is it necessary to have problem solving skills nowadays

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Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry

• 17 Jan 2023

Any organization offering a product or service is in the business of solving problems.

Whether providing medical care to address health issues or quick convenience to those hungry for dinner, a business’s purpose is to satisfy customer needs .

In addition to solving customers’ problems, you’ll undoubtedly encounter challenges within your organization as it evolves to meet customer needs. You’re likely to experience growing pains in the form of missed targets, unattained goals, and team disagreements.

Yet, the ubiquity of problems doesn’t have to be discouraging; with the right frameworks and tools, you can build the skills to solve consumers' and your organization’s most challenging issues.

Here’s a primer on problem-solving in business, why it’s important, the skills you need, and how to build them.

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What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

Problem-solving is the process of systematically removing barriers that prevent you or others from reaching goals.

Your business removes obstacles in customers’ lives through its products or services, just as you can remove obstacles that keep your team from achieving business goals.

Design Thinking

Design thinking , as described by Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , is a human-centered , solutions-based approach to problem-solving and innovation. Originally created for product design, design thinking’s use case has evolved . It’s now used to solve internal business problems, too.

The design thinking process has four stages :

• Clarify: Clarify a problem through research and feedback from those impacted.
• Ideate: Armed with new insights, generate as many solutions as possible.
• Develop: Combine and cull your ideas into a short list of viable, feasible, and desirable options before building prototypes (if making physical products) and creating a plan of action (if solving an intangible problem).
• Implement: Execute the strongest idea, ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders about its potential value and deliberate reasoning.

Using this framework, you can generate innovative ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.

Creative Problem-Solving

Another, less structured approach to challenges is creative problem-solving , which employs a series of exercises to explore open-ended solutions and develop new perspectives. This is especially useful when a problem’s root cause has yet to be defined.

You can use creative problem-solving tools in design thinking’s “ideate” stage, which include:

• Brainstorming: Instruct everyone to develop as many ideas as possible in an allotted time frame without passing judgment.
• Divergent thinking exercises: Rather than arriving at the same conclusion (convergent thinking), instruct everyone to come up with a unique idea for a given prompt (divergent thinking). This type of exercise helps avoid the tendency to agree with others’ ideas without considering alternatives.
• Alternate worlds: Ask your team to consider how various personas would manage the problem. For instance, how would a pilot approach it? What about a young child? What about a seasoned engineer?

It can be tempting to fall back on how problems have been solved before, especially if they worked well. However, if you’re striving for innovation, relying on existing systems can stunt your company’s growth.

Related: How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

While obstacles’ specifics vary between industries, strong problem-solving skills are crucial for leaders in any field.

Whether building a new product or dealing with internal issues, you’re bound to come up against challenges. Having frameworks and tools at your disposal when they arise can turn issues into opportunities.

As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution.

Your job is to guide them through each step of the framework and set the parameters and prompts within which they can be creative. Then, you can develop a list of ideas together, test the best ones, and implement the chosen solution.

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you’re trying to solve.

“Before you begin to generate solutions for your problem, you must always think hard about how you’re going to frame that problem,” Datar says in the course.

For instance, imagine you work for a company that sells children’s sneakers, and sales have plummeted. When framing the problem, consider:

• What is the children’s sneaker market like right now?
• Should we improve the quality of our sneakers?
• Should we assess all children’s footwear?
• Is this a marketing issue for children’s sneakers specifically?
• Is this a bigger issue that impacts how we should market or produce all footwear?

While there’s no one right way to frame a problem, how you do can impact the solutions you generate. It’s imperative to accurately frame problems to align with organizational priorities and ensure your team generates useful ideas for your firm.

To solve a problem, you need to empathize with those impacted by it. Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and experiences. While many believe empathy is a fixed trait, it’s a skill you can strengthen through practice.

When confronted with a problem, consider whom it impacts. Returning to the children’s sneaker example, think of who’s affected:

• Your organization’s employees, because sales are down
• The customers who typically buy your sneakers
• The children who typically wear your sneakers

Empathy is required to get to the problem’s root and consider each group’s perspective. Assuming someone’s perspective often isn’t accurate, so the best way to get that information is by collecting user feedback.

For instance, if you asked customers who typically buy your children’s sneakers why they’ve stopped, they could say, “A new brand of children’s sneakers came onto the market that have soles with more traction. I want my child to be as safe as possible, so I bought those instead.”

When someone shares their feelings and experiences, you have an opportunity to empathize with them. This can yield solutions to their problem that directly address its root and shows you care. In this case, you may design a new line of children’s sneakers with extremely grippy soles for added safety, knowing that’s what your customers care most about.

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which you examine situations through the lens of past experiences. This locks you into one mindset rather than allowing you to consider alternative possibilities.

For instance, your cognitive fixedness may make you think rubber is the only material for sneaker treads. What else could you use? Is there a grippier alternative you haven’t considered?

Problem-solving is all about overcoming cognitive fixedness. You not only need to foster this skill in yourself but among your team.

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment conducive to problem-solving. In a psychologically safe environment, all team members feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table, which are likely influenced by their personal opinions and experiences.

If employees are penalized for “bad” ideas or chastised for questioning long-held procedures and systems, innovation has no place to take root.

By employing the design thinking framework and creative problem-solving exercises, you can foster a setting in which your team feels comfortable sharing ideas and new, innovative solutions can grow.

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

The most obvious answer to how to build your problem-solving skills is perhaps the most intimidating: You must practice.

Again and again, you’ll encounter challenges, use creative problem-solving tools and design thinking frameworks, and assess results to learn what to do differently next time.

While most of your practice will occur within your organization, you can learn in a lower-stakes setting by taking an online course, such as Design Thinking and Innovation . Datar guides you through each tool and framework, presenting real-world business examples to help you envision how you would approach the same types of problems in your organization.

Are you interested in uncovering innovative solutions for your organization’s business problems? Explore Design Thinking and Innovation —one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses —to learn how to leverage proven frameworks and tools to solve challenges. Not sure which course is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

About the Author

What is problem solving and why is it important

By Wayne Stottler , Kepner-Tregoe

• Problem Solving & Decision Making Over time, developing and refining problem solving skills provides the ability to solve increasingly complex problems Learn More

For over 60 years, Kepner-Tregoe has been helping companies across industries and geographies to develop and mature their problem-solving capabilities through KT’s industry leading approach to training and the implementation of best practice processes. Considering that problem solving is a part of almost every person’s daily life (both at home and in the workplace), it is surprising how often we are asked to explain what problem solving is and why it is important.

Problem solving is at the core of human evolution. It is the methods we use to understand what is happening in our environment, identify things we want to change and then figure out the things that need to be done to create the desired outcome. Problem solving is the source of all new inventions, social and cultural evolution, and the basis for market based economies. It is the basis for continuous improvement, communication and learning.

If this problem-solving thing is so important to daily life, what is it?

Problem-solving is the process of observing what is going on in your environment; identifying things that could be changed or improved; diagnosing why the current state is the way it is and the factors and forces that influence it; developing approaches and alternatives to influence change; making decisions about which alternative to select; taking action to implement the changes; and observing impact of those actions in the environment.

Each step in the problem-solving process employs skills and methods that contribute to the overall effectiveness of influencing change and determine the level of problem complexity that can be addressed. Humans learn how to solve simple problems from a very early age (learning to eat, make coordinated movements and communicate) – and as a person goes through life problem-solving skills are refined, matured and become more sophisticated (enabling them to solve more difficult problems).

Problem-solving is important both to individuals and organizations because it enables us to exert control over our environment.

Fixing things that are broken

Some things wear out and break over time, others are flawed from day-1. Personal and business environments are full of things, activities, interactions and processes that are broken or not operating in the way they are desired to work. Problem-solving gives us a mechanism for identifying these things, figuring out why they are broken and determining a course of action to fix them.

Addressing risk

Humans have learned to identify trends and developed an awareness of cause-and-effect relationships in their environment. These skills not only enable us to fix things when they break but also anticipate what may happen in the future (based on past-experience and current events). Problem-solving can be applied to the anticipated future events and used to enable action in the present to influence the likelihood of the event occurring and/or alter the impact if the event does occur.

Improving performance

Individuals and organizations do not exist in isolation in the environment. There is a complex and ever-changing web of relationships that exist and as a result, the actions of one person will often have either a direct impact on others or an indirect impact by changing the environment dynamics. These interdependencies enable humans to work together to solve more complex problems but they also create a force that requires everyone to continuously improve performance to adapt to improvements by others. Problem-solving helps us understand relationships and implement the changes and improvements needed to compete and survive in a continually changing environment.

Seizing opportunity

Problem solving isn’t just about responding to (and fixing) the environment that exists today. It is also about innovating, creating new things and changing the environment to be more desirable. Problem-solving enables us to identify and exploit opportunities in the environment and exert (some level of) control over the future.

Problem solving skills and the problem-solving process are a critical part of daily life both as individuals and organizations. Developing and refining these skills through training, practice and learning can provide the ability to solve problems more effectively and over time address problems with a greater degree of complexity and difficulty. View KT’s Problem Solving workshop known to be the gold standard for over 60 years.

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Why are problem solving skills in the workplace so important? Subskills, benefits, scenarios

Test your candidates' problem-solving skills with testgorilla.

The importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace can’t be overstated. Every business and job role has its problems. From entry-level hires to senior staffers, every one of your employees will face challenges that don’t can’t be answered by doing a quick Google search – or asking ChatGPT to come up with solutions.

That’s why employers must hire people with excellent problem-solving skills, especially for roles that require dealing with complex business challenges, tight deadlines, and changing variables – for example, when recruiting leaders .

But what are problem-solving skills? What role do they play in the workplace? 

And, most importantly, how can you evaluate candidates’ skills before you hire them?

Table of contents

What are problem solving skills, the benefits of problem solving skills: why are problem solving skills important , examples of problems at the workplace – and how problem solving skills can help, how to assess problem solving skills, evaluate problem solving skills and hire candidates who can think for themselves.

To fully understand the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace, it’s important first to understand the broad skill set that we commonly refer to as “problem solving skills”. 

Generally, problem-solving refers to a person’s ability to successfully manage and find solutions for complex and unexpected situations. 

Candidates with great problem-solving skills have a combination of analytical and creative thinking. They’re comfortable with making decisions and confident enough to rise to challenges in the workplace.

These candidates possess a combination of analytical, creative, and critical-thinking skills – and a high level of attention to detail . As a result, they will quickly identify problems when they arise and identify the most effective solutions. 

They’ll also identify the factors and forces that might have caused the problem and instigate changes to mitigate future challenges.

There are six key problem-solving skills that you should look for when assessing job candidates: 

1. Listening skills

Active listeners are generally great problem solvers. 

They can listen to those around them to gather the information needed to solve the problem at hand. They also recognize the importance of valuing others’ opinions and experiences to help understand why the problem occurred and define the best course of action to remedy it. 

2. Analytical thinking skills 

Analytical thinkers can identify the logical reasons why a problem occurred, what the long-term effects of the issue could be, and identify how effective different solutions might be to select the most practical one. 

That’s why it’s essential to assess analytical thinking skills during recruitment.

3. Creative thinking skills

Creative thinkers can balance their analytical skills with creative approaches to challenges. Creative thinking skills enable individuals to uncover innovative and progressive solutions to problems. 

In this way, they’re able to provide new perspectives and provide imaginative and experimental solutions to all kinds of problems. 

4. Communication skills 

Problem solvers should also possess great communication skills . The ability to effectively relay complex information thoroughly yet succinctly is a huge benefit for employers working in fast-paced environments. 

5. Decision-making skills 

Those with problem-solving skills will also possess the ability to make decisions and be confident in them. This is important, because most problem-solving involves making firm decisions to reach a successful outcome. 

6. Teamwork

Although problem-solvers need to be independent thinkers, it’s also vital for them to work well as part of a team . 

Determining the best solution often requires collaboration, so it’s important that candidates can demonstrate how they can motivate others to come up with the best solutions and work with them to help develop and implement solutions. 

Problem-solving skills enable you to find candidates who are cognitively equipped to handle anything their jobs throw at them.

Problem solvers can observe, judge, and act quickly when difficulties arise when they inevitably do. Moreover, they are not afraid of the unknown, which is invaluable to employers who rely on their employees to identify and solve problems. 

There are several important benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. Below, we’ll go through five of the most significant ones that all problem solvers can bring to their roles and workplaces: 

1. Ability to organize their time intelligently 

Time management skills can often be underlooked as one of the benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. 

