Latest / The Marketing Career Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Jobs, Skills, and Career Growth / How Marketers Use a Career SWOT to Find Their Next Move
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I've been thinking about how often we hear marketers say they want to make a move, but they're not sure what the next role should be. And the classic advice is to do a SWOT analysis on yourself, right? But most people do it wrong. Luna: Wrong how? I mean, it sounds straightforward: list strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. What's there to mess up? Lucas: Well, for starters, people tend to list generic strengths like 'good at social media' or 'creative' without anchoring them to evidence. And then they treat opportunities and threats as if they're all about the job market, not their own professional network and skill set. It becomes a half-hearted exercise that doesn't lead anywhere. Luna: So what's the alternative? How do you actually make it useful? Lucas: I think you have to treat it like a strategic planning session for a business, but the business is you. And the real value comes when you connect the SWOT to a specific decision, like whether to pivot from B2B to B2C, or whether to go for a people-manager role versus an individual-contributor track. Luna: Okay, that makes sense. So you're saying the SWOT should be in service of a concrete question, not just a broad self-assessment. Lucas: Exactly. And I have a great example. A friend of mine, a brand manager at a software company, was feeling stuck. She wanted to move to a consumer brand, but she wasn't sure if she had the right experience. So she did a SWOT with that specific question in mind. Luna: And what did she come up with? Lucas: Her strengths were things like data-driven campaign execution and experience with product launches. Her weaknesses were limited direct to consumer experience and no exposure to retail or e-commerce. The opportunities she identified were that she had a strong network in the consumer space, and her current company had a side project in consumer software she could volunteer for. The threats were that the job market was competitive for consumer roles, and she didn't have a portfolio that showcased consumer work. Luna: So the SWOT gave her a clear picture, but what did she actually do with it? Lucas: She used it to create a ninety-day action plan. She reached out to two contacts in consumer companies for informational interviews, she volunteered for that side project, and she started a small blog about consumer behavior trends. Within six months, she had a role at a well-known consumer brand. Luna: That's a great outcome. But I'm wondering, how do you avoid the trap of just listing obvious things? I mean, everyone knows they're 'good at communication'. Lucas: Right, and that's where the 'so what' test comes in. For every strength, you ask: so what? How has this helped me achieve a result? And for weaknesses, you ask: so what? How does this hold me back in the specific role I want? If you can't answer that, it's not a relevant strength or weakness. Luna: That's a practical filter. And for opportunities and threats, what's the equivalent? Lucas: I'd say opportunities and threats should be external but also specific to your situation. So not 'the economy is bad' but 'my company is restructuring and I might have a chance to move into a new role' or 'there's a growing demand for marketers with AI skills, but I haven't used those tools.' Luna: So it's about making it personal and actionable. That makes sense. But I'm curious, how often should you do this? Is it a once-a-year thing or more often? Lucas: I think it's useful at least once a year, but also whenever you're considering a major change. And you can do a mini version quarterly, just to check in on your progress and adjust your action items. Luna: That sounds like a good rhythm. And I imagine you can also use it to prepare for performance reviews or salary negotiations, because it gives you concrete examples of your value. Lucas: Absolutely. And that's actually a great segue to something I've been meaning to mention. If these marketing career conversations have sparked something you've actually used, whether it's a SWOT or some other framework, we'd love to hear about it. And honestly, if today was worth a coffee to you, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep this show ad-free and independent. Luna: Yeah, it really helps us keep doing what we do. And we're always grateful for any support, no matter how small. Lucas: So back to the SWOT. One more thing I think is underrated is sharing your SWOT with a trusted colleague or mentor. They can often see blind spots you've missed, and they can help you validate whether your opportunities are realistic. Luna: That's a great point. Have you seen that make a difference for people? Lucas: Oh, definitely. I remember a marketer who thought his biggest weakness was public speaking, but his mentor pointed out that his real weakness was not building relationships with senior stakeholders. That changed how he approached his development plan. Luna: That's a valuable insight. So you're saying the SWOT is more of a starting point for a conversation, not just a solo exercise. Lucas: Exactly. And that conversation can lead to more specific and honest feedback than you'd get in a performance review. Luna: So if someone is listening and wants to do this today, what would be your step-by-step recommendation? Lucas: I'd say start by writing down the specific career question you want to answer. Then spend fifteen minutes on each quadrant, using the 'so what' test for strengths and weaknesses. Then prioritize the top two or three items in each quadrant, and turn those into at least one action item per priority. Finally, schedule a follow-up with a colleague or mentor to review it. Luna: And how do you keep yourself accountable? Is there a way to track progress on those action items? Lucas: You could use a simple spreadsheet or a project management tool. I'm a fan of a simple habit tracker. But the key is to set a date to review it, ideally in ninety days, and then adjust based on what worked and what didn't. Luna: That sounds doable. I think a lot of listeners will appreciate having a clear process instead of just vague advice. Lucas: Yeah, and that's the whole point. When you have a structured approach, it takes the guesswork out of career planning. Luna: One thing I'm curious about: are there any common pitfalls you see when people use a career SWOT? Like, are there mistakes beyond the ones you mentioned at the start? Lucas: I think another common pitfall is being too modest or too arrogant. Some people only list strengths and ignore weaknesses, which makes the plan unbalanced. Others are too critical and list everything as a weakness, which can be demotivating. The key is to be honest but also fair to yourself. Luna: So it's about finding that balance. And I imagine it helps to have specific examples to back up each point, so you're not just making vague claims. Lucas: Exactly. If you say 'I'm good at SEO', you need to have a project where you increased organic traffic by a certain percentage. Concrete evidence makes the SWOT much more credible and actionable. Luna: That's a good tip. I'm also thinking about how this framework can be used not just for a job change but also for growing in your current role. Like, maybe you want to take on more responsibility or move into a different function. Lucas: Yes, and I'd say it's even more powerful in that context because you have more control over the opportunities and threats within your own organization. You can create new opportunities by proposing projects or learning new skills that align with your strengths. Luna: So it's a versatile tool. I think we've given listeners a lot to think about. Do you have any final thoughts on making a career SWOT really effective? Lucas: I'd say the most important thing is to actually use it. Don't just fill out the four boxes and forget about it. Turn it into a living document that guides your decisions and actions over the next few months. Luna: That's a great takeaway. And if listeners want to share their SWOT or ask questions, we're all ears on social media. Lucas: Absolutely. And remember, we're here to help you navigate your marketing career. So whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned pro, a career SWOT can be a powerful tool to help you make your next move with confidence. Luna: Well said, Lucas. Until next time, keep building that career you want.