What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Definition & Examples of Problem-Solving Skills

•••
BY
ALISON DOYLE

Updated October 21, 2020

Problem-solving skills help you determine why an issue is happening and how to resolve that issue.

Learn more about problem-solving skills and how they work.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills help you solve issues quickly and effectively. It's one of the key skills that
employers seek in job applicants, as employees with these skills tend to be self-reliant. Problem-
solving skills require quickly identifying the underlying issue and implementing a solution.

Problem-solving is considered a soft skill (a personal strength) rather than a hard skill that's learned
through education or training. You can improve your problem-solving skills by familiarizing yourself
with common issues in your industry and learning from more experienced employees.

How Problem-Solving Skills Work

Problem-solving starts with identifying the issue. For example, a teacher might need to figure out how
to improve student performance on a writing proficiency test. To do that, the teacher will review the
writing tests looking for areas of improvement. They might see that students can construct simple
sentences, but they're struggling with writing paragraphs and organizing those paragraphs into an
essay.

To solve the problem, the teacher would work with students on how and when to write compound
sentences, how to write paragraphs, and ways to organize an essay.

Theresa Chiechi / The Balance

There are five steps typically used in problem-solving.

1. Analyze Contributing Factors

To solve a problem, you must find out what caused it. This requires you to gather and evaluate data,
isolate possible contributing circumstances, and pinpoint what needs to be addressed for a resolution.

To do this, you'll use skills like:

 Data gathering
 Data analysis
 Fact-finding
 Historical analysis

2. Generate Interventions

Once you’ve determined the cause, brainstorm possible solutions. Sometimes this involves teamwork
since two (or more) minds are often better than one. A single strategy is rarely the obvious route to
solving a complex problem; devising a set of alternatives helps you cover your bases and reduces
your risk of exposure should the first strategy you implement fail.

This involves skills like:

 Brainstorming
 Creative thinking
 Prediction
 Forecasting
 Project design
 Project planning

3. Evaluate Solutions

Depending on the nature of the problem and your chain of command, evaluating best solutions may
be performed by assigned teams, team leads, or forwarded to corporate decision-makers. Whoever
makes the decision must evaluate potential costs, required resources, and possible barriers to
successful solution implementation.

This requires several skills, including:

 Analysis
 Discussion
  Corroboration
 Teamwork
 Test development
 Mediation
 Prioritizing

4. Implement a Plan

Once a course of action has been decided, it must be implemented along with benchmarks that can
quickly and accurately determine whether it’s working. Plan implementation also involves letting
personnel know about changes in standard operating procedures.

This requires skills like:

 Project management
 Project implementation
 Collaboration
 Time management
 Benchmark development

5. Assess the Solution's Effectiveness

Once a solution is implemented, the best problem-solvers have systems in place to evaluate if and
how quickly it's working. This way, they know as soon as possible whether the issue has been
resolved or whether they’ll have to change their response to the problem mid-stream.

This requires:

 Communication
 Data analysis
 Surveys
 Customer feedback
 Follow-through
 Troubleshooting

Here's an example of showing your problem-solving skills in a cover letter.

When I was first hired as a paralegal, I inherited a backlog of 25 sets of medical records that needed
to be summarized, each of which was hundreds of pages long. At the same time, I had to help
prepare for three major cases, and there weren’t enough hours in the day. After I explained the
problem to my supervisor, she agreed to pay me to come in on Saturday mornings to focus on the
backlog. I was able to eliminate the backlog in a month.

Here's another example of how to show your problem-solving skills in a cover letter:

When I joined the team at Great Graphics as Artistic Director, the designers had become uninspired
because of a former director who attempted to micro-manage every step in the design process. I
used weekly round-table discussions to solicit creative input and ensured that each designer was
given full autonomy to do their best work. I also introduced monthly team-based competitions that
helped build morale, spark new ideas, and improve collaboration.

Highlighting Problem-Solving Skills

Since this is a skill that's important to most employers, put them front and center on your resume,
cover letter, and in interviews.

