examples of problem solving soft skills

Soft skills 101: definition + 50 examples

Learn all about soft skills in this comprehensive guide. Discover how developing these interpersonal attributes can enhance your professional success.

Soft skills are becoming increasingly important in today's job market. They refer to the personal attributes that enable you to interact effectively with others, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. Employers are looking for candidates who possess these skills in addition to their technical expertise. In this article, we will guide beginners on how to showcase their soft skills on their resume.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills refer to a set of personal attributes, behaviors, and social attitudes that enable individuals to interact effectively with others in a workplace or social environment. These skills are essential for building healthy relationships, communicating effectively, solving problems, and collaborating with others. Soft skills are intangible and subjective qualities that cannot be measured or quantified like hard skills. They include

• communication
• problem-solving
• critical thinking
• adaptability
• time management
• emotional intelligence

(More examples below)

Developing soft skills is crucial in today's job market, where employers value employees who can demonstrate a range of interpersonal skills that can help organizations thrive in a fast-paced, competitive environment. Moreover, soft skills are not just limited to the workplace. They also play a significant role in our personal lives, helping us build meaningful relationships, manage conflicts, and navigate social situations effectively.

Soft skills are often developed through life experiences, practice, and self-reflection, and can be honed through various methods such as attending workshops, reading books, or seeking feedback from others. In summary, soft skills are a vital component of personal and professional success and are essential for individuals looking to achieve their goals and make a positive impact in the world.

How to share soft skills

1. identify the soft skills required for the job.

The first step is to research the job requirements and identify the soft skills that are essential for the role. This information can be found in the job description or by speaking to people in the industry. Once you have a list of required soft skills, you can focus on highlighting them in your resume.

2. Incorporate soft skills into your resume objective or summary

Your resume objective or summary is the first thing that recruiters will read. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your soft skills. You can incorporate them by using phrases such as "I am a highly motivated individual with excellent communication and teamwork skills."

3. Provide examples of your soft skills in the experience section

In the experience section of your resume, provide specific examples of how you have used your soft skills in previous roles. For example, if you are applying for a customer service role, you could highlight how you have resolved customer complaints by utilizing your problem-solving skills. Use action verbs such as "managed," "coordinated," "facilitated," or "led" to describe your soft skills in action.

4. Highlight soft skills in the skills section

The skills section of your resume is an excellent opportunity to showcase your soft skills. List them under a separate heading and use bullet points to describe each one. For example, under the heading "Teamwork," you could list bullet points such as "collaborated with team members to achieve project goals" or "supported team members in achieving their individual goals."

5. Provide additional evidence of your soft skills

Finally, provide additional evidence of your soft skills in your resume by including any relevant certifications or awards. For example, if you have completed a leadership course or received an award for outstanding teamwork, be sure to include it in your resume.

Examples of Soft Skills

1. communication.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful professional relationship. Being able to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely in written or verbal form is crucial for maintaining productive working relationships. This soft skill also encompasses active listening, understanding and interpreting non-verbal cues, and adapting communication style to suit different audiences.

2. Teamwork

Teamwork is about working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal. It involves sharing ideas and resources, taking on different roles and responsibilities, and being willing to support and assist team members as needed. A strong team player also understands the importance of building trust and rapport with colleagues, communicating effectively, and being receptive to feedback.

3. Problem-solving

The ability to identify, analyze and solve problems is an essential soft skill in any workplace. A skilled problem-solver has a logical and systematic approach to identifying the root cause of issues, as well as the creativity to generate and implement effective solutions. This skill requires a combination of critical thinking, research, data analysis, and innovation.

4. Time management

Effective time management is vital for meeting deadlines and achieving business goals. It requires a proactive approach to planning, prioritization and organization. This soft skill also involves the ability to stay focused and avoid distractions, delegate tasks when appropriate, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

5. Leadership

Leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve a common objective. A skilled leader can provide direction and guidance, manage resources and people effectively, and make difficult decisions when necessary. This soft skill also encompasses effective communication, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and the ability to foster a positive and inclusive team culture.

6. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust to change and new situations with ease. A highly adaptable person can work effectively in diverse environments, be flexible with changing priorities, and learn new skills and systems quickly. This soft skill also involves being open-minded, creative and innovative, and able to think on one's feet.

7. Creativity

Creativity involves the ability to generate new ideas, think outside the box, and approach problems from different angles. This soft skill requires imagination, curiosity, and the ability to see connections between seemingly disparate ideas. Creativity is essential for innovation, process improvement, and finding new solutions to complex problems.

Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to others' emotions and experiences. This soft skill involves active listening, showing compassion, and being able to put oneself in others' shoes. Empathy is crucial for building strong relationships, resolving conflicts, and creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

9. Conflict resolution

Conflict resolution is the ability to manage and resolve conflicts effectively. A skilled conflict resolver can identify the underlying causes of conflict, communicate clearly and empathetically, and negotiate win-win solutions. This soft skill also involves active listening, problem-solving, and the ability to remain calm and objective under pressure.

10. Active listening

Active listening is the ability to focus on and understand the speaker's message fully. This soft skill involves paying attention to non-verbal cues, asking clarifying questions, and providing feedback to the speaker. Active listening is essential for effective communication, building trust and rapport, and resolving conflicts.

11. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make informed decisions. This soft skill involves evaluating evidence, identifying assumptions, and recognizing biases. A skilled critical thinker can synthesize complex information, consider multiple perspectives, and make logical and evidence-based conclusions.

12. Cultural competence

Cultural competence is the ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This soft skill involves understanding and respecting cultural differences, being aware of one's own biases, and adapting communication and behavior to suit different cultural contexts. A culturally competent person can build strong relationships with people from all walks of life.

13. Customer service

Customer service is the ability to provide exceptional service to customers and clients. This soft skill involves actively listening to customers' needs, providing accurate and timely information, and resolving issues in a timely and professional manner. A skilled customer service provider can build strong customer relationships, foster loyalty, and enhance the company's reputation.

14. Decision-making

Decision-making is the ability to make effective decisions based on available information. This soft skill involves weighing different options, considering potential outcomes, and evaluating risks and benefits. A skilled decision-maker can make timely and effective decisions, communicate their reasoning clearly, and be accountable for their choices.

15. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others. This soft skill involves being aware of one's own emotional state, being empathetic towards others, and responding appropriately to emotional cues. A person with high emotional intelligence can build strong relationships, resolve conflicts effectively, and lead with empathy.

16. Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. This soft skill involves being open-minded, responsive to feedback, and able to adjust to new situations with ease. A flexible person can work effectively in fast-paced environments, handle unexpected challenges, and maintain a positive attitude.

17. Goal-setting

Goal-setting is the ability to set achievable goals and work towards achieving them. This soft skill involves being proactive, organized, and focused on results. A person who sets effective goals can prioritize tasks, track progress, and maintain motivation in the face of challenges.

18. Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills are the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with others. This soft skill involves effective communication, active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution. A person with strong interpersonal skills can build rapport, establish trust, and collaborate effectively with others.

19. Negotiation

Negotiation is the ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts effectively. This soft skill involves identifying common ground, being persuasive, and finding win-win solutions. A skilled negotiator can build relationships, resolve conflicts, and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

20. Patience

Patience is the ability to remain calm and composed in challenging situations. This soft skill involves self-control, emotional regulation, and the ability to take a long-term view. A patient person can stay focused on goals, maintain relationships, and handle difficult situations with grace and resilience.

21. Persuasion

Persuasion is the ability to convince others of one's ideas and opinions. This soft skill involves effective communication, building trust, and being able to present a compelling argument. A skilled persuader can influence decisions, build consensus, and negotiate win-win outcomes.

22. Positive attitude

A positive attitude is the ability to maintain a positive and optimistic outlook. This soft skill involves being resilient, adaptable, and solution-oriented. A person with a positive attitude can motivate others, foster collaboration, and build strong relationships even in difficult circumstances.

23. Presentation skills

Presentation skills are the ability to present ideas and information clearly and persuasively. This soft skill involves effective communication, organization, and the ability to engage an audience. A skilled presenter can influence decisions, build credibility, and create a lasting impression.

24. Problem analysis

Problem analysis is the ability to identify and analyze problems to find effective solutions. This soft skill involves critical thinking, data analysis, and the ability to think creatively. A skilled problem analyst can identify root causes, develop effective strategies, and implement sustainable solutions.

25. Self-motivation

Self-motivation is the ability to motivate oneself to achieve goals and overcome obstacles. This soft skill involves being proactive, focused, and disciplined. A person with high self-motivation can stay on track, take initiative, and achieve success in the face of challenges.

26. Stress management

Stress management is the ability to manage stress effectively and remain calm under pressure. This soft skill involves self-awareness, emotional regulation, and coping strategies. A person with strong stress management skills can maintain productivity, build resilience, and manage relationships effectively even in high-pressure situations.

27. Time management

Effective time management is vital for meeting deadlines and achieving business goals. This soft skill requires a proactive approach to planning, prioritization, and organization. A skilled time manager can maintain focus, avoid distractions, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

28. Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is the ability to maintain the trust and confidence of others. This soft skill involves being honest, reliable, and accountable. A person with high trustworthiness can build strong relationships, foster teamwork, and promote a culture of trust and respect.

29. Verbal communication

Verbal communication is the ability to articulate ideas and information clearly and effectively. This soft skill involves effective listening, tone, and the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences. A person with strong verbal communication skills can build rapport, resolve conflicts, and motivate others effectively.

30. Writing

Writing is the ability to write clearly and effectively to convey ideas and information. This soft skill involves grammar, syntax, and effective communication. A skilled writer can communicate complex ideas clearly, persuade readers, and create compelling content that engages and inspires.

31. Attention to detail

Attention to detail is the ability to notice small details and ensure accuracy and quality in work. This soft skill involves being meticulous, thorough, and focused on delivering high-quality results. A person with strong attention to detail can minimize errors, enhance productivity, and maintain customer satisfaction.

32. Coaching and mentoring

Coaching and mentoring is the ability to guide, teach and mentor others to achieve their goals. This soft skill involves providing feedback, modeling behavior, and supporting others in their professional development. A skilled coach and mentor can build relationships, inspire growth, and promote a positive team culture.

33. Conflict management

Conflict management is the ability to manage conflicts effectively and reach win-win solutions. This soft skill involves effective communication, active listening, and negotiation. A person with strong conflict management skills can resolve disputes, build consensus, and promote collaboration in a team environment.

34. Cultural awareness

Cultural awareness is the ability to understand and respect cultural differences in the workplace. This soft skill involves recognizing and appreciating diverse perspectives, beliefs, and values. A culturally aware person can work effectively in a global environment, build relationships across cultures, and promote inclusion and diversity.

35. Decision-making

Decision-making is the ability to make informed and timely decisions. This soft skill involves analyzing data, evaluating options, and considering the impact of decisions on stakeholders. A skilled decision-maker can make sound decisions, take calculated risks, and achieve business objectives effectively.

36. Dependability

Dependability is the ability to be reliable and trustworthy in completing tasks and meeting deadlines. This soft skill involves being accountable, punctual, and responsive. A dependable person can maintain high standards, meet expectations, and build trust and respect among colleagues.

37. Diversity and inclusion

Diversity and inclusion is the ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and foster an inclusive workplace culture. This soft skill involves being open-minded, respectful, and supportive of differences. A person with strong diversity and inclusion skills can build a sense of belonging, promote creativity, and enhance business outcomes.

38. Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is the ability to approach work with passion and energy. This soft skill involves being optimistic, engaged, and committed to achieving results. A person with strong enthusiasm can inspire others, promote positive attitudes, and drive success in a team environment.

39. Financial management

Financial management is the ability to manage financial resources effectively. This soft skill involves understanding financial principles, analyzing data, and making sound decisions. A person with strong financial management skills can optimize resources, minimize risk, and achieve business objectives.

40. Humility

Humility is the ability to admit mistakes and learn from feedback. This soft skill involves being open-minded, reflective, and willing to grow. A person with strong humility can build credibility, promote a culture of learning, and maintain positive relationships with colleagues.

41. Initiative

Initiative is the ability to take proactive steps to solve problems and improve processes. This soft skill involves being self-motivated, creative, and willing to take calculated risks. A person with strong initiative can drive innovation, enhance productivity, and achieve business goals.

42. Innovation

Innovation is the ability to create new ideas, products, or processes. This soft skill involves being creative, adaptable, and willing to take risks. A person with strong innovation skills can drive growth, solve complex problems, and enhance customer satisfaction.

43. Intercultural communication

Intercultural communication is the ability to communicate effectively across different cultures and languages. This soft skill involves being aware of cultural differences, using appropriate language and tone, and adapting to cultural norms. A person with strong intercultural communication skills can build strong relationships, promote understanding, and enhance global business outcomes.

44. Interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication is the ability to communicate effectively and build strong relationships with others. This soft skill involves active listening, empathy, and effective use of non-verbal cues. A person with strong interpersonal communication skills can build trust, resolve conflicts, and promote collaboration in a team environment.

45. Learning agility

Learning agility is the ability to adapt to new situations and learn quickly. This soft skill involves being open-minded, curious, and willing to experiment. A person with strong learning agility can acquire new skills and knowledge, adapt to changing circumstances, and enhance personal and professional growth.

46. Organizational skills

Organizational skills are the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively. This soft skill involves being organized, efficient, and able to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. A person with strong organizational skills can meet deadlines, maximize productivity, and achieve business goals.

47. Presentation skills

Presentation skills are the ability to deliver compelling and engaging presentations. This soft skill involves being articulate, persuasive, and confident in delivering presentations to different audiences. A person with strong presentation skills can influence decisions, build credibility, and enhance business outcomes.

48. Resilience

Resilience is the ability to cope with stress and bounce back from setbacks. This soft skill involves being adaptable, positive, and able to maintain perspective in difficult situations. A person with strong resilience can maintain productivity, overcome obstacles, and maintain positive relationships with colleagues.

49. Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is the ability to think ahead and plan for the future. This soft skill involves being able to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and develop effective strategies to achieve business objectives. A person with strong strategic thinking skills can maximize opportunities, minimize risk, and enhance business outcomes.

50. Work ethic

Work ethic is the ability to work hard, be persistent, and demonstrate a strong commitment to work. This soft skill involves being reliable, responsible, and willing to go the extra mile to achieve results. A person with strong work ethic can maintain high standards, build trust with colleagues, and achieve success in their career.

In conclusion, showcasing your soft skills on your resume is essential in today's job market. By identifying the soft skills required for the job, incorporating them into your resume objective or summary, providing examples in the experience section, highlighting them in the skills section, and providing additional evidence, you can set yourself apart from other candidates and increase your chances of landing the job.

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Top Soft Skills for 2024 [90+ Examples for Your Resume]

Soft skills are core skills sought after in every profession.

Whether you’re a server in a restaurant or a big-shot CEO, your soft skills will be as decisive for your success as your technical know-how. 

Motivation and time management, leadership, and open-mindedness - all of those are widely sought-after soft skills.

And these are just a few out of many! 

But you might be wondering which soft skills are relevant for YOUR career? And which ones should you focus on developing?

This is where this article comes in!

What Are Soft Skills?

• Soft Skills Vs Hard Skills

Top 10 Soft Skills Employers Love (For Any Profession)

90+ soft skills examples for 10 careers.

• How to List Soft Skills On Your Resume

Soft skills consist of a combination of people, social, and communication skills, character traits, attitudes, and mindsets, as well as social and emotional characteristics, among others, which are sought for in all professions. 

Some examples of soft skills include:

• Communication
• Problem-solving

If you’re applying for a job, soft skills are key in setting apart ideal candidates from adequate ones - especially when recruiters are deciding among applicants with similar work and education experience.  

Studies also attest to it - 97% of employers say that soft skills are either as important or more important than hard skills and that more than half of new employees that fail within 18 months do so because they lack soft skills. 

Soft Skills Vs Hard Skills 

There are two types of skills: hard skills and soft skills . 

Hard skills , also referred to as measurable abilities, include anything from mastering Photoshop to emergency care knowledge. You obtain hard skills through your education, training, certifications, and professional experience. 

Soft skills , also called people skills, are the mix of social and interpersonal skills , character traits, and professional attitudes that all jobs require. Teamwork, patience, time management, communication, are just a few examples. Soft skills can be personality traits or they can be traits obtained through life experiences. 

Usually, you’d include both hard and soft skills in your resume as follows:

But for the most part, skills are something a recruiter learns about you through an interview.

A good resume includes both soft and hard skills. Check our article on How to List Skills in Your Resume to learn how to do it right. 