However, those with problem-solving abilities also typically possess stellar time-management skills. The ability to manage their time wisely and laser-focus on what’s important to the business will lead to better decision-making and business impact. 

2. Ability to prioritize, plan, and execute strategies

Problem solvers have no issue with carefully assessing customer and business needs and deciding how to prioritize, plan, and execute strategies to meet them. They can manage all moving parts and strategize to meet multiple unique demands.

3. Ability to think outside the box

Problem solvers can often identify hidden opportunities in problems. Thinking outside of the box is an important problem-solving skill in the workplace, because it can often lead to better outcomes than the originally expected ones. 

4. Ability to work under pressure

This is often one of the most important benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. Problem solvers often work well under pressure, for example when dealing with short deadlines and changing project requirements.

Depending on your workplace culture, you might prefer someone who can deliver quick solutions or someone who takes their time to identify the next steps. Both are valid and important problem solving qualities. 

5. Ability to address risk

Planning is an important problem-solving skill. Problem solvers are not just equipped to deal with the problem at hand but are also able to anticipate problems that will arise in the future based on trends, patterns, experience, and current events.

Let’s now look at some specific examples of problems that could arise at the workplace – at any workplace, really – and how employees’ problem solving skills can help address each issue. 

Below, you’ll find five typical scenarios where problem solving skills are essential.

Conflict between team members

Poor team dynamics or lack of a collaborative spirit might result in frequent workplace conflicts – especially within larger teams.

For example, members of cross-functional teams might disagree on the way they should address a particular issue or even on the priority they should give to it. 

How problem solving skills can help: 

Teamwork is essential when solving conflict – and a cornerstone of effective cross-functional team leadership .

For this, coworkers need to share a common understanding of the team’s goals and also be willing to work towards achieving them, even when they disagree on the specific approaches to each goal.  The ability to understand others’ perspectives, analyze information critically, and come up with a few different solutions is key to finding a common ground and making progress on the team’s objectives.

Inefficient processes

Outdated, inefficient processes can reduce productivity and frustrate employees.

Multi-step approval processes are a typical example of this. Having multiple layers of approval for routine decisions can significantly slow down team progress and lead to missed opportunities.

Analytical thinking skills are key in identifying inefficiencies and building better procedures. Employees or team leads can build flowcharts that speed up decision making without having to ask a supervisor’s permission at every step of the process. 

Book a free live demo with us and learn how quick and easy it is to create an online skills assessment

Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and lack of clarity and direction – which, in turn, can be detrimental to team performance. 

For example, if you’re a remote-first company, maintaining clear and effective remote communication can be challenging. 

The over-reliance on emails and messaging apps might make it feel like teams are communicating effectively and are always connected. However, the lack of non-verbal cues and face-to-face interactions might make it more difficult to build rapport and a positive workplace culture .

Listening skills are essential to solving communication issues – and good listeners are often excellent at solving problems by recognizing, understanding, and acknowledging others’ points of view. 

One-on-one meetings enable people to communicate more freely and effectively and solve challenges together, so consider encouraging team members to hop on a call each time they encounter a difficult challenge.

Additionally, you can help employees bond with each other with some remote team building activities to improve team cohesion. Plus, problem solving challenges can be excellent team building exercises.

Technological disruptions 

New technologies often disrupt the usual ways of doing things – and sometimes, this can be disruptive for entire teams’ work. 

For example, generative AI and automation technologies have revolutionized numerous types of work, including data analysis, marketing, customer service, and even content creation.

Creative thinking and cognitive flexibility are among the top 10 most important skills of the future , according to the World Economic Forum. Both are essential for adopting new technologies successfully – and finding ways to make the most out of each new tool to improve productivity. 

Insufficient onboarding resources 

Team members may struggle to do their best work if they haven't received proper training or resources.

For example, start-ups that experience rapid growth might hire a few employees at once – or even entire teams. 

If they fail to allocate sufficient time and resources to onboarding new hires, this might lead to lost productivity, a lacking sense of belonging, or increased turnover. That’s true not only for junior employees but also for newly hired senior leaders , as the Harvard Business Review points out.

Your leadership team’s analytical and decision-making skills are crucial in enabling them to distribute limited resources in a way that would give their teams the best chances of success. 

To build a solid onboarding process , you need leaders who are able to take ownership of it – and who have the right problem-solving skills.

Many organizations use problem-solving interview questions to identify the right candidates for their job openings. However, the most effective way to assess problem-solving skills is with pre-employment skills assessments . 

That’s because skills tests provide an objective way to quantify a candidate’s problem-solving skills in a way that isn’t possible during an interview.

How problem solving skills tests work

Tests like TestGorilla’s problem-solving skills test assist organizations in finding candidates who are able to quickly identify the key elements of the problem and work through the problem at speed without making mistakes. 

By presenting candidates with a wide range of questions related to typical problem-solving scenarios, hiring teams can rank their candidates based on an intensive assessment of each candidate’s skill level.

The test specifically evaluates whether a candidate can perform problem-solving tasks like:

Creating and adjust schedules

Prioritizing items based on a given set of rules

Interpreting data and applying logic to make decisions

Analyzing textual and numerical information to draw conclusions

As you can see, even the best interviewer would have trouble assessing each of these skill areas while still covering all the other questions that they need to ask. 

If you’re convinced of the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace and want to build a team of employees that can think independently and solve their own problems without constant supervision, assess problem-solving skills during the hiring process. 

Problem-solving skills tests like ours are an excellent way to achieve this – especially if you combine them with other skills tests. Check out our extensive test library for other tests you can use in your talent assessment process to hire the best talent. 

Sign up for our free plan to start building your first assessment – or schedule a demo with one of our experts to see how to evaluate applicants’ problem solving skills quickly, efficiently, and without bias. 

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills? Definition and Examples

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Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

Why do employers hire employees? To help them solve problems. Whether you’re a financial analyst deciding where to invest your firm’s money, or a marketer trying to figure out which channel to direct your efforts, companies hire people to help them find solutions. Problem-solving is an essential and marketable soft skill in the workplace. 

So, how can you improve your problem-solving and show employers you have this valuable skill? In this guide, we’ll cover:

Problem-Solving Skills Definition

Why are problem-solving skills important, problem-solving skills examples, how to include problem-solving skills in a job application, how to improve problem-solving skills, problem-solving: the bottom line.

Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyze answers, and implement the best solutions. An employee with good problem-solving skills is both a self-starter and a collaborative teammate; they are proactive in understanding the root of a problem and work with others to consider a wide range of solutions before deciding how to move forward. 

Examples of using problem-solving skills in the workplace include:

• Researching patterns to understand why revenue decreased last quarter
• Experimenting with a new marketing channel to increase website sign-ups
• Brainstorming content types to share with potential customers
• Testing calls to action to see which ones drive the most product sales
• Implementing a new workflow to automate a team process and increase productivity

Problem-solving skills are the most sought-after soft skill of 2022. In fact, 86% of employers look for problem-solving skills on student resumes, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2022 survey . 

It’s unsurprising why employers are looking for this skill: companies will always need people to help them find solutions to their problems. Someone proactive and successful at problem-solving is valuable to any team.

“Employers are looking for employees who can make decisions independently, especially with the prevalence of remote/hybrid work and the need to communicate asynchronously,” Eric Mochnacz, senior HR consultant at Red Clover, says. “Employers want to see individuals who can make well-informed decisions that mitigate risk, and they can do so without suffering from analysis paralysis.”

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Problem-solving includes three main parts: identifying the problem, analyzing possible solutions, and deciding on the best course of action.

>>MORE: Discover the right career for you based on your skills with a career aptitude test .

Research is the first step of problem-solving because it helps you understand the context of a problem. Researching a problem enables you to learn why the problem is happening. For example, is revenue down because of a new sales tactic? Or because of seasonality? Is there a problem with who the sales team is reaching out to? 

Research broadens your scope to all possible reasons why the problem could be happening. Then once you figure it out, it helps you narrow your scope to start solving it. 

Analysis is the next step of problem-solving. Now that you’ve identified the problem, analytical skills help you look at what potential solutions there might be.

“The goal of analysis isn’t to solve a problem, actually — it’s to better understand it because that’s where the real solution will be found,” Gretchen Skalka, owner of Career Insights Consulting, says. “Looking at a problem through the lens of impartiality is the only way to get a true understanding of it from all angles.”

Decision-Making

Once you’ve figured out where the problem is coming from and what solutions are, it’s time to decide on the best way to go forth. Decision-making skills help you determine what resources are available, what a feasible action plan entails, and what solution is likely to lead to success.

On a Resume

Employers looking for problem-solving skills might include the word “problem-solving” or other synonyms like “ critical thinking ” or “analytical skills” in the job description.

“I would add ‘buzzwords’ you can find from the job descriptions or LinkedIn endorsements section to filter into your resume to comply with the ATS,” Matthew Warzel, CPRW resume writer, advises. Warzel recommends including these skills on your resume but warns to “leave the soft skills as adjectives in the summary section. That is the only place soft skills should be mentioned.”

On the other hand, you can list hard skills separately in a skills section on your resume .

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In a Cover Letter or an Interview

Explaining your problem-solving skills in an interview can seem daunting. You’re required to expand on your process — how you identified a problem, analyzed potential solutions, and made a choice. As long as you can explain your approach, it’s okay if that solution didn’t come from a professional work experience.

“Young professionals shortchange themselves by thinking only paid-for solutions matter to employers,” Skalka says. “People at the genesis of their careers don’t have a wealth of professional experience to pull from, but they do have relevant experience to share.”

Aaron Case, career counselor and CPRW at Resume Genius, agrees and encourages early professionals to share this skill. “If you don’t have any relevant work experience yet, you can still highlight your problem-solving skills in your cover letter,” he says. “Just showcase examples of problems you solved while completing your degree, working at internships, or volunteering. You can even pull examples from completely unrelated part-time jobs, as long as you make it clear how your problem-solving ability transfers to your new line of work.”

Learn How to Identify Problems

Problem-solving doesn’t just require finding solutions to problems that are already there. It’s also about being proactive when something isn’t working as you hoped it would. Practice questioning and getting curious about processes and activities in your everyday life. What could you improve? What would you do if you had more resources for this process? If you had fewer? Challenge yourself to challenge the world around you.

Think Digitally

“Employers in the modern workplace value digital problem-solving skills, like being able to find a technology solution to a traditional issue,” Case says. “For example, when I first started working as a marketing writer, my department didn’t have the budget to hire a professional voice actor for marketing video voiceovers. But I found a perfect solution to the problem with an AI voiceover service that cost a fraction of the price of an actor.”

Being comfortable with new technology — even ones you haven’t used before — is a valuable skill in an increasingly hybrid and remote world. Don’t be afraid to research new and innovative technologies to help automate processes or find a more efficient technological solution.

Collaborate

Problem-solving isn’t done in a silo, and it shouldn’t be. Use your collaboration skills to gather multiple perspectives, help eliminate bias, and listen to alternative solutions. Ask others where they think the problem is coming from and what solutions would help them with your workflow. From there, try to compromise on a solution that can benefit everyone.

If we’ve learned anything from the past few years, it’s that the world of work is constantly changing — which means it’s crucial to know how to adapt . Be comfortable narrowing down a solution, then changing your direction when a colleague provides a new piece of information. Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone, whether with your personal routine or trying a new system at work.

Put Yourself in the Middle of Tough Moments

Just like adapting requires you to challenge your routine and tradition, good problem-solving requires you to put yourself in challenging situations — especially ones where you don’t have relevant experience or expertise to find a solution. Because you won’t know how to tackle the problem, you’ll learn new problem-solving skills and how to navigate new challenges. Ask your manager or a peer if you can help them work on a complicated problem, and be proactive about asking them questions along the way.

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Companies always need people to help them find solutions — especially proactive employees who have practical analytical skills and can collaborate to decide the best way to move forward. Whether or not you have experience solving problems in a professional workplace, illustrate your problem-solving skills by describing your research, analysis, and decision-making process — and make it clear that you’re the solution to the employer’s current problems. 

Image Credit: Christina Morillo / Pexels 

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Problem-Solving Skills: Think Beyond the Whiteboard Test

Mastering technical problem-solving skills involving data sets and algorithms are all fine and good, but getting a handle on these other problem-solving skills are equally important.

Are you technically brilliant? Even a rock star? 

Sorry, that may not be good enough to get you hired or promoted, said Philippe Clavel, senior director of engineering at Roblox, a game development platform company based in San Mateo, California.

