My SWOT Analysis

My SWOT Analysis

Introduction

Education in social work plays a critical role in the preparation of social workers to lead efforts that help improve people’s health. The health care landscape is dynamic to a level that requires universities and institutions offering students with social care education to facilitate care systems improvements, enhance population health, and minimize incurred medical costs. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social services and healthcare. I chose the course because of my desire to help various people in a society suffering from multiple conditions such as mental disorders and discrimination, especially for children and the less fortunate. As a social worker, I will perform many roles that require me to change positions as needed. For instance, I might be required to be an advocate, an organizer, a facilitator, a counsellor, and a case manager, among many other responsibilities (Abraham, 2016). These responsibilities demand that I possess various skills that make me a well-rounded person that can succeed in the industry.

Some of my critical skills include theoretical knowledge about social work and healthcare-acquired from my classroom knowledge, some limited experience attained from my internship, listening skills, effective communication, critical thinking, and information gathering. However, I need to acquire more knowledge and expertise in skills such as time management, setting boundaries, empathy, and persuasion to be a successful social worker. I have the opportunity to advance my education in social work and healthcare to a master’s level and specialize in child and family welfare since my interest has always been to serve families and children that need help. However, I need further certification from the UK Accreditation Services (UKAS) as well as overcome existing obstacles in the healthcare industry.

SWOT Analysis

I can exploit my strengths and opportunities to overcome my weaknesses and threats from the external environment, as illustrated in table 1.

SWOT Analysis Template
Strengths: ·         Personal: Communication skills. ·         Professional: Work experience in social care (Theoretical and practical knowledge) ·         Academic: dedication and commitment.	Weakness: ·         Lack of certification ·         Weak persuasive skills ·         Weak active listening ·         Lack of advocacy skills ·         Lack of branding
Opportunities: ·         Information gathering ·         Time management skills ·         Organization skills ·         Critical thinking Improve: Persuasive skills ·         Listening skills ·         Persuasive skills	Threats: ·         Time constraints

Table 1. SWOT analysis

SWOT Discussion

Strengths

1. Personal Strength: Both interpersonal and communication skills are critical for social workers. Interpersonal skills relate to how a person communicates and interacts with others in different contexts. I consider myself to be social, and I actively interact with my peers and tutors both in the classroom and outside (Liburd, 2014).
2. Professional Strength: I have gained significant theoretical and practical knowledge in social services and healthcare both in the classroom and in the field through an internship program (Abraham, 2016). I believe that I will find the information essential in most of my activities as a social care practising in various environments.

• Academic Strength: I am highly dedicated and committed to attaining my degree in social service and healthcare. I show my commitment by attending all lessons and completing all assigned work on time. Besides, I collaborate with my peers in executing coursework and other group assignments. Lastly, I have actively participated in my internship as a mandatory requirement by the college.

Weaknesses

Lack of certification: Social workers are required to be certified by the UK Accreditation Services (UKAS) to practice. Lack of accreditation implies that I am not entitled to offer my services to any client or be employed by any company in the industry. However, the weakness is pegged on the completion of my degree studies.

Weak active listening: Active listening is an indicator that one is engaged in the conversation and is genuinely concerned about hearing what other people have to say. Initially, I have always held my opinion to be superior to what other people have to say. As a result, I do not concentrate on conversations. However, I came to learn that skills are essential in social services and healthcare since it helps a social care worker create trust and respect with clients, thereby discovering more about their conditions.

Lack of advocacy skills: In some instances, social care workers routinely advocate on behalf of individuals, groups or families. Advocacy entails speaking out and acting in the best interest of other people (50Minutes.com, 2015). For instance, social care workers may advocate for the development of new programs, revision of outdated policies, or expansion of existing programs. My inability to advocate for various interests in the field implies that I need to develop this skill to operate in the industry adequately.

Lack of branding: I am yet to complete my college, and as I seek to venture into the job market, I do not have any brand on me that will encourage employers to employ me (Cottrell 2015). I will have to develop my brand from scratch, and I believe that after some time, I will have a strong brand to enable me to practice independently.

Opportunities

Time management skills: The skills are closely related to the organization. My practice involves juggling multiple cases and administrative duties at ago. Consequently, time management skills will help me ensure that clients receive care, attention, and necessary services. Besides, the skills will help me prevent burnout in cases of intense activities.

Organization skills: The provision of case management and psychosocial support to various clients concurrently requires a great deal of organization (Abraham, 2016). I consider myself organized, given my ability to balance multiple activities in college and at home. I will apply the skills in social services given that casework is multifaceted, involves documentation, networking, and billing, among other activities. Practical organization skills will help me establish a competitive advantage by meeting customers’ needs.

Persuasive skills: I have the chance to perfect my persuasive skills through group activities in college so that I will find it easy to inspire, convince/encourage, or excite others, especially my clients to take various helpful steps in their lives. The foundation year programme provides me with an opportunity to perfect my capabilities to inspire, invite/encourage, or even excite other people to act. The skill means the difference between establishing a positive outcome and inaction (Abraham, 2016). I need to learn various motivational approaches so that I can affect different individuals with diverse personalities, experiences, and objections. It is a requirement for social workers to establish achievable treatment goals with clients, though getting them to action could be another problem.

Listening skills: I have the opportunity to improve my listening skills before I begin practising as a social worker. I plan to enhance my skills through group activities in college. Besides, I will use the group activities to foster my advocacy skills so that I can fight for the rights of the members where necessary (Liburd, 2014). The move will help me also establish a personal brand before leaving college.

Threats

Competition from other social workers in the market: I face significant risks from competition from other social workers in the industry. Many social workers graduate annually to join the industry. Their existence increase competition, thereby threatening incompetent ones out of the market.

Time constraints: Time is a limiting factor since some of my weaknesses are an outcome of time constraints. For instance, I cannot acquire certification unless I complete my degree studies. Therefore, I need to be patient to overcome some of my weaknesses.

Changing social work landscape in the UK: The social work landscape in the UK is changing with the introduction of technology and adjustment of new regulations. For instance, the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) has been revised to include new skills required of social workers in the UK (Liburd, 2014). The Professional Capabilities Framework level descriptors have been enhanced and made a focal point for signposting and integration. As a result, I need to adhere to the changes or risk not fitting into the industry.

Conclusion

Personal development and progress is a continuous process that takes some time. I have undertaken a personal evaluation and concluded that I could use existing opportunities and my personal, academics, profession strengths to overcome the weaknesses and threats I face. I can use the foundation year program to enhance my strengths and overcome shortcomings such as listening and advocacy skills. I can overcome the weaknesses and threats by exploiting existing opportunities such as improving listening, persuasive, and advocacy skills through group activities in my foundation year in college. Afterwards, obtaining certification, academic progress by attaining a Master’s degree or specializing in children and family social care will help me establish a competitive edge over my peers in the industry.

 

 

 

Reference List

50Minutes.com (2015, The SWOT Analysis: Develop Strengths to Decrease the Weaknesses of Your Business, 50Minutes.com.

Abraham, M 2016, Personal Development with Success Ingredients: Step-by-Step guide for success, wealth & happiness, eBookIt.com.

Cottrell, S 2015, Skills for Success: Personal Development and Employability, Macmillan International Higher Education, New York.

Liburd, S 2014, You Can & You Must: Career Planning for Changing Times, Troubador Publishing Ltd, Leicester.

Thompson, A 2010, A BRAND New You: Taking Ownership of your Personal BRAND, Xlibris Corporation, Bloomington.