Building a Stronger Resume using a SWOT Analysis
If you are from the marketing or strategic planning side of business, you are probably familiar with a method called a SWOT analysis. SWOT is a useful tool for planning strategies that are likely to succeed. In the case of a resume, they can create a model that demonstrates your experience in the best possible light. SWOT is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. Carefully considering each of these elements of your past and future employment is a sure fire way to build an exceptional resume.
Strengths – Most people focus on their experience when creating a resume. However, your strengths are the key to selling yourself. Using a blank sheet of paper, begin by listing those things you have done best in past positions. When possible, list figures that support how well you did the task. These strengths will serve as the basis for your resume. If done well, you will likely identify more strengths than can be fit into a single resume. The additional strengths can be saved separately and used to fine tune your resume for target employers.
Weaknesses – For every strength a person has, there is likely to be an equal and opposite weakness. It is important to identify these weaknesses. They will help lead you away from jobs or employers that are not a good fit. They will also help you focus your resume by avoiding strengths that are dependent on other areas of weakness. To find these weaknesses, list anything that your don’t do well or have failed at in the past.
Opportunities – These are things that fit you well; Jobs, companies, industry-events, or past responsibilities which are in line with your experience and/or really interest you. These opportunities will help you identify a direction. With a clear direction in mind, you can envision your next dream job and build your resume to closely fit that target. This list should also include any external factors that can help you get your next job.
Threats – This exercise is the exact opposite of your opportunities. Threats are those things that are unfavorable or do not fit your experience. Companies that you never want to work for. Jobs you swear you will never do again. It could even include responsibilities that didn’t make you happy. Essentially, this list should include any external factor that can get in the way of landing your next job.
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The results of the SWAT analysis will identify characteristics of potential employers, jobs that you would really enjoy, and even ones you would be terrible at. It can also help you review the job market to identify which of these jobs are available and which would be easy for you to gain access to. This sharp focus can then aid you in structuring a resume that maximizes the exposure of your strengths.
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