What is the best way to conduct a skills gap analysis?

1 Define your goals

The first step of a skills gap analysis is to clarify what you want to achieve in your career. This can be a short-term or a long-term goal, such as getting a promotion, switching to a different field, or starting your own business. You should be specific, realistic, and measurable when defining your goals, and consider how they align with your values, interests, and strengths. You can use tools such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) or OKR (Objectives and Key Results) to help you set and track your goals.

2 Assess your current skills

The next step is to evaluate your current skills and competencies, and how well they match your goals. You can use various methods to assess your skills, such as self-assessment, feedback from others, performance reviews, online tests, or portfolios. You should consider both your hard skills, which are technical and job-specific, and your soft skills, which are transferable and interpersonal. You should also identify your strengths and weaknesses, and rate your proficiency level for each skill on a scale of 1 to 5.

3 Compare and prioritize your gaps

The third step is to compare your current skills with the skills required or desired for your goals, and identify the gaps between them. You can use tools such as job descriptions, competency frameworks, industry standards, or career guides to help you find out what skills are in demand or expected for your target role or industry. You should also analyze the impact and urgency of each gap, and prioritize the ones that are most critical or beneficial for your career development.

4 Create an action plan

The final step is to create an action plan to address your skills gaps and achieve your goals. You should define the specific actions, resources, and timelines for each gap, and how you will measure your progress and success. You can use tools such as SMART or OKR to help you structure your plan and track your results. You should also consider the best learning methods for each skill, such as online courses, workshops, mentoring, coaching, shadowing, or volunteering.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?