SWOT Away Career

Indecisiveness

Mt. San Jacinto College

First Year Experience Program

Workshop Series

What is SWOT?S- Strengths

W- Weaknesses

0- Opportunities

T- Threats

• Decision making tool

• Identify strengths and weakness related to a career field/position

• Increase self-awareness

• Use critical thinking skills to solve problems

• Organizes information

Why use SWOT?• Employers are looking for candidates who have good critical thinking skills• Improve effective problem solving skills• Tool used in most organizations/companies to make decisions• Helps to organize information • Can use to structure interview questions, cover letters, personal statements and scholarship essays

Let’s Try It!We are going to focus on a exploring

careers.

On your handout write down the career you want to explore today in the middle

box.

Health Teacher

Strengths• Internal Positives• You can control theses• Capitalize on your strengths• Ask questions like: What do you do well? What unique strengths/talents do you have? What do others see as your strengths?

Strengths

Enjoy science classesGood writing skillsVery organizedCreativeLike working with teenagersPlayed baseballHave experience in CPR

Weaknesses• Internal Negatives• You can control theses• Need to work to improve• Ask questions like: What do you want to improve? What gaps in skills or knowledge do you have? What should you avoid doing?

Weaknesses

Struggle in math coursesNervous talking in front of othersGap in knowledge of how to teachLacking computer skillsCannot danceNo work experience

Opportunities• External Positives• Conditions you can take advantage of• Ask questions like: What opportunities do you have? What current trends could you take advantage of? Who could help you be more successful?

Opportunities

University near my home has my majorClose to my HS baseball coach who is a health teacherVolunteer as a coach to build experience and resumeTutoring opportunities at the community center

Threats• External Negatives• Conditions you can’t control but whose effect you can lessen• Ask questions like: What obstacles do you face? What is your competition doing?

Threats

Competitive job market for health teachersNeed college level math for admission to a universityUniversity is expensiveMost graduates can teach in other subjects/multiple credentials

What Now?

• Look at each section: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats• How will you overcome the Threats and Weaknesses?• What resources do you have?

• Start working on overcoming the barriers identified in threats and weaknesses• Is this the right career for you based on what you have outlined?• Identify the further research that needs to be conducted• What don’t you know about your career?

Time to ShareWeaknessesStrengths

Opportunities Threats

Questions

Explore careers further with:

www.eureka.orgMVC: ULWLIF6 SJC: WNY3OUX

www.cacareercafe.com

www.mymajors.com

www.bls.gov/oco