Guide to writing a personal SWOT analysis + 8 examples, exemplar & free template

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A personal SWOT analysis is a simple yet powerful tool for self-assessment and strategic career planning. In this guide, I’ll show you how to complete a personal SWOT analysis and provide 8 graded examples to inspire you, plus a free editable Word template.

Students are often asked to complete a personal SWOT analysis when reflection and self-development form part of their studies. It is particularly common on business and management courses, where the tool is borrowed directly from strategic planning and applied to personal growth. Career development and employability modules also make use of it, encouraging students to take stock of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as they prepare CVs, applications, or interviews.

Beyond business, disciplines such as healthcare, nursing, education, and social work also use the exercise to promote reflective practice and professional awareness. Postgraduate and professional programmes, including MBAs and CPD courses, may likewise ask for a personal SWOT as a structured way to build strategic self-knowledge.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats – the four dimensions you will evaluate about yourself. This framework was originally developed in the 1960s by business consultants (notably Albert Humphrey at Stanford Research Institute) as a corporate planning technique, but it can be equally effective for individuals (Ehrenreich, 2022).

In a personal SWOT analysis, you scrutinise your internal strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats that affect your goals. The outcome is a clearer picture of where you stand and a practical strategy for personal development.

Unlike many abstract self-reflection exercises, a SWOT analysis is highly action-oriented. By listing all your key factors in a four-quadrant SWOT chart, you systematically organise your thoughts. This visual layout helps to clarify your thinking and highlight how to leverage your strengths or address your shortcomings (Chaggan, 2021).

Furthermore, the process encourages you to think of yourself “like a business” – to treat your career or personal goal as a project, and yourself as a product with unique selling points (Quast, 2016).

The approach might feel slightly clinical, but it is highly effective: it yields concrete insights and a plan of action, rather than vague self-impressions. In the following sections, I will explain why a personal SWOT analysis is worthwhile, how to conduct one step-by-step, and how to use the results to advance your personal and professional goals.

Why conduct a personal SWOT analysis

A personal SWOT analysis is more than just a tick-box exercise – it is a valuable developmental strategy to chart your path toward personal or career goals (Chaggan, 2021).

First, it forces you to engage in honest self-reflection. By articulating your strengths and weaknesses, you become more aware of what you excel at and what you need to improve. This self-awareness gives you an invaluable advantage in career planning (Chaggan, 2021).

For example, you might realise that your strong public speaking ability (a strength) could be emphasised in a job application, while your tendency to procrastinate (a weakness) needs addressing through better time management.

Second, a SWOT analysis links your personal attributes to the external environment. Identifying external opportunities – such as industry trends, educational programs, or networking prospects – can highlight paths to pursue that you might otherwise overlook.

At the same time, recognising external threats – like a competitive job market or economic downturn – allows you to prepare and adapt (Indeed Editorial Team, 2025). In essence, you learn to spot the factors outside of your control that could help or hinder you, and you can plan accordingly.

Perhaps most importantly, a personal SWOT analysis helps you develop a concrete action plan. It’s not just introspection for its own sake; the goal is to formulate strategies for success tailored to your situation. By comparing your strengths and weaknesses against your opportunities and threats, you can decide how to move forward.

Do your strengths and available opportunities outweigh your weaknesses and threats, or do you need to acquire new skills first? If you find more weaknesses and threats, you might delay a major career move until you improve your qualifications (Chaggan, 2021).

On the other hand, if strengths and opportunities dominate, it could be the right time to act on your plans confidently. This strategic perspective is one reason personal SWOT analyses are frequently used in MBA programmes and career coaching – they help individuals map out the steps needed to reach a goal (Chaggan, 2021).

Finally, conducting a SWOT analysis can greatly enhance your career readiness. Many job seekers use a personal SWOT to prepare for interviews and promotions. It prompts you to gather concrete examples of your strengths and think through how to address your weaknesses if asked.

Career coach Lisa Quast has noted that every time she applied for a new job, she did a SWOT analysis on herself to anticipate tough interview questions and devise responses – even sharing her SWOT notes with hiring managers to demonstrate her preparation (Quast, 2013). This level of insight and preparedness can set you apart in a competitive selection process.

Preparing to write your personal SWOT analysis

Before you start listing strengths and weaknesses, take a little time to prepare. Start by defining your objective. Ask yourself: What goal is this SWOT analysis focusing on? You might be aiming for a promotion, considering a career change, or simply seeking personal growth. Having a clear outcome in mind will make your analysis more focused and relevant (Chaggan, 2021).

