is critical thinking a skill for resume

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How to Present Critical Thinking Skills on Your Resume

It’s no secret that employers want people who are adaptable, can solve problems, and contribute to the organization’s success. The difference between an employee who can do these things and one who can’t come down to one simple thing: they have great critical thinking skills.

So of course you’d want to tout these on your resume and all over your job application materials too. But there’s one problem. Critical skills aren’t always easy to put on paper. But there are a few ‘workarounds’ this post will show you! 

What Are Critical Thinking Skills?

Critical thinking skills stand for your ability to rationally process information, find connections between ideas, reflect, and draw conclusions. 

As a person with well-developed critical thinking skills, you are good at: 

• Correctly identifying and understanding problems.
• Analyzing information for relevance and accuracy.
• Using available information to formulate effective, empathetic, and rational solutions to problems.
• Identifying logical relationships and patterns between ideas.
• Recognizing complexity in problems and applying appropriately complex thought processes.
• Incorporating new information into their decision-making processes.

You use critical thinking skills in the workplace to solve problems, collaborate with others, resolve conflicts, and complete many leadership tasks.

Why Are Critical Thinking Skills In Demand By Employers

The “ Future of Jobs 2020 ” report states that employers listed critical thinking among the top skills and skill groups that will rise in prominence by 2025. 

In particular, the top skills employers will be searching for among new hires include:

• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving
• Active learning
• Self-management 

Why do these qualities trump hard skills in demand? Simple! Because they enable effective on-the-job learning. 

Employers realize that industries now operate at a breakneck speed with the ‘best practices’ constantly in flux. Respectively, it’s not always easy to find a candidate with the ‘freshest’ set of skills. But it’s easy to nurture such as long as they are good critical-thinkers! For similar reasons, 93% of employers actually state that they value strong critical thinking skills over the candidate’s undergraduate degree.

Additionally, critical thinking has emerged as an essential skill because of the sheer volume of data we encounter. Much of this information is accessed online and often comes from questionable sources. It takes a combination of digital literacy and critical thinking skills for workers to discern which information is reliable, and what can be dismissed as pseudo-science, fake news, marketing propaganda, outdated, or speculative. Employers need workers who can fact-check, evaluate, and process this information effectively.

List of Critical Thinking Skills For Your Resume

Let’s be real: you won’t convince hiring managers by simply stating, ‘I have critical thinking skills’ in your cover letter . It’s a fact you need to demonstrate via your duties and accomplishments. The best way to do so is to break down the “critical thinking skills” group into more concrete sub-skills such as: 

Analysis stands for your ability to effectively deal with the incoming information and translate it into insights. To analyze things properly, you must know how to source information, verify that it is valid, determine which data is relevant, and take an objective approach to draw conclusions based on that information.

Communication

Collaborating with others, discussing problems, and giving and receiving feedback is a critical skill for every hire. Show the employer that you can hold productive exchanges with people who don’t always agree with you, be persuasive, and critically process all the information others are sharing with you. 

Observation

This skill involves having a heightened awareness of your surroundings, understanding what you observe, and knowing the appropriate action to take. For example, they may notice a downward trend in productivity, and take action to address potential staffing issues.

Inference indicates your ability to draw conclusions based on a limited set of data. For example, the manager of a community pool may infer that an unseasonably hot day will mean that more people will order cold drinks from the concession stand. 

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving skills denote your ability to strategize the best solution to a given problem and evaluate the success of that solution after having implemented it. It requires that you can look at a problem objectively, and think through potential solutions in a methodical manner. 

Still not sure how to best frame your problem-solving skills? Check role-specific resume examples our career team has created for some real-life examples. 

How to Improve Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are key for effective collaboration, continuous learning, and personal efficiency. If you feel that your skillset could do with an ‘upgrade’, try the following techniques.

• Practice information analysis: When trying to solve a problem, focus on getting all the necessary data first. Then, evaluate which ‘intel’ is accurate, important, fit-for-purpose. Toss other findings and work with what’s left. 
• Learn to give recommendations: Recommendations are synthesized findings — a feasible, data- or experience-based solution. Learn to formulate all your recommendations based on the above. 
• Challenge your biases: Everyone is prone to preconceived notions and assumptions. Unfortunately, these get in the way of critical thinking. Learn to recognize your own biases, and make a dedicated effort to put those aside when you innovate and solve problems.

