If you're a strong problem solver, your resume needs to prove it!

Imagine this scenario: a supplier delivers the wrong piece of equipment, your deadline is tomorrow, and your logistics person is out sick. What would you do if you were the one who had to respond?

Every business encounters problems, it's the nature of thriving in competitive markets. Having high-quality employees on hand who can solve problems like shifting deadlines, equipment failure, and changing client needs can be the difference between success and failure. 

That's why recruiters in today's environment are actively seeking candidates who can offer problem-solving skills. But what are problem-solving skills? How do you identify which ones you might have or which ones a recruiter might be looking for? Most importantly, how can you present them on your resume to land that interview?

In this blog, we'll discuss tips to identify, define, and present problem-solving skills.

What are problem-solving skills?

Put simply, problem-solving skills help you to overcome challenges and obstacles; that is, identify the core issue, propose solutions, choose the best one, and implement it.

When recruiters talk about problem-solving skills, they're usually referring to the ability to deal with challenging, complex, or unexpected situations. While they most obviously encompass traits that enable someone to assess and solve problems calmly, these skills are also highly useful in other areas like relationship building and routine decision-making.

Why do employers value problem-solving skills?

Challenges arise at companies every day. Having employees adept at analyzing and solving problems can be enormously advantageous. Companies will always need people to help them to find solutions to their problems. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook, 86% of employers look for problem-solving skills on student resumes.

Employers like to see good problem-solving skills because it also shows them you have a range of other talents, like logic, creativity, resilience, imagination, and lateral thinking.

Looking for problem-solving skills in a job description

There are rare occasions that a job description will plainly state the problem-solving skills that the job requires. But problem-solving is one of those skill sets that don't necessarily appear in the “requirements” section of a job post. Employers are apt to simply expect candidates to demonstrate an analytical mind. So, instead, they will couch those desired skills in other phrases. In this case, you can look for particular keywords to identify the skills the employer is looking for. If you find any of the following keywords in a job description, they are pointing you toward the skills that you should be sure to highlight in the resume you send in. 

Keywords that identify problem-solving skills

Research / Analysis

  • Assessing

  • Questioning

  • Testing

  • Troubleshooting

  • Eye for detail

  • Observation

Decision making

  • Critical thinking

  • Designing

  • Drawing conclusions

  • Experimenting

  • Logical reasoning

  • Innovation

Communication

  • Active listening

  • Negotiation

  • Conflict resolution 

  • Persuasion

  • Constructive communication

  • Brainstorming

If the recruiter is using an ATS, it will be searching for these words. Even if not, the recruiter will be on the lookout for candidates possessing these qualities. Look at this job description and see which problem-solving skills are woven into the post.

Example Job description

Data Analyst Wanted

We are looking to hire a Data Analyst to join our data team. You will take responsibility for managing our master data set, developing reports, and troubleshooting data issues. To do well in this role you need a very fine eye for detail and a deep understanding of popular data analysis tools and databases.

Data Analyst Responsibilities:

  • Managing master data, including creation, updates, and deletion

  • Provide quality assurance of imported data, working with quality assurance analysts if necessary

  • Processing confidential data and information according to guidelines

  • Helping develop reports and analyses

  • Supporting the data warehouse in identifying and revising reporting requirements.

  • Supporting initiatives for data integrity and normalization

  • Assessing tests and implementing new or upgraded software and assisting with strategic decisions on new systems

  • Generating reports from single or multiple systems

  • Troubleshooting the reporting database environment and reports

How do I list problem-solving skills on a resume?

Given that problem-solving skills come to life in specific scenarios, it's going to be easy to present any that you might have in an interview, when you can describe a specific problem and paint a picture of how you successfully solved it.

But this doesn't mean that you can't find ways of illustrating your ability to face down a challenge on your resume.

Problem-solving skills sound like they're pretty self-explanatory. When asked to describe them, however, they don't offer much depth in the abstract. Unlike conceptual skills, like abstract thinking and ideation, problem-solving skills are all about being proactive in developing and implementing an action plan. That's why the best strategy to demonstrate your problem-solving skills is to show them in action: find specific examples of challenging scenarios and explain the plan you implemented and the results you achieved. 