For example, if your goal is to transition into a marketing role, frame your SWOT factors in that context (what strengths would help you in marketing, what weaknesses might hold you back, etc.). In some cases, it helps to write down a personal vision or mission statement – a concise description of what you want to achieve – to guide your analysis (Swart, 2022).

Next, gather some input and resources. Effective self-analysis requires honesty, and it can be challenging to see ourselves objectively. Consider seeking feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, friends or even past performance reviews (Quast, 2016). Other people’s perspectives can reveal strengths you take for granted or weaknesses you’ve overlooked.

For instance, perhaps a colleague reminds you of your knack for organising team events (a strength you hadn’t thought of), or a friend gently points out that you tend to avoid conflict (a potential weakness). Such insights ensure that your SWOT analysis reflects reality, not just your self-perception.

If possible, have one or two people review your draft SWOT list – do they agree with your self-assessment? Their answers can validate or challenge your views, making your final analysis more robust (Quast, 2013).

It’s also a good idea to research the external context for your goals. Look into industry trends, job market conditions or other external factors relevant to your objective. For example, are there emerging technologies in your field that present new opportunities? Is there economic or competitive pressure that poses a threat? Having this information at hand will help you brainstorm the Opportunities and Threats sections of your SWOT more thoroughly.

Lastly, prepare the format for your analysis. Traditionally, a SWOT analysis is drawn as a four-quadrant grid on one page, which you can sketch by hand or in a word processor. Label the four sections Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This visual format makes it easy to see the whole picture at once, and you’ll be filling it in as you go.

Download a free personal SWOT analysis template here.

If you prefer, you can also just use four lists under these headings – the key is to separate the categories clearly. Set aside some quiet, uninterrupted time for the exercise, and have a notebook or document ready.

With a clear goal, candid input, and a blank SWOT template in front of you, you’re ready to begin the analysis. In the next section, we outline the step-by-step process and offer guidance on what to include in each part of your personal SWOT.

How to conduct a personal SWOT analysis

Now I will walk through each of the four SWOT categories and how to identify them for yourself. Remember to keep your specific goal in mind throughout. As you compile each list, try to be thorough and truthful – this is a judgment-free brainstorming process. (You will refine and act on these points later.)

Write down everything that comes to mind in the relevant quadrant; you can prioritise and edit afterwards.

Identify your strengths.

Begin by listing your personal strengths, which are the internal positive attributes that set you apart. These can include skills, talents, qualifications, achievements, or character traits that give you an advantage. Think about what you do particularly well and what makes you proud.

For example, you might have excellent writing and presentation skills, a knack for creative problem-solving, or a strong network of professional contacts. Strengths can come from any aspect of life – perhaps you led a successful project at work, or you have bilingual abilities, or even personal qualities like resilience and adaptability. (Don’t be shy here – this is your chance to show off your best features.)

A good way to brainstorm is to ask yourself questions like:

• What do others compliment me on?
• What accomplishments am I most proud of?
• Which of my skills or knowledge areas are above average?

Consider both hard skills (e.g. proficiency in data analysis or a certification you earned) and soft skills (e.g. leadership, communication, time management). If you’re unsure, look back at positive feedback from colleagues, managers or teachers – it can jog your memory about strengths you might have overlooked.

Aim to list at least 3–5 key strengths that are relevant to your goal (Swart, 2022). This list will later help you determine how to leverage what you’re best at.

Assess your weaknesses.

Next, turn an honest eye to your weaknesses – the internal limitations or areas for improvement that may hinder your progress. It can be uncomfortable to acknowledge weaknesses, but remember that everyone has them, and identifying them is a positive step towards growth. Weaknesses could be gaps in your skills, traits that hold you back, or bad habits and negative work patterns.

For instance, perhaps you struggle with delegating tasks, have a fear of public speaking, or lack experience in a certain software or domain necessary for your desired role. You might realise you have a tendency to procrastinate or difficulty handling criticism. Be candid but constructive: the idea isn’t to criticise yourself harshly, but to pinpoint where you need improvement (Chaggan, 2021).

One helpful approach is to review past performance evaluations or feedback – were there recurring suggestions for development? Also, consider what tasks or situations you find especially challenging or draining; these might indicate a weakness.

For example, if you notice you often avoid tasks that involve detailed data analysis, that could be a skill gap to note. List each weakness as something you could improve (rather than as an immutable flaw).

• Any area where you feel you’re “not as good as you need to be” for your goal belongs here.

By listing your weaknesses, you’re effectively creating a checklist of things that deserve attention so they don’t impede your progress (Chaggan, 2021). Again, try to come up with at least a handful of weaknesses. This clarity will later help you plan how to mitigate or overcome these issues.