If you're not sure what to include, look to previous roles—whether in academic, work, or volunteer
settings—for examples of challenges you met and problems you solved. Highlight relevant examples
in your cover letter and use bullet points in your resume to show how you solved a problem.

During interviews, be ready to describe situations you've encountered in previous roles, the
processes you followed to address problems, the skills you applied, and the results of your actions.
Potential employers are eager to hear a coherent narrative of the ways you've used problem-solving
skills.

Interviewers may pose hypothetical problems for you to solve. Base your answers on the five steps
and refer to similar problems you've resolved, if possible. Here are tips for answering problem-solving
interview questions, with examples of the best answers.
How would you deal with an unanticipated understaffing situation?

This problem seems to occur every holiday season, so I’ve developed strategies to ensure
that we have adequate staff coverage. The most important trick, I think, is to be proactive. I
keep a current list of personnel who are willing to come in at a moment’s notice to fill others’
shifts—especially around major holidays (when people are likely to call in sick). Each time an
employee agrees to cover someone else’s shift, I make a point to recognize them with a big
“thank you” sign I write on our office whiteboard. This keeps morale high enough that I can
generally find someone at a moment’s notice to come in. I also try to cross-train most of our
staff so that they can cover for their colleagues when necessary. As a last resort, I’ll cover
their shift myself if that’s required.

Why It Works: This candidate shows that they understand that it’s sometimes necessary to
have multiple strategies in their “toolbox” to address unexpected problems in the workplace.
The candidate describes how they are capable of examining options and coming up with a
plan.

What would happen if you realized that you and your team wouldn’t be able to meet the
deadline for your deliverables? What would you do?

This actually happened nine months ago, when our team was prepared to go live with a new
product. A month before launch, we learned that one of our primary part’s shipment would be
delayed. I immediately tried to contract with another supplier—although I sourced one, they
couldn’t promise that they’d be able to deliver by our deadline. However, I was as transparent
as possible throughout the situation, alerting management and our different department
heads about the issue. Fortunately, the R&D engineers were then able to do a quick redesign
that allowed us to use another part we could access quickly—and that turned out to be 20%
cheaper than the original part! We met our deadline and saved costs at the same time.

Why It Works: This answer uses the STAR technique to describe how the candidate solved a
work issue in the past. It’s especially effective because they also quantify one of the results of
their actions with a percentage.
How would you deal with a difficult subordinate who publicly questioned your
authority?

First, I try to analyze the situation rather than the employee’s words to see what might have
caused their discontent. I would then speak with them privately, giving them the chance to air
their grievance and myself the opportunity to work with them to find a solution. Sometimes, all
it takes to soothe an employee is to let them know that their opinions are respected. However,
if the employee continued to spread negativity and diminish department morale, I would put
them on official notice to expect a formal performance review at the end of two weeks, at
which point we would discuss their future with our department.

Why It Works: With this response, the interviewee describes the logical problem-solving
process they use when handling escalated issues with personnel, including how they make
contingency plans if the initial interventions don’t work out.
Examples of Skill Sets
Below are examples of the skills that employers seek in candidates based on their career
focus. Develop these skills and emphasize them in job applications, resumes, cover letters,
and interviews.

Skill Sets for Administrative Careers

Administrative skills are those related to running a business or keeping an office organized.
These skills are needed for a variety of jobs, ranging from office assistants to secretaries to
office managers. This skill set might include:

 Written and verbal communication

 Customer service
 Interpersonal skills
 Document management
 Microsoft Office skills
 Job-specific software
 Event coordination
 Organization
 Time management
  Problem-solving
 Collaboration

Skill Sets for Sales Careers

Selling is a multifaceted and demanding line of work. In addition to being able to sell,
salespeople must have excellent communication, customer service, and marketing skills. A
sales skill set might include:

 Account management
 Client acquisition and retention
 Team management
 Project management
 Customer relationship management (CRM)
 Active listening
 Negotiation
 Networking
 Persuasion
 Public speaking
 Emotional intelligence
 Branding
 Collaboration

Skill Sets for Education Careers

The skill sets you need to be a great teacher range from leadership and compassion to
organization and computer skills. By highlighting these key traits, you'll appeal to the schools
to which you are applying. The skills needed for a career in education include:

 Collaboration
 Classroom management
 Interpersonal skills
 Active listening
 Written and verbal communication
 Leadership
 Time management
 Organization
 Flexibility
 Computer skills
 Assessment skills
 Instructional skills
 Public speaking1

Skill Sets for Information Technology (IT) Jobs

There are many different jobs in the IT sector. Employers typically look for a combination of
technical skills and soft skills when hiring. Some employers may look for expertise in a
specific language or program, while others might look for a more general skill set. Desired IT
skills include:

 Collaboration
 Written and verbal communication
 Communicating complex information simply
 IP setup
 Wireless modems/routers
 Cloud computing
 JavaScript
 Python
 Cybersecurity
 Networking
 Analytics
 Project management
 Multitasking
 Critical thinking2

Skill Sets for Health Careers

Nurses and other healthcare professionals need several skill sets to succeed. They must be
able to perform certain procedures (such as giving vaccinations and drawing blood), be tech-
savvy, and use soft skills to connect with patients and colleagues. Essential skills for health
care professionals include:

 Adaptability
 Analysis
 Applying current research to medical practice
 Attention to detail
 Collaboration
 Diagnosis
 Care plan development
 Leadership
 Active listening
 Math
 Multitasking
 Organization
 Problem-solving
 Understanding and applying rules and regulations
 Research
 Time management

Examples of Transferable Skills

Having examples of transferable skills can help you round out your resume and brainstorm
specific examples for interviews. Here are several categories of transferable skills.

General Skills

General skills are basic job skills that are essential to most positions. These include:

 Listening skills
 Understanding and carrying out written instructions
 Observing and assessing your own and others' performances
 Written communication skills
 Basic math skills
 Public speaking
 Punctuality

Interpersonal Skills

Most positions involve working with others. You might be working with colleagues, managing
other employees, or interacting with the public. Transferable people skills include:

 Providing and accepting constructive criticism

 Motivating others
 Handling customer complaints
 Training new employees
 Delegating
 Counseling employees
 Building strong customer relationships
 Collaborating with others
 Mentoring less experienced colleagues
 Resolving conflicts between colleagues and/or customers
 Developing positive relationships with suppliers
 Gaining the confidence of clients or customers

Management Skills

Management is also its own skillset. It takes a range of skills to manage a store, department,
or branch, including:

 Developing and overseeing a budget

 Recruiting personnel
 Reviewing resumes
 Interviewing job candidates
 Selecting new hires
 Supervising employees
 Scheduling personnel
 Leading productive meetings
 Negotiating contracts
 Evaluating employees
  Identifying and presenting problems to upper management

Clerical Skills

Clerical and administrative skills are needed in most fields. Transferable skills in this area
include:

 Designing and maintaining correspondence and reports

 Managing records
 Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs
 Performing data entry
 Keeping track of accounts receivable, accounts payable, billing, and other bookkeeping
tasks
 Screening and transferring telephone calls
 Greeting visitors
 Using office equipment such as printers, copiers, and fax machines

Research and Planning Skills

Employers want employees who can take initiative. Showing your research and planning skills
can demonstrate that you're motivated. These skills include:

 Anticipating and preventing problems from occurring or reoccurring

 Using critical thinking skills to make decisions or evaluate possible solutions to
problems
 Solving problems
 Defining the organization's or department's needs
 Setting goals
 Prioritizing tasks
 Locating and reaching out to suppliers or sub-contractors
 Analyzing information and forecast results
 Managing your time and meeting deadlines
 Planning and implementing events and activities
 Creating and implementing new policies and procedures
 Coordinating and developing programs
 Documenting procedures and results
 Conducting research using the internet and library resources