Many resumes will use terms like “critical thinker” or “problem-solver.” Instead, show how you've used a skill in a way that has solved a problem at work. 

  • Give examples of scenarios where those skills lead to a solution

  • Describe a specific process you employed

  • List major accomplishments enabled by your solution

  • Add specific training related to problem-solving skills

  • Use various keywords to avoid repeating “problem-solving”

Let's look at 4 places on a resume where you can describe your problem-solving skills. 

Where do I list problem-solving skills on my resume?

The summary

The summary is a great place to present a core skill that has benefitted you and your employers. If you've often been asked to find out-of-the box solutions to surprise problems, or you've been a team leader known for adjusting to personnel or process challenges, this is the place to introduce that.

Example: 

Solutions-driven sales specialist with 10 years' experience managing sales teams, analyzing and expanding markets, and solving logistics issues. Extensive experience with new product roll-out and reinventing campaigns. Transformed market by 40% despite a period of intense market fluctuation.

In the employment history section

The employment history is the ideal place to list problem-solving skills that have contributed to proven solutions. When detailing past employment roles, you can use details, like percentages and dollar amounts, and specific scenarios to show how your ability to analyze issues, find options, and communicate action plans has solved problems. 

  • Mention a time when you took the initiative to troubleshoot key areas

  • Explain your habit of collecting new data regularly

  • Give examples of instances when you assumed a leadership role in process optimization

  • Use the keyword list above

Take a look at the following resume example. It shows how this person's abilities to design solutions, optimize testing processes, and adjust the process to the client helped to optimize process efficiency and save the client money. 

What's more, besides a strategic mindset, the candidate highlights his communication skills by showing that he can collaborate with clients to adapt processes to their needs. 

Example: 

Solar Engineer, Acme Corp, 2010 - 2020

  • Developed solution designs in collaboration with Software Architects that improved process efficiency by 150% and reduced costs by $300K

  • Supported testing on 3 large-scale projects to refine solutions and ensure they were fit for purpose and matched the customer's needs, resulting in $1M savings for the client

The skills section

If problem-solving skills are sought after for a particular role, the hiring manager will be looking for them in the skills section. ATS systems scan skills sections on resumes for requisite skills. The key, however, is to only list skills that specifically relate to the job posting. Remember, it's crucial to tailor each resume to a specific job advert. That includes the skills section. That's obviously easier if the job post explicitly lists desired skills. If not, however, look for keywords in the job description that might indicate particular problem-solving skills. Is it a management position looking for a “proven leader?” Communication skills are a must. Is it a logistics position that describes a need for experience with scaling? Troubleshooting and negotiation skills will be paramount.

There are both soft skills and hard skills that are problem-solving skills. “Test development” can be trained, but “troubleshooting” improves with experience. When considering which skills you possess, look to both categories.

Example: 

SKILLS

Data analysis / Process analysis / Project design / Solution design / Test development / Benchmark development / Troubleshooting / Collaboration

A special achievements section

A separate achievements section isn't helpful for every resume, but some can benefit from including one. If, for example, you're using a functional resume format for a career change resume, or you're a senior executive looking to showcase career highlights, or if you have impressive achievements outside of the workplace, such as community organizing or hobbies with impressive, relatable skills, an accomplishments section can really highlight those skills in action. 

If you're using this section to showcase your problem-solving skills, focus on accomplishments with demonstrable results.

Example:

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Re-designed and upgraded front-end on 20+ sites, with jQuery, AJAX, and Handlebars.js

  • Oversaw process improvements which reduced expenses by $225,000 per quarter

  • Restructured the supply chain team following vendor flow issues

7 Important problem-solving skills and their definitions

Problem-solving skills can span from detail-oriented diagnostics to team leadership. Here's a list of skills involved in various stages of the problem-solving process. When crafting your resume, look to these examples to see what problem-solving skills you might have.

1. Research

Research skills refer to the ability to search for, locate, extract, organise, evaluate, and use or present information that is relevant to a particular topic.” 