Soft skills can tell a lot about how a candidate will interact in the workplace, how they might react under pressure, or what their professional potential is.

As such, a lot of employers prioritize hiring employees with the right soft skills over hard skills.

But which soft skills are really important, and which ones are less so?

In 2024, the most in-demand soft skills are as follows:

• Time management
• Adaptability
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail

#1. Time Management

Time management involves the ability to use your time wisely to work as efficiently as possible. Some sub-skills related to time management are: 

• Stress management
• Organization
• Prioritizing
• Goal setting

#2. Communication

Communication is the ability to convey or share ideas and feelings effectively and it’s among the top soft skills employers require across all fields. 

The most common communication skills are: 

• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Presentation
• Constructive feedback
• Active listening

#3. Adaptability

Your adaptability shows how well you can embrace change and adjust to it. 

Companies and work environments constantly change: new team members come in, old ones leave, companies get bought or sold, and so on.

So, you need to be able to adapt to different situations at your workplace.

Here are some skills related to adaptability: 

• Self-management
• Self-motivation

#4. Problem-solving

Being able to analytically and creatively solve problems will come in handy no matter your job. 

After all, there’s no job in the world where you won’t have any problems to deal with. That is why creative problem-solvers are always in high demand. 

These are the skills associated with problem-solving: 

• Logical reasoning
• Observation
• Brainstorming
• Decision making

#5. Teamwork

Teamwork will never cease to be a must-have soft skill. It helps you work effectively in a group and accomplish tasks. Examples of skills related to teamwork are: 

• Conflict management and resolution
• Collaboration
• Coordination
• Idea exchange

#6. Creativity 

We’re used to linking creativity with fields like art, or design, but creativity is a broad term that involves several sub-skills from questioning to experimenting. As such, any professional can make just as much use of creative skills as artists. 

Here are some examples of creative skills: 

• Imagination
• Mind-mapping
• Experimentation
• Questioning

#7. Leadership 

Leadership refers to the ability to mentor, train, or guide. No matter the industry, employers prefer to hire applicants who show they have leadership potential for 2 reasons:

• Employees with leadership skills show more initiative and are more likely to invest themselves in helping the company grow.
• The company can eventually promote employees with strong leadership roles to better management positions.

Skills related to leadership include: 

• Management skills
• Authenticity
• Cultural intelligence

#8. Interpersonal Skills 

Interpersonal skills are all about how well you interact with others, tend after relationships, and make a positive impression on those around you. 

#9. Work Ethic 

Work ethic relates to valuing work and putting in the effort to yield results. It’s a soft skill that employers in literally every job you’ll ever apply for will appreciate. Some soft skills related to work ethic are: 

• Responsibility
• Dependability
• Professionalism

#10. Attention to Detail 

Here’s another skill no employer will reject - the ability to be thorough and accurate in your work. Paying attention even to minor details is what sets apart dedicated employees from those who just want to get the job done and go home. 

Some other soft skills related to attention to detail are: 

• Introspection
• Critical observation

Now sure which soft skills are good to mention for your profession?

Below, we compiled a list of 90+ best soft skills for 10 different career paths. Just find the one that’s relevant for you and plug the skills into your resume!

#1. Customer Service 

Customer service is all about soft skills, especially since it involves dealing with people. Be it in person, over the phone, or on the internet, your ‘people skills’ need to be on point if you are to work with demanding customers.  

Here are some of the most popular soft skills in customer service:

• Listening skills
• Self-control 
• Positive attitude
• Assertiveness
• Conflict resolution
• Depersonalization
• Taking responsibility 

#2. Healthcare 

A career in healthcare takes years of studying, a lot of training, and a variety of hard skills. At the same time, healthcare workers also need to be able to work well under pressure or pay close attention to detail. 

Studies pointing to the importance of empathy in providing quality care, for example, are among many highlighting how soft skills are essential in developing a patient-centered approach. 

Here are some other examples of soft skills in healthcare:  

• Stress management 
• Positive attitude 
• Flexibility 
• Time management 
• Receptive attitude 
• Attention to detail 

#3. Digital Marketing

Marketing surely is one of the most popular career choices, but the fast development of new technologies and the transition to online work have brought digital marketing under the spotlight too. 

But just because the industry utilizes digital technologies to market products and services doesn’t mean a career in digital marketing doesn’t require its own set of soft skills. 

Here are 10 essential soft skills for a career in digital marketing:

• Willingness to learn
• Multitasking
• Accepting criticism

#4. Management 

An essential task of a successful manager is to coordinate and administer human resources. This makes soft skills all the more important for any type of management role. 

Here are some examples of what’s required from managers in terms of soft skills: 

• Emotional intelligence
• Task delegation 
• Negotiation 

#5. Education 

Keeping up with the times is essential for a career in education since you mostly get to deal with younger people. This involves continuously upgrading your hard skills, especially when it comes to new teaching methods and online learning. 

The soft skills required from an educator, on the other hand, haven’t changed drastically over time. Here are some of the most popular ones: 

• Written and oral communication
• Public speaking
• Critical thinking 
• Motivation 
• Conflict resolution 

Soft skills are vital if you want to succeed in sales. After all, sales involve a combination of soft skills that range from negotiation to persuasion and empathy. It doesn’t matter whether you work over the phone or on the internet - doing sales will always require that your soft skills are on point.  

Let’s look at ten soft skills required for a sales professional: 

• Negotiation
• Sociability 
• Critical thinking

Being a successful designer is about a lot more than just remote design work behind your PC screen. In addition to creativity and attention to detail, a designer needs to be an active listener and open to feedback to bring the client’s vision to life. 

Here are the top soft skills for any designer:

• Visual communication
• Creativity 
• Aesthetics 

#8. Accounting 

Maybe accounting and soft skills don’t feel like the right mix of words, but a career in accounting also requires its own set of soft skills. 

Here’s what they boil down to:

• Effective written and oral communication
• Organization 
• System analysis
• Deductive reasoning
• Active learning

#9. Business Analytics 

Another in-demand profession in today’s digital world, business analysts are tasked with balancing and combining business knowledge with advancing technologies. 

Here are the soft skills required from a business analyst:

• Quality client service
• Strategic thinking
• Technical writing
• Team building
• Presentation and public thinking

#10. Web Development 

Being good at C++ or Java is not all it takes to make a career in web development. There are several soft skills required from developers too, such as creativity and problem-solving. 

In other cases, developers are required to collaborate with designers to bring an idea to life, and that’s where active listening comes in. 

The top soft skills for web developers consist of the following:

• Active listening 
• Open-mindedness 
• Accountability
• Time and project management

If you’re looking for more soft skills to put on your resume, get inspired from these 100+ essential skills to put on your resume !

How to List Soft Skills On Your Resume 

The way you list your skills on your resume matters. 

For example, you need to ensure that you’re listing the right soft skills in the first place (and that they’re relevant for the role you’re applying for).

You should also back those soft skills up with experiences - you can’t just say “I’m a great leader” if nothing in your resume supports this claim.

So, here are our top 4 tips on how to list your soft skills in your resume and get an edge over the competition.

#1. Tailor Soft Skills to the Job

The more job-specific you are with the skills on your resume, the better. 

What we mean by this is, you should only list skills that are relevant to the position. 

For example, if you’re applying to be a server, you probably won’t need problem-solving and critical thinking skills as much as effective communication and teamwork. 

Tailoring your soft skills to the job is easier than you think - all you need to do is use the job description as a cheat sheet. Basically, just read the job ad in detail and make a list of the required skills. Then, add them to your resume.

Let’s assume you’re applying for a sales manager position. The requirements are:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field.
• 5 years of experience in sales.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead a team to meet quotas.
• Excellent leadership skills.
• Experience setting sales goals.

You just got four skills tailored to the job just by reading the requirements:  

• Oral and written communication skills
• Goal-oriented

#2. Back-Up Soft Skills With Other Sections 

Anyone can mention that they have amazing critical thinking and leadership skills in their resume.

Unless they back this up with some facts and experiences, though, the recruiter won’t take you seriously.

Now, this may not be as easy as tailoring them to the job, but there are certainly ways around it. 

Let’s say you’re applying as a creative director for an advertising agency.

Your required soft skills would probably include some of the following: 

• Oral communication
• Project management

First things first - you’d mention these skills in the dedicated skills section.

Afterward, you’d back them up as follows:

When listing your work experiences, mention achievements or responsibilities that show off these soft skills.

For example, to show off your project management skills, you can write:

Coordinated 10 people to create a YouTube video ad for a client that resulted in the client’s revenues increasing by over $50,000 within a month.

Or, to showcase your creativity, you can include the following bit:

Conceptualized and pitched an ad idea that went on to win the Epica Award.

There’s a lot more to creating a compelling resume than listing your skills the right way. Check out our complete guide on how to write a resume to learn more.

#3. Use Transferable Skills When Switching Careers

Transferable skills can be particularly useful if you’re switching careers or changing directions within the industry. They include skills that are not job-specific, but still useful to the position. 

Let’s assume you are leaving your job as a news reporter and applying for a Public Relations position. Although the industries are different, both are communications-related professions. 

This means you can list some relevant soft skills acquired as a reporter on your new resume to show you’re not completely unfamiliar with the job. 

As a news reporter, your soft skills can include (but are not limited to): 

• Communication skills
• Presentation skills

These are all skills you can easily ‘transfer’ into your PR resume and show you can take on the change. 

Soft Skills FAQ

Still have some questions about soft skills?

Check out our FAQ below!

1. How are soft skills essential for career growth?

Soft skills consist of people and social skills, as well as career attributes, that define how you interact in the workplace, handle the responsibility or seek improvement, among others. As such, they are important for career growth no matter your industry, and employers often prioritize hiring employees with the right soft skills over hard skills. 

2. How are soft skills different from hard skills? 

Hard skills are measurable skills that you obtain through your education, training, certifications, and professional experience. Soft skills, on the other hand, can be personality traits or they can be obtained through life experiences. All professions require a mix of both.

3. What are recruiters' top 10 soft skills?

The top 10 soft skills all recruiters love despite your profession are the following: 

• Teamwork skills

4. Can soft skills be acquired?

Soft skills are non-technical skills, such as people, social skills, and career attributes, they’re not something that can be taught in an afternoon. 

That said, it IS possible to pick up new soft skills - it’s just going to require a lot of personal development from your end.

5. Can you put soft skills on a resume?

Yep! Soft skills go under the “Skills” resume section .

When listing your skills, we recommend you add a skill level to them (e.g. beginner, intermediate, etc.). This way, the recruiter has a much better idea of how well you know any given skill.

Key Takeaways 

Phew! And that wraps up everything you need to know about soft skills and your career.

Now, let’s do a quick recap of the most important points we covered in this article:

• Soft skills consist of a combination of people, social, and communication skills, character traits, attitudes, and mindsets, among others, which are sought for in all professions.
• There are two types of skills: soft skills and hard skills. For the most part, skills are something a recruiter learns about you through an interview, although both go into your resume.
• Although several soft skills are valued in every profession, each industry requires its own set of soft skills for a successful career in the field. So, when applying for a job, make sure to list soft skills that are relevant for YOU.

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills? (Definition, Examples, And How To List On A Resume)

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Summary. Problem-solving skills include analysis, creativity, prioritization, organization, and troubleshooting. To solve a problem, you need to use a variety of skills based on the needs of the situation.

Most jobs essentially boil down to identifying and solving problems consistently and effectively. That’s why employers value problem-solving skills in job candidates for just about every role.

We’ll cover problem-solving methods, ways to improve your problem-solving skills, and examples of showcasing your problem-solving skills during your job search .

Key Takeaways:

If you can show off your problem-solving skills on your resume , in your cover letter , and during a job interview, you’ll be one step closer to landing a job.

Companies rely on employees who can handle unexpected challenges, identify persistent issues, and offer workable solutions in a positive way.

It is important to improve problem solving skill because this is a skill that can be cultivated and nurtured so you can become better at dealing with problems over time.

Types of Problem-Solving Skills

How to improve your problem-solving skills, example answers to problem-solving interview questions, how to show off problem-solving skills on a resume, example resume and cover letter with problem-solving skills, more about problem-solving skills, problem solving skills faqs.

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Problem-solving skills are skills that help you identify and solve problems effectively and efficiently . Your ability to solve problems is one of the main ways that hiring managers and recruiters assess candidates, as those with excellent problem-solving skills are more likely to autonomously carry out their responsibilities.

A true problem solver can look at a situation, find the cause of the problem (or causes, because there are often many issues at play), and then come up with a reasonable solution that effectively fixes the problem or at least remedies most of it.

The ability to solve problems is considered a soft skill , meaning that it’s more of a personality trait than a skill you’ve learned at school, on the job, or through technical training.

That being said, your proficiency with various hard skills will have a direct bearing on your ability to solve problems. For example, it doesn’t matter if you’re a great problem-solver; if you have no experience with astrophysics, you probably won’t be hired as a space station technician .

Problem-solving is considered a skill on its own, but it’s supported by many other skills that can help you be a better problem solver. These skills fall into a few different categories of problem-solving skills.

Problem recognition and analysis. The first step is to recognize that there is a problem and discover what it is or what the root cause of it is.

You can’t begin to solve a problem unless you’re aware of it. Sometimes you’ll see the problem yourself and other times you’ll be told about the problem. Both methods of discovery are very important, but they can require some different skills. The following can be an important part of the process:

Active listening

Data analysis

Historical analysis

Communication

Create possible solutions. You know what the problem is, and you might even know the why of it, but then what? Your next step is the come up with some solutions.

Most of the time, the first solution you come up with won’t be the right one. Don’t fall victim to knee-jerk reactions; try some of the following methods to give you solution options.

Brainstorming

Forecasting

Decision-making

Topic knowledge/understanding

Process flow

Evaluation of solution options. Now that you have a lot of solution options, it’s time to weed through them and start casting some aside. There might be some ridiculous ones, bad ones, and ones you know could never be implemented. Throw them away and focus on the potentially winning ideas.

This step is probably the one where a true, natural problem solver will shine. They intuitively can put together mental scenarios and try out solutions to see their plusses and minuses. If you’re still working on your skill set — try listing the pros and cons on a sheet of paper.

Prioritizing

Evaluating and weighing

Solution implementation. This is your “take action” step. Once you’ve decided which way to go, it’s time to head down that path and see if you were right. This step takes a lot of people and management skills to make it work for you.

Dependability

Teambuilding

Troubleshooting

Follow-Through

Believability

Trustworthiness

Project management

Evaluation of the solution. Was it a good solution? Did your plan work or did it fail miserably? Sometimes the evaluation step takes a lot of work and review to accurately determine effectiveness. The following skills might be essential for a thorough evaluation.

Customer service

Feedback responses

Flexibility

You now have a ton of skills in front of you. Some of them you have naturally and some — not so much. If you want to solve a problem, and you want to be known for doing that well and consistently, then it’s time to sharpen those skills.

Develop industry knowledge. Whether it’s broad-based industry knowledge, on-the-job training , or very specific knowledge about a small sector — knowing all that you can and feeling very confident in your knowledge goes a long way to learning how to solve problems.

Be a part of a solution. Step up and become involved in the problem-solving process. Don’t lead — but follow. Watch an expert solve the problem and, if you pay attention, you’ll learn how to solve a problem, too. Pay attention to the steps and the skills that a person uses.

Practice solving problems. Do some role-playing with a mentor , a professor , co-workers, other students — just start throwing problems out there and coming up with solutions and then detail how those solutions may play out.

Go a step further, find some real-world problems and create your solutions, then find out what they did to solve the problem in actuality.

Identify your weaknesses. If you could easily point out a few of your weaknesses in the list of skills above, then those are the areas you need to focus on improving. How you do it is incredibly varied, so find a method that works for you.

Solve some problems — for real. If the opportunity arises, step in and use your problem-solving skills. You’ll never really know how good (or bad) you are at it until you fail.

That’s right, failing will teach you so much more than succeeding will. You’ll learn how to go back and readdress the problem, find out where you went wrong, learn more from listening even better. Failure will be your best teacher ; it might not make you feel good, but it’ll make you a better problem-solver in the long run.

Once you’ve impressed a hiring manager with top-notch problem-solving skills on your resume and cover letter , you’ll need to continue selling yourself as a problem-solver in the job interview.

There are three main ways that employers can assess your problem-solving skills during an interview:

By asking questions that relate to your past experiences solving problems

Posing hypothetical problems for you to solve

By administering problem-solving tests and exercises

The third method varies wildly depending on what job you’re applying for, so we won’t attempt to cover all the possible problem-solving tests and exercises that may be a part of your application process.