Mastering technical problem-solving skills involving data sets and algorithms are all fine and good, but getting a handle on these non-technical problem-solving skills are equally important, according to hiring managers.

Prior to joining Roblox, Clavel managed a technically brilliant engineer who had a toxic personality that constantly challenged others and failed to let them think, Clavel said. After giving feedback to the engineer about his behavior, Clavel paired him with someone more senior to ensure he and his teammates worked together in solving problems.

This engineer eventually started to change and realized it wasn’t so hard to temper his comments and even say hello to people. 

“The outcome was much better. He could do more with other people than what he could do alone,” Clavel told Built In. “It definitely speeded up the collaboration process by 20 percent because there was more discussion on the front end.”

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How You Sabotage Yourself

Without possessing non-technical problem-solving skills, you are likely to miss out on landing your dream job or securing that promotion you’ve been seeking.

“Technical skills can be acquired. What I’m looking for when I hire someone is can they learn quickly? Technology changes very quickly and you have to stay on top of it,” said Igor Grinkin, a DevOps manager at San Francisco-based Newfront Insurance.

Roughly 50 to 60 percent of job candidates that come through Roblox’s door believe their technical prowess is the only thing of importance to land the job, Clavel said. He noted this belief is especially prevalent among new college graduates. However, Roblox’s interview process tends to weed people who lack non-technical problem-solving skills by the time they reach Clavel for an interview, he said.

“I would say a lot of people think these skills aren’t important. But I will be honest, they are wrong. We especially see this in new engineers, but even senior engineers think this way. They think, ‘I’m so good at technology, there’s nothing else I need to know.’ But, what this does is it prevents you from having the job you really want, because that will be one of the differentiators with you as a candidate. Or, if you get the job, it will block you in your career,” he warned.  

Amazon Web Services (AWS) also places a high importance on non-technical problem-solving skills, according to Caitlyn Shim, a general manager and director of AWS Organizations and Accounts at the Seattle-based company. “We don’t want brilliant jerks,” said Shim.

“You can be extremely smart, but if you can’t work with others, you’re gonna have a really hard time in the end. Ultimately, we’re trying to tackle problems that one person can’t solve alone.”

She added if you can’t work in a group, then you’re limiting yourself to solving one-person-sized problems and limiting your career. 

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Why These Non-Technical Problem-Solving Skills Are Needed

Effective communication and collaboration skills are an “absolute must” for any job at autonomous vehicle maker Waymo, said Annie Cheng, engineering director at Mountain View, California-based Waymo. She, like other hiring managers, notes that solving big problems takes more than one person.  

You also need to learn from your mistakes, as well as have an open mind, when tackling problems, Cheng added, noting these attributes rank high in non-technical problem-solving skills.

“Being able to think out of the box, looking at things from different angles and considering alternative solutions is an important problem-solving skill, especially if you’re working on a novel, or a moonshot project,” Cheng said.

10 Critical Non-Technical Problem-Solving Skills

• Active listener
• Good communicator
• Collaborator
• Open mindedness
• Accepts feedback
• Learns quickly and from mistakes
• Attains consensus
• Drive to see problems through

Making mistakes is not only inevitable but it’s a key part to developing your problem-solving ability, said Cheng, noting it leads to learning from one’s mistakes.

Driving consensus is another non-technical problem-solving skill you should master, said hiring managers.

“We have passionate people who have really strong opinions but you also have to listen to each other. Then, you have to be able to figure out how to pull the right things from everyone’s ideas so that you can all come to a good consensus in the end,” Shim said. “That’s a skill in and of itself.”

Embracing feedback will grease your problem-solving skills and prevent you from becoming stuck to one idea, no matter how much you love it and believe it smacks of brilliant innovation, said Shim, noting it’s a tough but important skill to develop.

Drive is also critical to problem-solving skills, especially complex ones.

“In computer science and software development, you have to push to the finish line. But there’s a lot of complexity that may get in your way. While it’s easy to say you want to finish, you need to go the extra mile,” Clavel said.

Curiosity is also needed for problem-solving, he added. Engineers progress by wanting to learn more and that, in turn, adds to the bench of tools you can call on to solve problems.

These non-technical problem-solving skills are important for all technical roles, hiring managers said, but they note some skills, like effective communication , have greater weight for some positions.

Engineers who work in the product feature area at Roblox, for example, need to have good communication skills because they are working closely with designers in determining what users want. Excellent communication skills can help explain your vision to product managers and designers, said Clavel.

Actionable Steps to Develop These Problem-Solving Skills

“There’s no silver bullet, as every person is unique,” Cheng said. “While some people naturally have good soft problem-solving skills, others might need to invest quite some time to develop those.”

Emotions also often overshadow the core problems you are trying to express, Cheng observed.

“One piece of advice I gave to a direct report years ago is first learn to detect whether they are in an emotional state and see if they can control their emotion while trying to express the core problem. When they find it challenging, use different communication methods, such as writing, so they can filter out emotions and focus on bringing clarity to the key problem statement,” Cheng said.

Talking to lay people in words they can understand can bolster your technical communication skills. This skill can also be developed by teaching courses or explaining your work to a fifth-grader, she added.

There are many different ways to develop your problem-solving skills — consider these five steps from authors John Bransford and Barry Stein detailed in their book, “The IDEAL Problem Solver: A Guide to Improved Thinking, Learning, and Creativity.”

IDEAL Steps

• Identify the problem
• Define the challenges
• Examine potential strategies
• Act on the strategies
• Look at the results and evaluate whether other actions are needed

Broaden your collaboration skills by going beyond the day-to-day scope of your work and try collaborating with coworkers outside your team on projects across the company, such as forming an ERG group or working with interest-based groups like a cycling or yoga group, Cheng said. She added these efforts may also improve your communication skills too.

Matching employees with other employees to help them grow is an effective solution to develop their non-technical problem-solving skills, Clavel said. 

Managers can also take other steps to help employees develop their non-technical problem-solving skills too.

Rather than telling your employee, ‘Hey, you need to focus on communicating better or improving your creativity,’ try giving examples over time, Clavel said. The combination of knowing they need to change and having examples as a framework leads to more realistic outcomes where they can develop these problem-solving skills, Clavel said.

“Engineers are smart and it’s a matter of learning how to apply your smartness to other areas.”

“You may not get all of the skills at once, but that’s OK. You may not be very good at communication, but you can compensate by your drive or creativity, or other of those skills.”

Self-discovery in developing non-technical problem-solving skills yields the best results, hiring managers said. 

That is what Shim saw at AWS.

“Someone used to present their ideas with a bunch of attitude and was kind of aggressive. But he saw when someone else would restate his ideas in a more open way, others would listen to it and were far more receptive,” Shim said. “That really helped him see it’s not necessarily what you say, but how you say it. He started to experiment with different presentation styles and found one that worked and felt natural for him.”

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The Importance of Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

The ability to solve problems, both simple and complex, is valuable in all workplaces. More than 60% of employers look for evidence of problem-solving ability when evaluating candidates for roles in their organization. Problem-solving in the workplace draws on many different skills, often in collaboration, from analytical thinking and creativity to confident decision-making in critical situations. Modern employees who know how to problem solve and don’t panic when a problem arises can be trusted to work independently and contribute towards an organization’s success.

Some people are natural problem solvers - they see a challenge and they start to suggest solutions without even blinking. For others, problem-solving in the workplace doesn’t come as naturally, but they can develop skills and strategies to help them in the long term.

The role of problem-solving in the workplace 

Let’s take a more specific look at problem-solving in the workplace and start to understand just why it’s such a valuable trait.

To begin with, good problem solvers tend to be good decision-makers. When solving a problem, people may be required to make several smaller decisions to reach a complete solution so an ability to quickly make decisions is essential for fast and effective outcomes. If your team lacks this capability, then any challenges thrown their way will cause them to stall and fall behind. They may even make poor decisions if their ability to problem solve isn’t well-rounded and well-informed.

Strong problem-solving skills also contribute to innovation. This is useful for providing our organizations with a competitive edge but also for finding creative solutions to obstacles. Good problem-solving relies upon the ability to find a solution to the issue as it exists here and now, and not rely on using an approach that worked previously. This is why innovation as a facet of problem-solving in the workplace is key.

Problem-solving in the workplace often involves a lot of teamwork. Collaborating on a problem is a great way for a team to bond and learn more about each other’s strengths. In this way, problem-solving contributes towards team unity and purpose. There are even games you can present to your team to have fun and bond while improving their ability to problem solve.

Identifying problem-solving skills in employees

Many people may answer yes when asked if they’re good problem solvers, but we don’t have to rely on self-reporting (although it’s a useful measure). Instead, we can look out for certain behaviors and traits that indicate someone is good at solving problems. Key indicators of problem-solving capability include taking a proactive approach to challenges and asking insightful questions, as this shows both an understanding of a situation and the ability to think further outside it.

Hiring Managers often need to assess an applicant’s problem-solving abilities during the recruitment process. They can do this by asking situational questions about hypothetical problems and scenarios, and assessing how they would draw upon their skills and experience to tackle a problem. Recruiters can also use abstract reasoning tests to get an understanding of someone’s problem-solving abilities, seeing how they combine logic, fluid intelligence, and lateral thinking to find solutions.

HR teams and managers may also want to assess the problem-solving skills of their existing team members. They can do this with performance reviews, discussing examples that have occurred in the workplace and how the individual tackled an issue, and with feedback sessions utilizing 360-degree feedback from fellow employees. Managers can also consciously observe how their employees solve problems on a day-to-day basis, reviewing whether someone attempts to take on challenges independently or turns to others for help.

Developing problem-solving skills in your team 

Just because someone struggles to solve problems now doesn’t mean they can’t be coached to take a more confident approach in the future. Training and development programs focused on critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and decision-making strategies provide people with the skills and confidence to take on problems by giving them practice scenarios and examples to work from. This can be done at an individual and team level - it’s useful for a team that works closely together to understand how they can divide tasks and decision-making when it comes to problem-solving, and team bonding games provide a light-hearted way to learn this.

It’s easier to suggest solutions to problems in the workplace when you know it’s ok to experiment and make mistakes. If they want to benefit from problem-solving employees, leadership teams and managers should foster a supportive work environment where employees are encouraged to propose and test new ideas without fear of failure. They can do this through their approach to problem-solving in the workplace, and by being empathetic should errors occur in attempts to tackle problems.

Team leaders should also recognize the value of diverse perspectives when it comes to problem-solving. They shouldn’t always turn to the same people when a new problem presents itself but should encourage input from all parties. Varied viewpoints can lead to more innovative solutions or improvements on pre-existing solutions.

Leveraging Thomas’ expertise

For extra support in understanding your employees’ problem-solving abilities, you can turn to Thomas. Our assessments can help identify individuals with strong problem-solving capabilities or areas where employees need development. We can also provide tailored development solutions based on your assessment results with workshops designed to enhance problem-solving skills at a leadership and employee level.

The impact of strong problem-solving skills on business success 

Businesses made up of individuals with strong problem-solving skills set themselves up for success. When we recruit problem solvers and develop the problem-solving skills of our existing employees, we contribute to organizational growth by fostering innovation and improving how our teams collaborate.

There’s a very real return on investment to be made when companies spend time and effort on developing these skills. They create more agile, innovative individuals who give their organizations a competitive advantage versus organizations who overlook this crucial area.

Problem-solving in the workplace shouldn't be overlooked. Speak to an expert at Thomas today and see how we can enhance the problem-solving capabilities of your teams and set them up for success.

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What’s the Role of Problem-solving in Leadership?

• Getting to the root of the issue:  First, Sarah starts by looking at the numbers for the past few months. She identifies the products for which sales are falling. She then attempts to correlate it with the seasonal nature of consumption or if there is any other cause hiding behind the numbers. 
• Identifying the sources of the problem:  In the next step, Sarah attempts to understand why sales are falling. Is it the entry of a new competitor in the next neighborhood, or have consumption preferences changed over time? She asks some of her present and past customers for feedback to get more ideas. 
• Putting facts on the table:  Next up, Sarah talks to her sales team to understand their issues. They could be lacking training or facing heavy workloads, impacting their productivity. Together, they come up with a few ideas to improve sales. 
• Selection and application:  Finally, Sarah and her team pick up a few ideas to work on after analyzing their costs and benefits. They ensure adequate resources, and Sarah provides support by guiding them wherever needed during the planning and execution stage. 
• Identifying the root cause of the problem.
• Brainstorming possible solutions.
• Evaluating those solutions to select the best one.
• Implementing it.

