Swot analysis - but how? (2024)

It’s important that you’re equipped to deal with these, and even tougher questions, before the interview has begun. This comes down to preparation, and a SWOT analysis is a great way to prepare.

To help you prepare your SWOT analysis, think about what you enjoy and equally what you do not. Typically you enjoy what you are good at, so this can be a simple but effective indicator.

You can also help craft your SWOT analysis by asking for regular feedback from your colleagues and peers – again ask them to be honest with you. You can also review past appraisals and one-to-ones.

Don’t stick to too rigid a script though; you don’t want to be completely flummoxed if the interviewer asks you a question outside of your prepared material.

Build you interview SWOT analysis using the following tips:

Think about your positives which are your key selling points.

Your strengths are best divided up into two categories: soft skills and hard skills. In other words:

your personality traits which will help you contribute to a positive office environment.

What skills and qualities do you have, but also what type of person are you? It’s not just a case of hiring someone with the right experience, the employer also needs to know you’re going to slot in well to the team.

Your weaknesses are the toughest and most delicate aspect of a SWOT analysis to communicate to your potential future employer. Be realistic and show that you realise and are aware of your weaknesses, along with what you are doing to turn the weakness into strengths.

For example, “I sometimes get into too many details that may delay execution” or “I find it difficult to say ‘No’ if someone asks for help which can overload my schedule”.

Don’t be too honest and opt for a weakness that is going to severely impact your chances of being hired – if you’ve got a problem with being punctual then keep it to yourself!

For example, if you mentioned in your strengths that you have good communication skills you could say “Due to my knowledge of XYZ I can help train new members of the team, in turn improving my confidence level and presentation skills”. The interviewer will be impressed that you’ve researched the role, and also that you’ve then matched it against your own profile.

Suggest how you can minimise these threats; for example, using time management to avoid getting overworked and upgrading technical skills to keep up with industry changes to cope with the job requirements. This is probably your best opportunity to seek reassurance from your interviewer on any aspects of the job description that you’re wary or unsure of.

And when you made it to the next round;read some tips for your secondjob interview or learn about the most common asked questions during a job interview.