Computer and Technical Skills

It's difficult to understate the importance of computer and technical skills in today's job market.
Being able to master one program shows you can master other programs. Transferable
computer and technical skills include:

 Using job-related software

 Using job-related equipment and machinery
 Installing software on computers
 Troubleshooting problems with hardware and software
  Installing equipment
 Maintaining equipment
 Inspecting equipment to identify problems
 Designing and maintaining websites

Top 7 Professional Skills

1. Communication
Communication skills, in general, are important for any professional. It
includes written, verbal, and nonverbal communication. However, one particularly important
communication skill in today’s world is email. Almost every profession requires some email
correspondence. Professionals need to be able to craft clearly written, concise emails, using
the appropriate format and tone for colleagues and employers alike.

Other communication skills include:

 Advocating for yourself and your causes

 Asking for help or advice
 Brainstorming
 Building buy-in to an idea
 Business writing
 Dealing with difficult people
 Facilitating
 Handling office politics
 Handshaking
 Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
 Interviewing
 Managing a positive relationship with an employer
 Listening
 Networking
 Persuasion
 Resume writing
 Small talk
 Social skills
 Verbal communication
 Written communication

2. Public Speaking
Almost every job requires some public speaking. While you might not be giving
long presentations regularly, you will likely need to speak up during meetings, provide
information to your colleagues, and/or speak to a group in some small way. Professionals
need to be capable of speaking to others clearly and presenting information effectively.

The following skills are important for anyone who has to present in public:


 Articulation
 Confidence
 Creating presentation slides
 Poise
 Projection
 Receiving criticism and feedback
 Social skills

3. Teamwork
All professionals have to work in some sort of a group, whether they are working
on team projects or trying to help a company achieve its mission. As a professional, you must
possess the interpersonal skills required to get along with others.

You need to be able to share responsibility with others, communicate effectively, and achieve
a common goal.

There are other teamwork skills professionals need:


 Conflict management
 Conflict resolution
 Negotiation
 Relationship building
 Team building
 Team management

4. Time Management
As a professional, you will be tasked with completing a variety of tasks. You’ll have to draw
upon organizational skills to budget your time so that you complete each task by a given
deadline without feeling overwhelmed.

Timeliness might seem simple, but it is one of the most important qualities in a professional.

Employees who show up on time (or, better yet, early), are often perceived to be more
hardworking by their employers (even if this is not the case). You can therefore boost your
professional reputation by showing up to work and meetings a few minutes early.


 Attention to detail
 Intrinsic motivation
  Meeting deadlines
 Project management
 Punctuality
 Self-starting

5. Leadership
Regardless of the role you play at an organization, leadership skills are important. Whether
you're working on a team or in a management position, being able to lead is an essential skill
for a professional.

Some of the skills that show your leadership abilities include:


 Accountability
 Budgeting
 Calm under pressure
 Coaching
 Coordinating resources
 Decision making
 Goal setting
 Growth mindset
 Information gathering
 Influence
 Management
 Mentoring
 Meeting management
 Planning
 Politeness
 Positivity
 Prioritization

6. Flexibility
Most jobs require a degree of flexibility, and the ability to be willing to change. It's important to
be able to understand different perspectives, and to adjust your workflow and contributions to
the company as change arises.

Here are some of the skills that will enable you to show employers that you have the flexibility
required for success on the job:


 Able to change your mind
 Adaptability
 Analysis
 Anger management
 Patience
  Perceptiveness
 Problem solving

7. Personal Skills
Interpersonal skills are the soft skills that enable employees to work well with other workers,
managers, clients, customers, vendors, and other people they interact within the workplace.
These skills and professional attributes are also important for successful professional
networking, and for managing your own career growth.