Luckily, interview questions focused on problem-solving are pretty well-known, and most can be answered using the STAR method . STAR stands for situation, task, action, result, and it’s a great way to organize your answers to behavioral interview questions .

Let’s take a look at how to answer some common interview questions built to assess your problem-solving capabilities:

At my current job as an operations analyst at XYZ Inc., my boss set a quarterly goal to cut contractor spending by 25% while maintaining the same level of production and moving more processes in-house. It turned out that achieving this goal required hiring an additional 6 full-time employees, which got stalled due to the pandemic. I suggested that we widen our net and hire remote employees after our initial applicant pool had no solid candidates. I ran the analysis on overhead costs and found that if even 4 of the 6 employees were remote, we’d save 16% annually compared to the contractors’ rates. In the end, all 6 employees we hired were fully remote, and we cut costs by 26% while production rose by a modest amount.

I try to step back and gather research as my first step. For instance, I had a client who needed a graphic designer to work with Crello, which I had never seen before, let alone used. After getting the project details straight, I began meticulously studying the program the YouTube tutorials, and the quick course Crello provides. I also reached out to coworkers who had worked on projects for this same client in the past. Once I felt comfortable with the software, I started work immediately. It was a slower process because I had to be more methodical in my approach, but by putting in some extra hours, I turned in the project ahead of schedule. The client was thrilled with my work and was shocked to hear me joke afterward that it was my first time using Crello.

As a digital marketer , website traffic and conversion rates are my ultimate metrics. However, I also track less visible metrics that can illuminate the story behind the results. For instance, using Google Analytics, I found that 78% of our referral traffic was coming from one affiliate, but that these referrals were only accounting for 5% of our conversions. Another affiliate, who only accounted for about 10% of our referral traffic, was responsible for upwards of 30% of our conversions. I investigated further and found that the second, more effective affiliate was essentially qualifying our leads for us before sending them our way, which made it easier for us to close. I figured out exactly how they were sending us better customers, and reached out to the first, more prolific but less effective affiliate with my understanding of the results. They were able to change their pages that were referring us traffic, and our conversions from that source tripled in just a month. It showed me the importance of digging below the “big picture” metrics to see the mechanics of how revenue was really being generated through digital marketing.

You can bring up your problem-solving skills in your resume summary statement , in your work experience , and under your education section , if you’re a recent graduate. The key is to include items on your resume that speak direclty to your ability to solve problems and generate results.

If you can, quantify your problem-solving accomplishments on your your resume . Hiring managers and recruiters are always more impressed with results that include numbers because they provide much-needed context.

This sample resume for a Customer Service Representative will give you an idea of how you can work problem solving into your resume.

Michelle Beattle 111 Millennial Parkway Chicago, IL 60007 (555) 987-6543 [email protected] Professional Summary Qualified Customer Services Representative with 3 years in a high-pressure customer service environment. Professional, personable, and a true problem solver. Work History ABC Store — Customer Service Representative 01/2015 — 12/2017 Managed in-person and phone relations with customers coming in to pick up purchases, return purchased products, helped find and order items not on store shelves, and explained details and care of merchandise. Became a key player in the customer service department and was promoted to team lead. XYZ Store — Customer Service Representative/Night Manager 01/2018 — 03/2020, released due to Covid-19 layoffs Worked as the night manager of the customer service department and filled in daytime hours when needed. Streamlined a process of moving customers to the right department through an app to ease the burden on the phone lines and reduce customer wait time by 50%. Was working on additional wait time problems when the Covid-19 pandemic caused our stores to close permanently. Education Chicago Tech 2014-2016 Earned an Associate’s Degree in Principles of Customer Care Skills Strong customer service skills Excellent customer complaint resolution Stock record management Order fulfillment New product information Cash register skills and proficiency Leader in problem solving initiatives

You can see how the resume gives you a chance to point out your problem-solving skills and to show where you used them a few times. Your cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself and list a few things that make you stand out from the crowd.

Michelle Beattle 111 Millennial Parkway Chicago, IL 60007 (555) 987-6543 [email protected] Dear Mary McDonald, I am writing in response to your ad on Zippia for a Customer Service Representative . Thank you for taking the time to consider me for this position. Many people believe that a job in customer service is simply listening to people complain all day. I see the job as much more than that. It’s an opportunity to help people solve problems, make their experience with your company more enjoyable, and turn them into life-long advocates of your brand. Through my years of experience and my educational background at Chicago Tech, where I earned an Associate’s Degree in the Principles of Customer Care, I have learned that the customers are the lifeline of the business and without good customer service representatives, a business will falter. I see it as my mission to make each and every customer I come in contact with a fan. I have more than five years of experience in the Customer Services industry and had advanced my role at my last job to Night Manager. I am eager to again prove myself as a hard worker, a dedicated people person, and a problem solver that can be relied upon. I have built a professional reputation as an employee that respects all other employees and customers, as a manager who gets the job done and finds solutions when necessary, and a worker who dives in to learn all she can about the business. Most of my customers have been very satisfied with my resolution ideas and have returned to do business with us again. I believe my expertise would make me a great match for LMNO Store. I have enclosed my resume for your review, and I would appreciate having the opportunity to meet with you to further discuss my qualifications. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Michelle Beattle

You’ve no doubt noticed that many of the skills listed in the problem-solving process are repeated. This is because having these abilities or talents is so important to the entire course of getting a problem solved.

In fact, they’re worthy of a little more attention. Many of them are similar, so we’ll pull them together and discuss how they’re important and how they work together.

Communication, active listening, and customer service skills. No matter where you are in the process of problem-solving, you need to be able to show that you’re listening and engaged and really hearing what the problem is or what a solution may be.

Obviously, the other part of this is being able to communicate effectively so people understand what you’re saying without confusion. Rolled into this are customer service skills , which really are all about listening and responding appropriately — it’s the ultimate in interpersonal communications.

Analysis (data and historical), research, and topic knowledge/understanding. This is how you intellectually grasp the issue and approach it. This can come from studying the topic and the process or it can come from knowledge you’ve gained after years in the business. But the best solutions come from people who thoroughly understand the problem.

Creativity, brainstorming, troubleshooting, and flexibility. All of you creative thinkers will like this area because it’s when your brain is at its best.

Coming up with ideas, collaborating with others, leaping over hurdles, and then being able to change courses immediately, if need be, are all essential. If you’re not creative by nature, then having a team of diverse thinkers can help you in this area.

Dependability, believability, trustworthiness, and follow-through. Think about it, these are all traits a person needs to have to make change happen and to make you comfortable taking that next step with them. Someone who is shifty and shady and never follows through, well, you’re simply not going to do what they ask, are you?

Leadership, teambuilding, decision-making, and project management. These are the skills that someone who is in charge is brimming with. These are the leaders you enjoy working for because you know they’re doing what they can to keep everything in working order. These skills can be learned but they’re often innate.

Prioritizing, prediction, forecasting, evaluating and weighing, and process flow. If you love flow charts, data analysis, prediction modeling, and all of that part of the equation, then you might have some great problem-solving abilities.

These are all great skills because they can help you weed out bad ideas, see flaws, and save massive amounts of time in trial and error.

What is a good example of problem-solving skills?

Good examples of porblem-solving skills include research, analysis, creativity, communciation, and decision-making. Each of these skills build off one another to contribute to the problem solving process. Research and analysis allow you to identify a problem.

Creativity and analysis help you consider different solutions. Meanwhile, communication and decision-making are key to working with others to solve a problem on a large scale.

What are 3 key attributes of a good problem solver?

3 key attributes of a good problem solver are persistence, intellegince, and empathy. Persistence is crucial to remain motivated to work through challenges. Inellegince is needed to make smart, informed choices. Empathy is crucial to maintain positive relationships with others as well as yourself.

What can I say instead of problem-solving skills?

Instead of saying problem-solving skills, you can say the following:

Critical thinker

Solutions-oriented

Engineering

Using different words is helpful, especially when writing your resume and cover letter.

What is problem-solving in the workplace?

Problem-solving in the workplace is the ability to work through any sort of challenge, conflict, or unexpected situation and still achieve business goals. Though it varies by profession, roblem-solving in the workplace is very important for almost any job, because probelms are inevitable. You need to have the appropriate level of problem-solving skills if you want to succeed in your career, whatever it may be.

Department of Labor – Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

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Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.

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What Are Soft Skills?

Whereas hard skills describe what you do, soft skills describe how you do it.

Soft skills are the attributes and behaviors that describe how a person approaches their tasks. You likely use soft skills across all areas of your life— communication , critical thinking , problem-solving, and other interpersonal skills are some examples of soft skills—but they’re particularly valued in the workplace.

In fact, soft skills are commonly referred to as workplace or human skills. These alternative names can be a bit more descriptive when you’re thinking about and discussing your skill set.

In this article, we’ll go into more detail about the high-value soft skills employers look for and offer some tips for improving yours.

Hard skills vs. soft skills

Hard skills describe what you do, while soft skills describe how you do it.

Your hard skills are your technical skills , relating to the types of tasks you know how to do. Some examples of technical skills are data analysis, computer programming, writing, and UX design. When you complete a task, you often use a combination of hard and soft skills—technical skills to guide your process and workplace skills to encourage effective outcomes.

Read more: Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?

What workplace skills are employers looking for?

Workplace skills can offer insight into a person’s approach to work beyond the technical aspects of their role. For many employers, how you do something is just as important as what you are doing—especially when it comes to long-term learning, growth, and success.

According to the US Department of Labor, employers consider workplace skills more important to work readiness—or the minimum qualifications necessary for a given occupation—than technical skills [ 1 ].

In particular, employers are broadly looking for:

Effective communication

Teamwork and collaboration

Critical thinking and problem-solving

Employers may consider workplace skills to forecast a person’s future potential. This type of character analysis may come into play when choosing the leads for a new project or deciding whether an employee is ready for a promotion. Hiring managers also assess workplace skills to determine whether a job candidate will be a good fit for a specific team.

Soft skills examples

Different employers will value workplace skills differently. Here are some examples of desirable workplace skills:

Active listening

Adaptability

Communication

Critical thinking

Organization

Problem-solving

Resourcefulness

Strategic thinking

Time management

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Ways to improve your workplace skills

Since workplace skills are largely tied to behavior, improving them may involve shifting your regular patterns, approaches, or thought processes. This type of work tends to require practice and patience, but over time, you’ll likely notice more ease as you tap into your workplace skills.

Although they’ve traditionally been seen as harder to learn than technical skills, there are several ways to build upon your existing workplace skills. If you have a specific skill in mind that you’d like to improve, think about ways you can implement that skill into your daily life. You can also consult a life coach for help developing a personalized plan of action.

Here are some ideas for improving your workplace skills:

1. Practice different communication styles.

People tend to prefer different communication styles, whether that’s delivery methods—such as conversation, email, or text—or the manner of the delivery, like passive, aggressive, or assertive communication . In addition to your communication skills, considering how you might approach communicating in different situations can be an opportunity to practice adaptability, critical thinking, and strategic thinking.

To practice different communication styles, you might try to express the same idea in various ways, by writing it down, describing it aloud, and putting it into a presentation, or to various audiences.

Read more: 22 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills in the Workplace

2. Join a group project.

Beyond demonstrating your ability to take the initiative, joining a group project can offer opportunities to practice several workplace skills, such as teamwork, time management, and active listening. As a bonus, group projects can enable you to bring your technical skills into a collaborative environment.

To join a group project, take an interest in what colleagues are working on and offer your help where it may be beneficial, or look for opportunities within your local community.

3. Learn something new.

Learning something new can expand your typical way of thinking and encourage growth. There are strong links between learning and creativity, so whatever you decide to learn, you stand to gain technical knowledge and enhance your creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

To learn something new, check out the class offerings at your local community college or art center, or browse popular free courses on Coursera.

4. Socialize with teammates.

You use workplace skills in every interaction you have. Simply getting to know your teammates can be an effective way to practice your communication and active listening and can create opportunities for future collaboration.

If it feels appropriate, approach socializing with your teammates with an interest in their lives, as well as a willingness to share about your own.

5. Suggest improvements to processes.

As you build your technical and workplace skills, you may notice some opportunities to improve how things are done in your workplace. Thinking critically about processes, recognizing problems, and finding viable solutions are all valued workplace skills.

To suggest improvements to processes, you may want to ask your manager about their preferred process and what type of information they’ll need in order to assess your suggestions.

6. Ask for feedback.

Many workplace skills have an element of interactivity, and sometimes an outside perspective can help illuminate things you are doing well and areas you may want to focus on improving. Similarly, offering feedback to others can be an opportunity to practice active listening, leadership, and teamwork.

To ask for feedback, turn to your manager, recent project collaborators, or other colleagues you’ve built relationships with.

How to include workplace skills on a resume

Including your workplace skills on your resume can be less intuitive than including your technical skills, but there are opportunities to do so within your summary , objective , or in a special skills section . Additionally, you can select action words that align with the skills you want to demonstrate within your work experience section. Then, you can use your cover letter to share further details.

Remember that workplace skills are reflected in how you approach your work, so when you discuss your successes, share what you did, how you did it, and your impact.

Read more: What Skills Should I Include on My Resume?

Keep learning

Continue working on your workplace skills with Coursera. Browse popular workplace skills courses from top institutions and industry leaders, or check out IBM’s People and Soft Skills for Professional and Personal Success Specialization . Sign up for a free seven-day, all-access trial and start learning today.

Give your team access to a catalog of 8,000+ engaging courses and hands-on Guided Projects to help them develop impactful skills. Learn more about Coursera for Business .

Article sources

US Department of Labor. “ Soft Skills: The Competitive Edge , https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/publications/fact-sheets/soft-skills-the-competitive-edge.” Accessed May 18, 2023.

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Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

26 Good Examples of Problem Solving (Interview Answers)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

Employers like to hire people who can solve problems and work well under pressure. A job rarely goes 100% according to plan, so hiring managers will be more likely to hire you if you seem like you can handle unexpected challenges while staying calm and logical in your approach.

But how do they measure this?

They’re going to ask you interview questions about these problem solving skills, and they might also look for examples of problem solving on your resume and cover letter. So coming up, I’m going to share a list of examples of problem solving, whether you’re an experienced job seeker or recent graduate.

Then I’ll share sample interview answers to, “Give an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem?”

Problem-Solving Defined

It is the ability to identify the problem, prioritize based on gravity and urgency, analyze the root cause, gather relevant information, develop and evaluate viable solutions, decide on the most effective and logical solution, and plan and execute implementation. 

Problem-solving also involves critical thinking, communication, listening, creativity, research, data gathering, risk assessment, continuous learning, decision-making, and other soft and technical skills.

Solving problems not only prevent losses or damages but also boosts self-confidence and reputation when you successfully execute it. The spotlight shines on you when people see you handle issues with ease and savvy despite the challenges. Your ability and potential to be a future leader that can take on more significant roles and tackle bigger setbacks shine through. Problem-solving is a skill you can master by learning from others and acquiring wisdom from their and your own experiences. 

It takes a village to come up with solutions, but a good problem solver can steer the team towards the best choice and implement it to achieve the desired result.

Watch: 26 Good Examples of Problem Solving

Examples of problem solving scenarios in the workplace.

• Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else
• Overcoming a delay at work through problem solving and communication
• Resolving an issue with a difficult or upset customer
• Overcoming issues related to a limited budget, and still delivering good work through the use of creative problem solving
• Overcoming a scheduling/staffing shortage in the department to still deliver excellent work
• Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues
• Handling and resolving a conflict with a coworker
• Solving any problems related to money, customer billing, accounting and bookkeeping, etc.
• Taking initiative when another team member overlooked or missed something important
• Taking initiative to meet with your superior to discuss a problem before it became potentially worse
• Solving a safety issue at work or reporting the issue to those who could solve it
• Using problem solving abilities to reduce/eliminate a company expense
• Finding a way to make the company more profitable through new service or product offerings, new pricing ideas, promotion and sale ideas, etc.
• Changing how a process, team, or task is organized to make it more efficient
• Using creative thinking to come up with a solution that the company hasn’t used before
• Performing research to collect data and information to find a new solution to a problem
• Boosting a company or team’s performance by improving some aspect of communication among employees
• Finding a new piece of data that can guide a company’s decisions or strategy better in a certain area

Problem Solving Examples for Recent Grads/Entry Level Job Seekers

• Coordinating work between team members in a class project
• Reassigning a missing team member’s work to other group members in a class project
• Adjusting your workflow on a project to accommodate a tight deadline
• Speaking to your professor to get help when you were struggling or unsure about a project
• Asking classmates, peers, or professors for help in an area of struggle
• Talking to your academic advisor to brainstorm solutions to a problem you were facing
• Researching solutions to an academic problem online, via Google or other methods
• Using problem solving and creative thinking to obtain an internship or other work opportunity during school after struggling at first

You can share all of the examples above when you’re asked questions about problem solving in your interview. As you can see, even if you have no professional work experience, it’s possible to think back to problems and unexpected challenges that you faced in your studies and discuss how you solved them.

