Lesson 4: SWOT analysis of strengths and areas for improvement in personal branding

This lesson has practical work. Read until the end and there you will find it!

What is a SWOT?

A SWOT is a self-analysis tool that allows knowing a candidate’s current situation to plan a strategy, correct weaknesses and enhance strengths.

We are going to use a SWOT to get to know each other better and define what our point of view is.
starting point as a professional, the environment that surrounds me and what steps we have to follow in our job search. We are going to give you a template below so that you can do an exercise. But first we are going to explain how it is done and how it can help me.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

What is the use of doing a SWOT?

Making a SWOT is something simple, it is based on analyzing our own Internal Factors (such as knowledge, experience, attitudes, skills such as Strengths) or the lack of them (such as
weaknesses). But it will also be necessary to take into account the External Factors (Opportunities and Threats) that do not depend on us and we cannot change or improve, related to the context that surrounds us. Let’s explain it:

STRENGTHS: Those personal characteristics that differentiate us from others.
They increase our chances of being more employable. Reinforce them, it is something that can work, for example, put it on the CV or highlight it in a job interview.

WEAKNESSES: Those that put us in a disadvantageous position compared to others
candidates. These are aspects that you have to improve and compensate if we have identified that they are important in my work context.

OPPORTUNITIES: Those external factors, resources and aid that you can use to
find a job. If you know them, it will help you a lot to get a job or start a business.

THREATS: Those external aspects that do not depend on us, we cannot change and prevent us from finding a job. You have to identify them too and try to avoid them as much as possible.

We give an example of a SWOT with the most typical answers that we normally find in the candidates:

INTERNAL FACTORS EXTERNAL FACTORS

Weaknesses: I do not have enough English, I do not know other languages, I lack experience, I do not have digital skills Threats: Unstable employment situation, crisis context, my sector is very fragmented Strengths: I adapt to changes, I am highly motivated, I am geographically mobile, I have great knowledge of computer tools Opportunities: My professional sector will grow in the coming years, I will acquire my experience international is highly valued by companies, knowledge and digital tools with this course,

Normally it is thought that you only have to work on the positive parts, that is, the opportunities and strengths. And with this, with my personal brand, I am going to show it on social networks, blogs, networking… but it is a mistake if we have not previously worked on the negative part that also defines our current position.
It is important to realize and SWOT as objectively (and sincerely) as possible. By identifying weaknesses, it helps us to know if we are willing to change, to improve. It is very important to know the negative parts to improve them (weaknesses) or avoid them (threats).

Doing the SWOT will help me later to plan a strategy so that others see us as we want.

I don’t know what I want to do. I look for anything

These are phrases that unfortunately we come across a lot when we interview candidates. Even in motivation letters. Many people ignore or do not yet know what they want to dedicate themselves to. In very young people it can be understood, but we believe that from 23-25 this should no longer be heard.

It is essential to identify your preferences or professional interests. And it’s life insurance so that later, in a few years, you don’t get bitter at a job you do and don’t like. Your interests must be answered by yourself. I mean, it’s something you like to do, hours can go by and you keep doing it. Other people identify it with a “passion”, something you do in your spare time and that you don’t need any motivation to always want to do. This interest is what should lead you to choose, for example, a career or a profession.

There are many interests. Which ones are yours?. We propose a classification:

Business: Related to managerial and management positions.

Administrative: Activities for administrative and organizational positions.

Technicians: Corresponding to technical jobs.

Intellectual: Related to research positions, creativity, development.

Creative: Related to artistic and creative occupations.

Social: Activities carried out in social and service work.

To help you in your choice, answer these questions: What do you like to do? What interests me and I put all 5 senses into it? What do I normally do sacrificing time?

Once you’re clear about it, you should be able to easily relate it to a profession. We suggest you look at the 26 professional families and related professions and identify at least one profession:

PHYSICAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES: INTERESTS: Coordination of hands and feet, being physically fit, working outdoors, developing their strength and aptitudes in others. Professions: Physical therapist, personal trainers, lifeguard, entertainment monitor.

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT: INTERESTS: Carrying out repetitive tasks, carrying out several activities at the same time, organizing, writing, reading, numeracy, summarizing, answering the phone, user or customer service. Professions: work in banks, insurance, accounting, commerce, telemarketer, administrative, stock market, etc…

AGRICULTURE: INTERESTS: Cultivating orchards, gardens, caring for animals, working outdoors, in nature, surveillance and environmental protection tasks, building and placing, handling tools, repetitive tasks, designing projects. Professions: forestry technician, farmer, biologist, agricultural machinery, assistant in forestry or agricultural environment.

GRAPHIC ARTS AND DESIGN: INTERESTS: Drawing, creating, spatial, visual, photographic aptitude, artistic activities, innovating, precision work, handling tools, writing. Professions: graphic designer, writer, plastic artist, writer, bookbinding, printing, printing and graphic industries.