 Career management
 Career planning
 Competency
 Creative thinking
 Critical thinking
 Emotional intelligence
 Enforcing boundaries (personal, professional)
 Ethics
 Honesty
 Humility
 Integrity
 Patience
 Perceptiveness
 Perseverance
 Persistence
 Practicality
 Resilience
 Respect
 Self-awareness
 Self-confidence
 Self-management
 Self-promotion
 Self-regulation
 Stress management

List of Top Soft Skills

Below is a list of the most important soft skills employers look for. The list includes sublists of
related soft skills that employers tend to seek in job applicants.

Develop these skills and emphasize them in job applications, resumes, cover letters, and
interviews.
Showing the interviewer that you have the skills the company is seeking will help you get
hired.

Communication
How well do you communicate? Communication skills are important in almost every job. You
will likely need to communicate with people on the job, whether they are clients, customers,
colleagues, employers, or vendors. You will also need to be able to speak clearly and politely
with people in person, by phone, and in writing.

You will also likely need to be a good listener. Employers want employees who can not only
communicate their own ideas, but who also listen empathetically to others. Listening is a
particularly important skill in customer service jobs.

 Listening
 Negotiation
 Nonverbal communication
 Persuasion
 Presentation
 Public speaking
 Reading body language
 Social skills
 Storytelling
 Verbal communication
 Visual communication
 Writing reports and proposals
 Writing skills

Critical Thinking
No matter what the job, employers want candidates who can analyze situations and
make informed decisions. Whether you are working with data, teaching students, or fixing a
home heating system, you need to be able to understand problems, think critically, and devise
solutions. Skills related to critical thinking include creativity, flexibility, and curiosity.

 Adaptability
 Artistic aptitude
 Creativity
 Critical observation
 Critical thinking
 Design aptitude
 Desire to learn
 Flexibility
 Innovation
 Logical thinking
 Problem solving
 Research
  Resourcefulness
 Thinking outside the box
 Tolerance of change and uncertainty
 Troubleshooting
 Value education
 Willingness to learn

Leadership
While not every job opening is a leadership role, most employers will want to know that you
have the ability to make decisions when push comes to shove, and can manage situations
and people. The ability to step up to the plate in a difficult situation and help resolve it is
something employers look for in prospective employees

If you are interviewing for a job that has the potential for advancement, the employer will want
to know that you have what it takes to become a leader.

Other skills related to leadership include the abilities to resolve problems and conflicts
between people, and to make executive decisions.

 Conflict management
 Conflict resolution
 Deal making
 Decision making
 Delegation
 Dispute resolution
 Facilitation
 Giving clear feedback
 Inspiring people
 Leadership
 Management
 Managing difficult conversations
 Managing remote/virtual teams
 Meeting management
 Mentoring
 Motivating
 Project management
 Resolving issues
 Successful coaching
 Supervising
 Talent management

Positive Attitude
Employers are always seeking people who will bring a positive attitude to the office. They
want employees who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be
around. Being able to keep things positive is especially important if you’re working in a fast-
paced, high-stress work environment.

 Confidence
 Cooperation
 Courtesy
 Energy
 Enthusiasm
 Friendliness
 Honesty
 Humorous
 Patience
 Respectability
 Respectfulness

Teamwork
Hiring managers look for job candidates who can work well with others. Whether you will be
doing a lot of team projects or simply attending a few departmental meetings, you need to be
able to work effectively with the people around you. You need to be able to work with others
even if you do not always see eye to eye.

Some skills related to teamwork include the ability to negotiate with others, and to recognize
and appreciate diversity in a team. Another related skill is the ability to accept and apply
feedback from others.

 Accepting feedback
 Collaboration
 Customer service
 Dealing with difficult situations
 Dealing with office politics
 Disability awareness
 Diversity awareness
 Emotional intelligence
 Empathy
 Establishing interpersonal relationships
 Dealing with difficult personalities
 Intercultural competence
 Interpersonal skills
 Influence
 Networking
 Persuasion
 Self-awareness
 Selling skills
 Social skills
 Team building
 Teamwork
Work Ethic
Employers look for job candidates with a strong work ethic. Such people come to work on
time, complete tasks in a timely manner, and stay both focused and organized.