Explore your opportunities.

Now shift focus to the external environment and identify opportunities. Opportunities are external positive factors that you could take advantage of to achieve your goal. They often arise from your context – trends in your industry, changes in the market, upcoming events, or new connections – rather than from within yourself. Ask yourself:

• What external chances or resources exist that could help me?

For example, is your company expanding (creating chances for promotion)? Is there a scholarship or training program you could apply for to gain new skills? Perhaps a growing demand in your field aligns with your expertise, or you have a contact who could mentor you.

Opportunities can also include personal circumstances – maybe you have some free time coming up that you could use for professional development, or you live in a city with a thriving industry in your area.

Research and horizon-scanning help here: keep an eye on relevant job postings, industry news, and professional groups to spot emerging opportunities. When writing them down, be specific: e.g. “Upcoming data science certification course available locally” or “Growing interest in sustainable design in my sector”.

The key is that opportunities are conditions you could exploit to your advantage, not things you create yourself (Indeed Editorial Team, 2025). List all the encouraging external factors you can think of, even those that might seem small. You will later consider how to match these opportunities with your strengths or address them with new actions.

Recognise potential threats.

The counterpart to opportunities are threats – external factors that could negatively impact your progress or goal attainment. These are things largely out of your direct control, but which you need to be aware of and possibly counteract.

When brainstorming threats, think of obstacles and risks in your external environment. Common examples include: strong competition in the job market (many candidates vying for the same role you want), economic downturns or hiring freezes, technological changes that might render some of your skills obsolete, or even personal obligations (like family responsibilities or health issues) that could limit your time or mobility.

Consider questions like:

• What external factors could derail me or make success harder?
• Who or what am I competing against?

For instance, if you’re seeking a promotion, a threat might be that a colleague with more experience is also vying for it. If your goal is to start a business, threats could include regulatory changes or a well-established competitor in the market. It may feel pessimistic to list these, but it’s crucial to face them realistically. By identifying threats, you can prepare contingency plans and avoid being caught off guard.

Write down each threat as a brief statement (e.g. “New graduates entering the field with more up-to-date technical skills” or “Limited budget for training in current job”).

Understanding your threat landscape gives you realistic expectations and prompts you to strengthen your position where you can (Indeed Editorial Team, 2025).

Analyse and act on the SWOT.

Once you have filled in all four lists (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), take a step back and look at the complete picture. This stage is about interpreting the results and formulating an action plan.

Start by comparing the four quadrants: do you notice any imbalances or glaring issues? For example, are there far more threats than opportunities, or more weaknesses than strengths? If so, that’s a sign you might need to take corrective action (such as acquiring new skills or seeking additional opportunities) before pursuing your goal.

On the other hand, if your strengths align well with many opportunities, that’s a very encouraging sign.

A useful technique is to match internal and external factors to develop strategies (Swart, 2022). In SWOT terminology, you look for:

• SO” strategies (using Strengths to maximise Opportunities) and “ST” strategies (using Strengths to tackle Threats).

Likewise, consider:

• “WO” strategies (working on Weaknesses to exploit Opportunities) and “WT” strategies (addressing Weaknesses to mitigate Threats).

For instance, if one of your threats is a lack of a certain certification that many peers have, an obvious strategy is to pursue that certification – thus turning a threat into an opportunity for improvement (Quast, 2013).

If a strength of yours is a broad professional network and a threat is stiff competition for jobs, you might leverage your network (strength) to get referrals and insider info, reducing the competitive threat.

Now convert each strategy into a SMART goal so your plan is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

For example, instead of “improve public speaking”, write: “enrol on a presentation skills workshop by march, practise weekly, and deliver a 5-minute talk to my study group in april.”

Link each SMART goal back to the SO/ST/WO/WT pairing it came from (e.g., WO: build speaking skill to exploit a leadership opportunity), and assign a clear deadline and success metric (what will you do, by when, and how will you know it’s done).

Go through your lists and write at least one action or decision for each quadrant pairing, then express it as a SMART goal. Concrete examples help to illustrate this process: imagine your SWOT revealed that one weakness is “lack of public speaking experience” and an opportunity is “a leadership role opening up in your department.” Your action could be to enrol in a public speaking course; your SMART goal would be “complete the course by march and deliver a five-minute update at the april team meeting.”

By the end of this analysis, you should have a set of priority actions – such as skills to learn, people to connect with, or strategic moves to make – framed as SMART goals with timelines and metrics. These goals form your personal development plan going forward.