• Analytical thinking:   Analytical thinking skills refer to a leader’s abilities that help them analyze, study, and understand complex problems. It allows them to dive deeper into the issues impacting their teams and ensures that they can identify the causes accurately. 
• Critical Thinking:  Critical thinking skills ensure leaders can think beyond the obvious. They enable leaders to question assumptions, break free from biases, and analyze situations and facts for accuracy. 
• Creativity:  Problems are often not solved straightaway. Leaders need to think out of the box and traverse unconventional routes. Creativity lies at the center of this idea of thinking outside the box and creating pathways where none are apparent. 
• Decision-making:  Cool, you have three ways to go. But where to head? That’s where decision-making comes into play – fine-tuning analysis and making the choices after weighing the pros and cons well. 
• Effective Communication:  Last but not at the end lies effective communication that brings together multiple stakeholders to solve a problem. It is an essential skill to collaborate with all the parties in any issue. Leaders need communication skills to share their ideas and gain support for them.

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills? (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Problem-solving skills are important not just for work. In the words of Karl Popper , “All life is problem-solving.”

What on earth does that mean? Simply that being alive means facing challenges. With problem-solving skills, you can navigate issues with greater ease, making hard times, well, less hard.

But what are problem-solving skills? How do you know if you have them or not? Why do they matter to your job search? And what should you do if you don’t feel yours are up to snuff? Luckily, we’re about to get into all of that.

If you’re curious about the world of problem-solving skills, here’s what you need to know.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Before we dig into any examples, let’s focus first on an important question: what are problem-solving skills.

To answer that question, let’s start with the barebones basics. According to Merriam-Webster , problem-solving is “the process or act of finding a solution to a problem.” Why does that matter? Well, because it gives you insight into what problem-solving skills are.

Any skill that helps you find solutions to problems can qualify. And that means problem-solving skills aren’t just one capability, but a toolbox filled with soft skills and hard skills that come together during your time of need.

The ability to solve problems is relevant to any part of your life. Whether your writing a grocery list or dealing with a car that won’t start, you’re actually problem-solving.

The same is true at work, too. Most tasks actually involve a degree of problem-solving. Really? Really.

Think about it this way; when you’re given an assignment, you’re being asked, “Can you do this thing?” Doing that thing is the problem.

Then, you have to find a path that lets you accomplish what you need to do. That is problem-solving.

Yes, sometimes what you need to handle isn’t “challenging” in the difficulty sense. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t count.

Besides, some of what you need to do will legitimately be hard. Maybe you’re given a new responsibility, or something goes wrong during a project. When that happens, you’ll have to navigate unfamiliar territory, gather new information, and think outside of the box. That’s problem-solving, too.

That’s why hiring managers favor candidates with problem-solving skills. They make you more effective in your role, increasing the odds that you can find solutions whenever the need arises.

How Are Problem-Solving Skills Relevant to a Job Search?

Alright, you probably have a good idea of what problem-solving skills are. Now, it’s time to talk about why they matter to your job search.

We’ve already touched on one major point: hiring managers prefer candidates with strong problem-solving skills. That alone makes these capabilities a relevant part of the equation. If you don’t show the hiring manager you’ve got what it takes to excel, you may struggle to land a position.

But that isn’t the only reason these skills matter. Problem-solving skills can help you during the entire job search process. After all, what’s a job search but a problem – or a series of problems – that needs an answer.

You need a new job; that’s the core problem you’re solving. But every step is its own unique challenge. Finding an opening that matches your skills, creating a resume that resonates with the hiring manager, nailing the interview, and negotiating a salary … those are all smaller problems that are part of the bigger one.

So, problem-solving skills really are at the core of the job search experience. By having strong capabilities in this area, you may find a new position faster than you’d expect.

Okay, you may be thinking, “If hiring managers prefer candidates with problem-solving skills, which ones are they after? Are certain problem-solving capabilities more important today? Is there something I should be going out of my way to showcase?”

While any related skills are worth highlighting, some may get you further than others. Analysis, research, creativity, collaboration , organization, and decision-making are all biggies. With those skills, you can work through the entire problem-solving process, making them worthwhile additions to your resume.

But that doesn’t mean you have to focus there solely. Don’t shy away from showcasing everything you bring to the table. That way, if a particular hiring manager is looking for a certain capability, you’re more likely to tap on what they’re after.

How to Highlight Problem-Solving Skills for Job Search

At this point, it’s ridiculously clear that problem-solving skills are valuable in the eyes of hiring managers. So, how do you show them that you’ve got all of the capabilities they are after? By using the right approach.

When you’re writing your resume or cover letter , your best bet is to highlight achievements that let you put your problem-solving skills to work. That way, you can “show” the hiring manager you have what it takes.

Showing is always better than telling. Anyone can write down, “I have awesome problem-solving skills.” The thing is, that doesn’t really prove that you do. With a great example, you offer up some context, and that makes a difference.

How do you decide on which skills to highlight on your resume or cover letter? By having a great strategy. With the Tailoring Method , it’s all about relevancy. The technique helps you identify skills that matter to that particular hiring manager, allowing you to speak directly to their needs.

Plus, you can use the Tailoring Method when you answer job interview questions . With that approach, you’re making sure those responses are on-point, too.

But when do you talk about your problem-solving capabilities during an interview? Well, there’s a good chance you’ll get asked problem-solving interview questions during your meeting. Take a look at those to see the kinds of questions that are perfect for mentioning these skills.

However, you don’t have to stop there. If you’re asked about your greatest achievement or your strengths, those could be opportunities, too. Nearly any open-ended question could be the right time to discuss those skills, so keep that in mind as you practice for your interview.

How to Develop Problem-Solving Skills If You Don’t Have Them

Developing problem-solving skills may seem a bit tricky on the surface, especially if you think you don’t have them. The thing is, it doesn’t actually have to be hard. You simply need to use the right strategy.

First, understand that you probably do have problem-solving skills; you simply may not have realized it. After all, life is full of challenges that you have to tackle, so there’s a good chance you’ve developed some abilities along the way.

Now, let’s reframe the question and focus on how to improve your problem-solving skills. Here’s how to go about it.

Understand the Problem-Solving Process

In many cases, problem-solving is all about the process. You:

• Identify the problem
• Analyze the key elements
• Look for potential solutions
• Examine the options for viability and risk
• Decide on an approach
• Review the outcome for lessons

By understanding the core process, you can apply it more effectively. That way, when you encounter an issue, you’ll know how to approach it, increasing the odds you’ll handle the situation effectively.

Try Puzzles and Games

Any activity that lets you take the steps listed above could help you hone your problem-solving skills. For example, brainteasers, puzzles, and logic-based games can be great places to start.

Whether it’s something as straightforward – but nonetheless challenging – as Sudoku or a Rubik’s Cube, or something as complex as Settlers of Catan, it puts your problem-solving skills to work. Plus, if you enjoy the activity, it makes skill-building fun, making it a win-win.

Look for Daily Opportunities

If you’re looking for a practical approach, you’re in luck. You can also look at the various challenges you face during the day and think about how to overcome them.

For example, if you always experience a mid-day energy slump that hurts your productivity, take a deep dive into that problem. Define what’s happening, think about why it occurs, consider various solutions, pick one to try, and analyze the results.

By using the problem-solving approach more often in your life, you’ll develop those skills further and make using these capabilities a habit. Plus, you may find ways to improve your day-to-day living, which is a nice bonus.

Volunteer for “Stretch” Projects

If you’re currently employed, volunteering for projects that push you slightly outside of your comfort zone can help you develop problem-solving skills, too. You’ll encounter the unknown and have to think outside of the box, both of which can boost critical problem-solving-related skills.

Plus, you may gain other capabilities along the way, like experience with new technologies or tools. That makes the project an even bigger career booster, which is pretty awesome.

List of Problem-Solving Skills

Alright, we’ve taken a pretty deep dive into what problem-solving skills are. Now, it’s time for some problem-solving skills examples.

As we mentioned above, there are a ton of capabilities and traits that can support better problem-solving. By understanding what they are, you can showcase the right abilities during your job search.

So, without further ado, here is a quick list of problem-solving skill examples:

• Collaboration
• Organization
• Decision-Making
• Troubleshooting
• Self-Reliance
• Self-Motivation
• Communication
• Attention to Detail
• Brainstorming
• Forecasting
• Active Listening
• Accountability
• Open-Mindedness
• Critical Thinking
• Flexibility

Do you have to showcase all of those skills during your job search individually? No, not necessarily. Instead, you want to highlight a range of capabilities based on what the hiring manager is after. If you’re using the Tailoring Method, you’ll know which ones need to make their way into your resume, cover letter, and interview answers.

Now, are there other skills that support problem-solving? Yes, there certainly can be.

Essentially any skill that helps you go from the problem to the solution can, in its own right, be a problem-solving skill.

All of the skills above can be part of the equation. But, if you have another capability that helps you flourish when you encounter an obstacle, it can count, too.

Reflect on your past experience and consider how you’ve navigated challenges in the past. If a particular skill helped you do that, then it’s worth highlighting during a job search.

If you would like to find out more about skills to put on a resume , we’ve taken a close look at the topic before. Along with problem-solving skills, we dig into a variety of other areas, helping you choose what to highlight so that you can increase your odds of landing your perfect job.

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, problem-solving skills are essential for professionals in any kind of field. By honing your capabilities and showcasing them during your job search, you can become a stronger candidate and employee. In the end, that’s all good stuff, making it easier for you to keep your career on track today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Why Problem Solving Skills are Important in the Workplace

Posted 26/10/2021 by Vicki Mann

You can read this in 8 minutes.

In the modern workplace, problem solving skills are no less than essential. Needless to say, the world of work is not always plain sailing. No matter what role or industry you find yourself in, challenging situations are not just likely, but to be very much expected. Every role imaginable will come with its own unique set of problems that need to be solved, but what ties these situations together is their spontaneity and their need to be met with problem-solving and creative thinking. Unforeseen circumstances that will continuously arise can only be approached with practicality, common sense and personal skill. Problem solving techniques are at the heart of these abilities, and they can be applied to just about every work-related task, from organisation to communication and collaboration, managing deadlines to maintaining interpersonal relationships with colleagues. Due to the necessity of problem-solving techniques in every workplace, it could not be more important that employers use cognitive ability tests when sifting through applications to optimise recruitment selection.  

What are problem solving skills?

So, what are problem-solving skills? Problem-solving in the workplace entails a range of techniques: working around unexpected new issues, managing changing variables, the confidence to approach a new task and the knowledge of how to solve interpersonal problems. It also includes certain intrinsic qualities, such as practicality and confidence: that is, the capacity to spot when something is going wrong and raise questions which might help to solve it in the workplace. A problem solver can confidently find and manage solutions for complex and unexpected situations. Problem-solving skills involve a balance of analytical thinking, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills. Analytical thinking skills are crucial when it comes to identifying a problem, and creativity is key in finding methods to solve it. Critical thinking enables somebody to see which solution might be the most effective. Problem-solving skills are useful both in the short-term and the long-term. A candidate with good problem-solving skills will ensure that obstacles are surmounted in the moment, and the best solution is found, but they will also be able to identify the variables that gave rise to the problem in the first place, and make changes to prevent similar issues occurring in the future. In this sense, problem-solving skills are the key to approaching most complex issues and finding more enduring solutions. A good problem-solver is an asset to any organisation, and is likely to perform their job more successfully. In order to make objective hiring decisions and select the candidates with the best problem-solving capacities, your organisation will need to test for specific skills. These skills involve the ways in which a person deals with real life situations, and may not be apparent from conventional techniques such as interview questions, which do not necessarily indicate how a candidate would solve a problem in the workplace. Pre-employment skills tests, on the other hand, are a bias-free solution, ensuring that your organisation hires the applicants best suited to their roles. When assessing an applicant's capacity for problem-solving, there are six key skills which are tested.  

1. Collaboration Skills

Although problem-solving is something which exists within each individual to a greater or lesser degree, it also determines how an individual is able to interact with a group and complete a task collaboratively. Reaching a good solution and setting it in motion often requires collaboration. A problem solver knows that working with others successfully (regardless of their  personality type ) is the best route to solve most of the challenges that crop up both in the workplace and in everyday life.  

2. Communication Skills

When problems arise in any organisation, it is important that employees can approach them calmly, communicate the situation to others in clear and succinct terms and work together to solve it. Complex problems require good communicators, those who can simplify the situation and express the main issues in order to come to an efficient solution.  

