8+ Problem Solving Skills for Your Job Application

Problem solving skills are transferable skills that help you analyze information to identify the core of an issue, and then solve it.

Here’s a list of the top skills for your resume that’ll demonstrate your competence in problem solving:

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is a technical skill that involves identifying the root cause of a technical issue and developing a plan to solve it.

If you’re pursuing a career in IT, engineering, or telecommunications, highlight your troubleshooting skills on your resume to convince hiring managers that you have the technical skills required to solve problems efficiently at work.

Here’s an example of troubleshooting demonstrated in the bullet points of a resume:

• Diagnosed and resolved software and network issues for a team of 50+ employees, reducing system downtime by 20% through efficient troubleshooting and root cause analysis

Creativity

Creativity is a soft skill that’s commonly associated with artists and graphic designers. However, it’s also valuable for workers in any industry, because it facilitates innovation and problem solving. Creative thinking also means approaching issues from new angles, making it a useful problem solving skill.

You can demonstrate creativity on your resume like this:

• Created a new scheduling system as a receptionist, integrating automated reminders and color-coded calendars, which decreased appointment no-shows by 30% and improved front desk efficiency

Teamwork

Knowing how to work with others and solve issues as a team is an essential problem solving skill. If your target role requires problem solving abilities, highlight your teamwork skills when writing your resume.

Effective teamwork requires the ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each team member, and working together while maximizing everyone’s strengths. Demonstrating your teamwork skills on your resume will ensure that your collective problem solving skills get noticed.

Here’s an example:

• Collaborated with a cross-departmental team to implement a new customer support ticketing system, leveraging each member’s expertise to reduce response times by 20% and improve customer satisfaction scores

Brainstorming

Brainstorming means collecting ideas and solutions for a problem, either on your own or with your colleagues. Coming up with different solutions to a complex issue encourages innovation and group engagement.

Here’s an example of demonstrating brainstorming on a resume:

• Facilitated a rapid ideation session with the marketing team to develop new campaign strategies, resulting in 15 actionable ideas and a 25% increase in product sales during the following quarter

Analysis

Analytical skills help you process information to make informed decisions, and usually refer to analyzing data.

Fields that require analytical skills include accounting, data analysis, and marketing analysis. Effectively show your strong analytical skills by demonstrating how you’ve interpreted and organized data.

Here’s an example of analysis demonstrated on a resume:

• Analyzed customer purchase data as a Marketing Analyst to identify trends, resulting in a 20% improvement in targeted ad performance and a 15% increase in revenue over three months

Research

Discovering the root of a problem is an essential problem solving skill, and doing that is all about research. Show your ability to collect and interpret information to solve problems by mentioning a specific project or instance where you did so. Describe the tools or methods you used as well as the outcome.

Here’s an example of research demonstrated in the bullet points of a resume:

• Conducted market research using surveys and competitor analysis tools to identify gaps in product offerings, leading to the launch of a new service that increased client acquisition by 30% within six months

Communication

When solving problems at work, communication skills are essential. Clear communication makes it possible to explain to managers and colleagues why your proposed solution to a problem will be effective.

It’s also essential when solving problems on a team, so demonstrate both your written and verbal communication skills in your resume bullet points to show you’re ready for a collaborative role.

Here’s an example of communication skills demonstrated on a resume:

• Presented a detailed proposal to senior management outlining a cost-saving initiative, effectively communicating the benefits and securing approval, resulting in a 15% reduction in operational expenses within three months

Decision making

After you’ve determined the scope, cause, and potential solutions to a problem, you need to decide which solution will deliver the best results.

If you can’t make well-informed decisions regarding the next steps of the problem solving process you’re not going to be able to solve it effectively, even if you understand the different elements of the problem itself.

Here’s an example of decision making skills on a resume:

• Assessed various software solutions as an IT Specialist and implemented the most efficient option, decreasing system downtime by 30% and improving team productivity by 15%

How to improve your problem solving skills

Want to get better at problem solving? Here are three ways to develop strong problem solving skills:

1. Step outside of your comfort zone

Opportunities for problem solving often arise when we challenge ourselves and try something new.

Take a course in a new subject, volunteer in your community, or get involved in a new project at work for opportunities to hone and apply your problem solving skills.

2. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Try not to feel defeated if your efforts to solve an issue don’t immediately succeed, or if the outcome isn’t what you expected.

Instead, examine what went wrong and how you can avoid making the same mistake again. Learning from your mistakes will allow you to make steady progress in developing your problem solving skills.

3. Welcome feedback

Listening to feedback from coworkers with more advanced problem solving skills than yourself is one of the most effective ways of learning new problem solving methods.

If a solution you proposed isn’t as effective as you expected, don’t be afraid to acknowledge your limitations and ask for input from colleagues. Often, they’ll be able to point out what you could’ve done differently to achieve a better outcome.

How to demonstrate your problem solving skills to employers

Now that you know what problem solving skills are and how to develop them, here’s how to demonstrate your problem solving skills in your job application.

On your resume

Your resume’s skills section gives hiring managers a quick overview of your greatest strengths, but if your target role involves daily problem solving, you should showcase your problem solving skills throughout your resume.

When detailing your work experience on your resume, use the PAR (problem, action, results) method to give specific examples of when you used your problem solving skills in a professional setting.

Yolaine explains the PAR method in this TikTok video:

@resumegenius If you want to impress recruiters with your resume, you must showcase your work achievements, not your responsibilities. The PAR (Problem – Action – Result) is a great way to do so 📝 Watch this video to learn how to use this method and land for job interviews 👍 🔸 More tips on how to highlight your achievements on your resume here: resumegeniusDOTme/highlight-achievements-on-resume #interviewtips #interviewquestions #interviewskills #interviewprep ♬ Chill Vibes – Tollan Kim

Here’s an example of a resume bullet point that demonstrates problem solving skills, written using the PAR method:

• Reduced customer wait time by implementing streamlined record look-up process, resulting in 50% shorter wait times on average and 500% more five-star reviews on Google maps

Using hard numbers and percentages to back up your resume skills makes the impact of your contributions more clear.

In your cover letter

When you write a cover letter for a position that requires strong problem solving skills, highlight them in your opening paragraph, like in the following example:

I’m excited to apply for the Marketing Coordinator role at Visual Marketing Associates, where I can put my proven problem-solving skills to work. As a Project Assistant at Precast Solutions, I streamlined our client onboarding process, cutting sign-up time by 35%. I love breaking down challenges, identifying root causes, and delivering solutions that genuinely make a difference.

When you start your cover letter by mentioning your problem solving, you show employers that you can bring real value to the role you’re applying for.

More skills to add to your resume

Here’s a list of other common skills to add to your resume.

• Computer skills
• People skills
• Language skills
• Organizational skills
• Time management skills
• Management skills
• Multitasking skills
• Collaboration skills
• Interpersonal skills