After completing the steps above, you will have a nuanced understanding of yourself in context. You have essentially created a personal strategic plan: you know what you’re good at and should highlight, what you need to fix or avoid, which external situations to go after, and which to guard against. In the next section, I will cover some additional tips to ensure your SWOT analysis is as effective and insightful as possible.

Tips for writing an effective personal SWOT analysis

Performing a SWOT analysis on yourself can be challenging, so consider these tips to enhance the quality and usefulness of your results:

Be honest and realistic.

Even if you’ve been asked to complete this exercise as part of a course or university degree, this document is a tool for you, not a flex for others to read and admire! There’s no benefit in sugar-coating your weaknesses or overstating strengths – doing so would only mislead you later.

Embrace a growth mindset: view weaknesses as areas to improve, not as personal failures. Similarly, acknowledge threats without despairing over them. An honest appraisal sets a solid foundation for genuine development. If you find yourself reluctant to admit a particular weakness, remember that identifying it is a positive step that empowers you to take action.

Be specific and detailed.

Vague statements make for a weak SWOT analysis. Try to describe each point with enough detail that it’s clear and actionable. For example:

• Instead of writing “I have good communication skills,” you could specify “Strong presentation and public speaking skills – have delivered five client presentations with successful outcomes.”
• Instead of “I’m bad at time management,” pinpoint “Often submit reports past deadlines due to procrastination.”

Specificity makes your SWOT more insightful and helps you track progress. In the same vein, list concrete external factors: not just “economy” as a threat, but “hiring freeze in my sector due to economic downturn”.

A clear and detailed SWOT gives you a more accurate picture of your situation and avoids misunderstandings later (Indeed Editorial Team, 2025).

Solicit external feedback or validation.

We all have blind spots, so involving others can greatly improve your SWOT analysis. After you draft your strengths and weaknesses, consider asking a few trusted people if they see anything you missed or misclassified. They might point out a strength you downplayed (“Remember, you’re actually very good at networking – you know everyone!”) or reframe a perceived weakness (“I wouldn’t call that a weakness, but rather a lack of experience that you can gain”).

External input can also keep you grounded if you unknowingly exaggerate something. You could even make the brainstorming process collaborative: for example, sit down with a mentor or friend and do a joint SWOT brainstorming session. (Having someone else ask you questions can prompt new ideas.) The final decisions are yours, but these outside perspectives ensure your analysis is well-rounded and objective (Quast, 2013).

Revisit and update your analysis over time.

A personal SWOT analysis is not a one-and-done task – it’s a living document of your development. It can be very useful to come back to your SWOT chart periodically (say, every six months or after major milestones) and revise it.

You may find that some weaknesses you identified have been improved or overcome, or new strengths have emerged as you gain experience.

Likewise, the external landscape evolves: opportunities come and go, and new threats can appear.

By revisiting your SWOT, you can celebrate progress (e.g. moving a weakness like “lack of certification” off the list after you earn that certification) and stay prepared for new challenges. This practice turns the SWOT analysis into an ongoing cycle of improvement – continually aligning your personal strategy with the current situation (Ehrenreich, 2022).

Many successful professionals repeat personal SWOT analyses throughout their careers to stay self-aware and proactive. You might keep a journal of these analyses to reflect on how far you’ve come and how your priorities shift over time.

Prioritise and take action.

After completing the analysis, avoid the mistake of letting it gather dust. Prioritise the items in each category: which strengths are you going to capitalise on most? Which specific weaknesses will you address first? You likely can’t fix or act on everything at once, so identify the high-impact areas. Then convert those insights into a concrete action plan with timelines.

For example, if a key threat is a technical skill gap, schedule a course or set aside time for self-study in that area as one of your immediate goals. If a top strength is your industry knowledge, plan how you will highlight that in your CV or LinkedIn profile.

By translating your SWOT into actions, you ensure it actually benefits your career or personal growth. Keep yourself accountable – maybe set a reminder to check progress on those action items in a few weeks or months. The SWOT analysis is the starting point, but your effort in executing the follow-up steps will determine the real-world results.

Exemplar + 8 personal SWOT analysis examples

Click here to download a personal SWOT analysis exemplar

The above exemplar is a well-structured, insightful personal SWOT analysis with actionable plans and sector-aware detail, demonstrating best-practice.

Below, I’ve included 8 real examples have been written by students. For each, I’ve provided my grade out of 10 and some feedback.

