For this first paper, the goal is to do a personal inventory to try to guide the rest of your personal and professional path as you head towards a career in health services. Maybe you have heard of a SWOT analysis- this is a common practice that companies engage in to assess their characteristics and aid them in moving in a positive direction. SWOT stands for “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.” For this first assignment, your task is to perform a personal SWOT analysis to help you establish where you are and what you need to do to get where you want to go. Remember, upon graduation you will be competing with thousands of like-minded graduates from across the country and even from around the world. Accomplishing the bare minimum might not be enough to get you in the position you want to be in, and waiting until your last semester will not give you the time you need to attend to some of the changes you might need to make. Dealing with these issues now, while you are pursuing your degree, will help you see what traits you have that you can capitalize on, and where you need to work on improvement. Every one of you is in a different place in your life and career, so everyone’s SWOT analysis will be very different.
This paper only needs to be 1-2 pages (1 full page at a minimum), and you need to have a minimum of 4 responses under each aspect (i.e. 4 under each heading: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). Your responses must be in complete sentences, not in fragmented bullets. For each section, ask yourself the following:
Strengths: This part looks at what you do well and where your skills shine. Questions to ask include:
What benefits do you have which others do not have? This could include skills, education, or connections.
What are you better at than anyone else?
What personal resources do you have access to?
What do other people see as your strengths?
Which achievements are you most proud of?
What values do you believe in that others fail to show?
Are you part of a network no one else is involved in? What connections do you have with powerful people?
Weaknesses: This part examines the areas you need to improve and that will set you back when searching for certain types of positions. Questions to consider include:
What work do you usually avoid because of lack of confidence?
What do people think your weaknesses are?
Are you happy with your education and skills training?
Do you have any negative work habits?
Which of your personality traits hold you back?
Opportunities: For this section, you must look at the external factors you can take advantage of, to find a new job or career direction. Questions to ask include:
What new technology can assist you?
Can you take advantage of the market in its present state?
Do you have a network of strategic contacts to offer good advice or help you?
Is any of your competitors failing to do something important? Can you take advantage of it?
Is there a need in your company which no one is filling?
Could you create an opportunity by offering solutions to problems?
Threats: This part takes into account the external factors that could hurt your search for new work. The factors to take into account include:
What hindrances do you currently face at work?
Is any of your co-workers competing with you for projects or roles?
Is your job changing?
Can technological changes threaten your position?
Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats?
(From http://pestleanalysis.com/swot-analysis-in-personal-development/)
To get a better sense of what this exercise entails, check out the following links:
How to Perform a Personal SWOT AnalysisLinks to an external site.
Personal SWOT Analysis: Making the Most of your Talents and OpportunitiesLinks to an external site.
Analyze Your Career with a Personal SWOTLinks to an external site.
SWOT analysis exampleLinks to an external site. (remember, your responses must be in complete sentences, not in short bullets as shown here)
No external references are required for this paper. However, this assignment needs to be in APA format. This is a writing style that is common in the social sciences, including HSA. It ensures that every paper is standardized, and this will be part of your grade. Some of the important characteristics include:
Standard APA cover page
12 point, standard font (i.e. Times New Roman, Arial, etc.)
1 inch margins
Double spacing throughout paper
Left-justified subheadings for each different section
For future papers that will require references, a standard reference format
See this very detailed site for exact information and examples of what APA looks like: Purdue OWL APA GuidelinesLinks to an external site.
Your paper does not need an author’s note or abstract as shown in the examples