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills to have to ensure your long-term “hire-ability”. Today, these skills are crucial for working with data, solving emerging market problems, and discerning truth from a growing volume of unproven information, circulating online. Tomorrow, critical thinking will become even more important as the future workforce will be primarily focused on “knowledge work”.

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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How can you Show Critical Thinking Skills on your Resume?

15 min read · Updated on April 18, 2023

With critical thinking skills in high demand, you can get ahead with a resume that showcases those abilities

Soft skills like critical thinking continue to be vitally important for companies around the country and across the world. Unfortunately, many of those companies have long complained about their struggles to find candidates who demonstrate the crucial critical thinking skills that their enterprises need to succeed. The question job seekers need to ask themselves is simple: what critical thinking skills are companies looking for, and how can they be highlighted in a resume to ensure that they capture an employer's attention?

In this post, we'll define these important abilities, consider some examples of critical thinking skills, and examine why they are so important to today's companies. We'll also offer some helpful tips that you can use to develop your own critical thinking and provide guidance to help you to highlight those abilities on your resume.

What are critical thinking skills?

Before you can include critical thinking skills on your  resume , you first need to understand what they are. The simplest definition is that they are a range of abilities that enable you to think and problem-solve using facts, deduction, and logic. This rational approach to thinking can enable you to connect seemingly unrelated facts, analyze information in an unbiased way, and resolve complex problems.

Critical thinkers do more than just gather facts and make decisions, of course. They use their cognitive abilities to infer missing information, connect ideas, and consider the outcome of any decision they make. These types of thinkers have the ability to act with independence and produce competent results with a minimum of ongoing supervision. For people who possess these skills, life and work choices tend to revolve around reason and logic. That rational approach to thinking is something that every employer prizes.

Examples of critical thinking skills

It's also helpful to explore some examples of different critical thinking skills, to better understand the types of abilities that employers will want to see in your resume. As you read through the following examples, you should be able to identify how each of these abilities is an essential part of the broader critical thought process. If you find yourself lacking in any of these areas, you will likely benefit from focusing on developing those skills.

Observation

The ability to conduct effective observations is an essential critical thinking skill. Problems can never be resolved until they are identified and properly understood. Your ability to observe can enable you to enjoy a deeper understanding of the facts surrounding a situation or potential problem. Just as important, those observational talents can assist you as you attempt to understand other stakeholders' different points of view and attempt to find areas of common ground to inform your decision-making.

Open-mindedness

It's crucial to keep an open mind whenever you engage in critical thinking. Being receptive to other points of view and all the available facts can help you to mitigate any personal bias that might otherwise cloud your analysis and judgment. True critical thought requires you to set aside your preconceptions and personal preferences to ensure that you examine the facts and evidence in an objective manner.

Of course, every human being has their own biases and no one expects you to erase those preconceptions completely. The key is to recognize them and have the self-awareness needed to set them aside whenever you need to look at things critically. For many people, this challenge is one of the biggest impediments to developing effective critical thought processes.

Analytical thinking

Analytical thinking is the process of evaluating data to identify patterns, prioritize facts, and eliminate irrelevant information. These skills are key in the workplace and as part of the critical thinking process, since they enable you to make reason-based judgments about the value of the information you gather and organize. This ensures that your decision-making process focuses only on the facts and details that matter, instead of focusing on information that might distract you from identifying the best possible solution.

Sound analysis skills necessarily include the ability to know which questions to ask to inform any decision. For example:

Can I trust the source of this information?

Do alternative facts exist, and how reliable are they?

Are there other points of view that I need to consider?

Do my data sources have their own biases and, if so, how might those biases impact my decision?

Do I have enough facts at hand to even begin to form an opinion or solution?

In many instances, the information that you have ready access to may be insufficient to help you to form a reasoned conclusion. That's where your research skills will come into play. Being able to conduct your own research can be a key factor in ensuring that you have the data you need to render a decision or resolve a problem. Fortunately, research is now easier than it has ever been, provided you know how to use the internet to seek out reliable data.