Interview Answers to “Give an Example of an Occasion When You Used Logic to Solve a Problem”

Now, let’s look at some sample interview answers to, “Give me an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem,” since you’re likely to hear this interview question in all sorts of industries.

Example Answer 1:

At my current job, I recently solved a problem where a client was upset about our software pricing. They had misunderstood the sales representative who explained pricing originally, and when their package renewed for its second month, they called to complain about the invoice. I apologized for the confusion and then spoke to our billing team to see what type of solution we could come up with. We decided that the best course of action was to offer a long-term pricing package that would provide a discount. This not only solved the problem but got the customer to agree to a longer-term contract, which means we’ll keep their business for at least one year now, and they’re happy with the pricing. I feel I got the best possible outcome and the way I chose to solve the problem was effective.

Example Answer 2:

In my last job, I had to do quite a bit of problem solving related to our shift scheduling. We had four people quit within a week and the department was severely understaffed. I coordinated a ramp-up of our hiring efforts, I got approval from the department head to offer bonuses for overtime work, and then I found eight employees who were willing to do overtime this month. I think the key problem solving skills here were taking initiative, communicating clearly, and reacting quickly to solve this problem before it became an even bigger issue.

Example Answer 3:

In my current marketing role, my manager asked me to come up with a solution to our declining social media engagement. I assessed our current strategy and recent results, analyzed what some of our top competitors were doing, and then came up with an exact blueprint we could follow this year to emulate our best competitors but also stand out and develop a unique voice as a brand. I feel this is a good example of using logic to solve a problem because it was based on analysis and observation of competitors, rather than guessing or quickly reacting to the situation without reliable data. I always use logic and data to solve problems when possible. The project turned out to be a success and we increased our social media engagement by an average of 82% by the end of the year.

Answering Questions About Problem Solving with the STAR Method

When you answer interview questions about problem solving scenarios, or if you decide to demonstrate your problem solving skills in a cover letter (which is a good idea any time the job description mention problem solving as a necessary skill), I recommend using the STAR method to tell your story.

STAR stands for:

It’s a simple way of walking the listener or reader through the story in a way that will make sense to them. So before jumping in and talking about the problem that needed solving, make sure to describe the general situation. What job/company were you working at? When was this? Then, you can describe the task at hand and the problem that needed solving. After this, describe the course of action you chose and why. Ideally, show that you evaluated all the information you could given the time you had, and made a decision based on logic and fact.

Finally, describe a positive result you got.

Whether you’re answering interview questions about problem solving or writing a cover letter, you should only choose examples where you got a positive result and successfully solved the issue.

Example answer:

Situation : We had an irate client who was a social media influencer and had impossible delivery time demands we could not meet. She spoke negatively about us in her vlog and asked her followers to boycott our products. (Task : To develop an official statement to explain our company’s side, clarify the issue, and prevent it from getting out of hand). Action : I drafted a statement that balanced empathy, understanding, and utmost customer service with facts, logic, and fairness. It was direct, simple, succinct, and phrased to highlight our brand values while addressing the issue in a logical yet sensitive way.   We also tapped our influencer partners to subtly and indirectly share their positive experiences with our brand so we could counter the negative content being shared online.  Result : We got the results we worked for through proper communication and a positive and strategic campaign. The irate client agreed to have a dialogue with us. She apologized to us, and we reaffirmed our commitment to delivering quality service to all. We assured her that she can reach out to us anytime regarding her purchases and that we’d gladly accommodate her requests whenever possible. She also retracted her negative statements in her vlog and urged her followers to keep supporting our brand.

What Are Good Outcomes of Problem Solving?

Whenever you answer interview questions about problem solving or share examples of problem solving in a cover letter, you want to be sure you’re sharing a positive outcome.

Below are good outcomes of problem solving:

• Saving the company time or money
• Making the company money
• Pleasing/keeping a customer
• Obtaining new customers
• Solving a safety issue
• Solving a staffing/scheduling issue
• Solving a logistical issue
• Solving a company hiring issue
• Solving a technical/software issue
• Making a process more efficient and faster for the company
• Creating a new business process to make the company more profitable
• Improving the company’s brand/image/reputation
• Getting the company positive reviews from customers/clients

Every employer wants to make more money, save money, and save time. If you can assess your problem solving experience and think about how you’ve helped past employers in those three areas, then that’s a great start. That’s where I recommend you begin looking for stories of times you had to solve problems.

Tips to Improve Your Problem Solving Skills

Throughout your career, you’re going to get hired for better jobs and earn more money if you can show employers that you’re a problem solver. So to improve your problem solving skills, I recommend always analyzing a problem and situation before acting. When discussing problem solving with employers, you never want to sound like you rush or make impulsive decisions. They want to see fact-based or data-based decisions when you solve problems.

Next, to get better at solving problems, analyze the outcomes of past solutions you came up with. You can recognize what works and what doesn’t. Think about how you can get better at researching and analyzing a situation, but also how you can get better at communicating, deciding the right people in the organization to talk to and “pull in” to help you if needed, etc.

Finally, practice staying calm even in stressful situations. Take a few minutes to walk outside if needed. Step away from your phone and computer to clear your head. A work problem is rarely so urgent that you cannot take five minutes to think (with the possible exception of safety problems), and you’ll get better outcomes if you solve problems by acting logically instead of rushing to react in a panic.

You can use all of the ideas above to describe your problem solving skills when asked interview questions about the topic. If you say that you do the things above, employers will be impressed when they assess your problem solving ability.

If you practice the tips above, you’ll be ready to share detailed, impressive stories and problem solving examples that will make hiring managers want to offer you the job. Every employer appreciates a problem solver, whether solving problems is a requirement listed on the job description or not. And you never know which hiring manager or interviewer will ask you about a time you solved a problem, so you should always be ready to discuss this when applying for a job.

Related interview questions & answers:

• How do you handle stress?
• How do you handle conflict?
• Tell me about a time when you failed

About the Author

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10 Problem-Solving Soft Skills that Employers Look For

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Solving Problems Like a Pro!

In today's competitive job market, technical expertise alone doesn't suffice. Employers are increasingly valuing individuals with a unique set of skills - problem-solving soft skills. This blog dives deep into problem-solving soft skills, highlighting the vital abilities that set professionals apart. From critical thinking to creativity, adaptability to emotional intelligence, we'll dissect the significance of these skills for a prosperous and fulfilling career. Let's get into it!

What are problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills are like your all-in-one toolkit for tackling tricky situations. They're the superpowers that let you break down complex problems, see things from different angles, and come up with smart solutions. No matter your job, these skills matter. They're the fuel for innovation, making things run smoother, building stronger teams, and keeping customers happy. Studies and stats confirm it's one of the most-wanted skills by employers. It's all about staying sharp in today's professional world.

Top problem-solving soft skills

Let's look into the top problem-solving as a soft skill ability that is like gold dust for your career. From critical thinking to creativity, we'll explore how honing these skills can open the doors to endless opportunities.

1. Critical Thinking

Think of critical thinking as your superpower for tackling everyday challenges. It's all about breaking down problems, questioning the status quo, and considering different angles. With these thinking and problem-solving soft skills in your toolkit, you can analyse complex situations like a pro, resulting in more effective solutions that truly make a difference during your learning journey and internship experiences.

2. Creativity

Creativity isn't just for artists and writers . When it comes to problem-solving as a soft skill, being creative means thinking outside the box. It's about conjuring up fresh, out-of-the-box ideas and innovative solutions. So, let your imagination run wild! Creative thinkers are known for bringing a breath of fresh air to your workplace, helping your team adapt to changes, grow, and conquer obstacles with flair.

3. Adaptability

We all know the world can throw curveballs. That's where adaptability shines. Having these problem-solving soft skills means you're the one who can pivot and thrive in the face of change and uncertainty. Whether it's a sudden shift in your project or a market twist, you're the cool cucumber who remains productive and keeps the ship sailing smoothly, ensuring a balanced and successful personal and academic lifestyle . Make sure you learn some in-demand skills which will help you in your future.

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4. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is like your secret weapon for understanding and handling emotions – yours and others. It's a game-changer for problem-solving as a soft skill. When tensions run high, or you're in the midst of a tricky group project, these skills help you navigate the emotional side of things, ensuring that your solutions are not just logical but also consider the feelings and concerns of everyone involved.

5. Communication

Strong communicators are the glue that holds it all together. They have the gift of translating complex ideas into simple, understandable terms. In the realm of problem-solving soft skills, they excel at articulating issues and ideas, and they're the bridge between technical and non-technical folks. With them around, problem-solving becomes a breeze.

6. Decision-Making

Think of decision-making as your compass in a sea of choices. It's one of the thinking and problem-solving soft skills that helps you sort through information and make smart choices. Whether you're weighing pros and cons, calculating risks, or simply choosing the best path forward, this skill is your trusty sidekick for streamlining the problem-solving process.

7. Resourcefulness

Resourceful individuals are the ultimate problem-solving wizards in the workplace. They're the masters of making do with what's at hand. When faced with a challenge, they can think on their feet and find innovative solutions even when resources are scarce. When you're looking to get things done creatively and efficiently, these are the go-to people who can turn constraints into opportunities, fostering a culture of creativity and resourcefulness within the team.

8. Patience

Patience is the zen master of the soft skills world. It's all about keeping your cool, even when things get tough. For those long-term issues that need some tender loving care, patient folks not only stick with it but also bring an unwavering dedication to the table. They persistently work towards sustainable solutions, showcasing their tenacity and unwavering commitment to achieving long-term success. 

9. Conflict Resolution

The peacemakers among us, skilled conflict resolvers, are your go-to for finding common ground. They're experts at facilitating discussions and negotiations, which ultimately lead to solutions that everyone can agree on. Their role goes beyond just maintaining harmony; they're the workplace's mediators, ensuring that small disagreements don't escalate into all-out wars. In the process, they create an atmosphere of cooperation and foster collaboration, making your professional environment not only more harmonious but also more productive.

10. Persistence

Think of persistence as your 'never give up' attitude, a tenacious spirit that refuses to back down in the face of adversity. It's all about facing challenges head-on, even when the going gets tough. Persistent individuals are unwavering champions who keep chipping away at problems until they find a solution that works. When it comes to tackling long-term issues or overcoming substantial hurdles, they're the ones who consistently show up, put in the hard work, and make things happen.

How to Develop Problem-Solving Skills

• Embrace challenges as opportunities to grow.
• Define the problem clearly to set the stage for solutions.
• Break down complex issues into manageable parts.
• Generate a wide range of potential solutions, no matter how unconventional.
• Evaluate each solution by considering feasibility, impact, and resources.
• Trust your judgment and select the most promising solution.
• Implement your chosen solution, adapt as necessary, and learn from the experience.
• Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors for fresh insights.

In the fast-paced, ever-evolving professional landscape, problem-solving soft skills emerge as the bedrock of success. As this journey through the realm of critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and more draws to a close, remember that these skills aren't just career boosters; they're life enhancers. To further equip yourself for the challenges ahead, don't hesitate to explore reliable student resources that provide great tools to simplify your student life. These invaluable tools will not only enrich your skill set but also pave the way for a bright and fulfilling future. Are you planning to stay in Germany make sure you are fluent in German, these German learning apps will help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are problem-solving soft skills important in the workplace, how can i showcase problem-solving soft skills on my resume, are problem-solving skills equally important in all industries, can problem-solving skills benefit my personal life as well, can problem-solving soft skills be learned and developed.

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What are Problem-Solving Skills? Examples & How To Develop Them

Problem-solving skills are valuable soft skills to have in today’s increasingly competitive and fast-changing workplace. In the workplace, problem-solving skills are about one’s capacity to deal with tough or unexpected challenges and situations.

They are also essential in other aspects of our lives, such as building relationships and making decisions. Individuals who can properly assess the situations and offer solutions are in high demand in organizations. And problem-solving skills are abilities that allow you to do so.

In this article, we will discuss what are key problem-solving skills and the skills related to problem-solving. You will also learn about how to conduct a problem-solving process when you encounter a problem.

We will share with you the benefits and importance of key problem-solving skills and how to improve these skills.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving is a soft skill (a personal strength), not a hard skill learned from school or specialized training. Problem-solving skills assist you in resolving challenges swiftly and effectively.

It gives you a keen eye to spot underlying problems and put a solution in place. Problem-solving skills are crucial in every profession and at every level. As a result, technical expertise relevant to the sector or role may be required for effective problem-solving.

Problem-solving skills can be improved by familiarizing yourself with common organizational challenges and learning from more experienced employees. Although problem-solving is usually thought of as an independent skill, it depends on a combination of other skills (we will come to this in the next section).

Why is Problem-Solving Skill Important in the Workplace & List of 10 Benefits

Having problem-solving skills enables you to be prepared to manage any problems that your employers throw at you. You can analyze, evaluate, and act promptly when issues arise.

Furthermore, you are not frightened of the uncertainty because you are confident that you can handle anything that comes your way. Strong problem-solving skills are valuable to organizations that depend on their employees to identify and solve problems.

List of 10 Benefits that an excellent problem solver can contribute to their profession

• Ability to manage their time effectively.
• Ability to prioritize, plan and carry out plans.
• Ability to think out of the box and identify opportunities in problems.
• Ability to work under pressure and deal with stress.
• Ability to evaluate and take calculated risks.
• Ability to continuously improve performance and implement new improvements when necessary.
• Ability to identify and seize opportunities in an ever-changing environment.
• Recognized and appreciated by the people around them.
• Increased confidence in one’s ability to deal with anything that comes their way.
• Ability to make the impossible possible by synergizing their knowledge with systematic problem-solving approaches.

Skills Required for Problem-Solving

You will adopt a combination of different examples of skills to address a problem effectively.

Here is a list of skills you can leverage to solve a problem:

Research Skills

Problem-solving requires the use of research skills. As a problem solver, you must define the root cause of the issues before addressing them.

You can start by gathering deeper and related information about the topic. To do that, you can discuss with your team members, speak with senior colleagues, conduct online research, or learn from online classes.

Analysis Skills

Analyzing the situation is the first step in addressing any problem. Strong analytical skills allow you to grasp the issues quickly and develop effective strategies. You will also utilize analytical skills when researching to discern between good and poor ideas.

Decision-making Skills

Problem-solving and decision-making are distinct but interrelated skills. Decision-making is a crucial element of the problem-solving process because you will be presented with many choices and possibilities.

Sometimes you can make a quick decision if you happen to have related industry experience. Having strong research and analytical skills may be beneficial to those with less experience or industry knowledge.

There may be instances when it is necessary to set aside time to develop a solution for a challenging problem. Alternatively, you may decide to refer the situation to someone who is in a better position to tackle the issue.

Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are necessary when you are solving a problem. You will need to know how to explain the problem clearly to others and seek their input.

You will also need to know who to approach or which communication channels to use when asking for help. To eliminate uncertainty and make implementation easier, you will need to present and explain the solution to others.

Listening Skills

In general, active listeners are excellent problem solvers. They will listen to others to get the knowledge that will help them address the challenge at hand.

They value and appreciate other people’s perspectives and experiences. This way, they can understand why an issue happened and devise the best course of action to resolve it.

In most cases, problems are solved either spontaneously or methodically. You tend to use your intuition to solve a problem when no new information is required. You either know what you need to know to make a snap decision, or you use common sense or experience to solve them.

You will need to use a more structured approach to solve more complicated problems or issues that you’ve not encountered before. For such problems, you may also need to tap into your creative thinking.

Risk Management

Problem-solving happens when problems arise or when things do not go as planned, and we need to rectify them. During your initial planning stage, you will carry out risk management to weigh the benefits and risks of your solutions.

This way, you can prevent potential hazards or risks from happening the moment you implement the solution.

How Problem-Solving Skills Work? Solving Process Explained in 5 Steps

1. analyze the factors contributing to the problem.