Research skills are an essential component of the problem-solving skill set, as they address identifying the cause of the issue and understanding it fully. Research involves gathering data and information, consulting with more experienced colleagues, acquiring knowledge online or from external sources, and collating newfound data for dissemination. This skill is about the ability to find and use the right resources, extract the data you need, and find the right people to brainstorm with. This means:

  • Studying specific cases without generalizing

  • Aiming at variables which make the desired differences

  • Reporting findings in understandable terms

2. Analysis

The first step in finding a solution is effective analysis of the problem.  To solve a problem you must be able to analyze it from a couple of angles. Your analytical skills are exactly the ones you need in order to propose solutions and get to the heart of the matter.

Analytical skills allow you to assess data and processes to find solutions to a company's challenges. These include:

  • Forecasting

  • Data analysis

  • Interpretation of data and metrics

  • Deductive reasoning

  • Inductive reasoning 

  • Diagnostics

3. Critical-thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to process details with a particular flow, in order to draw connections between concepts and facts. In other words, it's “thinking about thinking,” or finding and fixing flaws in the way we think.

The ability to think critically is a foundation of problem solving. Unless you can see the big picture, you won't be able to suss out the pros and cons of different action plans. 

Critical thinking includes:

  • Interpretation

  • Inference

  • Evaluation

  • Open-mindedness

4. Decision making

Decision-making is the ability to choose solutions to problems. Simply stated, it's taking the relevant collected data, considering multiple viewpoints, and making an informed choice.

Once the choices are narrowed down, you'll need to pull the trigger, knowing you'll be held accountable for the decision. At times, you may need to make these decisions quickly, even if the wrong decision might make the problem worse. The ability to make proper use of your research and analysis to select the best action plan is a valuable skill. Components of this skill include:

  • Reasoning

  • Intuition

  • Emotional Intelligence

  • Organization

5. Creativity

Sometimes the best solution is only found by thinking outside the box. That demands creativity. 

Creativity is the ability to approach a task or a challenge in a different way. In other words, it's possessing the imagination to generate new ideas and find interesting approaches and unique perspectives. Creativity is often described as

  • Divergent thinking

  • Inspirational thinking

  • Outside-the box thinking

  • Experimental thinking

6. Communication

Strong communication skills are vital during all phases of problem solving. While identifying and analyzing the problem, you'll need to know how to communicate the core issues to others. When researching the background of the issue, you'll need to know what communication channels are appropriate when seeking guidance. When brainstorming possible solutions, you will need to know how to guide a team through positive and effective discussions. Then, once you find a solution, communicating the action plan with clarity and precision is key to avoiding confusion and achieving proper implementation. 

No problem would ever be solved without good communication skills at work. 

Communication skills, however, include a much broader array of abilities beyond just speaking clearly. They also encompass listening in ways to make your colleagues feel heard, body language that puts your audience at ease, and vocal pitch adjustments to make your point land better. Here are few common communication skills:

  • Active listening

  • Giving constructive feedback

  • Presentation / visual communication

  • Nonverbal communication

  • Written communication

  • Oral communication

  • Voice modulation

  • Rapport building 

7. Collaboration

Problems are rarely solved alone, especially in the business world. The goal here is to show that you've worked effectively as part of a team to generate and implement solutions.

Collaboration, by definition, means working with one or more individuals to complete a task. In the workplace, collaboration can be brainstorming ideas, delegating tasks to individual strengths, layering pieces of a process, or bringing together the team to understand the bigger picture.

When people work together, they're more effective at problem solving than when attempting to go it alone. Successful collaboration with your coworkers also increases their motivation and engagement at work, making them feel like they're an important part of the team. 

Collaboration includes:

  • Open-mindedness

  • Long-term thinking

  • Adaptability

  • Positive debate

  • Emotional intelligence

  • Trust

The bottom line

Problem-solving skills are in high demand, so it's vital to list yours effectively on your resume. There are different places on a resume to add your skills. Explore which ones work best for you. Problem-solving skills go beyond the obvious, so dig deeper to see which skills you might have and, most importantly, when and where you've used them.

Just like problem solving works best with collaboration between colleagues, landing more interviews works best in collaboration with a professional resume writer. Why not submit your resume for a free review from one of our experts?

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