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Module 1: Understanding your personal strengths and
overcoming weaknesses
Student Workbook
Summary In order for you to prepare for the world of employment, you need to understand your personality and realize what your strongest traits are. You also need to pin down the areas that need improvement in order for you to progress in your personal as well as professional life. In this module, you are going to work on identifying your strengths (including skills, interests and values) and weaknesses as well as developing an action plan to turn your weaknesses into strengths. You are also going to discover SWOT analysis and use it to determine your opportunities and challenges. Objective The aim of this module is to understand your personality and to work on improving your access to employment by eliminating potential threats and weaknesses. Learning Goals By the end of this module, you will be able to: ▪ Use SWOT analysis to understand your personality as well as other personality types. ▪ Identify strengths and weaknesses ▪ Develop a comprehensive action plan to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Spotlight Soft Skills and Values Positive self-concept; Goal setting. Other skills Social and communication skills; critical thinking and problem solving; Planning and time management; Intercultural understanding and empathy.
MODULE OUTLINE PARTS Considerations Activity Timeline Skill Spotlight Duration Part I: With a Mentor 1 hour
- Ice Breaker- Personal Numbers 1 st^ Mentorship Session 15 minutes
- Why Are we Here? Goal- setting 2 5 minutes
- Introducing SWOT 20 minutes
- Before You Leave 5 minutes Part II- On Your Own 2 hours 40 minutes
- Making Lists 10 days before 2nd Mentorship Session 15 minutes
- SWOT Analysis- Expanding 15 minutes
- Personalized SWOT 15 minutes
- SWOT Analysis- Practice I 5 days before 2nd Mentorship Session 10 minutes
- SWOT Analysis- Practice II 15 minutes
- Interests Inventory 30 minutes
- Entrepreneurship Assessment 20 minutes
- Overcoming Weaknesses 25 minutes
- Job Values 3 days before 2nd Mentorship Session 15 minutes Part III: With a Mentor 1 hour
- Two Truths and a Lie 2 nd^ mentorship session 10 minutes
- Review Your Work 10 minutes
- Analyzing Past Experiences Positive Self- concept 20 minutes
- My Action Plan 15 minutes
- Checking Out 5 minutes
PART I: WITH A MENTOR- 1 HOUR ACTIVITY ONE: ICE BREAKER- PERSONAL NUMBERS (15 MINUTES) This is a quick ice-breaker for participants to get to know each other.
- On a post-it or piece of paper, take three minutes to write three or four numbers that have personal significance to you. Think of anything you want others to know about you such as origin, family or hobbies. Make sure these numbers are difficult to guess. For instance, avoid age and date of birth. Number of siblings is usually easy to guess as well.
- When everyone is done, stand up in pairs. First, introduce yourself to your partner, then take turns trying to guess what the numbers represent. If anyone can guess correctly, you need to write their name.
- After one minute, change partners and repeat the previous task. Make sure you talk to at least four other people.
- When everyone has talked to at least 4 other people in the room, sit down and answer the following questions as a whole class: a. Who was able to guess most numbers? b. Have you learned anything interesting about someone in the room that you would like to share with the class? ACTIVITY TWO: WHY ARE WE HERE? (2 5 MINUTES) Now that everyone is more familiar with each other as a group, you are going to take some time and find out about why you are here in this program.
- Take a minute to think about the following questions and take notes of your answers. a. Why did you decide to join this program? b. What are you hoping to achieve through the program?
- Now share your answers with a partner. Then three or four people can share their notes with the whole class briefly. No need to go into detail.
- Now you are going to look at three success stories of past participants who found a similar course or career service useful for their career development. Work in 3 groups of three or four, and take a minute to familiarize with the questions on the Success Stories Analysis worksheet on page 6.
- Now turn to Participant Success Stories on pages 7 , 8 and 9 , read through the stories and answer the questions in the corresponding columns.
- When you are done, use grasshopper technique to share your work with other groups. Your mentor will describe how grasshopper technique works.
- After the sharing activity, remain in your group and discuss the following questions:
a. How did these individuals benefit from their efforts? b. How do you think society benefited/will benefit from their successes? c. Do you have any similarities with the people from the success stories? What are they? What are your differences?
- Now briefly share your answers with the rest of the class.
- Next, discuss the following questions as a class: a. Why do you think is the purpose from this activity? What skill does it target? b. Why is this skill important to develop? c. What makes this skill effective?
- Finally, look back at the goals you wrote at the beginning of this activity. What would you like to change about them? Optional (if time allows)
- You are now going to watch a video that highlights the success of other youth who have benefited from a similar program. As you watch the video, reflect if you can identify with these stories. How?