This step entails identifying the presence of a problem, determining its nature, and articulating the problem. The first phase of problem-solving requires further research and investigation. It involves collecting and analyzing data, isolating potential contributing factors, and determining what has to be addressed for a solution.

What is the nature of the problem? Is there more than one problem? What is the best way to define the problem? Spending time identifying the problem will allow you to not only comprehend it better but also articulate the thought process to others.

2. Generate possible solutions

At this stage, you will start developing several possible solutions. But, you will not spend too much time examining them. Usually, a single approach is rarely the clear way to solve a complicated problem.

Generating a variety of alternatives will help you to protect your interests and decrease your likelihood of failing. You can start brainstorming for solutions in a group setting with your team members.

Such sessions provide each team member with a chance to express their thoughts on potential solutions or ideas. An organization has a diverse group of employees who have different skills in different areas. Thus it is essential to hear the perspectives of all parties involved before deciding on the potential interventions.

3. Evaluate solutions and make decisions

This step is possibly the most difficult aspect of the problem-solving process. This stage comprises conducting a detailed analysis of the many alternative options you brainstormed earlier. Then, you will decide on the most effective solution for execution.

Some alternatives may be difficult to implement because of issues such as time limits or money restrictions. It is critical to evaluate what may happen if nothing is done to remedy the situation.

Sometimes when you are trying to resolve a problem, it could potentially lead to a slew of other issues. Finally, decide on the best solution or approach to take to resolve the problem. When deciding, you must consider the potential expenses, hurdles, and necessary resources for effective solution implementation.

4. Implement a plan

This step involves embracing and executing the decision made in the previous stage. Implementation refers to putting the chosen solution into action. During this stage, more difficulties may arise, particularly if the initial problem identification or structure was not completed thoroughly.

Hence, the plan must be executed with benchmarks that can accurately inform you if it is working or not. Implementing a plan includes communicating to your employees about changes in standard operating procedures.

5. Assess the solution’s effectiveness

The last stage involves evaluating the results after implementing the solution. It includes soliciting feedback from related parties on the effectiveness of the solution in solving the problem.

Once a solution is put in place, you need to have procedures to determine if and how the solution is working. This way, you will know immediately if the problem has been fixed or whether an adjustment is needed.

You should record the feedback, results, and new challenges that you encountered through this entire problem-solving process. It is recommended that you make this step a habit of yours to improve your problem-solving skills.

Problem-Solving Skills for Students

Be curious and put on your investigative hat

Being curious and conducting an in-depth investigation will assist you in finding out the root cause of an issue. When the root cause of a problem is identified, it becomes much easier to address it.

Be open to feedback and suggestions from others

Seeking constructive feedback or suggestions from others is beneficial to the students in the long run. It saves students time, and they can avoid making the mistakes made by others. They will also be able to finetune their solutions to make them more effective. Being open to feedback is also an essential component of problem-solving skills.

Troubleshooting skills

Troubleshooting skills help students to address issues quickly and effectively without any delay. This skill helps students to analyze the problem, develop various solutions, evaluate and choose the best option, and implement the preferred solution.

Problem-Solving Skills for Kids

Growth mindset

Reflecting on the process of solving a problem helps children to build a growth mindset. We should instill a mindset to children that getting a “wrong” answer is not wrong.

It is through these mistakes that we can learn and improve ourselves. What matters most is to encourage children to reflect on the steps they took and how they might handle the problem differently next time.

Emotional intelligence

Children need to be taught that every emotion (positive and negative) that they are experiencing is acceptable. Having high emotional intelligence will help the kids to learn and think differently when faced with problems.

Grappling refers to whatever the kids will do when presented with a problem that lacks a clear answer. They will try to solve the problem first and not think about failing. Even if they fail, they will continue to persevere to find a solution to the problem.

They will think critically, ask questions, and form hypotheses to have a comprehensive understanding of the problem that they encounter. Then, they will use every information and resource that they acquired to find a solution to the problem.

How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

There are various techniques you could consider to develop your problem-solving skills. Whether you are looking for work or already have one, strengthening your problem-solving skills and related competencies can help you stand out among the rest of the group. Here are a few methods you can consider to improve your problem-solving skills:

Strengthen your specialist knowledge in your industry.

Depending on your profession, having deep specialist knowledge may make it easier for you to address problems. Attending an external course, workshop, mentorship, or practicing your skills can help you gain deeper technical knowledge.

Constantly look for opportunities to solve problems.

You can increase your chances of bumping into new opportunities to solve problems by going out of your comfort zone. Start by seeking new opportunities around you. You can volunteer for a new project or task, be it in your existing team, on another team, or on an external group within your field.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Practicing or performing role-playing will help to strengthen your problem-solving skills. You can search online or go to your local bookshop to look for practice books on problem-solving scenarios.

Through role-playing, you can experiment with different ways to tackle the challenges and see whether your solutions are practical. Practicing how you can solve the common problems prevalent in your field might help you find answers when such problems arise in your job.

Watch and learn how others overcome problems.

There are people around you who are excellent problem solvers. These people could be your close friends or colleagues in the workplace. You may improve your problem-solving skills by observing how they develop effective solutions to problems.

You can ask a more experienced colleague and ask if you can shadow them when they are doing problem-solving. Be curious and ask questions that could be useful when you do problem-solving in the future.

How to Highlight Problem-Solving Skills in a Resume

As problem-solving skills are essential to many organizations, you can put this skill at the top of your resume. You can indicate this skill on your resume in various sections, such as “skills” and “achievements” sections.

You can also highlight it in your “experience” section, but remember to provide specific examples of problems you solved. Instead of writing down the word “problem-solving” in the “skills” section, you may want to mention specific skills you have.

It could be your job-specific technical skills or soft skills related to problem-solving, such as analytical skills, communication skills, etc. Storytelling is powerful. During interview questions, you can highlight specific examples of obstacles you faced and how you solved the problems.

The problems you solved may come from your prior roles—whether academic, work, or volunteer. Be prepared to discuss the issues you faced, the methods or skills you used to tackle the problems, and the results you achieved.

Problem-Solving Skills FAQ

How do you describe problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving is a soft skill (a personal strength), not a hard skill learned from school or specialized training. Problem-solving skills assist you in resolving challenges swiftly and effectively. It gives you a keen eye to spot underlying problems and put a solution in place quickly.

What are the three key attributes of a good problem solver?

A good problem solver has strong analytical skills to understand problems quickly and discern between good and poor ideas. They also have strong communication skills to explain the issues and present solutions clearly to others. They also have high emotional intelligence.

What is problem-solving behavior?

Problem-solving behavior refers to a person’s ability to analyze and think critically to solve problems. They can decide which best course of action to take after conducting a thorough risk analysis of all the available solutions. They can implement solutions to resolve any challenges or difficulties they encounter in their life, work or relationship.

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

You may be missing out on a 66.5% salary hike*, nick camilleri, how many years of coding experience do you have, free course on 'sorting algorithms' by omkar deshpande (stanford phd, head of curriculum, ik).

What are problem-solving skills? (Examples included!)

Life in the 21st century is all about efficiency and development. The unending quench of discovering the unknown, materializing one dream after another, has helped push the limits through the sky. But have you ever thought what the key to all of these astronomical successes is?

It is the zeal to solve a problem with the resources available to generate the best possible results.

Here's what this article will cover:

What are problem-solving skills , how do problem-solving skills help or act as your pillars of success, how do employers assess your problem-solving skills , steps to execute problem-solving skills, skills to hone for an apt solution-finder, examples of problem-solving techniques.

Dos and Don'ts in interviews

How to improve your problem-solving skills ?

How to highlight problem-solving skills .

Problem-solving is hunting; it is a savage pleasure, and we are born to it." –Thomas Harris .

The truth is, problem-solving skills are acquirable for some people while others adapt to it like fish in the water. Working in IT, web development, coding, machine learning, and the likes demand the ability to make decisions at a moment's notice.

So, do you want to back off when the time comes or take it up as a challenge?

Brush up your problem-solving skills or better, enhance them, and make them your forte by reading this article. No technical interview preparation guide is complete without tips to improve such problem-solving skills.

Also read: Why do FAANG companies test for problem-solving skills in their interviews.

Larry and his team suddenly face a major crisis. Not a single developer in his team who is good with String is coming to the office, but there is an urgent client requirement. Larry asks his team if anybody is confident enough to pull it through, and surprisingly, he sees one solitary hand of Jim in the mix. But it is a 4-men job, at least. Realizing that there is no way out other than working with another team(s), he wastes no time. He sends out emails to other teams asking for at least two more developers, counting himself and Jim. 4 more fellow coders came to the rescue and delivered the project before the deadline!

Problem-solving skills enable you to observe the situation and determine the contributing factors of the issue. Identifying the root cause and the ability to take necessary steps with available resources are integral in finessing your problem-solving ability.

All technical interview preparation courses , therefore, cover this crucial aspect.

Employers seek problem-solving skills in their employees . And why not?

Who wouldn't want to have an efficient employee like Larry? The knack of not backing down from a challenge is the perfect catalyst for business expansion.

Problem-solving skills help you attain insight into the source of the problem and figuring out an ideal solution. However, several skills and their correct implementation are essential, which are listed below.

• Patient listener : To identify a problem, you must first be all ears to gain information about the situation.
• Eye for detail : Once you start listening minutely, you now need to identify the data's discrepancies and have an intuitive eye for detail.
• Thorough research : Background research and data verification is bread and butter for efficient problem-solvers.
• Innovative approach : It is not just about getting it done. It's about taking a challenging approach in a mission to maximize results.
• Communication skills: Flawless communication skills are necessary to negate any misunderstanding and ensure conveying the message with clarity. You can indeed consider this as a great time saver!
• Composure : Your ability to remain calm even in a demanding situation will always earn you dividends in the path to success. It is not a quality that you can imbibe easily, but rigorous practice can do the trick for you.
• Decision-making ability : Having a knack for making the right decisions under pressure is a highly sought-after attribute by employers when hiring people. Taking quick decisions in dire straits is the reason why the company is paying you the big bucks.  
• Team player : Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your team is instrumental in maintaining team spirit. Higher the team spirit, the better the performance!

Employers today prioritize hiring people with soft skills like problem-solving abilities to maximize business output even when the going gets tough. Your problem-solving ability is judged based on:

• If you have accomplished any remarkable feat in a taxing situation. This gives an insight into the upper benchmark of your performance.
• Presenting hypothetical problems for the interviewee to solve is another commonly used trick to ascertain your productivity metrics and creative problem-solving techniques in tough conditions.
• Some organizations may even line up some challenging tests and exercises to have a firsthand look at the execution and effectiveness of your technical skills in the approach to problem-solving.

"We cannot solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created them." – Albert Einstein

• Analyze contributing factors

James was getting an error code during the execution of specific UI updates. He started analyzing the code and rechecking the repository for any possible mistake. To his delight, his hunch turned out to be accurate. He immediately made the necessary changes, and the updates were successfully executed.

Analysis of contributing factors and its repercussions in the ebb and flow of the task is a preliminary attribute of an able problem-solver. To acquire perfection in analysis and problem-solving skills, you must ensure a thorough:

• Gathering of data
• Diligent study of the collected data
• Scrutiny to filter relevant data
• Historical analysis
• Generate interventions

Working at a software development firm, Donald is perturbed by the lack of advancement in the deep learning project. Lack of idea and innovation is leading to nowhere. He decided that enough is enough. He asked for a group session to brainstorm in the hope of generating some leads. The session was a huge success, and Donald was finally able to catch a breather.

It is not an unknown fact that 'we' is always more productive than 'I' under any circumstance.

Utilizing the versatility of your available resources with the help of various sessions can work miracles. Such sessions can be for:

• Creative thinking
• Brainstorming
• Planning a project
• Forecasting future trends
• Prediction of possible outcomes
• Designing your project with originality, etc.
• Evaluate solutions

This is more up the alley for managers and team leads. To become adept at evaluating solutions, one must gain prolonged experience in corporate decision-making. The evaluation process needs to consider potential costs, available resources, and possible hurdles of project completion.

Remember Donald?

Yes, he is a team lead, and therefore, he had the authority to initiate a brainstorming session with multiple teams to bring in new ideas.

The secret to evaluating solutions?

• Corroboration
• Identifying change in trends
• Prioritization
• Implement a plan

Choosing the right course of action is the preliminary step to solve the problems. The success of the execution is streamlined with the help of quality benchmarks to indicate its effectiveness.

"A problem is a chance for you to do the best!" – Duke Ellington .

Knowing the right people to do it for you is essential for successful implementation. It is also crucial that you are accustomed to your organization's operating procedures before you formulate the best possible strategy.

Skills you need are:

• Project management
• Implementation of project strategy
• Collaboration
• Time management
• Developing appropriate quality benchmark
• Assess the solution's effectiveness

An ideal way to detect whether a solution is effective or not is to check if the problem still exists after applying the solution. Benchmarks need to be set as per organizational standards to help them assess the situation and if any further changes are required in the interim.

• Data analysis
• Communication
• Close follow-ups
• Troubleshooting

"A problem well stated is a problem half solved." –John Dewey

• Research: Problem-solving is not complete without extensive research. It is otherwise impossible to identify the problem without gathering enough data on the errors and their analysis. Consulting with your team gives you an edge to find the solution quicker.
• Analysis: Analysis of the situation is a must. Analytical skills further assist you in identifying the discrepancies and the possible actions which can resolve the issue.
• Decision-making: The ability to make decisions in hours of need defines your mettle. The onus is on you to be proactive and choose the right course of action.
• Communication: Are you great at conversations? If so, communication skills can help you garner much-required assistance for the project. Communication of the issues and how you want the project done are critical for the problem-solving process's smooth flow.
• Dependability: Having dependable members boosts the morale of the team. If you are a problem-solver, taking responsibility and taking it on the chin to solve the issues needs to be your forte.
• Select an example or situation that you can handle without any issue.
• Do not stray off topic and stay on track.
• Do not use jargon in your interview. So, choose your example and words wisely.
• Do not choose a redundant issue.

Sam has come to an interview for a team-lead profile. The recruiter asks a situation-based problem in regards to machine learning software. Though tricky, Sam knew the exact way around for the problem and answered it precisely to the point. The recruiter is delighted and hires Sam for the position.

• Thirst for knowledge : An insatiable thirst for knowledge is the secret door to success in problem-solving skills. If Sam was unaware of the tweaks needed to solve the problem, do you think the manager would have been impressed? No, managers at companies like Google and Facebook are looking for people who can act independently with their available resources. The question is, are you the problem solver who can be a catch to any company?
• An intuition for challenge : You need to be intuitive and have a sharp nose for challenges. The more you take up difficult situations and handle them with panache and ease, the more you can hone your problem-solving skills .
• Practice and more practice: Practice makes a man perfect – truer words have never been said. Effective problem solving is achieved not by slacking off but by acquainting yourself with various situations and applying your skills to resolve them. Remember, experience can never be substituted, and you have to take the long route to success!
• Keen and observant eyes : Do you have an eye for detail, and are you quick to point out discrepancies in data analysis? If yes, you are already one step towards becoming a valued problem solver in your company. Also, if you are a person who observes closely what is being done and why others do it, it helps develop your decision-making skills in future. Don't forget to mention this in your resume.

Tom has been applying frantically for a job since he moved to Arizona but seemed unable to find just the right one. When he sees his attempts are futile, he decides to add some of his previous company's achievements, thinking it might help. Oh, boy, did it help! Tom writes about when he was asked to handle a team of 12 single-handedly while his manager suddenly went on a sabbatical. Tom had no prior experience of leading a team but appeared to come out of this fix with flying colors.

Megan is currently looking for a step up in her career. She carefully drafts a cover letter that entails her achievements with clarity. The cover letter explained her contributions in reviving team spirit in the office after her predecessor, with his poor man-management, had successfully built a wall of distrust among the employees.  

• Problem-solving skills for resume : You can convey your achievements or even your hobbies to the person sitting in front of you, or not, depending on his/her nature. But you cannot afford to miss the chance to showcase your best achievement. It is in your best interest to build your CV around the achievements to give it maximum traction and attention. Mention the problem you faced and jot down the course of action you took to nullify the situation. Nobody can stop you if this is done right!
• Problem-solving skills for cover letter : Use it as an opportunity to let the company delve into your success story so far and the factors leading to it. If you have done your research on the organization you're applying for, it will not hurt your chances of identifying some challenges of the company and suggesting some solutions. It goes down a long way if you indeed join forces!

If you are adequately seasoned with problem-solving skills with dedication and practice, you're already almost there. Proper interview preparation tips can further help you in this regard.