3. Decision-Making Skills

The capacity and confidence to make a quick decision and stick to it is a crucial problem-solving technique. In a complicated situation, coming to a level-headed decision quickly and committing to it is crucial to solving the issue.  

4. Analytical Thinking Skills

The analytical mindset is necessary in confronting any problem or task and reaching a solution. It is imperative that a candidate, when faced with an issue, is able to analyse the situation and identify what has gone wrong. Analytical thinking skills are also key in the ability to select the best out of a range of possible solutions.  

5. Creative Thinking Skills

Creative thinking is an important capacity when it comes to coming up with methods to solve a problem in the workplace. The potential to approach a complicated issue from a variety of angles, and to apply the imagination to overcoming a task makes it easier to solve a problem in an efficient way.  

6. Listening Skills

Problem-solving skills rely on the fundamental faculty of listening. Listening is the surest method to collect information about an issue, weigh up different perspectives and opinions, and begin to understand a problem in order to solve it. The facility to listen to coworkers in the workplace is also a way to prevent complicated and problematic situations from occurring in the first place! Needless to say, in the world of work today, these techniques are invaluable, and it is essential that employers use psychometric measures to test for problem-solving skills in order to improve recruitment. Knowing a candidate's ability in these key areas is important, and can prevent the risk of a bad hire. Recruitment tests are very important, as getting the hire wrong does not just cost money, it also results in a loss of time and loss of productivity. Pre-employment testing, particularly tests which measure an applicant's capacity to solve a problem, and decide on the best solution, are a cost-efficient means to improve the recruitment process and ensure your company's success and growth.  

How to assess candidates' problem-solving skills

We offer different pre-employment tests which accurately assess an applicant's strength in key areas and their technique in identifying good solutions to problems in the workplace.

Situational Judgement Tests

The  Situational Judgement Test  is a kind of psychometric test that measures soft skills such as common sense, non-academic behaviours, technique in identifying solutions and practical intelligence. The tests work in a realistic and practical way, presenting applicants with a variety of different workplace situations which they might encounter when performing the functions that the job requires. Undoubtedly, the capacity to see which course of action a prospective employee would take or which solution they would choose in a given situation gives the employer a valuable insight into their specific skill set, and how they might respond to the demands of the job.

Logic-Based Aptitude Tests

Our  logical reasoning tests  measure a candidate's non-verbal intelligence - their capacity to analyse situations, extract rules, and find the right solution using logical and abstract reasoning. This is an in-depth cognitive test and so it provides an accurate indication of how successful a candidate will be when faced with workplace problems which they have to solve. Unlike most aptitude tests, logical reasoning tests do not measure knowledge in a particular subject area, simply their thought problem-solving process. This means that it is a useful tool in the recruitment process for any employer to evaluate applicants in any field.

Bespoke Tests

The option to  create your own tests  tailored to the demands of your organisation is a successful means of guaranteeing the right hires and ensuring good job performance. At Skillsarena, we have the expertise to create a quiz or any other testing experience that will assess the problem-solving skills that are most necessary to your particular company.   The importance of problem-solving skills in the modern workplace cannot be overstated. In order to make sure that your company grows, it is imperative that employees have the analytical and creative skills necessary to solve any problems they might face in their jobs. Our  Situational Judgement Tests ,  Logical Reasoning Tests , and  Bespoke Tests  are the best method of guaranteeing a good hire, testing an applicant's capacity to solve a real problem in ways that can't be measured by interview questions alone. As an employer, you know which skills and problem-solving techniques are most important for your particular company. At Skillsarena, we help you evaluate these abilities in applicants, and in doing so we make sure that your organisation is productive and successful. Get started with Skillsarena today to bring out the best in your candidates. After taking a look through our test offerings,  create an account with our self-service system . This way, we can get you started with your Skillsarena profile as soon as possible. If you require any assistance, give us a call on 0203 693 2201 or send an email to [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you!

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Find Colleges > 7 Important Problem Solving Skills

7 Important Problem Solving Skills

Critical thinking, research, creativity, analytical skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, and adaptability are the 7 most important problem-solving skills you need to succeed personally and professionally.  

You’ll likely hear the term ‘problem-solving skills’ tossed around when it comes to acing your college applications or crafting an impressive resume. But what exactly does the term mean and why does it matter? 

Here are our two cents on what you need to know about why problem-solving skills are important. And as a bonus, we’re going to let you in on the most important problem solving skills you need to have as a student.

What Are Problem Solving Skills? 

Think of problem-solving skills as your personal toolset that allows you to analyze, strategize, and innovate. Whether you’re deciphering intricate class problems or navigating real-life tasks during an internship, these skills enable you to find smart and creative solutions.

Why Problem Solving Skills Are Important

It’s vital to have problem solving skills because they equip you to tackle unexpected challenges and difficult situations effectively. As a college student, you’re often faced with time-sensitive projects, group assignments, roommate conflicts, and other similar scenarios. Possessing problem-solving skills enables you to:

• assess these situations calmly
• identify suitable solutions
• and overcome obstacles efficiently, without feeling overwhelmed or wasting precious time.

Mastering this skill not only prepares you for the challenges of college life but also sets you up for success in your future career. In the professional world, companies seek employees who can handle challenges head-on, research independently, and implement effective solutions because of their strong problem-solving skills.

Because employers recognize the importance of this trait, it’s crucial for students to develop their problem-solving abilities while they’re in high school and college. 

A loan designed with you in mind

Whether problem-solving feels like second nature or makes you clam up, all of us would benefit from enhancing this skill with practice. So, take a look at this list of seven important problem solving skills to determine which ones you can grow in:

1. Critical Thinking

Not surprisingly, critical thinking tops the list of important problem solving skills. Critical thinking is the ability to assess and analyze an issue objectively, identify the problem, and weigh the pros and cons of various potential solutions before deciding on the best solution. 

Qualities of critical thinkers:

• They don’t rush into implementing the first solution that comes to mind.
• They make informed decisions after exploring and evaluating all the options available.
• They consider long-term implications.

Let’s consider a scenario : Say you’re working on a group project and your team faces a disagreement on the project’s direction. Instead of hastily choosing one idea, you objectively assess the situation. You analyze each perspective, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions. By carefully considering the long-term implications, you guide your team toward a well-informed decision. This is the result of strong critical thinking.

2. The Ability To Conduct Thorough Research

The difference between someone who can resolve problems and someone who can’t lies in their ability to conduct thorough research and identify the best solution. Researching a solution starts with knowing where to look and what to look for. Sometimes, this may involve going through research papers or other appropriate studies. At other times, research may be best done by consulting your professors or by brainstorming with other classmates.

When you’re faced with a complex problem in a school assignment that requires knowledge you don’t already possess, the ability to conduct thorough research becomes your superpower. Possessing this skill means you can confidently dive into academic journals, research papers, and online resources to find your solution.

3. The Ability To Think Out Of The Box

Creativity and the ability to think outside of the box are at the core of resolving most problems. Unfortunately, you can’t always use a cookie-cutter solution because each challenge often has unique dynamics. To tackle any problem successfully, it’s crucial to analyze it from multiple angles, employ creative thinking, and use out-of-the-box strategies to devise innovative solutions.

Imagine you’re part of a student organization tasked with organizing a fundraising event. Instead of relying on traditional methods, creative thinking will allow you to explore unconventional ideas. You might consider organizing a unique-themed event or incorporating interactive digital experiences to engage attendees, enhancing both participation and funds raised.

By embracing creative problem-solving, you not only make college life more exciting but also equip yourself with skills that will prove invaluable in your future endeavors.

4. Analytical Skills

Analyzing and evaluating a situation is the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, whether you’re navigating school challenges or thriving in an internship.

Picture this : during your internship, you’re confronted with a complex issue in a marketing campaign. Your analytical skills kick in, allowing you to dissect the problem meticulously. By understanding the intricacies of the challenge, you can pinpoint the root issue and devise a targeted solution.

In addition to using your analytical skills to identify a problem, you also need it to help differentiate between a solution that is effective and practical and one that is neither effective nor practical. This can be helpful when you’re discussing solutions with a group of classmates.

5. Communication Skills

In high school and college, developing strong communication skills is a game-changer! Whether you’re explaining a complex problem to a professor or collaborating with fellow students on a group project, clear communication is key.

Imagine you’re working on a challenging assignment, and you need assistance. Your ability to articulate your questions clearly not only ensures you get the help you need but also saves you time and frustration. Similarly, when you’re part of a team, discussing potential solutions becomes smooth when everyone communicates effectively.

But it’s not just about talking; it’s also about choosing the right communication channels. In today’s digital age, knowing whether to send an email, schedule a virtual meeting, or have a face-to-face discussion can make all the difference.

Mastering these skills in college not only enhances your academic journey but also prepares you for success in your future career, where effective communication is often the key to unlocking opportunities!

6. Decision-Making Skills

Decision-making is an important problem solving skill. After you’ve analyzed the problem, researched solutions, and identified multiple potential solutions, you’re left with the problem of making a decision on how to proceed.

Choosing the best solution from the options you’ve gathered can be tough, especially when you have to act on the spot. It’s a skill that demands confidence and clarity. Your decisions, big or small, shape your college journey. Whether it’s picking the right major , selecting your classes , or deciding which extracurriculars to join, each choice shapes your experience.

Being a reliable problem-solver means taking full responsibility for your decisions. It’s about owning your choices and learning from them, even when they don’t go as planned. You will learn a lot as you continually flex the skill of decisive thinking during your college years. 

7. Adaptability

In college (and yes, in life), change is as constant as late-night study sessions and campus events. Embracing change is a must-have skill if you wish to be an effective problem solver.

Adaptable people can quickly adjust to new situations and find solutions where others might struggle. They go with the flow, ensuring tasks get done efficiently. Plus, adaptable problem solvers make great team players because they embrace different ideas and approaches. They also avoid conflicts and promote a positive environment. So, being adaptable isn’t just handy—it’s essential for tackling problems and working smoothly with others.

If you know you have strong problem-solving skills, don’t forget to highlight these traits in your college application, internship application, and resume. And speaking of college preparation and post-grad life… whether you need help finding the perfect college match , maximizing your financial aid opportunities, or deciding on a future career , College Raptor is here to equip you with the insights you need to make informed decisions. 

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7 Problem Solving Skills That Aren’t Just Buzzwords (+ Resume Example)

• Julia Mlcuchova , 
• Updated April 8, 2024 9 min read

Problem-solving skills are something everybody should include on their resume, yet only a few seem to understand what these skills actually are. If you've always felt that the term "problem-solving skills" is rather vague and wanted to know more, you've come to the right place.

In this article, we're going to explain what problem-solving skills really mean. We'll talk about what makes up good problem-solving skills and give you tips on how to get better at them. You'll also find out how to make your problem-solving abilities look more impressive to those who might want to hire you.

Sounds good, right? Curious to learn more? 

In this article we’ll show you:

• What are problem solving skills;
• Why are they important; 
• Specific problem solving skills examples;
• How to develop your problem solving skills;
• And, how to showcase them on your resume.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What are problem solving skills?

Why are problem solving skills important, the best 7 problem solving skills examples, how to develop problem solving skills, problem solving skills resume example, key takeaways: problem solving skills.

First of all, they're more than just a buzzword!

Problem-solving skills are a set of specific abilities that allow you to deal with unexpected situations in the workplace, whether it be job related or team related. 

It's a complex process that involves several “sub skills” or “sub steps,” namely:

• Recognizing and identifying the issue at hand.
• Breaking the problem down into smaller parts and analyzing how they relate to one another. 
• Creating potential solutions to the problem, evaluating them and picking the best one.  
• Applying the chosen solution and assessing its outcome. 
• Learning from the whole process to deal with future problems more effectively. 

As you can see, it's not just about solving problems that are right in front of us, but also about predicting potential issues and being prepared to deal with them before they arise.  

Despite what you may believe, problem-solving skills aren't just for managers . 

Think about it this way: Why do employers hire employees in the first place? To solve problems for them!

And, as we all know, problems don't discriminate. In other words, it doesn't matter whether you're just an intern, an entry-level professional, or a seasoned veteran, you'll constantly face some kind of challenges. And the only difference is in how complex they will get.

This is also reflected in the way employers assess suitability of potential job candidates. 

In fact, research shows that the ability to deal with unexpected complications is prioritized by an overwhelming 60% of employers across all industries, making it one of the most compelling skills on your resume.

So, regardless of your job description or your career level, you're always expected to find solutions for problems, either independently or as a part of a team. 

And that's precisely what makes problem-solving skills so invaluable and universal ! 

