Have you taken time to analyze how well you know yourself with respect to your personal preparedness for job transition and the marketplace? Are you ready? Have you studied the market you are interested in? How do you think you compare to peers within that market? Have you obtained the proper certification? There are many aspects to consider and you will make the transition easier if you are well organized and have some tools in your kitbag.
A great tool for your transition preparation and enabling your ability to know yourself is the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis tool. SWOT analysis was originally developed for strategy development and is used extensively by business developers for determining competitive advantage in the marketplace.
With a few minor modifications, you can use this tool to help determine your personal competitive capability within the marketplace during your military transition. SWOT analysis forces you to think about external factors regarding your future career, while providing direction on those areas for change. Performing a self-analysis to determine your abilities and shortcomings using SWOT will not only give you a greater understanding of yourself, but will also provide a level of confidence needed for a competitive edge.
Think about and ask yourself questions within each quadrant to begin the analysis. To provide initial thoughts on the type of questions you should be asking yourself, a sample SWOT Analysis from the Transitioning Military Book Series is provided.
The SWOT diagram provides inquisitive attribute statements, common to military personnel in transition, based on typical experience. Study each statement within each quadrant. Determine if you have an advantage or if you need some work in that area. Think of additional questions to ask yourself within each quadrant to enhance the self-analysis. Use the results of your personal SWOT analysis to determine how well you stack up against your competitors and what areas you should seek improvement.
Wishing you a lucrative transition!