Swaminathan Iyer

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27 Soft Skills Examples

Soft skills refer to personal skills that help people to interact with others and maintain inner strength. In the workplace, they are valuable for ensuring both team harmony and high expectations for oneself.

For example, we can consider soft skills to be skills that help with communication (teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution) as well as skills that help with personal work ethic (self-motivation, initiative, time management).

Soft skills are contrasted to hard skills, which are the technical and administrative abilities that people have to complete a job. These are the skills learned in school, such as programming abilities, data analysis, and speed typing.

For a contrast between soft and hard skills, see here .

Soft Skills Examples

1. communication skills.

Interpersonal communication is a vital part of every organization or business. Communication skills is not only about talking but also involves listening actively to your peers.

This requires understanding how to convey ideas to coworkers or team members which helps in avoiding confusion and misunderstandings at the workplace.

When people communicate effectively it leads to better collaboration , coordination, and ultimately results in better outputs and less mistakes.

Example of Good Communication Skills

“I always re-read my email drafts and edit them for clarity before sending. Furthermore, I am always open to additional questions for clarification to ensure I got my point across effectively.”

2. Teamwork

Working effectively in a team environment is another essential soft skill that employers look for when hiring new employees.

Being able to connect with colleagues from different backgrounds and work together towards a common goal can lead to success for everyone involved.

In an office setting teamwork means sharing responsibility, helping others when they need it, focusing on goals collectively, being open to feedback, etc.

Example of Good Teamwork Skills

“I think my teamwork is best shown when I focus on the common team goal . I know when to defer to others for advice, offer advice when it makes sense, and I happily brainstorm with team members in a non-judgmental way to get the job done.”

Empathy describes the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their feelings as if they were your own.

It’s an important attribute for business leaders as well as employees because it enables them to connect with others on an emotional level. This can lead to effective conflict resolution, building trust among people around us, and broadening your own perspectives.

Example of Empathetic Skills

“Once, I noticed that my colleague had been feeling down lately and not performing as well as usual. Instead of judging or criticizing her, I took a moment to approach and genuinely ask how her day is going. By doing so, I learned that she was feeling unwell, so I offered to cover her desk so she could lie down for 20 minutes. I believe when she came back she was much more productive, so it turned out to be a good decision all around.”

4. Problem-solving

Problem-Solving refers to the ability to identify problems and find solutions is a critical attribute in any work environment.

Someone with good problem-solving skills is equipped to assess issues objectively and systematically, considering all options before arriving at a solution.

Additionally, being able to approach problems from various angles and using creative thinking can lead to more innovative solutions.

For example, le’s say a team manager has noticed a decline in performance among her team members. Instead of reprimanding them or assuming they’re slacking off, she takes an open-minded approach and decides to hold a meeting where she listens actively to each member’s concerns and finds ways to solve them.

Example of Problem-Solving Skills

“I consider myself to be good at problem-solving, especially when working with team, where we come together to brainstorm solutions. I believe problem-solving is about divergent thinking, which occurs between when you pool the thoughts of the whole team.”

5. Adaptability

Adaptability refers to how flexible people can be when their circumstances change (or, indeed, if the company’s circumstances change).

Most employers seek a flexible worker, especially if it’s going to be a fast-paced work environment. We often need to be flexible when clients change their minds, we identify an error in our processes, or even when we have to fill-in for colleagues who are unexpectedly absent.

If trying to demonstrate your adaptability to a potential boss, you could talk about a time you reacted quickly to a change in circumstances.

Example of Adaptability

“Once I was about to give a slide presentation when the power shut off. So, I quickly switched from slide presentations to a presentation where I used a whiteboard instead.”

6. Leadership

True leadership involves more than simply holding a title or position. It’s about having the ability to inspire and guide others towards a common goal.

A good leader communicates clearly, motivates their team, and leads by example. By developing strong relationships with their coworkers, a leader can achieve better outcomes through collaboration and teamwork.

One effective way to demonstrate your leadership skills on your resume is by highlighting any instances in which you played a prominent role in leading a project or team to success. Detail your approach to delegation , communication, and decision-making.

Leadership Example

“Leadership is not just about giving orders but also about understanding and responding to the needs of your team, which I believe is essential for accomplishing a common goal while positively impacting the work environment.”

7. Time Management

Good time management is crucial for achieving work-related goals while also maintaining work-life balance .

Strong time management skills can help you become more productive with fewer distractions and less stress. It involves planning out achievable daily tasks that each help to advance the bigger projects on your lap.

To highlight excellent time management skills on your resume, provide specific examples where you exceeded expectations under tight deadlines or achieved great results when working under pressure. Share methods that helped you increase personal productivity while assigned multiple tasks at hand.

Time-Management Example

“I generally manage my time by employing the Pomodoro technique, where I break down work into 25-minute intervals followed by five minutes of a less tiring task (like sorting my email inbox), allowing me to stay focused and on-task without feeling overwhelmed.”

8. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and express emotions, allowing you to employ productive communication and conflict-resolution skills.

On your resume, demonstrating emotional intelligence means revealing how your ability to be attuned to others’ emotions can make you identify potential interpersonal problems before they arise.

For example, you might be able to demonstrate how you actively attempt to understand, acknowledge, and validate people’s concerns rather than getting instantly defensive. Another thing that emotionally intelligent people do is they are willing to be vulnerable, such as asking for help when they’re struggling rather than sitting there, confused, being unproductive.

Example of Emotional Intelligence

“When working as a customer service operator, I’d often deal with ‘storming’ customers who were annoyed about products not meeting their needs. I would always start by validating their frustration by making a comment like I understand your frustration, and I’d really like to help you .”

9. Negotiation Skills

Having strong negotiation skills means being able to listen actively, empathize, and communicate persuasively while understanding the other person’s perspective.

To showcase such skills on your resume , share specific instances where you achieved favorable outcomes for all parties concerned and persuasively communicated on behalf of the company.

You might need to employ persuasion and rhetoric skills like appealing to emotion, appealing to logic, or finding common ground to get things done.

Example of Negotiation Skills

“When negotiating on behalf of my company, I try to approach it as a collaborative effort. I first look for ways the company and clients can mutually benefit in order to ensure clients are happy and we maintain our strong corporate reputation.”

10. Conflict Resolution

Effective conflict resolution involves being able to listen actively, understand perspectives, identify common ground and come up with creative solutions to address disagreements respectfully.

For example, it involves the ability to approach difficult conversations with the intention of minimizing conflicts.

To showcase strong conflict resolution skills on your resume, share specific examples of how you handled complex situations that demanded a more empathetic approach than blunt authoritative control.

You could highlight, for example, how you approached tough discussions in a professional manner by actively listening to the needs of the person you were interacting with.

Conflict Resolution Example

“Working in customer service, I find the best way to resolve conflicts with customers is to listen actively and empathetically to their concerns, validate their feelings, and work collaboratively to find a solution that addresses their needs and maintains a positive relationship with our company.”

11. Creativity

Creativity refers to being able to develop innovative ideas and unique solutions to known problems. It might involve implementing unconventional thinking patterns or ‘thinking outside the box’.

Creative people are valuable to employers because they often seek new ways of approaching problems that the workplace faces, which can result in improved efficiency and increased productivity.

On your resume, illustrate creativity by detailing past experiences where imaginative thinking led to breakthroughs that supported business objectives, such as generating new revenue streams or optimizing existing workflows.

Creativity Examples

“One of my soft skill strengths is creativity. This comes to the fore when I work in team brainstorming sessions, where I can come up with new out of the box ideas that can contribute to team goals.”

12. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively and make judgments based on the evidence.

Critical thinking is all about scrutinizing propositions thoroughly until all available evidence has been evaluated. We want to do this before coming to a conclusion.

To highlight critical thinking skills on your resume, use examples from previous experience where you were able to use logic, evidence, and reasoning models (e.g. a SWOT analysis) to identify issues and resolve them before they came problems.

Critical Thinking Examples

“I’m a strong critical thinker, which comes in useful when analyzing processes and procedures in the workplace, where I’ll often ask insightful questions about how they could be improved. This, I feel, helps to prevent issues before they arise and improve the products my teams produce.”

13. Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal intelligence includes the set of abilities that enable individuals to effectively interact with others.

These skills are highly desirable in the workplace because just about every workplace these days requires people to work and interact with others.

If you’ve got strong interpersonal skills, you are good at fostering an environment of trust, camaraderie, and high expectations.

Strong interpersonal skills can be demonstrated by explaining how you are effective at communication, active listening, empathy, adaptability, and collaboration.

Interpersonal Skills Example

“One of my strengths is that I am able to build and maintain positive business relationships with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds because I tend to know how to read people and communicate with them at their level.”

14. Self-motivation

People who are highly self-motivated are able to do tasks out of their own free will and initiative rather than relying on rewards, incentives, punishments, or deadlines.

We might also call this intrinsic motivation.

Most people do experience intrinsic motivation when they are doing tasks they genuinely enjoy. And this is why choosing a career path that excites you (meaning the day to day activities excite you!) can give you such a big advantage in life.

To demonstrate strong self-motivation capabilities on your resume, provide examples of where you took initiative irrespective of any job-role boundaries. Share details as to how you proactively identified areas of improvement in everyday tasks or proposed innovative ideas that made a positive impact on the organization you worked for.

Example of Self-Motivation

“I am a go-getter, always taking the initiative to find ways to improve my workplace or put my hand up to take-on challenging tasks because I thrive when I’m faced with challenges.”

15. Work Ethic

Work ethic is a set of values that guides an individual’s attitude and behavior towards work. It includes qualities such as reliability, professionalism, accountability, and diligence.

Essentially, all of these qualities that sum up “work ethic” are ones that are indicative of an employee who takes their responsibilities seriously.

To showcase a strong work ethic on your resume share examples that demonstrate your commitment to high standards of excellence in your previous roles. Highlight major accomplishments accomplished through committed effort.

Example of Work Ethic

“I pride myself in my work ethic, by which I mean, I come to work to engage in hard work, which I do independently (without the need for excessive oversight), because working hard makes me feel good about myself and how I’ve contributed to my team.:

Additional Soft Skills Examples

16. Patience : Patience is the ability to remain calm and composed in a situation that might take time to resolve. It could be a valuable skill for a person taking on a leadership role, or a research role that requires long-term commitment to overcoming a problem.

17. Organization: Organizational skills include the ability to optimize oneself for efficiency and productivity. For example, if you’re highly organized, you’ll have a clear schedule, be prepared for what’s coming, and ensure you assign enough time that you don’t miss deadlines.

18. Cultural Awareness: Cultural awareness involves being able to recognize, understand and respect different customs, beliefs, languages, backgrounds and traditions in an increasingly diverse world. It’s necessary when working in a culturally diverse workplace or with diverse clientele.

19. Decision-making skills: Decision-making refers to making sound choices after evaluating all the available facts. You might want to promote yourself as an effective decision-maker if you’re entering a position of management.

20. Attention to detail: This is a skill that entails being meticulous about even small things while maintaining accuracy. It’s necessary in jobs such as working as an executive assistant, bookkeeper, and accountant.

21. Initiative: Initiative refers to taking charge of one’s work without prompting or supervision from higher authorities. Employers highly value workers who go about solving problems and completing tasks without having to ask for help, so long as you don’t go outside the guidelines set by the employer!

22. Lifelong learning : Lifelong learning means constantly acquiring new knowledge and enhancing existing capabilities, irrespective of age or position in the workforce. This is highly valued in the workplace, as reflected in many workplaces’ foci on ‘professional development’ . 

25. Flexibility: Flexibility refers to adaptability towards change and willingness to adapt to new technologies, procedures, or new information that should change your practice. It manifests itself in traits like versatility, open-mindedness, critical thinking, and a  positive attitude in the face of adversity.

26. Positive Attitude: A positive attitude or enthusiasm are soft skills, but not ones I tend to recommend, because they’re vague and often used as filler-words when someone doesn’t actually have any direct experience they can point toward. 

27. Mentoring: A person with strong mentoring skills would be highly valued in a leadership role. To demonstrate your mentoring skills, talk about how you support your team mates, have patience in working with them, and like to encourage and watch your peers grow.

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

In writing this article, I came to realize there are countless soft skills, and I had to stop my list somewhere! Everything from “service-oriented” to “strong evaluation skills” are soft skills! Highlight your soft skills by giving personal anecdotes that show rather than simply tell people that you’re good at something.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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Problem-solving skills: What are they? + examples

Problem-solving skills are essential in all types of workplaces as well as in your wider life. This article takes you through the different types of problem-solving skills including how to improve them and demonstrate them in the job application process.

What are problem-solving skills?

Examples of problem-solving skills, how to improve problem-solving skills, how to include problem-solving skills in a cv, how to include problem-solving skills in a cover letter.

• Problem-solving interview questions

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Having great problem-solving skills allows you to handle situations you don’t expect or challenges you may face at work. Being able to utilise your problem-solving skills means you can assess complex problems well and form effective solutions. Not only is this great for your personal and professional lives; it makes you a valuable asset to any team.

These skills are crucial at all stages in your career, and strong problem-solving skills are important in a wide variety of jobs. Problem-solving skills are closely related to decision-making skills and communication skills. In order to effectively understand the problem and relay your solution, you need to communicate effectively with your team, plus be decisive in the approach you collectively take to the problem.

Since problem-solving skills are soft skills, you can easily improve them through practice. Learn how to solve problems creatively with the below Academy module.

CTA: Academy problem-solving module

Problem-solving can be split into various different skills which help build up your ability to effectively resolve an issue. Here are five potential sub-skills of problem-solving that you can use:

Research skills

This relates to your ability to find, draw out, organise and assess available information on a certain subject or situation. This includes data collection, time management, critical thinking and detail orientation, among other skills. Research skills are crucial when problem-solving so you have access to the correct information to solve the problem. 

Learn more about research skills and how you can develop yours.

Analytical skills      

Having great analytical skills means being able to effectively unpick a situation by effectively using the data available to you. Therefore, analytical skills are a combination of data analysis, critical thinking and visualisation among others. 

Decision-making skills

Whenever you choose to do something in your daily life, whether professional, academic or personal, you are demonstrating decision-making skills. Having effective decision-making skills means combining several aspects which you use to make the best decision in a given scenario, including logical reasoning, intuition, teamwork, conflict resolution, organisation and emotional intelligence.

Project management skills

In your professional life, there are likely to be projects or tasks that you’re assigned or you take on which you lead. This could be anything from minor tasks to shaking up a whole area of the business. Regardless of the size, if it’s your project to own, it requires project management skills. This involves communication, negotiation, time management and leadership to get your project done efficiently and within the agreed timeframe.

Want to learn more? Read this project management skills article.

Assessment skills

This is your ability to recognise how well something or someone has done. It might be reviewing the work a colleague has completed and addressing what needs to be improved upon and where the work is great, or it might be reflecting on an event, meeting, strategy session or other which you’ve been a part of or run recently and identifying the strengths and weaknesses. Assessment skills mean you can effectively assess the success of something and sometimes involve data analysis and interpretation skills to understand the full picture.

Learn how to develop your entire transferable skillset with this free online learning course. You'll also get a certificate once you complete the course that you can display on your CV and LinkedIn profile.

The level of your problem-solving skills is by no means fixed and you can take easy steps throughout your working day to improve upon them. Even if you have very strong problem-solving skills, it’s worth identifying if there are areas you could improve on. Follow these simple actions to improve your problem-solving skills:

Practice . The best way to improve on a skill is to take the time and practise it. This could include volunteering yourself to help when an issue arises at work or at home, identifying a long-standing issue and finding a solution for it or asking your friends, family or colleagues if there’s anything they’re stuck on that you can help with.

Be solution-focused . This may require a shift in mindset on your part. If you identify a problem or someone reaches out to you with a problem, instead of worrying about the issue itself, focus instead on the reasonable steps you can take to find a solution. Put the emphasis on finding an answer rather than over-assessing the problem.

Learn from others . A great way to learn is from others. If you can see a colleague or peer that is particularly good at solving problems, watch them! See what their process is and how they go about dealing with an issue. You can even ask them questions about how they came to a conclusion or practically solved the issue.

Improve your technical knowledge . Some problem-solving comes from having a greater understanding of the issue that you’re facing. For example, if you’re struggling to get a piece of software to do what you need it to, learn more about the software. You could watch videos, contact colleagues or peers who use the software more than you or even ask on a forum or the company’s helpline.