They are able to budget their time and complete their work thoroughly. While they can work
independently, people with a strong work ethic can also follow instructions.

A strong work ethic is difficult to teach, so employers will be impressed if you can
demonstrate it in your job application.

 Attentiveness
 Business ethics
 Competitiveness
 Dedication
 Dependability
 Following direction
 Independence
 Meeting deadlines
 Motivation
 Multitasking
 Organization
 Perseverance
 Persistence
 Planning
 Proper business etiquette
 Punctuality
 Reliability
 Resilience
 Results-oriented
 Scheduling
 Self-directed
 Self-monitoring
 Self-supervising
 Staying on task
 Strategic planning
 Time management
 Trainability
 Working well under pressure

More Soft Skills

Here are additional soft skills for resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews.
Required skills will vary based on the job for which you're applying, so also review our list
of skills listed by job and type of skill.

 Assertiveness
  Business ethics
 Business storytelling
 Business trend awareness
 Customer service
 Effective communicator
 Emotion management
 Ergonomic sensitivity
 Follow instructions
 Follow regulations
 Follow rules
 Functions well under pressure
 Good attitude
 Highly recommended
 Independent
 Interviewing
 Knowledge management
 Meets deadlines
 Motivating
 Perform effectively in a deadline environment
 Performance management
 Positive work ethic
 Problem solving
 Process improvement
 Quick-witted
 Results oriented
 Safety conscious
 Scheduling
 Self-awareness
 Self-supervising
 Stress management
 Team player
 Technology savvy
 Technology trend awareness
 Tolerant
 Trainable
 Training
 Troubleshooting
 Willing to accept feedback
 Willingness to learn
 Work-life balance
 Works well under pressure

Types of Interpersonal Skills

Communication
One of the most important interpersonal skills in any job is communication. Whether you work
in IT, customer service, construction, or any other industry, you will need to be able to
communicate clearly and effectively with others both verbally and in writing. Some jobs also
require skills in effective public speaking.

 Nonverbal communication
 Public speaking
 Verbal communication

Conflict Management
Whether you are a manager or an employee, you will likely need to resolve conflicts at some
point in your job. This might involve solving an issue between two staff members, between
yourself and a colleague, or between a client and your company. You will need to be able to
listen fairly to both sides and use creative problem solving to arrive at a solution.

 Conflict resolution
 Constructive criticism
 Counseling
 Mediating
 Problem solving

Empathy
Part of being a good manager, employee, or colleague is the ability to understand and show
empathy for others. If a customer or colleague calls with a complaint, for example, you will
need to listen thoughtfully to the person’s concerns and express compassion for their issue.
Empathy is an important skill that will help you get along with everyone in the workplace.

 Caring
 Compassion
 Diplomacy
 Diversity
 Helping others
 Kindness
 Patience
 Respect
 Sensitivity
 Sympathy

Leadership
Even if you are not a manager, it is important to have some leadership experience and ability.
Leadership requires being able to motivate and encourage others and help a team achieve
success.
  Encouraging
 Inspiring trust
 Instructing
 Management
 Mentoring
 Motivation
 Positive reinforcement

Listening
Listening is a skill that goes hand in hand with good communication. While you need to be
able to express your own ideas, you also need to thoughtfully listen to the ideas of others.
This will help your clients, employers, colleagues, and employees feel respected and valued.

 Active listening
 Curiosity
 Focus
 Inquiry

Negotiation
Negotiation is an important skill for many positions. Depending on the specific job, it might
involve creating formal agreements (or contracts) between clients or helping colleagues solve
a problem and determine a solution. To be a good negotiator, you must be able to listen to
others, use creative problem solving, and arrive at an outcome that satisfies everyone.