Proper research should always begin with an effort to define the questions that you want to answer. One effective strategy is to create a list of those questions and note why the answers will be relevant to your analysis. Then consult reliable online sources to learn more about the subject at hand. As you do so, try to avoid sites that offer opinion or fringe theories and instead rely on university websites, nonprofits, and trusted news sites. You should also consult multiple sources, to ensure that your gathered information is as trustworthy as possible.

Creative thinking

The ability to think creatively will also be a vital component of your critical thinking process. Even after you've gathered and analyzed all of the available data, and made inferences to fill in any knowledge gaps, you will still have to use some measure of creativity to devise a solution to your problem. Now, if your first reaction to that idea is to suggest that you are not a creative person, think again. Everyone has some degree of creativity and that creative streak can be developed if you put in the effort.

Note also that this type of creativity has nothing to do with the ability to write a novel, paint a picture, or create the next great musical masterpiece. Instead, this creativity focuses on the ability to identify patterns and infer connections to create a variety of possible solutions to any given problem. With practice and focus, you should be able to learn to engage in this type of thinking to help you with your decision-making.

Inference is simply the ability to “fill in the gaps” between various pieces of data and evidence. For example, if you're at work and see a coworker grimace as they bite into a sandwich in the cafeteria, you may not know exactly why they made that face. However, you can use your own experience and judgment to infer some possible reasons. Perhaps the sandwich tasted bad. Or the person experienced pain, possibly due to a bad tooth or a hard object in the sandwich. You get the picture.

The ability to infer certain truths is essential in most decision-making and problem-solving exercises, since you may not always have all of the information you need to properly understand a decision. What you will have, however, is your own experience and knowledge, as well as the ability to make reasonable assumptions that fit within the fact pattern at hand. Well-honed inference abilities will empower you to fill in those missing gaps in the evidence to make the most rational assumptions possible.

Self-awareness and self-management

Self-awareness is a prerequisite to  self-management , which is a vital component in the critical thinking process. You must be able to regulate your thoughts and emotions, which means that you need to possess enough self-awareness to recognize how you're thinking and feeling. This awareness and ability to regulate yourself will ensure that you have the objectivity needed to maintain an open and unbiased mind as you examine evidence, draw conclusions, and make decisions.

Communication

Communication skills always end up being discussed in conversations like this - and for good reason. In both business and life, the ability to effectively communicate your ideas is essential for success. This is true in critical thinking as well, since you will almost certainly need to share your conclusions and solutions with other people at some point in the process.

When your available solutions or decisions are limited, that communication may be as easy as explaining your conclusion and choice. On the other hand, there will also be times when you'll need to go into great detail to share your results. For example, let's say that your critical analysis and thought process led you to several viable solutions and an equal number of potentially beneficial decisions.  Communicating those complex results will require you to compare the options and the various pros and cons of each.

Why are critical thinking skills so important?

One of the biggest reasons that these abilities are so prized these days is that employers find soft skills like critical thinking in short supply. Of course, that's not a new problem. Nearly a decade ago, an American Management Association  survey found that 72% of employers cited critical thinking as a vital component of their business success. However, only about half of those employers believed that their own employees possessed those vital skills.

Today, many employers continue to complain about a lack of critical thinking abilities in their prospective talent pools. A survey in 2022 found that many managers still cited critical thinking as a  top-ranked skill they look for in job candidates. Those same managers, however, said that it was common for newer employees to lack those critical abilities - raising doubts about whether any real progress has been made in recent years to ensure that new workers have the thinking skills employees need to succeed.

The fact is that there are many reasons why critical thinking abilities are so vitally important for employers and employees alike:

Many occupations require critical thinking

Professional endeavors typically require more than just technical skills. Whether you're seeking a career in healthcare, scientific research, law, finance, or education, the ability to think critically can be essential to success. Every job that involves analyzing information, deducing facts, and  solving problems creatively requires some measure of critical thinking.

Critical thinkers are more adaptable to new information

People who can think critically tend to be more amenable to changing their opinions and minds as new facts challenge their preconceptions. Critical thought requires constant self-reflection, to mitigate potential personal bias, and the ability to view facts and problems from many different perspectives.

Critical thinkers are adept at researching

Because critical thinking relies on information, these thinkers are forced to become talented researchers to get the data they need for their analysis. A great critical thinker not only knows how to gather new information, but also knows how to prioritize the data they encounter.