- After you watch one of the two videos (CDC Testimonials Setif^1 or CDC Testimonials Biskra^2 ), then share you impressions with a small group. Can you identify with these stories? How? Throughout this module and the following modules, you will have many chances to practice this skill as well as others. Be sure to take notes of each skill when highlighted so you can go back and review it if necessary. But first you are going to learn about an effective tool to help you achieve your goals. (^1) Link to CDC Testimonials Setif Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IqiG6_TgxU (^2) Link to CDC Testimonials Biskra Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U-tmUyRhaQ&t=7s
2. Participant Success Stories (Part 1/3)
3. Participant Success Stories (Part 2/3)
ACTIVITY THREE: INTRODUCING SWOT (20 MINUTES) In this activity, you are going to learn about an effective tool that can help you practice your positive self- concept. You are going to watch Mind Tools’ video on SWOT analysis, a model that is commonly used to develop business strategies as well as identify personal goals^3.
- Before watching the video, what do you think SWOT stands for? Discuss with a partner then share with the class.
- Now read the following questions before you watch the video, and take notes as you watch so you are prepared to discuss the questions. a. What does SWOT stand for? b. What can you use the SWOT framework for at your personal level? c. What is the final step that you should take after listing your SWOTs?
- Once you have watched the video, take one minute to share your answers to the previous questions with a partner. Did you correctly guess what SWOT stands for?
- Now get in a group of four, and discuss the following questions: a. What are some of the questions that you should ask yourself when identifying your SWOTs? b. What are some action steps that were mentioned in the video? For example: List your strengths. c. What do you think of the SWOT framework? Do you find it helpful? Why or why not?
- Finally, share you answers with the class. In this module, you are going to explore the SWOT framework more on your own and complete some practice activities. The next activity will help prepare you for those tasks. ACTIVITY FOUR: BEFORE YOU LEAVE (5 MINUTES) For the next month, you are going to complete Session II on your own. But you are also going to complete several tasks online through Canvas. If you haven’t already accessed the course, be sure to do that as soon as possible. If you have faced difficulties, ask your mentor for guidance. Between now and your next mentorship session, be sure to log into Canvas on a regular basis to make sure you do not miss any deadlines. Also be sure to get “Carol’s SWOT Envelope” from your mentor. You are going to use this envelope for Activity Four on page 15. (^3) Link to SWOT Analysis video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBOtnyt7BP4.
PART II- ON YOUR OWN- 2 HOURS 40 MINUTES ACTIVITY ONE: MAKING LISTS ( 1 5 MINUTES)
- Think about the following questions before reading the article. Post your answers on the Canvas under 1.1. Making Lists. Then take time to reply to least two other posts in the discussion, saying whether you agree or disagree with their answers to questions d and e below, and explaining why. a. Have you ever sat down and made a list for your personal use? To-do-list? Pros and cons? Comparison list? b. If yes, what was the list, and what did you use it for? c. Did you find it helpful? How? d. Would you say a lot of people in your community use lists? Why or why not? e. What do most people in your community use lists for?
more fulfilled at work. And if you still have any difficulty identifying your strengths, write down a list of your personal characteristics. Some of these will hopefully be strengths! Tip: Think about your strengths in relation to the people around you. For example, if you're a great mathematician and the people around you are also great at math, then this is not likely to be a strength in your current role – it may be a necessity. Weaknesses ▪ What tasks do you usually avoid because you don't feel confident doing them? ▪ What will the people around you see as your weaknesses? ▪ Are you completely confident in your education and skills training? If not, where are you weakest? ▪ What are your negative work habits (for example, are you often late, are you disorganized, do you have a short temper, or are you poor at handling stress)? ▪ Do you have personality traits that hold you back in your field? For instance, if you have to conduct meetings on a regular basis, a fear of public speaking would be a major weakness. Again, consider this from a personal/internal perspective and an external perspective. Do other people see weaknesses that you don't see? Do people consistently outperform you in key areas? Be realistic – it's best to face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible. Opportunities ▪ What new technology can help you? Or can you get help from others or from people via the Internet? ▪ Are industries in your area of studies growing? If so, how can you take advantage of the current market? ▪ Do you have a network of strategic contacts to help you, or offer good advice? ▪ What trends (management or otherwise) do you see in the area where you live, and how can you take advantage of them? ▪ Are any of your peers failing to do something important? If so, can you take advantage of their mistakes? ▪ Is there a need in your area or major that no one is filling? ▪ Do employers or youth complain about something in your company? If so, could you create an opportunity by offering a solution? ▪ How can your mentor help you to address one or more of your weaknesses? You might find useful opportunities in the following: Networking events, educational classes, or conferences. ▪ Someone you know going on an extended leave. Could you take on some of this person's projects to gain experience? ▪ A new role or project in the community that forces you to learn new skills, like public speaking or communication. ▪ A company expansion or acquisition. Do you have specific skills (like a second language) that could help with the process? Also, importantly, look at your strengths, and ask yourself whether these open up any opportunities – and look at your weaknesses, and ask yourself whether you could open up opportunities by eliminating those weaknesses.