Use brainstorms to assess your ideas . Not all problem-solving needs to be done alone. A fantastic way to improve your skills is to learn from others. Try brainstorming with peers or colleagues around a problem and have each member of the group think up an idea on how you can resolve the issue. This way, you can bounce ideas off of each other and hopefully find a sensible solution collectively.

Simplify situations . Try not to over-complicate the issue. If you’re struggling to find the solution to the problem as a whole, break it down into a series of smaller issues to which you can find answers more easily. 

Seek feedback . Learn from experience. If you’ve recently worked on or solved a problem, ask the people you worked with, perhaps a colleague or a peer, to give you some feedback on how they think you did. Consider asking them some structured questions which would help you learn from the experience and their perspective of how you’ve performed so you can improve for next time.

Your CV is the ideal place to highlight all the great skills you’ve acquired to demonstrate why you’d be a fantastic employee in any role. Since problem-solving is such a widely sought-after skill, including it in your CV is a great way to make yourself noticed and prove you have the skill set the employer is looking for.

We recommend having a specific section in your CV dedicated to your skills under your employment history. In this section, you can name the skill, for example, problem-solving, project management and analytical skills. After you’ve named the skills, we recommend including a very brief one-line description of when you either acquired the skill or demonstrated it in your working, personal or academic life. This way, you’re proving you have the skill rather than just naming it.

Need some help making sure your CV is ready for applications? Read our guide on  how to write a CV including some great templates for you to download and customise.

Much like including your problem-solving skills in your CV, demonstrating them in your cover letter is another great way to get noticed by employers. This is your opportunity to expand on what you’ve written in your CV, so make sure to include practical examples on when you’ve shown the skills you’re claiming to have.

There are many ways that you can do this, and it depends on the structure you’re using for your cover letter. If you have lots of work experience, you can structure your cover letter around the different jobs you’ve had. Alternatively, if you don’t have a great deal of experience, you can structure your cover letter around the skills you’ve acquired throughout your professional, academic and personal life. Here are examples of how you can do this:

In my role as a customer service advisor, I demonstrated clear problem-solving skills. One of my tasks included helping make sure the shop was tidy and had no safety hazards for customers or staff. I recognised that customers were repeatedly leaving large items out of the shelves that they were meant to be stored in which blocked a fire door and therefore was a safety hazard. After identifying this issue, I reviewed the aisle and located a position away from the fire door which had smaller items being stored there. With the permission of my manager, I swapped over the items, preventing the hazard from reoccurring.

I have demonstrated my problem-solving skills in my prior experience. When I was social secretary for the History Society at my university, I was involved in organising the annual ball for our members. The first venue I booked for the event was cancelled just a week before the ball was supposed to take place. Instead of cancelling, I assessed the situation and researched local venues which would accommodate us. I found two possible options and managed to negotiate a reduction in price compared to the original quote. As such, we were able to secure a bigger venue allowing for more attendees to the event and saving money.

Need some help making sure your cover letter is perfect for your applications? Read our guides on  how to structure a cover letter and  how to write a good cover letter

Problem-solving interview questions and answers

Since problem-solving is such a key skill employers look for, it’s not uncommon for employers to ask you questions about it during an interview. In most cases, they’re trying to fully understand how you have dealt with a situation in the past, so they have an idea of how you would perform and behave if you were to solve a problem as their employee. Here are 10 interview questions about problem-solving that you might be asked at your next interview and examples of how you could respond:

What process do you follow when you identify a problem?

In general, I identify the problem, recognise all the factors influencing the problem I can, consult with someone else to make sure I’m not neglecting any factors, provide several solutions, assess the impact of each solution and select the solution which best solves the problem with minimal negative impact and maximum positive impact. One example of this was when I was part of a university society working to get sponsorship for our events. One local company approached us and suggested sponsoring us, but the company didn’t quite match the ethos of the society. After considering it myself and speaking with other committee members, we decided to go ahead with the sponsorship on the basis that the messaging of the company didn’t clash with or undermine that of the society and the money from the company could be used to do a lot of good in the community we’ve built.

How would you resolve an issue with an unsatisfied customer or client?

When working in retail, I occasionally had to deal with unhappy customers as this is part of the service. One time, a customer came in complaining that they had seen an item on the website but couldn’t find it in-store. I explained that we don’t offer the entire range of items from the website, but the customer was unhappy having travelled to get here. Instead of escalating the issue to my manager, I worked with the customer to find the item they wanted, order it for home delivery and secure them a small discount which they were eligible for but weren’t aware of.

Talk about a situation where you’ve had to change your approach at the last minute

Whilst studying, one of the projects for a module I completed was a group project. My group consisted of four members including myself. We all agreed to collaborate on the task and then set ourselves the task of collecting data on a topic we agreed upon and coming together to combine it into a presentation and practice before the assessment. However, one member of the group became unwell a week before the presentation. Therefore, I was sent all the information that the group member had collected so far, researched deeper into the topic since it’s not my area of expertise, and combined my existing information with the group member’s and my additional research. Overall, we had a very successful presentation which we scored highly in. 

Talk about a time you’ve taken charge when solving a problem

During my time working in retail, my manager left the store to deal with a delivery and my colleague and I stayed to serve customers. During the time my manager was unavailable, one of the tills stopped working, cutting down the number of customers we could serve at one time by half. Instead of running out to get my manager to deal with the issue, I told my colleague to continue serving customers with the working till while I troubleshot the issue, first with my own understanding of the system and then by calling our IT-Support who were able to access the till remotely and resolve the fault.

To summarise, here are the most important pieces of information for you to take away:

• Problem-solving is a highly sought-after skill by employers. You should be able to demonstrate an instance in which you’ve dealt with a problem, either on your own or with a group, to show the employer you have the skill.
• Problem-solving includes several different skills including analytical skills, research skills, decision-making skills, project management skills and assessment skills.
• There are numerous ways for you to improve your problem-solving skills, so don’t feel that you can’t get better.

You can include your problem-solving skills in your CV and cover letter and talk about them in an interview to help you show an employer you’re a great candidate and have the right soft skills for the role. Want to improve on other soft skills? Read our soft skills employers value article. 

Browse thousands of available graduate jobs, schemes and more and demonstrate to employers that you're able to use your problem-solving skills to succeed at interview and in your early career. 

100 Examples of Soft Skills for Your Resume in 2024

Soft skills are the interpersonal attributes that enable us to effectively communicate and interact with others. These skills are often intangible but highly desirable in the workplace to build strong relationships with colleagues and clients.

Soft skills can be defined as personal attributes that enable us to communicate and interact effectively with others. These skills include communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and leadership. Soft skills are essential in creating a positive work culture and fostering collaboration among team members.

Importance of Soft Skills in the Workplace

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive job market, possessing technical expertise alone is not enough to succeed. Employers are now placing equal importance on candidates’ soft skills as they do on hard skills. According to a report by Deloitte, 92% of hiring managers believe that soft skills are critical to their organization’s success.

With excellent soft skills, employees can communicate more effectively, understand and adapt to new situations, and are better equipped to handle workplace conflicts. Soft skills also play a vital role in building strong relationships with colleagues and clients, leading to increased job satisfaction and long-term career growth.

Soft skills play a crucial role in the success of any organization, and it’s essential for job seekers to list them on their resumes. In the next section, we will provide 100 examples of soft skills that can be incorporated into your resume to showcase your abilities to potential employers.

Communication Skills

Effective communication skills are essential for success in any job. Hiring managers are always on the lookout for candidates who can communicate well with diverse teams and clients, and who can manage complex situations with ease. Here are some key skills that will help you showcase your communication skills on your resume.

A. Verbal Communication

Active Listening : Active listening means not only hearing what someone else is saying but also understanding their perspective and responding appropriately. It’s a critical skill for building relationships, generating trust, and resolving conflicts. You can show your active listening skills by asking questions, summarizing what the speaker has said, and giving feedback.

Clarity and Conciseness : Clarity and conciseness in verbal communication are crucial for making sure that your message is understood. Avoid using jargon, acronyms, or excessive detail that can confuse your audience. Always try to get to the point quickly while providing enough context for your audience to understand.

Public Speaking : Public speaking is a valuable skill that demonstrates confidence, poise, and the ability to convey complex ideas to a large audience. You can show your public speaking skills by giving presentations, leading workshops or seminars, and participating in industry events.

B. Non-Verbal Communication

Body Language : Body language includes facial expressions, gestures, and posture. It’s an essential part of communication, and it can influence how your message is received. Positive body language can demonstrate confidence, interest, and sincerity, while negative body language can undermine your credibility and message.

Eye Contact : Eye contact is critical for building trust and engagement. It shows that you are paying attention, listening, and interested in what the other person is saying. Avoid staring or looking away from the speaker, as this can be interpreted as disinterest or disrespect.

Tone and Inflection : Your tone and inflection can have a significant impact on how your message is received. Use a tone that matches the situation, whether it’s serious or lighthearted. Avoid using a monotone voice, as this can make your message sound dull and unengaging.

Strong communication skills are essential for any job. Make sure to showcase your communication skills on your resume by giving examples of how you have used your verbal and non-verbal communication skills to achieve success.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills refer to the ability to communicate and interact effectively with others. Employers look for these skills in their employees since they have a direct impact on workplace productivity and employee satisfaction. Here are some examples of interpersonal skills:

A. Collaboration and Teamwork

Collaboration and teamwork are important because they are essential to achieving workplace goals. Individuals with great collaboration and teamwork skills can work effectively with other team members to achieve a common objective. Here are some examples of these skills:

Building Relationships:  This involves creating and maintaining positive relationships with coworkers. It can be achieved through effective communication, understanding coworkers’ needs, and working towards the same goal.

Sharing Resources:  When employees share resources, they help each other achieve their goals more effectively. Sharing resources may involve sharing equipment, documents, or knowledge.

Showing Empathy:  Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Employees with empathy are better able to relate to their coworkers, which can lead to a more productive and harmonious workplace.

B. Conflict Resolution

Conflict is an inevitable part of any workplace. Employees with excellent conflict resolution skills can manage conflicts effectively, leading to positive outcomes. Here are some examples of conflict resolution skills:

Active Listening:  This involves paying attention to what the other person is saying, without interrupting or making assumptions. Active listening is an essential component of effective communication.

Finding Common Ground:  When there is a conflict between employees, finding common ground can help bring about a resolution. This can be achieved by identifying shared goals and interests.

Negotiation Skills:  Negotiation skills involve finding a mutually beneficial outcome to a conflict. Employees with negotiation skills can work towards a solution that benefits both parties.

Interpersonal skills are valuable in the workplace. Collaboration and teamwork skills involve building relationships, sharing resources, and showing empathy. Conflict resolution skills involve active listening, finding common ground, and negotiation skills. Incorporating these skills into your resume can make you a more attractive candidate to employers.

Leadership Skills

When it comes to soft skills, leadership stands out as one of the most important. Employers are always on the lookout for team leaders who can make decisions and manage their time effectively. Here are some essential leadership skills to showcase on your resume:

A. Decision-Making

Effective leaders must be able to make difficult decisions quickly and confidently. These skills come with experience, but they also require the ability to analyze information, problem-solve, and think critically.

1. Analyzing Information

Leaders must be able to gather and evaluate data to make informed decisions. This skill requires attention to detail, statistical analysis capabilities, and the ability to identify patterns and anomalies within a dataset.

2. Problem-Solving

Every leader will encounter problems at some point, and the effective solution requires an analytical approach that takes into account all the facts and stakeholders involved. Problem-solving is the process that leads to effective and efficient solutions that contribute to the success of the business.

3. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is at the core of effective leadership. This skill enables you to analyze both the positive and negative aspects of a situation to make informed decisions with a comprehensive outlook.

B. Time Management

Time is a precious resource, and mastering time management skills is vital for effective leadership. It’s paramount to know how to prioritize, meet deadlines, and delegate tasks to ensure that work gets done effectively and efficiently.

1. Prioritization

Effective leaders are skilled in organizing duties and prioritizing them based on the business’s needs. They concentrate on high priority tasks first, understanding that some tasks are more valuable and require more attention.

2. Meeting Deadlines

Deadlines are a crucial aspect of business operations. Leaders must possess time management skills to meet project deadlines with all tasks covered with quality and precision.

3. Delegation

Delegation is an art, and an effective team leader knows how to properly delegate tasks and responsibilities to the right people at the right time. That way, it’s possible to ensure everyone’s efforts are in line with business goals, every task is covered well, and the workload is equitably distributed.

To conclude, decision-making, and time management skills are fundamental to effective leadership. These are just a few examples of the essential words recruiters want to see on a resume. Highlighting these examples along with their relevant work experience enhances the chance of securing employment.

Work Ethic Skills

Work ethic skills are essential in the workplace. Employers value employees who demonstrate reliability and initiative. It shows that they are capable of delivering quality work and meeting deadlines. Here are some of the work ethic skills that you can include in your resume:

A. Reliability

Reliability is a sought-after quality in the workplace. It means that an employee is trustworthy, consistent, and able to deliver results. Some of the most important attributes of reliable employees are accountability, dependability, and punctuality.

1. Accountability

Accountability is about taking ownership of your actions and their consequences. In the workplace, it means that you are responsible for meeting your deadlines, completing your tasks, and delivering quality work. You should also be willing to accept responsibility when something goes wrong and work to make it right.

2. Dependability

Dependability is about being consistently reliable. It means that you can be counted on to deliver quality work, meet deadlines, and follow through on your commitments. Dependable employees are valuable because they can be trusted to do their job well without constant supervision.

3. Punctuality

Punctuality is an essential part of being reliable. It means that you arrive on time for work, meetings, and appointments. Punctual employees demonstrate respect for their colleagues’ time and are more likely to be productive throughout the day.

B. Initiative

Initiative is the ability to take action and solve problems independently. It shows that you are proactive and willing to go above and beyond to meet the needs of the organization. Initiative also includes being resourceful and accepting responsibility for your decisions.

1. Taking Action

Taking action is about identifying problems and finding solutions. It means that you don’t wait for instructions but take the initiative to get things done. Taking action also includes being willing to ask questions, explore new ideas, and take calculated risks.

2. Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness is the ability to find creative solutions to problems. It means being able to think outside the box, and coming up with innovative ideas that can help the organization. Resourceful employees can also leverage their skills and knowledge to overcome challenges.

3. Accepting Responsibility

Accepting responsibility is about owning your actions and the consequences that come with them. It means admitting when you make a mistake and working to make it right. Accepting responsibility also includes learning from your mistakes and using them as an opportunity for growth.

Work ethic skills are vital for success in the workplace. Employers value employees who are reliable and take the initiative to drive results. You can demonstrate these skills by being accountable, dependable, punctual, resourceful, and willing to take the initiative. These examples of soft skills will help you stand out from other candidates and add value to your organization.

Adaptability Skills

Adaptability is a crucial soft skill that employers look for in a candidate. It refers to one’s ability to adjust to new situations, conditions or changes in the work environment. An adaptable employee can respond quickly to change, think creatively and remain flexible in their approach. There are two main components of Adaptability Skills: Flexibility and Resilience.

A. Flexibility

• Adapting to Change

Flexibility is the ability to be open to changes and adapt your work style, approach or methods to suit the new circumstances. Change is a constant in the workplace, and an adaptable employee can navigate it with ease. An adaptable employee understands that when things do not go according to plan, they must stay calm and reassess the situation to see how they can contribute to finding the solution.

• Learning New Skills

Learning new skills is an essential part of adaptation. An adaptable employee can quickly learn and apply new information to their work task, ultimately expanding their skill set. They are always willing to learn new skills that can help their team and organization grow.

• Accepting Feedback

Being adaptable means accepting constructive feedback from others, including colleagues and superiors. Feedback is critical in helping an employee improve, refine their skills and enhance their performance. As an adaptable employee, those who provide feedback are seen as helpful and, in some cases, essential sources of information to help the employee be more effective at their job.

B. Resilience

• Coping with Challenges

Resilience is one’s ability to cope with challenges, setbacks and obstacles in the workplace. It refers to the capacity to take action under stress or pressure while maintaining a positive attitude. A resilient employee rebounds from adversity without being negatively affected for prolonged periods.

• Recovering from Failure

They say failure is an opportunity in disguise. An adaptable employee can recover from failure and use unforeseen circumstances as learning opportunities. This positive attitude and perspective helps them keep moving forward and strengthens an individual in the long-term.

• Persistence

Perseverance leads to success, and resilience often equates with persistence. An adaptable employee does not give up quickly, but instead persists until they achieve their goals. Persistence is a critical attribute that is valued by organizations worldwide as it is demonstrated in the importance of persistence on goal achievement.