Improved decision-making

The best decisions tend to be the ones that are most reliant on facts and reason. Critical thinking processes enable you to recognize your biases, choose logic over emotional responses, and make reason-based decisions that provide superior solutions for any problem. Critical thinkers are able to enjoy these decision-making benefits in both their personal and professional lives.

How to develop critical thinking skills

Even if you're already talented in this area, it's important to know how to improve your critical thinking skills. Yes, that's correct: critical thinking abilities are not something that you're born with; they are skills that you learn and develop over the course of your life. Fortunately, there are easy ways that you can improve your own thinking skills to become a better critical thinker. For example:

1. Learn to ask basic questions

One of the best ways to develop critical thinking skills is to train yourself to ask more questions, even about basic things. By focusing on the who, what, when, where, and why of a situation or problem, you can often cut through complex possibilities and get to the heart of the issue. Questions can include things like:

Who was the last person to try to tackle this issue?

What are we trying to achieve here?

When does this need to be resolved?

Where can I find other data that might help us to solve this issue?

Why have we been using this process up until now?

2. Always question your own biases

Biases can cause you to make assumptions that may not be supported by the facts or evidence. By constantly questioning your own biases, you can improve your self-awareness and ensure that you take a more objective approach to your analysis and research during any critical thought process.

3. Take stock of your thoughts

Just as you must be conscious of your biases, you must also be conscious of your own thought processes. Humans think at such a fast pace that most of us end up taking mental shortcuts. This can cause you to miss crucial facts or even draw illogical inferences. Take your time and be aware of how your thoughts might be inhibiting your critical processes.

4. Get in the habit of examining evidence

Learn to examine facts and situations as they occur around you. This simple exercise in paying attention to the details can help you to hone your analysis skills.

5. Look for gaps in the information at hand

Practice your inference skills. When you see someone standing on a sidewalk impatiently, think about why they might be waiting in that area. Simple examples like that can get you in the habit of trying to fill in missing gaps in any pattern of evidence.

6. Always think for yourself

If you're someone who tends to follow others' opinions and conclusions, focus on learning to think more for yourself. Learn to trust your own judgment and instincts as you develop your analysis and observation skills. This will help you to prepare for more advanced critical thinking and problem-solving in the future.

7. Focus on developing leadership traits

Learn to be a leader by developing the skills and traits that can empower you in a leadership role. Practice being more decisive,  adaptable , and resilient. Focus on empathy to develop your ability to understand other points of view. For more information about leadership, check out our post,  These 14 Leadership Traits Can Fuel Your Career Success.

Tips to help you show critical thinking skills on your resume

To properly highlight your critical thinking skills on a resume, you should focus on using language that emphasizes your ability to solve problems. You should include this language within your resume summary, your job experience section, and your listed skills. Do not, however, simply list “critical thinking” within your skills. Instead, you'll want to include those skills that demonstrate your critical thinking abilities.

Highlighting critical thinking skills within your resume summary

It's important to draw attention to your critical thinking abilities within your resume summary, since that's the first thing that hiring managers see when they review your resume. Again, you don't need to include a direct reference to critical thinking, unless that term is included within the job description. Instead, you can simply make references to those abilities as you describe yourself and your achievements in that summary paragraph. For example:

Data-driven analyst and creative problem-solver with 10 years of experience in the technology industry. Managed multiple large projects and implemented complex technology solutions for companies with a combined market capitalization of more than $100 billion.

With this summary, the job candidate highlights their ability to rely on data analysis and creative thinking to solve problems - which is just another way of saying that they just might be the critical thinker that this prospective employer is looking for!

Showing examples of critical thinking in your work experience section

To properly showcase your critical thinking ability in your work experience section, you should include an example of a time when those skills helped you to accomplish a goal or resolve a problem for your employer. Do this by citing the example within your bulleted list of achievements for each company. For example:

• Identified and resolved deficiencies within the company's vendor logistics network by devising and implementing a new process that reduced supply delays by 30%
• Managed the team responsible for analyzing network security weaknesses, identifying new solutions to enhance protection and implementing strategies that reduced serious threats by 89%
• Initiated and led a project that crafted new client retention solutions, reducing client loss by 60% after implementing new client management protocols and revised service personnel training and oversight processes

Listing critical thinking skills in your skills section

As we noted earlier, you should not generally include the words “critical thinking skills” in your resume's skill section. Still, you'll want to emphasize the skills that enable you to think critically by including terms like:

Data analysis

Problem solving

Active listening

Self-management

Organization

Risk management

Data-driven decision-making

Ask for resume help

With employers continuing to focus on their need for critical thinkers, it's more vital than ever to ensure that your resume properly conveys your critical thinking skills. By understanding which skills are essential for critical thinking, and working to develop your own abilities in this area, you can better position yourself and your resume to stand out from other job candidates in your field.