Threats ▪ What obstacles do you currently face while looking for a job? ▪ Are there many people in your field competing for similar jobs? ▪ Is the demand for employees in your field changing? ▪ Does changing technology threaten your job potentials? ▪ Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats? Performing this analysis will often provide key information – it can point out what needs to be done and put problems into perspective. ACTIVITY THREE: PERSONALIZED SWOT (1 5 MINUTES) Building from what you have learned about SWOT Analysis, this activity will help you create a personalized tool that applies specifically to you, and you will use that tool to conduct your own analysis.
- Go back through the questions you circled and underlined in the previous text (Personal SWOT Analysis). In the chart below: a. Write down the questions you circled (the ones that apply to you). b. Look at the questions you underlined (the ones that can be adapted to apply to you). Try to adapt them to your context and write the new questions down. c. Think of new questions to add that you think might help you conduct your own SWOT analysis. One example is provided for you.
- Now post your new and adapted questions (tasks B and C above) on Canvas under 1.2. Personalized SWOT Questions.
1. Carol’s SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Suggested Action Steps
ACTIVITY FIVE: SWOT ANALYSIS- PRACTICE II (15 MINUTES) You should now be ready to complete your personal SWOT analysis.
- Go to Your Personal SWOT Sheet on page 18 and list your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats by responding to questions you have chosen in Activity Three (page 13 ). Make sure you are honest with yourself, and do not hesitate to ask what people around you think of you. Also, if you have taken a soft skills assessment before the start of the program, feel free to include results from that assessment. Be ready to share your work with other participants. The following activities will help you identify more points to add to the chart by exploring your skills, interests and values, but it is very important that you spend some time answering the questions at this stage before moving on to the next activity.
ACTIVITY SIX: INTERESTS INVENTORY ( 30 MINUTES) THE ONLINE VERSION This activity will help you evaluate your interests and then analyze the results.
- For the online version, you will need to access the platform via the link below. But before going online, be sure to read the rest of the instructions below. Link to platform: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip.
- When you access the online platform, be sure to read the instructions carefully on each page before going to the next page.
- When you get to the “This is not a test!” page, pause and try to answer the questions below to check your understanding of the instructions. You should be able to find the answers to all the questions below on the instructions pages you have just gone read. a. What are going to evaluate on this platform? b. Is the following statement correct? “The test will let you choose from 60 jobs.” c. If you have never studied medicine, can you still say you like healing people? d. Should you choose activities based on how much money you would make? e. What should you think about then? f. What do they mean when they say, “this is not a test”?
- Once you are sure you understand the instructions, go ahead and start the test by clicking NEXT. Alternative Options: ▪ This activity can be completed either online or on paper. Both are described below. ▪ While we strongly encourage the use of the online version, please note that you need access to computers and reliable internet access for it to work. Smartphones and tablets will also work instead of computers. ▪ The online version is also only available in English for now. ▪ If your class does not have access to internet or is not comfortable with English, you can use the paper version instead. This needs to be discussed with your mentor or program coordinator ahead of this activity. ▪ Do NOT use both versions with the same group.
- When you are done, write your three highest letters in the boxes below. Be sure to organize them from highest to lowest.
- Now spend some time exploring your profile description by clicking on PRINT on the results page. Check out the descriptions of your interest profiles and determine if they apply to you or not. Use the box below to take notes of your findings and impressions. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Now that you have identified your interest profiles, there is one more thing to consider before you are presented with career options that might be of interest to you.
- Now go back to the results page and go through the next three pages to understand the Job Zones.
- On the following page (Select a Job Zone), choose your preferred job zone based on how much preparation you are willing to do, then hit Next two more times to view the list of careers that fit your profile and preferred job zone.
- Spend some time exploring at least three careers that are listed for you. You can also watch videos if you want to. Most importantly, think about the following questions while you are exploring your suggested careers. Use the box above to take notes of your findings and impressions. a. Do you find this interesting? If so, why? b. What information on this website might be different for your local context? c. Are there any jobs on the list that you see yourself doing? Explain. d. How do you feel about this evaluation in general?
- After about 10 to 15 minutes of individual explorations, go back to your Personal SWOT Sheet on page 18 and see what points you can add to your chart. Now that you know about your interests, the next activities will help you find out more about yourself. If you have completed the online version, skip the paper version. Go to Activity Seven.