 Negotiating
 Persuasion
 Research

Positive Attitude
Employers want to hire employees who make the office a brighter place. They want people
with a friendly, positive demeanor. This doesn’t mean you have to be the most social person
in the office, but you must be willing to develop some sort of a positive rapport with your
colleagues.

 Behavioral skills
 Developing rapport
 Friendliness
 Humor
 Networking
 Social skills

Teamwork
Even if your job involves a lot of independent work, you still need to be able to collaborate
with others. Teamwork involves several of the skills already mentioned: you need to be able
to listen to others, communicate your own goals, motivate your team, and resolve any
conflicts that may arise.

 Collaboration
 Group facilitating
 Team building
 Teamwork

Showcase Your Interpersonal Skills

Match your qualifications to the job. Review the job description and make a list of the
characteristics the employer is looking for. Then match your qualifications to the job by
making connections between their requirements and your skills and abilities.

List your skills in your resume, particularly if your resume features a summary at the top or
if your work history section is formatted with paragraphs rather than bullet points. This way
you’re showing what you accomplished rather than what you did.

My ability to motivate the individuals I manage is demonstrated in how consistently I meet,

and beat, deadlines without burning out my team.

My leadership skills helped my team raise sales by 10% last quarter, despite the fact that
many of us were new to the department.

Add relevant interpersonal skills to your cover letter. Include similar examples of how you
used your interpersonal skills at work in your cover letter. Remember to focus on what you
accomplished by using these skills.

Share your skills during the interview. Be prepared to answer interview questions about
your interpersonal skills. Like in your cover letter and resume, provide an anecdote about a
time you demonstrated a particular skill in the workplace and how you used that skill to add
value to the company.

Use your interpersonal skills to impress. Remember, actions speak louder than words, so
you’ll want to be sure that you successfully embody any traits you claim to have when you’re
interacting with your interviewer. For example, if you emphasize how your friendly demeanor
has brought you success in the workplace, make sure you appear warm and approachable
during the interview.

In-Demand Interpersonal Skills to Highlight

Preparing for a job interview or customizing your resume or cover letter? These are some of
the most sought-after interpersonal skills. Look for ways to weave some of
these keywords into your application materials or conversation.

 Active listening
 Behavioral
 Caring
 Collaboration
 Comforting
 Communication
 Conflict management
 Conflict resolution
 Consulting
 Constructive criticism
 Counseling
 Creative thinking
 Customer service
 Developing rapport
 Diplomacy
 Diversity
 Encouraging
 Flexibility
 Group facilitating
 Helping others
 Humor
 Inquiry
 Inspiring trust
 Instructing
 Interviewing
 Leadership
 Listening
 Mediating
 Mentoring
 Motivation
 Negotiating
 Networking
 Nonverbal communication
 Patience
 Persuasion
 Positive reinforcement
 Problem solving
 Public speaking
 Relationship management
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Sensitivity
 Social
 Sympathy
 Teamwork
 Tolerance
 Verbal communication
How to Use This List of Strengths
You can use this list of strength words throughout your job search process. First, look through
the list and circle the strengths that you possess, and that are also important for the job you’re
applying for. You can look back at the job listing to get a sense of the job requirements. Take
a few minutes to match your qualifications to the requirements listed in the job posting.

Once you have a list of words that match both the job and your set of strengths, you can use
these words in your resume. In the description of your work history, you can include some of
these keywords.

©TheBalance 2018

You can also use these words in your cover letter. In the body of your letter, try to mention
one or two of these strengths, giving a specific example of a time when you demonstrated
each of them in the workplace.

Finally, you can use these words in an interview. Make sure you have at least one example of
a time you used each strength to achieve results in your work, volunteer, and/or academic
experiences.

In your interview, be prepared to mention the situations involved, the actions that you took,
and the results that you generated while applying your key strengths. This is known as
the STAR (situation, task, action, response) interview response technique. You can use this
to highlight your most relevant strengths during job interviews.

