|
|
|
Note: "Challenges" may be a better word than "Threats" for this analysis. If SWOC makes more sense than SWOT for your purposes, that's OK. The SWOT analysis and the reflection document are probably the hardest parts of the whole portfolio process. We all like to think that we can do anything we want to, and facing up to our limitations often means discarding cherished goals in favor of those which are more realistic, even if initially less appealing. The self-assessment process may also mean coming to terms with conflicting advice or the hopes and dreams of others. Entering any profession, however noble, because Mom (or Dad, or Uncle Joe, or Grandpa or whoever) thinks you "ought to" is probably the single worst reason for doing it. The extent to which you are able to be honest with yourself will go a long way in ensuring that you choose career objectives that are realistic, that you are likely to achieve, and finally and most importantly, in which you are likely to be both successful and happy. Note the importance of being realistic here. (You may really want to be CEO of General Motors, but even the most talented person isn't likely to achieve that by age 35.) When you reflect on the perceptions of others ("so-and-so said I am really good at..."), it is important to think about whether they were making polite conversation or offering candid advice based on a real assessment of your capabilities. (Negative comments have to be taken with a grain of salt as well. I know a woman whose high school counselor told her never to do anything with languages. She has a college degree in English and knows French, German, Spanish, some Latin, and reads both Biblical Greek and Hebrew. So much for the high school counselor!) After you have drawn up a summary of strengths and weaknesses, work on the opportunities and threats or challenges. Some things may fit into both categories. Study abroad might be an opportunity to expand one's horizons, but it might also be a challenge for someone who has limited travel experience, lacks foreign language skills, or is genuinely afraid of flying. Opportunities may be unique (entry into a family business) or general (an upsurge in demand for people with exactly the sorts of skills and talents you have to offer). Challenges may be more personal. Dealing with a disability, convincing Uncle John (who has contributed generously to your tuition) that you really don't want to be a CPA, or acknowledging that the job prospects really aren't very good in Missoula but that's where your significant other is, all require a degree of self-awareness and resolution that may not be easily developed. The ultimate objective of this analysis is not just a list, although the list is necessary. How do the results of your SWOT (SWOC?) analysis fit with your goals? Are the strengths that you have and the opportunities available likely to enable you to achieve your goals, in spite of the weaknesses that you found and the threats or challenges that you face? Some of you may find that a realignment of goals is necessary in order to have a realistic chance of success. One can enhance one's abilities and one can overcome weaknesses (Albert Einstein flunked elementary school math), but one finally has to determine how to balance the dream with the reality. |
Copyright © 2008 Gerald M. Myers
|