• Personal SWOT Analysis – grade: 7/10: clear objective, specific actions, and dated timelines show good PDP discipline; the SWOT is balanced and feeds into actions (attendance, internships, exam technique). but it stops short of explicit SO/ST/WO/WT strategy pairings and lacks measurable success criteria (e.g., target firms, application counts, deadlines). also, some content is generic and historically dated – tighten to a single current goal and add metrics to evidence progress.
• SWOT Analysis Social Work – grade: 7/10: rich reflection with concrete workplace anecdotes, a multi-stage improvement plan, and evidence of progress – strong on self-awareness and follow-through. However, opportunities and threats skew internal; bring in external, sector-specific factors (policy changes, caseload pressures, registration requirements) and add clear metrics/timelines to the actions. Tidy language/formatting, and make explicit SO/ST/WO/WT links from the SWOT to the plan.
• SWOT Analysis for Employability Skills – grade: 6/10: solid structure: identifies employer-valued skills, creates a personal SWOT, and follows with a SMART-ish action plan/table. strengths/weaknesses are mostly specific (e.g., no work experience; introversion) and some opportunities are evidenced. however, several stats and sources are dated/vague, threats/opportunities mix external and internal points, and goals lack clear metrics (how many applications? what IELTS target? by which exact dates). Add SO/ST/WO/WT strategy pairings to show how actions flow from the SWOT and tighten to one clear career goal.
• Personal SWOT analysis for career path – grade: 6/10: stronger than many because it names specifics (GPA 3.55, Prudential internship, languages, awards) and links them to a finance goal; weaknesses are candid. Several threats are vague or contradictory. The action plan nods to SMART yet lacks concrete milestones/timelines and SO/ST/WO/WT links.
• Study Skills Using The Swot Analysis Technique – grade: 6/10: clear, tidy layout with a study-skills focus and a short action plan; weaknesses are honest and specific. but there’s no single goal/context (e.g., target grade/module), no SO/ST/WO/WT strategy links, and few measurable milestones (how many study hours, by when, what IELTS/grade target). Tighten threats/opportunities to external factors, cut generic theory, and add concrete metrics and deadlines.
• Personal SWOT Analysis – Oneself / Myself – grade: 5/10: Broad points but light on specifics; most entries are generic (e.g., “innovation/creativity”) with few concrete achievements, metrics, or context tied to a clear goal. Opportunities/threats are partly misframed (many “opportunities” are self-created actions; threats lack evidence and the claim that tech isn’t a threat in health is doubtful). Missing the analysis-to-action bridge (SO/ST/WO/WT strategies, priorities, timelines), and relies on textbook citations rather than current external landscape.
• Skills Audit Preferred learning style and SWOT analysis – grade: 4/10: sprawling and unfocused – mixes multiple assignments (skills audit, PDP, learning styles) with a very thin personal swot; opportunities/threats aren’t clearly external and there’s no single, current goal anchoring the analysis. action planning is generic, lacks metrics, timelines, and explicit SO/ST/WO/WT links; also needs heavy editing (duplication). Tighten to one role/goal, make the SWOT specific and evidence-based, then derive measurable actions from each quadrant.
• Self-Reflection and Self SWOT Analysis – grade: 3/10: unfocused, highly repetitive, and poorly edited (awkward phrasing, grammar errors, filler quotes). The SWOT lacks a clear goal, concrete evidence, or context; opportunities/threats are vague and not external to the individual. no analysis-to-action link (no SO/ST/WO/WT strategies, priorities, timelines); Needs specific achievements, metrics, and a tighter, current career objective.

Need help with a personal SWOT analysis assignment? Our UK experts are available to draft your assignment or edit and mark your own work. See our assignment help page for more info.

References and further reading:

• Chaggan, K. (2021) A Guide to a Personal SWOT Analysis: Preparing for Your Next Role. Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, 22 July [Online]. Available at: https://bschool.pepperdine.edu/personal-growth/article/personal-swot-analysis-guide.htm (Accessed: 18 September 2025).
• Quast, L. (2013) How To Conduct A Personal SWOT Analysis. Forbes, 15 April [Online]. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/04/15/how-to-conduct-a-personal-s-w-o-t-analysis/ (Accessed: 18 September 2025).
• Ehrenreich, A. (2022) Creating a Personal SWOT Analysis for your Career Development. Luminary (blog), 23 March [Online]. Available at: https://www.weareluminary.com/luminaryreflectionsblog/personal-swot-analysis (Accessed: 18 September 2025).
• Swart, J. (2022) The Personal SWOT Analysis as a Coaching Tool. [Online]. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366588652_The_Personal_SWOT_Analysis_as_a_Coaching_Tool (Accessed: 18 September 2025).
• Indeed Editorial Team (2025) How to create a personal SWOT analysis in 5 steps. Indeed Career Guide (UK), updated 5 June [Online]. Available at: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-create-personal-swot-analysis (Accessed: 18 September 2025).