SWOT Away Career Indecisiveness

1. SWOT Away Career Indecisiveness Mt. San Jacinto College First Year Experience Program Workshop Series

2. What is SWOT? • 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 • S- Strengths • W- Weaknesses • 0- Opportunities • T- Threats

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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 classes Good writing skills Very organized Creative Like working with teenagers Played baseball Have experience in CPR

6. 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 courses Nervous talking in front of others Gap in knowledge of how to teach Lacking computer skills Cannot dance No work experience

7. 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 major Close to my HS baseball coach who is a health teacher Volunteer as a coach to build experience and resume Tutoring opportunities at the community center

8. 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 teachers Need college level math for admission to a university University is expensive Most graduates can teach in other subjects/multiple credentials

9. 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?

10. Time to Share Strengths Weaknesses Threats Opportunities

11. Questions • Explore careers further with: • www.eureka.org • MVC: ULWLIF6 SJC: WNY3OUX • www.cacareercafe.com • www.mymajors.com • www.bls.gov/oco