SWOT ANALYSIS

In the 1960’s and 70’s, Albert Humphrey is said to have developed this strategic planning tool using data from the top companies in America at the time. A SWOT Analysis looks at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are relevant to an organization in a new venture.

The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis can be applied in various areas needing performance evaluation. A SWOT Analysis Can be Used for Workshop sessions, Brainstorming, meetings, Problem solving, Product evaluation, Strategic planning, Competitor evaluation, Personal development, planning. Similarly, this method can be used to assess your status in school, college to help you find the right academic career to pursue. Here are a few ideas when it comes to constructing your SWOT.

To conduct a personal SWOT analysis effectively, know by heart how it is done, why is it done and the manner in which the findings are interpreted. The process requires answering to a set of questions that are relevant to your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Be realistic about strengths and weaknesses. When performing a SWOT analysis on yourself, be neither modest nor overly optimistic. Consider answers from the company’s point of view and from the point of view of your teachers, friends and others who come to the campus to conduct drives. Distinguish between where you are today and where you could be in the future. Note that the SWOT is subjective. No two people will come up with the same SWOT.

Knowing yourself better

The best way to answer and get an efficient result is to answer the questions as honestly as you know yourself. It is significant that, as you reply to the questions, you also find out what other people think as your strengths and weaknesses. Keep your ‘KNOW YOURSELF’ worksheet with you for this session.

Internal Factors

1.      Strengths - Internal positive aspects that are under control and upon which you may capitalize in planning for a new career.  Answer the question: which are my most exceptional skills? These would include:

·         Work Experience

·         Education, including value-added features

·         Strong technical knowledge within your field (e.g. hardware, software, programming languages)

·         Specific transferable skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, leadership skills)

·         Personal characteristics (friendly nature/ adaptability/ positive outlook…)

2.      Weaknesses- Internal not so positive (needn’t be negative) aspects that are under control, can be worked on to improve but at the present moment these may hinder your job prospects or a new career. Address your difficulties when compared to others. These would include:

·         Academic performance- less percentage, etc

·         Lack of web skills- no e-mail account/ facebook id/ blog posts…

·         Inability to take  the initiative/ reserved nature/ over sensitivity

·         Personal characteristics (short temper/ restlessness/ cannot do group work or work with preferred few…)

External Factors

3.      Opportunities – External aspects that are not always in our control but can be tapped to build a career or secure a job. Address the issue of your interest in higher studies and get data of the colleges or universities that offer you these courses. List your chances.

·         The colleges/ universities that offer programs of your interest

·         The companies which offer you job for your qualifications

·         Reservations/ special quota/ fee concession…

·         Campus drives/ special training programs at college…

4.      Threats – External aspects that are not in our control and can hinder our prospects to secure a job/ seat in university. What factors stand in your way to get a degree/ PG seat/ Job? These could include:

·         Competition

·         Reservations/ lack of financial support

·         Family restrictions

·         Social conditions- bandhs/ no conveyance…

To do an honest check of your SWOT ask yourselves the following questions:

           

1.      What are my positive points that my family and friends appreciate?

2.      What is my academic record?

3.      Am I involved in co-curricular/ extra- curricular activities?

4.      My awards/ certificates- merit/ NSS/ NCC, etc.

5.      What kind of a person am I?

6.      Am I a leader or a team player? (student leader? Class rep….)

7.      Do I attend all classes including special programs?

8.      Do I understand what experts say on MANA TV?

9.      Do I understand when people speak in different accents?

10.  Do I wish to participate in live programs and convey my opinion properly in phone- ins?

11.  Do I discuss my difficulties with my friends?

12.  Do I handle my problems or avoid them and escape?

13.  Do I share my issues openly or expect others to know it without my mentioning it?

14.  Do I get cranky if my friends fail to understand me?

15.  What stops me from participating in classroom activities?

16.  What is this fear about that stops me from speaking in English?

17.  Am I interested in learning new things?

18.  Am I healthy? Physically fit with good stamina and energy?

19.   Does my college cater to my needs? Do we have teachers/ infrastructure/ computers/ Internet/ opportunity to learn what you need?

20.  To get my college degree, what factors stand in the way?

Interpreting the data gathered

After all the questions are answered, sit down and review the results. Assess your answers and relate it to your academic status/ job status using the results to choose the best academic career suitable for the person that you are. The following are some tips that can help you analyze and make your decision:

* Pick a course that capitalizes on your strengths
* An academic career can be an opportunity to make your weaknesses irrelevant by focusing on your strengths. This doesn’t mean however that you need not face your weaknesses while pursuing your academic ambition but you can use it as a chance to strengthen your weaknesses. Attending workshops, seminars, group discussions, and other extracurricular activities will help you improve on your areas of weakness.
* Take advantage of all possible opportunities that will help your personal and academic traits excel.
* Threats are inevitable to each ones’ ambitions and career perspectives. Identifying these threats however will provide a more focused solution as early as possible. When you are able to anticipate these threats using the information gathered, you will be able to prepare or avoid possible hurdles to your academic objective.

Strengths What do you do well? What unique resources can you draw on? What do others see as your strengths?	Weaknesses What could you improve? Where do you have fewer resources than others? What are others likely to see as weaknesses?
Opportunities What opportunities are open to you? What trends could you take advantage of? How can you turn your strengths into opportunities?	Threats What threats could harm you? What is your competition doing? What threats do your weaknesses expose you to?