ARTS, CRAFTS AND HUMANITIES: INTERESTS: Drawing, shaping, cutting, creating, spatial and visual drawing, building, handling tools, precision work. Professions: cabinetmaker, plastic or audiovisual artist, writer, editor, actor, choreographer, interior designer, manufacturing and crafts.

BUSINESS AND MARKETING: INTERESTS: Numerical aptitude, initiating acts, informing, persuading, moving and dragging. Professions: sales, commercials, public relations, stockbroker, ticket salesman, community manager, social media strategist, survey agents, etc…

BUILDING AND CIVIL WORKS: INTERESTS: Drawing, building, handling tools, working with materials, solving technical problems, creating, repairing, designing projects, numerical, spatial and visual aptitude. Professions: Draftsman, surveyor, architect, technical draftsmen, painter, plasterer, plumber, crane drivers, forklift drivers, labourers, etc…

ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRONICS: INTERESTS: Building, placing, precision work, handling tools, executing very detailed instructions, numerical, visual/spatial aptitude, designing projects. Professions: electrician, telecommunications technician, repairmen, etc…

ENERGY AND WATER: INTERESTS: Building, precision work, handling tools, executing very detailed instructions, numerical, visual/spatial aptitude. Professions: plumber, electrical installer and solar panels, photovoltaics, heating and cooling, manufacturing industry.

MECHANICAL MANUFACTURING: INTERESTS: Building, placing, moving, drawing, molding, precision work, handling tools, solving technical problems, numerical and spatial/visual aptitude, designing projects. Professions: Draftsman, mechanic, manufacturing parts, spare parts and components, industrial technician, welders, assembly, mechanical industry assistant.

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM: INTERESTS: Manipulating food, animating people, initiating events, serving, organizing, carrying out many activities at the same time, numerical aptitude. Professions: event organizer, entertainer, waiters, room managers, cooks, receptionists, bakers, confectioners, travel agents, etc…

PERSONAL IMAGE: INTERESTS: Creating, innovating, drawing, molding, cutting, advising, repetitive tasks, precision work. Professions. Beautician, hairdressers, tattoo artists, personal care, publicity of the image.

IMAGE AND SOUND: INTERESTS: Writing, artistic activities, imagining, creating, recording, informing, composing. Professions: Photographers, radio and television, internet and social networks, cameras, reporters.

FOOD INDUSTRY: INTERESTS: Building, placing, precision work, handling tools, handling food, performing repetitive tasks, controlling quantities and other measurements. Professions: working in kitchens, orchards, agricultural industry, tastings, catering, etc…

EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES: INTERESTS: Spatial and visual memory, designing projects, building and placing, handling tools, adjusting, repairing. Professions: miners, working in extractive exploitations, agricultural and industrial machinery, working in stone, minerals, wood, etc…

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS: INTERESTS: Execute very detailed instructions, carry out several activities at the same time, solve technical problems, numerical aptitude, analyze, use tools, design and program computer systems. Professions: programmer, web designer, databases, internet, equipment repairer, working with software and hardware.

INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE: INTERESTS: Repairing, ordering, numerical and spatial/visual aptitude, executing very detailed instructions, building, drawing, molding, solving, handling tools. Professions: plumber, bricklayer, draftsman, assembler, electrician, mechanical technician.

MARITIME-FISHING: INTERESTS: Building, placing, swimming, sailing, working outdoors, handling tools, ordering, classifying, repairing. Professions: captain, sailor, fisherman, diver, biologist, plumbers, fishing industry.

CHEMISTRY: INTERESTS: Execute very detailed instructions, measure and control quantities, count and calculate quickly, investigate, analyze, innovate, interpret and verify natural phenomena. Professions: chemist, laboratory technician, biologist, materials industry, refineries, scrapyards, etc…

HEALTH: INTERESTS: Help, accompany, serve, investigate, encourage, give confidence, solve, precision work, handle tools, execute very detailed instructions. Professions: nurses, doctors, health workers, orderlies, lifeguards, labor prevention technicians, home and care assistants, residences.

SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENT: INTERESTS: Carrying out surveillance and environmental protection tasks, being physically fit, swimming, refereeing, directing, helping. Professions: police, security guards, forest agent, watchmen, waste treatment.

SOCIO-CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES: INTERESTS: Inspiring confidence, encouraging, debating, organizing, initiating events, teaching, motivating, helping, developing in others their strengths and aptitudes. Professions: educators, work with the elderly, museum, library, home care, janitor.

TEXTILE AND LEATHER CONDITIONING: INTERESTS: Drawing, cutting, handling tools, precision work, performing repetitive tasks, measuring and quantity, advising, creating, numerical aptitude. Professions: Tailor, dressmaker, craftsmen, purchasing agent, shoemaker, manufacturing industry.