Wondering how good is your resume?

Find out with our AI Resume Checker! Just upload your resume and see what can be improved.

As we've said before, problem-solving isn't really just one single skill. 

Instead, your ability to handle workplace issues with composure depends on several different “sub-skills”. 

So, which specific skills make an employee desirable even for the most demanding of recruiters? 

In no particular order, you should focus on these 7 skills : 

• Analytical skills
• Research skills
• Critical thinking 
• Decision-making
• Collaboration
• Having a growth mindset

Let's have a look at each of them in greater detail!

#1 Analytical skills

Firstly, to truly understand complex problems, you need to break them down into more manageable parts . Then, you observe them closely and ask yourself: “ Which parts work and which don't,” How do these parts contribute to the problem as a whole,” and "What exactly needs to be fixed?” In other words, you gather data , you study it, and compare it - all to pinpoint the cause of the issue as closely as possible.

#2 Research skills

Another priceless tool is your research skills (sometimes relying on just one source of information isn't enough). Besides, to make a truly informed decision , you'll have to dig a little deeper. Being a good researcher means looking for potential solutions to a problem in a wider context. For example: going through team reports, customer feedback, quarterly sales or current market trends.  

#3 Critical thinking

Every employer wants to hire people who can think critically. Yet, the ability to evaluate situations objectively and from different perspectives , is actually pretty hard to come by. But as long as you stay open-minded, inquisitive, and with a healthy dose of skepticism, you'll be able to assess situations based on facts and evidence more successfully. Plus, critical thinking comes in especially handy when you need to examine your own actions and processes. 

 #4 Creativity

Instead of following the old established processes that don't work anymore, you should feel comfortable thinking outside the box. The thing is, problems have a nasty habit of popping up unexpectedly and rapidly. And sometimes, you have to get creative in order to solve them fast. Especially those that have no precedence. But this requires a blend of intuition, industry knowledge, and quick thinking - a truly rare combination. 

#5 Decision-making

The analysis, research, and brainstorming are done. Now, you need to look at the possible solutions, and make the final decision (informed, of course). And not only that, you also have to stand by it ! Because once the train gets moving, there's no room for second guessing. Also, keep in mind that you need to be prepared to take responsibility for all decisions you make. That's no small feat! 

#6 Collaboration

Not every problem you encounter can be solved by yourself alone. And this is especially true when it comes to complex projects. So, being able to actively listen to your colleagues, take their ideas into account, and being respectful of their opinions enables you to solve problems together. Because every individual can offer a unique perspective and skill set. Yes, democracy is hard, but at the end of the day, it's teamwork that makes the corporate world go round. 

#7 Having a growth mindset

Let's be honest, no one wants their work to be riddled with problems. But facing constant challenges and changes is inevitable. And that can be scary! However, when you're able to see these situations as opportunities to grow instead of issues that hold you back, your problem solving skills reach new heights. And the employers know that too!

Now that we've shown you the value problem-solving skills can add to your resume, let's ask the all-important question: “How can I learn them?”

Well…you can't. At least not in the traditional sense of the word. 

Let us explain: Since problem-solving skills fall under the umbrella of soft skills , they can't be taught through formal education, unlike computer skills for example. There's no university course that you can take and graduate as a professional problem solver. 

But, just like other interpersonal skills, they can be nurtured and refined over time through practice and experience. 

Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but the following tips can offer you inspiration on how to improve your problem solving skills:

• Cultivate a growth mindset. Remember what we've said before? Your attitude towards obstacles is the first step to unlocking your problem-solving potential. 
• Gain further knowledge in your specialized field. Secondly, it's a good idea to delve a little deeper into your chosen profession. Because the more you read on a subject, the easier it becomes to spot certain patterns and relations.  
• Start with small steps. Don't attack the big questions straight away — you'll only set yourself up for failure. Instead, start with more straightforward tasks and work your way up to more complex problems. 
• Break problems down into more digestible pieces. Complex issues are made up of smaller problems. And those can be further divided into even smaller problems, and so on. Until you're left with only the basics. 
• Don't settle for a single solution. Instead, keep on exploring other possible answers.
• Accept failure as a part of the learning process. Finally, don't let your failures discourage you. After all, you're bound to misstep a couple of times before you find your footing. Just keep on practicing. 

How to improve problem solving skills with online courses

While it’s true that formal education won’t turn you into a master problem solver, you can still hone your skills with courses and certifications offered by online learning platforms :

• Analytical skills. You can sharpen your analytical skills with Data Analytics Basics for Everyone from IBM provided by edX (Free); or Decision Making and Analytical Thinking: Fortune 500 provided by Udemy (＄21,74).
• Creativity. And, to unlock your inner creative mind, you can try Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success from the Imperial College London provided by Coursera (Free).
• Critical thinking. Try Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking Specialization from Duke University provided by Coursera (Free); or Logical and Critical Thinking offered by The University of Auckland via FutureLearn.  
• Decision-making. Or, you can learn how to become more confident when it's time to make a decision with Decision-Making Strategies and Executive Decision-Making both offered by LinkedIn Learning (1 month free trial).
• Communication skills . Lastly, to improve your collaborative skills, check out Communicating for Influence and Impact online at University of Cambridge. 

The fact that everybody and their grandmothers put “ problem-solving skills ” on their CVs has turned the phrase into a cliche. 

But there's a way to incorporate these skills into your resume without sounding pretentious and empty. Below, we've prepared a mock-up resume that manages to do just that.

FYI, if you like this design, you can use the template to create your very own resume. Just click the red button and fill in your information (or let the AI do it for you).

Problem solving skills on resume example

This resume was written by our experienced resume writers specifically for this profession.

Why this example works?

• Firstly, the job description itself is neatly organized into bullet points .  
• Instead of simply listing soft skills in a skills section , you can incorporate them into the description of your work experience entry.  
• Also, the language here isn't vague . This resume puts each problem-solving skill into a real-life context by detailing specific situations and obstacles. 
• And, to highlight the impact of each skill on your previous job position, we recommend quantifying your results whenever possible. 
• Finally, starting each bullet point with an action verb (in bold) makes you look more dynamic and proactive.

To sum it all up, problem-solving skills continue gaining popularity among employers and employees alike. And for a good reason!

Because of them, you can overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of your professional life more efficiently and systematically. 

In essence, problem-solving skills refer to the ability to recognize a challenge, identify its root cause, think of possible solutions , and then implement the most effective one. 

Believing that these skills are all the same would be a serious misconception. In reality, this term encompasses a variety of different abilities , including:

In short, understanding, developing, and showcasing these skills, can greatly boost your chances at getting noticed by the hiring managers. So, don't hesitate and start working on your problem-solving skills right now!

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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The Top 5 Problem-Solving Skills Employers Want In 2024

Customers Interviewed by:

Problem-solving is one of the top resume skills that employers believe will grow in importance over the next five years (and beyond), according to the Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum.

“Research in the past few years points to problem-solving skills as being crucial to business success. Many employers now put these ahead of technical skills,” says John Kleeman , founder of the online assessment platform Questionmark.

What does this mean for you, the job seeker?

It means that it’s more important than ever to show employers that you can identify and solve problems quickly and efficiently, whether you’re applying to an entry-level job or a senior executive position.

Table of Contents

What are problem-solving skills, why are problem-solving skills important, how to highlight problem-solving skills on a resume, how to highlight problem-solving skills in a job interview, how to develop and improve your problem-solving skills.

Use Jobscan’s free ATS-friendly resume templates and start building your resume that gets noticed by recruiters!

Problem-solving is a complex skill. It involves critical thinking , decision-making, creativity, and information processing.

Effective problem-solvers use a systematic approach that allows them to break down difficult problems into smaller, more manageable parts. 

In its simplest form, problem-solving involves three basic steps:

Step 1 – Identify the problem. This may seem obvious, but it is important to take the time to really understand what the problem is before trying to solve it. 

This can involve talking to people who are affected by the problem, doing research, or consulting experts in the field.

Step 2 – Generate a list of possible solutions. Consider how effective each solution would be and whether or not it is feasible to implement. 

Once you have narrowed down the list of possible solutions, you can then start testing out the most promising ones.

Step 3 – Implement the solution . This step also includes determining what resources are needed to put the solution into action, such as money, personnel, or technology. 

Ultimately, the goal is to come up with the most effective, practical solution that will address both the immediate issue and any underlying causes. 

By following these three steps, you should be able to easily identify and solve problems quickly and efficiently!

The top 5 problem-solving skills to put on your resume

Employees who have good problem-solving skills are vital for the successful functioning of any business.

But what specific skills are employers looking for?

Here are five of the most important problem-solving skills that businesses want their employees to have.

1) Creativity

“ Problems are nothing but wake-up calls for creativity. ” –Gerhard Gschwandtner

Creativity allows us to examine a problem from multiple perspectives, use outside-the-box thinking, and come up with innovative solutions. 

By embracing creativity, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and make our problem-solving efforts more effective.

How to use creativity in the workplace

• Create processes to improve workflow and reduce costs.
• Brainstorm ideas to develop new products or services for a company.
• Develop strategies to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.
• Leverage technology to create more efficient processes and systems.
• Analyze data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

2) Research

“ Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose .”  – Zora Neale Hurston

Research skills are essential when resolving complex problems.

Only by gathering and analyzing data from multiple sources can we begin to assess the problem and determine the most appropriate solutions accurately. 

How to use research in the workplace

• Identify new markets or customer segments to target.
• Gather information about competitors and their products/services.
• Stay up to date on industry news and developments.
• Evaluate potential partners, vendors, or products before purchasing.
• Analyze past performance in order to make projections for the future.

3) Communication

“ Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after .”    -Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Once you’ve identified a potential solution to a problem, you need to be able to explain it clearly to others. 

This involves both verbal and written communication , as well as the ability to listen carefully and understand the perspective of others.

How to communicate in the workplace

• Clarify goals and make sure that everyone is on the same page. 
• Resolve conflicts quickly and efficiently.
• Promote collaboration among team members by fostering trust and respect.
• Allow employees to exchange feedback regularly.
• Provide recognition and appreciation to team members. 

4) Teamwork

“ Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much .” – Helen Keller

Being able to work on a team is an important skill that contributes to effective problem-solving.

When team members work together to tackle complex issues, the best solutions are often found because each individual has a unique perspective and skill set that can contribute to solving the problem.

How to be a team player in the workplace

• Foster an environment of open communication, feedback, and growth.
• Utilize the strengths of individual team members to achieve a common goal.
• Develop trust, respect, and camaraderie among team members.
• Promote a culture of accountability and ownership for projects.
• Encourage creativity, risk-taking, and an atmosphere of experimentation.

5) Decision Making

“ You cannot make progress without making decisions. ”    – Jim Rohn

It’s important to be able to identify problems and analyze possible solutions. Still, at some point, you need to make a decision . 

Good decision-makers focus on solving the problem rather than wasting time analyzing all of the available data or endlessly debating which option is best.

How to make decisions in the workplace

• Use feedback constructively to make better decisions in the future.
• Take risks when necessary while being aware of the potential consequences.
• Learn from mistakes and use data to develop better solutions.
• Demonstrate confidence and decisiveness when making difficult choices.
• Analyze situations based on facts and data, not assumptions or emotions.

Problem-solving is considered a soft skill, or “people” skill. 

Soft skills are personal attributes that can be transferred from one job to another and help employees interact more effectively with others in the workplace.

For example, in addition to problem-solving, soft skills include time management , empathy, teamwork, flexibility, and having a positive attitude. 

In today’s rapidly changing world, soft skills have become more valuable than ever to employers.

“When we look at today’s workforce,” says Eric Frazer , the author of The Psychology of Top Talent , “there’s definitely been a shift away from just having what I would call ‘tacit knowledge’ and ‘tacit skills’…meaning, you’re just good at what you do.” Instead, “There is a deeper understanding that people have to come first, before performance.” 

Problem-solving skills are crucial to the success of any business. Employees face problems every day. How they deal with them can mean the difference between success and failure.

If you can learn to identify and solve problems quickly and effectively, you’ll be an invaluable asset to your team.

It’s essential to highlight your problem-solving skills when writing your resume. Remember, employers are specifically looking for them!

Here are a few things you can do to make your problem-solving skills stand out more:

1. Use action verbs

When describing your skills on a resume, try to use catchy, memorable language that packs a punch. 

In particular, try to use action verbs . These are words that describe “doing” – like “riding” a bike or “walking” to school. 

The best action words to use on your resume are those that are descriptive and specific . These will paint a more vivid picture of your skills and experience. 