Adaptability is a unique and essential combination of flexibility and resilience. It enables an employee to respond to changes in the work environment effectively, learn new skills, cope with challenges, recover from failure, and persist toward their goals. By showcasing these skills, you can impress employers and add value to your professional profile. ** Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills

When creating a resume, highlighting one’s soft skills is just as important as listing one’s technical skills. Soft skills are abilities that are difficult to quantify but are nonetheless essential in any employee. Creativity and problem-solving skills are just two examples of critical soft skills that employers look for in candidates. Here are some guidelines in highlighting these skills in your resume.

A. Innovation

• Thinking Outside the Box

Innovation refers to the ability to come up with new and effective ideas. This skill requires an individual to look for alternatives and think outside the box. By showcasing this skill on a resume, a candidate can show potential employers that they can formulate novel solutions that will improve the organization’s overall performance.

• Brainstorming Ideas

Brainstorming Ideasis the process of generating a lot of diverse ideas in a short amount of time. By highlighting this skill, candidates can emphasize their ability to work creatively as part of a team. Employers will appreciate a candidate who can collaborate effectively and develop a wide variety of innovative ideas.

• Implementing Solutions

Implementing solutions requires turning ideas into reality. Having this skill showcases a candidate’s ability to carry out plans effectively. Employers look for candidates who can not only generate ideas but who can also execute them efficiently.

B. Problem-Solving

• Identifying Problems

Identifying problems is a critical skill required to overcome any obstacle or challenge. By highlighting this skill in your resume, you signal your ability to recognize issues and adjust accordingly, which is a desirable trait for any employer.

• Analyzing Root Causes

Analyzing root causes is the process of identifying the underlying reasons behind issues or problems. By displaying this skill on a resume, candidates can prove their ability to think logically and critically. Employers seek employees who are not only good at identifying problems but also at determining the root cause.

• Recommending Solutions

Recommending solutions to problems is the final stage in problem-solving. It requires coming up with feasible solutions that will improve processes or rectify issues within the organization. By showcasing this skill on a resume, candidates can demonstrate their ability to think creatively and positively impact the organization.

Creativity and problem-solving skills are highly valued in today’s fast-paced business environment. These skills allow individuals to develop innovative and effective solutions to complex problems. By highlighting these skills on your resume, you demonstrate your ability to bring value to the organization and differentiate yourself from other candidates. If you’re looking to improve your resume, you’ll want to highlight your soft skills – those intangible qualities that make you a great employee beyond your technical abilities. One key area to focus on is attitude and character skills, and there are many different examples you could choose to include.

Let’s start with positive attitude skills. These are the skills that help you maintain a positive outlook and attitude, even when things aren’t going well. Some key examples include:

Optimism: Being able to see the bright side of things, even in challenging situations, is a valuable skill in any workplace. Employers want employees who can stay positive and focused even in the face of obstacles.

Enthusiasm: This is the ability to bring energy and excitement to your work. Whether you’re working on a new project or just tackling a routine task, enthusiasm can help you stay motivated and engaged.

Respecting Others: Showing respect for your colleagues and superiors is an important part of maintaining a positive workplace culture. This means treating everyone with kindness and consideration, and being willing to listen to others’ perspectives.

Moving on to work ethics skills. These are the skills that help you be a reliable and productive employee. Here are some key examples:

Integrity: This is the quality of being honest and transparent in your work. Employers want employees who will do the right thing even when no one is watching.

Trustworthiness: Being trustworthy means that your colleagues and superiors can rely on you to follow through on your commitments. This means being accountable and dependable in everything you do.

Accountability: Taking responsibility for your actions is a key part of being a good employee. This means owning up to mistakes and taking steps to correct them, as well as being willing to share feedback and work collaboratively to improve outcomes.

Highlighting your attitude and character skills on your resume is a great way to show potential employers that you’re not just a great worker, but a great person to work with. Whether you’re optimistic, enthusiastic, respectful, honest, reliable or accountable, these skills can help you stand out from the crowd and land your dream job.

Examples of Soft Skills

Soft skills are essential when it comes to the workplace. Oftentimes, it’s not just about what you know, but how you communicate, collaborate, and solve problems with others. Here are some examples of soft skills that you can add to your resume:

1. Communication Skills

Communication skills are crucial in any job position. Whether it’s written or verbal, being able to effectively communicate with colleagues, clients, and customers is key. Some communication skills to highlight on your resume include:

• Active listening
• Public speaking
• Writing skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Negotiation skills

2. Leadership Skills

Having strong leadership skills can set you apart in the workplace. Not only can you effectively manage a team, but you can also motivate and encourage others to succeed. Some leadership skills to showcase on your resume may include:

• Team management
• Decision-making skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Visionary skills
• Coaching and mentoring skills

3. Collaboration Skills

Collaboration skills are essential when working in a team environment. Being able to work together to accomplish a common goal is critical for project success. Some collaboration skills to add to your resume could include:

• Teamwork skills
• Cross-functional collaboration skills

4. Problem-solving Skills

In today’s fast-paced work environment, problem-solving skills are in high demand. Being able to quickly assess, analyze, and find solutions to complex problems is a valuable skill. Some problem-solving skills to highlight on your resume could include:

• Analytical skills
• Critical thinking

5. Adaptability

The ability to adapt and embrace change is essential in today’s workplace. Whether it’s a change in company direction or new technology, being flexible and adaptable is a soft skill that employers value. Some ways to showcase your adaptability on your resume could include:

• Learning agility
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment
• Flexibility in work hours
• Openness to feedback and constructive criticism
• Willingness to take on new challenges

Soft skills are critical in the workplace and should be highlighted on your resume. By showcasing your communication, leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability skills, you can set yourself apart from other candidates and demonstrate your ability to succeed in any job position.

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10 Soft Skills Every Data Scientist Should Know

Data science is an evolving field that combines technical skills with the ability to analyze and interpret data.

While technical skills are crucial for success in this field, data scientists also need to possess a range of soft skills.

Soft skills are personal attributes that enable individuals to interact effectively and harmoniously with others.

In the context of data science, soft skills are essential for collaboration, problem-solving, and effective communication.

We explore the importance of soft skills in data science and highlight the top 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

We will also provide tips on how to develop these skills and enhance your capabilities in the field.

The top 10 soft skills for data scientists

1. Emotional intelligence: a key skill for data scientists

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions and empathize with others.

In data science, emotional intelligence is crucial for building relationships, resolving conflicts, and effectively collaborating with colleagues.

Data scientists with high emotional intelligence can navigate complex social dynamics, adapt to different personalities, and build strong professional relationships, which ultimately improves teamwork and project outcomes.

This is the first of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

2. Problem-solving abilities in data science

Problem-solving is one of the fundamental 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

Data scientists encounter complex problems regularly and must be able to think critically, analyze data , and develop innovative solutions.

Effective problem-solving involves breaking down complex issues into manageable components, conducting thorough analyses, and applying creative and logical thinking.

Refining problem-solving abilities enables data scientists to deliver accurate and actionable insights to drive decision-making processes.

3. Adaptability in the data science field

In the rapidly evolving field of data science, adaptability is crucial. Data scientists must be open to learning new technologies, methodologies, and approaches.

They should embrace change and be willing to experiment with different tools and techniques.

Adaptability allows data scientists to remain agile and responsive to emerging trends, ensuring that their skills and knowledge remain relevant in a constantly evolving industry.

Adaptability is certainly one of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

4. Leadership skills for data scientists

Leadership skills are valuable for data scientists, even if they may not hold formal leadership positions.

Data scientists often need to lead projects, coordinate team efforts, and influence decision-making processes.

Strong leadership skills enable data scientists to inspire and motivate their team members, set clear goals, and facilitate effective communication within the team.

Leadership skills also help data scientists gain visibility within their organizations and advance their careers, making this one of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

5. Time management skills in data science

Data science projects can be time-intensive, with tight deadlines and multiple competing priorities, which is why time management is one of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

Effective time management skills enable data scientists to prioritize tasks, allocate resources efficiently, and meet project milestones.

Data scientists should be able to plan and organize their work effectively, ensuring that they can deliver high-quality results within the given time frame.

Time management skills also reduce stress and increase productivity.

6. Negotiation skills for data scientists

Data scientists often need to negotiate with stakeholders, such as business leaders or clients, to ensure that their recommendations are implemented.

Negotiation skills allow data scientists to advocate for their ideas, address concerns, and find common ground.

Effective negotiation skills help data scientists influence decision-making processes and ensure that data-driven insights are utilized to drive positive outcomes.

Being skilled negotiators also helps data scientists build positive relationships with stakeholders, fostering ongoing collaboration and trust. That is why negotiation skills are included in the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

7. Conflict resolution in the data science field

Conflict can arise in any professional setting, and data science is no exception. Data scientists need to have strong conflict-resolution skills to address disagreements and maintain harmonious working relationships.

Effective conflict resolution involves active listening, empathy, and finding mutually beneficial solutions.

By resolving conflicts efficiently, data scientists can preserve team cohesion, enhance productivity, and maintain a positive work environment.

8. Critical thinking skills for data scientists

Critical thinking is one of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know.

Critical thinkers are able to analyze information objectively, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions.

In data science, critical thinking enables data scientists to challenge assumptions, validate data quality, and identify hidden patterns or trends.

By honing critical thinking skills, data scientists can enhance the accuracy and relevance of their insights, providing a solid foundation for decision-making.

9. Creativity in data science

Though it may come as a surprise, Creativity is also one of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know. Creativity is valuable in data science, as it enables data scientists to generate innovative approaches and uncover unique insights.

Creative data scientists can think outside the box, combine unrelated ideas, and propose unconventional solutions.

By encouraging creativity, data scientists can push the boundaries of traditional analyses and develop new methodologies to extract valuable insights from data.

10. Project management skills for data scientists

The last of the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know is effective project management skills.

Data science projects involve multiple tasks, stakeholders, and deliverables, which necessitates strong project management skills.

Data scientists with project management expertise can plan, organize, and monitor project progress, ensuring that timelines and objectives are met.

By applying project management principles, data scientists can achieve successful project outcomes, deliver high-quality results, and gain recognition for their work.

How to develop the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know

Tips for improving your emotional intelligence.

Developing emotional intelligence requires self-reflection and a willingness to understand and manage one’s emotions.

Practice active listening, empathy, and self-awareness to strengthen your emotional intelligence.

Seek feedback from others and be open to constructive criticism. Engage in activities that promote self-awareness and emotional regulation, such as meditation or journaling.

Strategies for enhancing problem-solving abilities

Improve problem-solving skills by regularly engaging in puzzles, logical reasoning exercises, and data analysis challenges.

Seek out opportunities to collaborate with others on problem-solving tasks. Take a systematic approach to problem-solving by breaking down complex issues into smaller, more manageable components.

Be flexible and open to different perspectives, as they can lead to innovative solutions.

Ways to become more adaptable in data science

Boost adaptability by seeking out new learning opportunities and staying up to date with the latest trends in data science.

Embrace change and seek out opportunities to experiment with different tools and methodologies. Take on new challenges or roles that require you to step outside your comfort zone.

Always be open to feedback and learn from experiences to continuously enhance your adaptability.

Developing leadership skills in the data science field

Develop leadership skills by seeking out leadership opportunities within your organization or community.

Take on projects that require you to coordinate and guide team efforts. Attend leadership workshops or training programs to enhance your knowledge and skills.

Engage in self-reflection and gather feedback from colleagues and mentors to identify areas for improvement.

Improving time management skills for data science

Enhance time management skills by prioritizing tasks based on their urgency and importance.

Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks and set clear deadlines for each. Avoid multitasking and focus on one task at a time.

Use time management tools or techniques, such as Pomodoro Technique or time-blocking, to improve productivity and ensure efficient use of time.

While technical skills are essential for data scientists, the 10 soft skills every data scientist should know also play a crucial role in their success.

The ability to communicate effectively, work well in teams, demonstrate emotional intelligence, and possess other key soft skills separate exceptional data scientists from the rest.

To gain both the education and the experience you need for a career in data science, consider exploring the Institute of Data’s comprehensive Data Science & AI program .

Alternatively, we invite you to schedule a complimentary career consultation with a member of our team to discuss the program in more detail.

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FinanceBuzz

15 Essential Soft Skills if You Want to Move Ahead in Your Career

Posted: December 27, 2023 | Last updated: December 27, 2023

In the fast-paced world of professional advancement, technical expertise alone is not enough to secure career growth. Soft skills — often referred to as interpersonal or people skills — are indispensable if you want to climb the career ladder.

Soft skills help workers collaborate effectively, communicate persuasively, and adapt seamlessly to dynamic work environments.

Here are 15 essential soft skills that are crucial if you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck .

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Communication

Strong communication skills help you articulate ideas clearly and listen more actively. Communicating well fosters collaboration minimizes misunderstandings, and cultivates an environment where ideas flow seamlessly.

Whether conveying complex concepts or fostering team dynamics, effective communication builds bridges and lays the groundwork for professional advancement.

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Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence encompasses self-awareness and empathy for others. Connecting with colleagues on a deeper level helps you resolve conflicts and foster workplace harmony.

People who are skilled at emotional intelligence build positive relationships and create a culture of understanding.

Adaptability

In today's ever-evolving workplace, it is crucial to successfully face shifting demands, learn new technologies, and deal with unexpected circumstances.

Adaptability helps professionals navigate rapidly changing environments with ease. Those who embrace new challenges, quickly acquire new skills, and change strategies when necessary are better positioned to seize emerging opportunities.

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Problem-solving abilities

The ability to solve problems is integral to career growth. You must be able to analyze complex issues, identify underlying causes, and devise effective solutions.

Professionals adept at critical thinking and creating innovative solutions contribute to constant improvement within their organizations.

Time management

Effective time management is about prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and minimizing procrastination.

Strong time management skills boost personal effectiveness and contribute to team success and organizational growth.

Collaboration

The ability to collaborate helps you seamlessly integrate into teams and communicate transparently.

By valuing the collective wisdom and skills of colleagues, you can cultivate an environment of mutual support and innovation and better navigate today’s interconnected professional world.

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Professionals with solid leadership qualities contribute to a positive work culture, encourage the professional development of others, and play a pivotal role in helping their company succeed.

Leaders position themselves as influential agents of change, capable of driving both their own growth and the advancement of their teams.

Critical thinking

Those who excel in critical thinking approach challenges strategically. They dissect problems methodically and contribute to innovative solutions.

Cultivating this skill means enhancing your problem-solving abilities, becoming an effective decision-maker, and driving continuous improvement.

Conflict resolution

Workers skilled in conflict resolution help settle disagreements constructively by mediating disputes and assisting colleagues in finding common ground. 

This helps create a harmonious work environment, enhances teamwork, and supports effective communication.

By navigating conflicts with empathy and tact, you can showcase your ability to contribute to a positive and collaborative workplace culture.

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Networking is a cornerstone of career growth. Building relationships with colleagues, mentors, and peers opens doors to opportunities and cultivates collaborations that propel success.

By nurturing a diverse network, you gain access to valuable resources, which helps you thrive in today's interconnected professional landscape.

Creativity is all about thinking outside the box. By nurturing creativity, you can contribute to transformative change in your workplace.

Creative thinkers possess the power to reimagine possibilities. That makes them valuable in tackling and solving complex problems.

Resilience helps you navigate setbacks while maintaining a positive outlook. Resilient professionals demonstrate the capacity to overcome adversity, maintain focus, and emerge stronger from trials.

By embracing challenges as opportunities for growth, you can showcase your ability to adapt, thrive, and contribute positively to the workplace.

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Empathy is crucial for career growth. This skill involves understanding and sharing the emotions of others, and it can enhance interpersonal relationships.

By genuinely valuing others' perspectives, empathetic individuals cultivate trust and open channels for effective communication and mutual respect.

Negotiation

Those who negotiate well are skilled at reconciling differing viewpoints and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. Professionals adept at negotiation bridge gaps find common ground, and secure agreements that satisfy all parties involved.

This skill requires effective communication, strategic thinking, and an understanding of various perspectives.

Presentation skills

Whether addressing clients, colleagues, or superiors, strong presentation skills help you convey confidence, engage the audience, and effectively communicate ideas.

Professionals who master presentation skills command credibility and inspire action. By delivering compelling presentations, individuals showcase their ability to lead discussions, share knowledge, and leave a lasting impression.

Bottom line

Whether your ambitions involve leadership roles or simply fostering better collaboration, soft skills are important if you want to grow your career and get ahead financially .

Developing them is also one of the best investments you can make in growing your career.

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