VEHICLE TRANSPORT AND MAINTENANCE: INTERESTS: Driving, fixing breakdowns, solving technical problems, spatial and photographic memorial, building, handling tools, precision work. Professions: mechanics, salesmen, purchasing and sales agents, carpenter, plane and ship work, taxi drivers, truckers, etc…

GLASS AND POTTERY: INTERESTS: Drawing, molding, creating, precision work, numerical, spatial and visual aptitude, handling tools. Professions: artisans, quality control, manufacturing industry, potters, etc…

Change your attitude, believe in your possibilities

From now on you have to bury negative thoughts such as “There is no job for me”, “There are no offers of what I want”, “Things are very bad, I am not going to find anything”. If you start from this starting point, you have already lost. Thinking and even verbally expressing these phrases imply negative emotions such as anxiety, insecurity and uncertainty. As a consequence, I feel “comfortable” in blaming my situation on external factors, I stop looking for work and I get paralyzed.

Do you know what you gain thinking like this? Nothing.

Of course, we are aware that the situation is in a context of crisis and that it is more difficult than before to get a job or start a business. But if you give up before you start, you’re missing out on the good that can be found along the way.

Many people are aware of their limitations, but continue to nurture them because they allow them to be in a comfort zone, in a known and comfortable area where it is easy to accept mediocrity and conformism as an alternative to life. Complaining about politicians, companies, the crisis, is just an excuse. After your complaint, what have you achieved? You haven’t gotten a job, be clear.

What is the real enemy of success? It is not failure, but conformism. We even dare to say that the one who fails is the one who tries. And until you reach failure you will also be learning other things. If you sit on the couch and never take the plunge, you will have failed even more and worse.

In life you can decide to be a player or to be a spectator. You can keep watching without doing anything, accepting a life of conformism or you can participate by setting goals, taking the initiative, solving problems, being proactive/, promoting your autonomy and your personal responsibility to specify and achieve the objectives that you set for yourself.

We suggest you ask yourself effective questions, analyze the type of negative thought you have, find the origin to find out where they come from, the reason why I think that and look for positive points.
That kind of thinking is negative and irrational. Are you sure that there is absolutely no one who has found a job doing what you are looking for? Don’t you know anyone who is working on what you want? How did you get it? Surely you know someone. It can serve as a model. Talk to that person, get interested, look at their LinkedIn profile, explore.
Another question is that you put in the balance what is the use of falling into negativity. How do I see myself in 10 years if I continue with this belief? Does it benefit you in anything? Clearly, it is hurting you, because if you give up, you are stopping opening up to new possibilities and tools, resources and strategies that we are going to show you. Somehow or another they will help you.

It is about looking for positive alternative thoughts, becoming aware of the feelings they generate, describing the behaviors associated with that new belief and seeing the costs and benefits of the new belief.
You can start to consider phrases like “With this course I’m going to learn to waste time online”, “I’m going to go to an interview with greater confidence”, “I’m going to start a blog and be perceived in a more professional way”, “I’m going to work for myself”, “I’m going to retrain”, “I’m going to change my profession”.
The human being is an animal that always gets ahead, no matter how many difficulties arise. And you are seeing this right now with COVID19: a vaccine has been achieved in less than a year, people are reinventing themselves, new opportunities have been generated, you as a digital native have already gained a lot compared to people from previous generations.
The behavior and attitude that you must have is to explore the market but not like crazy, but with our guide. You are going to look for other options, you are going to consider that perhaps self-employment is a way out, I am going to produce ideas or projects, I am looking for help to start a business, I consult free training offers…

You will discover a new world of resources and possibilities.

These positive thoughts have to be consolidated and it takes time and perseverance, but don’t be discouraged, because your effort will be rewarded. If you change your beliefs, change your attitude and change everything around you. For this, it will be necessary to get used to remembering these thoughts throughout the entire path to employment (or self-employment).

There are many ways to achieve this, for example you can mentally repeat these motivations to yourself as if you were talking to yourself until you “reprogram” the brain. These sentences must always be written in the present tense and in the first person (I am, I have, I am determined to, I am going to achieve, I am going to look for this path…). Negative expressions such as “I am not capable”, “I don’t have time right now”, “this overwhelms me”… should never be used.

If you help your brain visualize the goal of getting a job or setting up your business, you will feel motivated to achieve it. Also, if you associate it with positive emotions such as joy, feeling of having achieved a goal, you will have a lot of gain.

It is about repeating new ideas often giving positive instructions to your brain. But not everything is going to be thought, but training the brain in action. Once an opportunity or a tool that can help me achieve a goal is identified, I go for it, without doubts or delays. Procrastination is your worst enemy. For example, motivating yourself to do this entire course, ask the teachers, explore the tools that we are going to give you, collect market information, open my business….

Keep your THOUGHTS positive, because your thoughts will become your
WORDS.
Keep your words positive, because your words will become your ACTIONS.
Keep your actions positive, because your actions will become your HABITS.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits will become your VALUES.
Keep your values positive, because your values will become your DESTINY.
Mahatma Gandhi.