For example, instead of writing “ helped solve problems,” you could write “ identified and solved critical issues.”

Other phrases that use strong action verbs are:

• Developed creative solutions to complex problems.
• Researched and implemented best practices for problem prevention.
• Streamlined processes to reduce errors and increase efficiency.

2. Quantify your accomplishments

It’s one thing to say you have strong problem-solving skills, but it’s even better to back it up with hard numbers . 

Whenever possible on your resume, include metrics that show just how effective you are at solving problems. For example, “reduced customer complaints by 30%.”

Here are some other ways to show off numbers: 

• Managed a budget of $200,000 and reduced expenses by 10%.
• Achieved a 95% success rate in meeting objectives.
• Resolved an average of 100 customer complaints per month.

3. Describe your research skills

Research skills play a key role in solving problems. If you’re good at conducting research and finding relevant information, make sure to include that on your resume. 

For example, an office manager could say they “utilized extensive research skills to investigate new methods for streamlining inventory management.”

Here are some more examples:

• Compiled statistical data for reports and analysis.
• Analyzed research findings to develop creative solutions.
• Routinely updated databases with new information.

4. Highlight your creativity

There are many problems that cannot be solved with conventional methods. 

If you’re the type of person who is good at thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions, make sure to mention that on your resume. 

For example, you might say, “suggested new approaches to customer service that increased customer satisfaction.”

More examples include:

• Resolved a long-standing issue with our website’s design by implementing a new coding solution. 
• Generated fresh ideas for product development and marketing campaigns.
• Turned a failing project around by coming up with a solution that no one else had thought of.

5. Emphasize your collaboration skills

In many cases, problems can’t be solved by one person working alone. 

If you’re good at collaborating with others and working as part of a team, that’s something you should try to highlight on your resume. 

For example, a you could highlight your financial analyst skills by saying you “worked cross-functionally to launch an annual industry report.”

Other examples include:

• Brought together stakeholders with different objectives and helped them find common ground.
• Helped resolved misunderstandings between departments, resulting in a 30% increase in sales.
• Facilitated weekly team meetings to ensure consistent communication and successful completion of tasks.

When interviewers ask about your problem-solving skills, they are looking for specific examples of how you have identified and solved problems in the past. 

These problem-solving examples could be from work, from your studies, or even taken from your personal life!

Here are some tips on how to highlight your problem-solving skills in a job interview:

1. Describe your process

When describing how you solved a problem, be sure to include all the steps you took in your explanation. This will show the interviewer that you are systematic and thorough in your approach.

For example, you can highlight your account manager skills by saying something like: 

“I began by analyzing our current sales figures and identifying where we were losing customers. I then looked at our marketing strategy and identified areas where we could improve. Finally, I implemented a new marketing strategy and monitored the results closely. This led to a significant increase in sales within six months.”

2. Use problem-solving skills in the interview itself

Some interviewers will ask you to solve a problem on the spot as part of the interview process. This is usually done to assess your analytical and critical thinking skills. 

For example, someone applying for a job as a business analyst may be asked to review a company’s financial reports and identify areas of concern.

When solving problems in an interview, be sure to think out loud so the interviewer can understand your thought process. 

If you’re not sure of the answer, don’t be afraid to say so. This shows that you’re willing to admit when you don’t know something and are willing to learn.

3. Make connections to responsibilities included in the new job

Be sure to highlight how your problem-solving skills will be relevant to the responsibilities of the position you’re applying for. 

For example, if you’re applying for a job as a restaurant server, you might talk about a time when you had to diffuse a difficult customer situation.

If you make connections between your past experiences and the new job, it shows the interviewer that you’re qualified for the position and that you’re excited about the opportunity to use your skills in a new way.

4. Use specific examples and data

When describing how you used your problem-solving skills in the past, mention specific examples and support your claims with data.

This makes your story more convincing and shows that you’re not just making things up.

For example, if you’re claiming that you increased sales, be sure to back it up with sales reports, graphs, or even customer testimonials.

Improving your problem-solving skills can open up a variety of different career opportunities.

Here are some things you can do to strengthen your problem-solving abilities:

1. Be proactive

The first step to solving any problem is to recognize that it exists! 

This might seem obvious, but many people choose to ignore problems instead of facing them head-on.

Pay attention to the things that are going wrong in your life and work, and don’t sweep them under the rug.

2. Break down big problems into smaller ones

When you’re faced with a big problem, it can be overwhelming. But if you break the problem down into smaller pieces, it will be much easier to solve.

For example, let’s say you’re trying to lose weight. This is a big goal, but it can be broken down into smaller goals, like eating healthy meals and exercising regularly. 

Once you have a plan for each of these smaller goals, you’ll be one step closer to solving the bigger problem.

3. Be open-minded

Being open-minded means that you’re willing to consider all possible solutions, even if they’re not what you were originally thinking.

If you’re closed-minded, you might miss out on the best solution to the problem. So don’t be afraid to try something new.

4. Be persistent

Persistence is another important quality for problem-solvers. If you give up at the first sign of trouble, you’ll never find a solution.

When you’re facing a difficult problem, it’s important to keep trying different things until you find a solution that works. 

Don’t give up, and eventually, you’ll find the answer you’re looking for!

5. Ask for help

If you’re having trouble solving a problem, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There’s no shame in admitting that you need assistance.

There are many people who are happy to help others solve their problems. So reach out to your friends, family, or even a professional if you need some guidance.

Developing better problem-solving skills can take some time and effort, but it’s worth it!

Track and manage your job applications and interviews all in one place. Use Jobscan’s Job Tracker for FREE.

Click here to start using Job Tracker for free!

More expert insights on this topic:

Top 10 Transferable Skills to Put on Your Resume

Leadership Skills You Need to Include On Your Resume That Employers Actually Look For

5 Sections You Should Never Leave Off Your Resume

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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Problem solving

The Collins English dictionary defines it as: the act or process of finding solutions to problems, especially by using a scientific or analytical approach. It is a vital everyday skill that you will need to have for your personal and professional life.

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How can I get better?

How can i demonstrate this when applying for jobs, why is it important.

• Employers like to see good problem solving skills because it also helps to show them you have a range of other competencies such as logic, creativity, resilience, imagination, lateral thinking and determination.
• It is a vital skills for your professional and personal life.
• It is a key skill that is assessed at job interviews..
• It is an essential skill for managers and all senior level roles.
• Those with good problem-solving skills are a valuable and trusted asset in any team – these are the people who think of new ideas, better ways of doing things, make it easier for people to understand things or help save customers time and money.
• They are proactive thinkers who like to get things done.
• Can help you progress more quickly and boost your career opportunities.

Problem-solving and critical thinking Employers look for individuals with strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this free short three-week online course from RIT you’ll learn how to develop these key skills and how to develop a framework to help you assess and analyse a situation, design a solution, and ultimately win in a competitive scenario.

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Problem-solving – it’s a process Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analysing and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue. This article from VeryWellMind identifies some key parts of the process.

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Problem solving is vital at all levels

We often associate the skill of problem-solving with those in senior positions. After all, they have more responsibilities, as well as the authority to tackle any issues that may arise. While it’s not very likely that you will be asked to find a solution to a major business issue on your first day of a new job, the way you handle even the smallest of problems will demonstrate to an employer how well you can deal with larger ones. If your boss doubts your ability to overcome difficulties that come your way, they may not trust you with more responsibility, or consider you for a managerial role later on.

Knowing how to solve problems is therefore of paramount importance vital. Luckily, there are many ways you can develop the skill, and learning how to demonstrate it can prove invaluable at job interviews.

Acquiring a new skill doesn’t have to feel like work. You can easily build your problem-solving ability through gaming, either online or with classic board games. How many times have you played your favourite game and got stuck on the same level for hours, before you finally found a way around it? Putting yourself in a situation, even a fictional one, where you have to think creatively will help you develop the same mind-set in your everyday life. You can then apply these skills and behaviours to your professional life, too.

Don’t run away

When the going gets tough, we all have the tendency to want to hide away instead of facing the problem and coming up with a solution. Unfortunately, wishing a problem away will not make it disappear, so dealing with it promptly can be essential in keeping you sane! Even if there is no solution, the way you handle the consequences and minimise the negative impact will make you feel more powerful and able to handle any adversities.

Welcome advice

Asking for help or advice is not a  weakness! It is actually welcomed by many employers, especially while you are still learning the ropes. Listen to what people with more experience have to say, and then try to figure out if you can apply their advice to solve your problem. This will not only help you handle it with more confidence, but it will also show that you are proactive, and not afraid to consult your seniors.

History repeats itself

Perhaps the problem you are facing has happened before. In this case, if the solution was successful, you might want to follow it. If it wasn’t, you can eliminate all the ways you can’t solve the problem.

Do your research

Having all the facts can really help you understand a problem better and even identify where something went wrong. While trusting your instinct, and proposing a solution is fine, it’s wise to have some facts in your back pocket to help you convince your team, or your boss. That way, you will not only have presented them with a solution, but you will also have the facts to justify your way of thinking if you come up against any criticism.

Don’t look for problems

While spotting mistakes is a great skill, creating problems out of nowhere is not! Sometimes the simplest solution is the answer, and trying to prove yourself by tackling a problem you created will probably give you a reputation of being a trouble maker, rather than the hero you want to be seen as.

This article by topuniversities may also help when learning how to solve problems. It describes how you should handle the problem solving process. 

Problem solving: the mark of an independent employee – this article from Targetjobs.com has some excellent guidance on how employers assess problem solving in your job applications and when you start work.

Demonstrating that you are a great problem solver is not always easy, as there is only so much you can include in your CV. However, one of the most common interview questions is designed to assess this skill. So, what do you say when an interviewer asks: ‘Give us an example of a situation where you faced a difficult problem?’

It can be very tempting to make up a situation, to try and make yourself sound like the master of problem-solving. However, it’s always best to be truthful, even if you feel like your example refers to a minor problem. Do try to think of a situation, perhaps in your student life, where you came across an obstacle and managed to tackle it effectively. It could be something like working as part of a project team, or writing your dissertation, for example. 

If you simply can’t recall having faced any major issues at university, then use your personal life as an example. Maybe you like playing chess, which will also show your ability to think strategically. Or perhaps you travelled abroad and had problems with your booking, or finding your way around in a new country where you didn’t speak the language.

Remember, the important thing is to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet, remain calm in stressful situations and contribute to finding a solution. 

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How "Impossible" Goals Can Change Your Life

Why pursuing impractical goals might be the most practical thing you could do..

Posted August 7, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

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• For much of history, people have thought of time as moving sequentially forward.
• A more fluid, holistic understanding of time shows an evolving relationship between past, present, and future.
• People can use this new approach to reframe the past and make healthier decisions in the present.

In this blog post, I'm going to draw on multiple references to make the case that:

• Psychologically , time isn't what we commonly think of it—as a linear and separate entity from our lived experience.
• From a more contextual or holistic view of time, we can appreciate the "past" and "future" as connected and crucial aspects of our lived experience in the present . In other words, our experiences and decisions in the present cannot be disconnected from our views of both our past and future.
• Importantly, the direction of "causality" may be non-linear psychologically. Rather than the common assumption of the past determining the present and the present determining the future (i.e., a linear and sequential model of time), another possibility is that the present shapes the meaning of the past and the future shapes the meaning of the present (see Slife, 1993, and Frankl, 1985).
• Utilizing the notion that one's framing of one's own past and future formulates central aspects of one's present perspectives and decisions, research on 1) one's view of one's own future self and 2) impossible goals is explored.

Non-Linear and Holistic Psychological Time

In the book Homo Prospectus , Dr. Martin Seligman and co-authors state, "Much of the history of psychology has been dominated by a framework in which people and animals are driven by the past." This viewpoint, that the past drives the present, is questioned in Homo Prospectus , using modern research in positive psychology and neuroscience . Rather than being driven by the past, the authors argue we are "navigating" into the future.

In the book Time and Psychological Explanation , Dr. Brent Slife makes the case against the absolutist, sequential, and linear model of time proposed by Isaac Newton, who described time as "of itself, and from its own nature, flows equitably without relation to anything external." Slife makes the case that, at least psychologically, time is more holistic than sequential, meaning the past, present, and future are not separate and disconnected entities.

As Slife states (1995) :

"Heidegger completely rejected the linear notion of time... meaning for him was radically holistic... That is, any element of meaning, such as a data piece, can never be understood independently of its holistic context. The organization of the data, as its elements occur together (simultaneously), is crucial to the understanding of each element's meaning and qualities. The whole endows each part with meaning and quality."