Top Strengths Employers Seek in Employees

Analytics
Analytical skills refer to your ability to collect and analyze information, problem-solve, and
make decisions. Nearly every job requires this kind of critical thinking on some level. An
employee’s analytical strength can help solve a company’s problems and increase its
productivity. Showing the employer that you can gather and analyze information, resolve
problems, and make decisions will enhance your candidacy.

 Assessing the needs and preferences of customers

 Assessing outcomes
 Creative thinking
 Designing innovative products
 Efficiency
 Good judgment
 Innovation
 Logical thinking
  Open minded
 Solution oriented
 Solving complex problems
 Statistical analysis

Communication
Written and oral communication skills are critical for almost any job. Whether you are giving a
presentation, talking on the phone to a client, or emailing a colleague, you need to be able to
communicate effectively and appropriately.

Your communication skills will be evaluated in the written materials you use to apply for a job.
The hiring manager will also focus on how well you handle the interview and communicate
with the people you meet during the hiring process.

Employers will also want to see that you can effectively engage with people. They want to
know that you can listen to others, respond to their concerns, and demonstrate empathy for
others. These interpersonal skills are particularly important in jobs that involve customer
service or working on a team. You can demonstrate these skills in the way you engage with
the interviewer.

 Business storytelling
 Calming agitated clients
 Clearly conveying features and benefits of products/services
 Composing engaging copy for websites
 Creating compelling presentation slides
 Friendly and engaging personality
 Likability
 Negotiation
 Nonverbal communication
 Persuasive
 Public speaking
 Technical writing
 Verbal communication

Dependability
Employers want to know they have employees they can depend on, and who are responsible
and professional. You need to be able to show up on time and get your work done by
designated deadlines. When asked about dependability, good examples to share are ones
that describe how you were able to meet project deadlines or how you have a great track
record of attendance and timeliness.

You can also demonstrate your professionalism in the way you present yourself during the
interview. Be sure to arrive early and dress professionally. Look the employer in the eye, and
maintain good posture. These small details will show the employer that you are a dedicated,
responsible candidate.
  Accuracy
 Attention to detail
 Consistently meeting deadlines
 Dedicated
 Detail-oriented
 Determination
 Effectively managing multiple projects simultaneously
 Flexibility
 Focused
 High-achiever
 Motivated
 Organizational
 Professional
 Recovering quickly from setbacks
 Respectful
 Responsible
 Results-driven
 Strong work ethic
 Success-driven
 Tact and diplomacy
 Time management

Teamwork and Leadership

Most jobs require teamwork of some sort. Employers want job candidates who are willing to
work with others, and can do so effectively. Hiring managers will be interested both in how
you have worked as part of a team and how you manage teams (if you are interviewing for
a leadership role).

 Collaborating effectively with business partners

 Cultivating team orientation among staff
 Decision-making
 Drawing consensus on group goals
 Facilitating productive meetings
 Management
 Managing difficult people
 Mentoring staff
 Motivating staff
 Providing constructive criticism
 Resolving conflicts
 Strategic planning

Information Technology (IT) Skills

These days, pretty much every job requires some level of information technology or computer
skills. Whether you are working in administration or education or engineering, you will need
some familiarity with computers and various computer programs.
The specific tech knowledge you will need depends on the job. Make sure to carefully read
the job description, and mention any relevant computer skills you have in your resume and
cover letter. You might even include a “Computer Skills” section on your resume.

If possible, provide an example of a tech skill you picked up easily.

You can also emphasize in your cover letter and interview that you are a fast learner who
picks up on the latest technologies quickly.

 Creating clean computer programs in the latest languages

 Debugging computer programs
 Diagnosing mechanical malfunctions
 Driving traffic to websites
 Email
 Facility for learning the latest computer technology
 Familiarity with graphics programs
 Knowledge of enterprise systems (Oracle, PeopleSoft)
 Making and updating spreadsheets (Excel)
 Organizing and managing data (Access)
 Presentation tools (PowerPoint, Prezi)
 QuickBooks
 Social media