SWOT Analysis for job seekers

1. W EAKNESSES SWOT Analysis for job seekers T HREATS • Things you have difficulty doing • Skills deficiencies • Image factors like gaps in resume, no references • Personal limitations (e.g. social and sensory issues) – Things that need to be worked around • Things you do well • Specific skills you have developed • Positive personal characteristics • Education, courses and certificates • Contacts who can help reach career goals • Other relevant resources Internal factors S O PPORTUNITIES TRENGTHS • External factors: jobs get obsolete, fierce competition • Unrealistic expectations due to personal limitations (see weaknesses) • Realistic job ideas • Chances created by industry trends – labor shortages, technological development, regulatory changes External factors Positive Negative

2. Strengths S W • Things I Do Well • Abilities O T • Education • Master of Something • Positive personal characteristics • Nice human traits • Specific skills • Software apps • Certificates

3. Weaknesses • Things I have difficulty doing • Work I’m not good at S W O T • Skills & education deficiencies • Needed qualifications • Personal limitations • Issues that need to be worked around, e.g. social deficits and sensory sensitivities • Image issues • E.g. gaps in resume

4. Opportunities • Make a list of options and evaluate them one by one S W O T • Promising industry trends • Work-generating trends in relevant field

5. Threats S W • What can possibly go wrong O T • Unrealistic expectations • Benchmarking against unrealistic standards and persons with fewer limitations

6. SWOT Matrix Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities • O-W Strategies • Use opportunities to address weaknesses • S-O Strategies • Build on combination of strenghts and opportunities Threats • W-T Strategies • Self-defence strategies • S-T Strategies • Address threats with strenghts