Slife explains that one cannot understand any piece of information, whether a single word in a sentence or a note of music, without connecting that information or data to its context, such as the rest of the sentence or even surrounding paragraphs. Any single data point without surrounding context loses meaning. Slife makes the same case for our understanding of time: One cannot understand the present independent of its relation to the past as well as the future. As he states:

"All three dimensions of time—past, present, and future—co-occur in the now for Heidegger... No one dimension of time can truly be a meaningful dimension without the context provided by the other two dimensions. The lived present, for example, cannot be understood in any meaningful sense without the contemporaneity of the past and future."

Pulling this together and simplifying it, I understand all of this to mean that one's views of one's own past and future largely shape one's mental and emotional framing in the present. Moreover, our views of our past and future are flexible, such that we can reframe various meanings of our past experiences. By so doing, we can liberate ourselves in the present from the consequences of former meanings. Additionally, we can re-envision different futures (i.e., prospects), which can simultaneously alter the meaning and direction of our present.

With this backdrop of a holistic model of time, let us first establish psychological insight on the relationship we have with our own future selves. From there, we will review research on how impossible goals can shatter assumptions and re-direct attention toward novel and creative pathways forward.

An Imagined and Different Future Self

Dr. Daniel Gilbert of Harvard gave a TED talk entitled " The Psychology of Your Future Self ." In that talk, he described the phenomenal of the end of history illusion, which explains that even after appreciating the differences between our present and former selves, we tend to assume our current self is the "finished" and complete version of ourselves. Said another way, we assume our future selves will be highly similar to our current selves—even our distant future selves (10+ years). This, it turns out, is true for people young and old, whether teenagers or elderly. As Gilbert states:

"Most of us can remember who we were 10 years ago, but we find it hard to imagine who we're going to be, and then we mistakenly think that because it's hard to imagine, it's not likely to happen. Sorry, when people say, 'I can't imagine that,' they're usually talking about their own lack of imagination , and not about the unlikelihood of the event that they're describing."

Importantly, viewing your own future self as a different person— with different values, priorities, and preferences—has been shown to be helpful for present decision-making . Viktor Frankl highlighted the impact of someone's view of their own future on present experiences and decisions in his memoir, Man's Search for Meaning. As he wrote:

"The prisoner who had lost faith in the future—his future—was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and became subject to mental and physical decay.”

Given a holistic model of time, it seems less fruitful using the present as the basis of one's own future. Instead, it may be more useful to imagine highly different futures, even seemingly impossible ones.

The Psychological and Strategic Impact of Committing to Seemingly Impossible Goals

According to one research article , "Pragmatic prospection is the ability to think deeply about the future in order to identify and to work productively toward goals." Part of the pragmatic nature of imagining future outcomes and then strategizing the attainment of those outcomes is pathways thinking , which involves flexibly finding or creating various workable pathways to one's desired goal.

Yet, when it comes to seemingly impossible goals (i.e., "stretch goals"), there typically aren't known pathways to attainment. This turns out to be one of the strengths of such goals, as it forces you to innovate and search in ways you otherwise wouldn't have.

In a research article entitled "The Paradox of Stretch Goals: Organizations in Pursuit of the Seemingly Impossible ," the researchers explain the psychological impact of committing to seemingly impossible goals (see Sitkin et al., 2011). Quoting the article:

"We define a stretch goal as an organizational goal with an objective probability of attainment that may be unknown but is seemingly impossible given current capabilities (i.e., current practices, skills, and knowledge). Because they are extreme, stretch goals have been argued to serve as jolting events that disrupt complacency and promote new ways of thinking and acting... Pursuing goals that are seemingly impossible might stimulate exploratory learning specifically because radically new approaches are required... Reflecting on both performance and exploration, Rousseau put it this way: '[Stretch goals] motivate high performance by mandating creativity and assumption-breaking thinking.'"

Considering again a holistic model of time, wherein someone's views of the future directly impact their attention and decisions (or pathways) in the present, committing to a meaningful yet seemingly impossible goal could be useful for 1) redefining one's own future self in exciting and imaginative ways, 2) weeding out ineffective pathways because most won't work for such objectives, and 3) facilitating the exploration of new and alternative pathways of learning and innovation.

Bronk, K. C., & Mitchell, C. (2022). Considering purpose through the lens of prospection. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 17 (2), 281-287.

Eubanks, A. D., Reece, A., Liebscher, A., Meron Ruscio, A., Baumeister, R. F., & Seligman, M. (2024). Pragmatic prospection is linked with positive life and workplace outcomes. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19 (3), 419-429.

Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man's Search for Meaning. Simon and Schuster.

Gilbert, D. (2014). The psychology of your future self. Ted Talks.

Hershfield, H. E. (2011). Future self‐continuity: How conceptions of the future self transform intertemporal choice. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1235 (1), 30-43.

Hershfield, H. (2013). You Make Better Decisions If You ‘See’Your Senior Self. Harvard Business Review, 7.

Hershfield, H. E., Cohen, T. R., & Thompson, L. (2012). Short horizons and tempting situations: Lack of continuity to our future selves leads to unethical decision making and behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 117 (2), 298-310.

Hershfield, H. E., Goldstein, D. G., Sharpe, W. F., Fox, J., Yeykelis, L., Carstensen, L. L., & Bailenson, J. N. (2011). Increasing saving behavior through age-progressed renderings of the future self. Journal of Marketing Research, 48 (SPL), S23-S37.

Newton, I. (1990). M athematical Principles of Natural Philosophy , trans. A Motte (revised by Florian Cajori). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Original work published 1687)

Newton, I (1990). Optics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Original work published 1704).

Quoidbach, J., Gilbert, D. T., & Wilson, T. D. (2013). The end of history illusion. Science, 339 (6115), 96-98.

Seligman, M. E., Railton, P., Baumeister, R. F., & Sripada, C. (2013). Navigating into the future or driven by the past. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8 (2), 119-141.

Seligman, M. E., Railton, P., Baumeister, R. F., & Sripada, C. (2016). Homo Prospectus. Oxford University Press.

Sitkin, S. B., See, K. E., Miller, C. C., Lawless, M. W., & Carton, A. M. (2011). The paradox of stretch goals: Organizations in pursuit of the seemingly impossible. Academy of Management Review, 36 (3), 544-566.

Slife, B. D. (1993). Time and Psychological Explanation: The Spectacle of Spain's Tourist Boom and the Reinvention of Difference. SUNY press.

Slife, B. D. (1995). Information and time. Theory and Psychology, 5 (4), 533-550.

Slife, B. D. (1995). Newtonian time and psychological explanation. The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 45-62.

Snyder, C. R., Cheavens, J. S., & Michael, S. T. (2005). Hope theory: History and elaborated model. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Hope , 101-118.

Tong, E. M., Fredrickson, B. L., Chang, W., & Lim, Z. X. (2010). Re-examining hope: The roles of agency thinking and pathways thinking. Cognition and Emotion, 24 (7), 1207-1215.

Van Gelder, J. L., Hershfield, H. E., & Nordgren, L. F. (2013). Vividness of the future self predicts delinquency. Psychological Science, 24 (6),

Benjamin Hardy, Ph.D. , is an organizational psychologist and author of the forthcoming book Personality Isn't Permanent .

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More Than Academics: The Value of Measuring Student Well-Being and Social-Emotional Growth in Schools

Consider a three-legged stool. Typically, a three-legged stool consists of a seat supported by three legs of equal length. It’s not unheard of for a stool like this to be a little wobbly at times, but overall, with the three legs spread evenly at approximately the same length, the person sitting on the stool is relatively well-balanced. 

Now, let’s consider that the three legs of the stool are the three components that make up student development. Each leg of the stool is vital to consider for healthy student growth. These areas are physical development, cognitive development, and psychosocial development. Let’s define each of them:

• Cognitive development: Schools naturally spend a great deal of time considering how students are developing their cognitive abilities, navigating complex thought processes, growing and engaging academically, and problem-solving. 
• Physical development: Of course, schools must consider a student’s physical development. Schools frequently notice the “ages and stages” of how the body is developing and common physical experiences and changes that are occurring, along with other important physical indicators that impact a student’s experience at school.  
• Psychosocial development: Many schools are beginning to explore in greater depth how students are developing from a whole-child approach, including their psychosocial development. This includes schools noticing how students are feeling about their sense of self, experiencing emotion, building connections and relationships with others, managing conflicts, and more. 

The Importance of Supporting the Whole Child

When considering student development, schools must attend to each leg of the stool to avoid instability. Schools are very equipped with resources for assessing how students are developing cognitively in their academic journey. Some schools may consider utilizing standardized assessments, such as the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) summative assessment or Milestones interim assessment offered by ERB. 

Schools may also regularly assess for physical development as it relates to school. For example, schools may observe student gross and fine motor-skill development, noticing how a student is able to manage their body’s movements in physical education or manipulate a pencil when writing. Additionally, schools are mindful of physical wellness concerns that may arise or hormonal changes that naturally occur within human development. 

Where schools often feel less equipped is in the area of psychosocial development , and yet it is critical to address. Let’s take a look at why.

• CASEL , the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, uncovers that when a student’s social-emotional growth is proactively considered, there are positive outcomes in academic development, as well as in students’ ability to manage stress and depression and improved attitudes about self and relationships.
• An Oxford Impact Study revealed what many educators already know intrinsically: students with a higher sense of well-being have a myriad of positive outcomes. The study showed that students with stronger sense of well-being develop and improve their concentration, motivation, and energy levels. They also develop coping skills that serve them throughout life, build and maintain better relationships, successfully overcome difficulties, and continue to persist with their academic pursuits. 
• In a 2022-2023 study, ERB piloted its Check-In Survey tool and its SelfWise inventory with 14 member schools to examine the intersection between academic performance, student well-being, and social-emotional competencies. This unique study uncovered how crucial a student’s sense of Fairness and Belonging (as reported on the Check-In Survey) is to their emotional well-being as well as their academic achievement.

2022-2023 Pilot Study: Check-In Survey

During the 2022-2023 school year, 14 ERB member schools piloted the Check-In Survey with over 2,000 students in Grades 4-8. Here’s what we learned.

Tools to Inform Whole-Child Growth

Psychosocial development consists of the current sense of well-being a student is experiencing along with their growth in social and emotional skills. Often, schools utilize the framework from the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to unpack the key social-emotional skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. 

Although it makes sense for schools to attend to student well-being on a holistic level, there are few tools for measuring student growth and development that apply within a school setting. ERB offers two helpful tools to support schools in their assessment of student psychosocial development: the SelfWise Inventory and the Check-In Survey. 

• The SelfWise Inventory , aligned with the five CASEL core competencies, is typically administered twice per school year, allowing schools the opportunity to examine student growth, evaluate SEL programming effectiveness, and set goals that are aligned with the school mission.

2022-2023 Pilot Study: ERB SelfWise

During the 2022-2023 school year, 14 ERB member schools also piloted the SelfWise inventory on social-emotional skills with over 2,000 students in Grades 4-8. Explore the key findings on our blog.

• The Check-In Survey is, as the name implies, a brief “check-in” that schools can administer on a regular or ad-hoc cadence in order to gain a pulse on how students are currently doing in terms of their well-being in the school community. The survey focuses on three key categories : Fairness and Belonging, Emotional Well-Being, and Academic Engagement.

Combining the use of these tools to assess student social-emotional competencies as well as their current sense of well-being is a powerful approach to supporting the psychosocial leg of the student’s developmental stool.

Approaching each leg of the student’s developmental stool empowers schools to create intentional plans for assessing student cognitive, physical, and psychosocial development. Assessment will reveal which area of development requires more support or intervention, in turn supporting the whole child. 

Learn more about ERB’s Whole Child Solution, which bridges the gap between student academic achievement, well-being and belonging, and social and emotional skills.

About the Author

Jen Reisinger is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a deep passion for supporting the whole child. Since 2014, Jen has been highly invested in independent schools, working both as a school-based mental health counselor and in school senior leadership. Her expertise lies in developing shared understanding for the importance of taking a whole-child approach, identifying opportunities to enhance student well-being, and supporting schools in creating systems to help students overcome barriers to their success. Currently, Jen offers her expertise in consultation for ERB, developing professional development opportunities for member schools committed to evaluating social-emotional competencies and student well-being. In addition to her consulting work, Jen maintains a private mental health therapy practice in the State of Washington.

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Using the Check-In Survey to Enhance Student Growth

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