to consider one additional step and that is a personal assessment. There are several generic types available and the most widely used and understood are Predictive Index and DISC. Both are readily available online and take little time to complete. The results identifying numerous natural and adaptive traits are almost instantaneous. Remember, your goal is to help you determine where to from here.

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