Need to ensure that your resume effectively highlights your important critical thinking skills? Get a  free resume review from our team of experts today!

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The 6 Best Critical Thinking Skills To Add to Your Resume

3 key takeaways

• Why critical thinking is key for all career levels and industries 
• How to incorporate the six critical thinking skills hiring managers look for into your resume, with real-life examples
• How Teal’s AI Resume Builder helps you incorporate critical thinking skills throughout multiple sections of your resume—quickly and easily

Hiring managers value professionals with both hard and soft skills. Strong contributors can assess a situation and make calculated decisions while considering different points of view. That’s where critical thinking comes in. 

Having strong critical thinking skills on your resume is a strength and helps you stand out as a candidate capable of making informed decisions, solving complex problems, and contributing to team objectives.

But which skills do employers prioritize?

Below, you’ll learn about the six most important critical thinking skills to highlight, including practical ways to include them on your resume. 

What is critical thinking, and why is it important?

The critical thinking process is the ability to think clearly and rationally, connect ideas, and apply logic to situations.

People who develop critical thinking skills and demonstrate them are adept at analyzing facts, identifying biases, and developing rational judgment when dealing with a situation or problem. 

For example, a team working on a go-to-market strategy needs to think about the business goal, brainstorm various options, and analyze which has the highest rate of success. 

Critical thinking is important for every career stage and every industry. You can analyze different perspectives, develop multiple solutions independently and with colleagues, and practice lifelong learning. Strong critical thinkers can identify biases, be curious, and understand how relevant something is to the situation. 

Top 6 critical thinking skills

Here are six common critical thinking skills that hiring managers often look for:

1. Questioning

A questioning mindset is the starting point for critical thinking.

People with a questioning mindset have strong observation skills and can quickly identify new problems and opportunities. Typically, those with a questioning mindset are curious and dive into research as they analyze a situation. 

By regularly asking questions like, "How can we do this better?" or, "What can we learn from this?" you contribute to an environment focused on growth and development.

Showcasing your questioning skills on a resume involves more than just listing "Questioning" under the “Skills” section. You'll want to weave it into various parts of your resume alongside qualifications, impact, and hard skills to demonstrate how you've applied it in real-world situations.

For example you can demonstrate critical thinking skills like this:

Work Experience

• Questioned existing project management methodologies and initiated a review, leading to a 25% increase in project delivery efficiency
• Conducted 12 stakeholder interviews per quarter to understand project requirements, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Regularly engaged 10+ team members during meetings to foster open communication, resulting in improved collaboration

Add critical thinking skills to your work experience with Teal

Your resume soft skills , like critical thinking, should be highlighted alongside hard skills, qualifications, and impact to show how you used them for success.

With the Teal AI Resume Builder , you can showcase these key skills in your "Work Experience" section, as part of your awards, in a dedicated "Projects" section, and more. Teal provides customizable sections with built-in guidance so you can create a comprehensive overview of your career—without forgetting any important  sections or details.

2. Creativity

Creativity and critical thinking are usually considered two opposite ends of the skills spectrum—but in reality, the two are deeply interconnected. 

Creativity critical thinking can help you break free from established thought processes, patterns, and biases, which is crucial for evaluating information objectively and making rational decisions.

A creative mindset encourages challenging existing norms and assumptions. This helps foster a growth mindset that aligns with the cultural values of many startups. By introducing novelty, flexibility, and depth to the decision-making process, creativity helps you deliver better results for the business.

Integrating creativity as a critical thinking skill into your resume involves showcasing instances where you've taken non-generic approaches to solve problems, make decisions, or innovate. 

Here's one way you can incorporate creativity into your resume:

• Innovation Challenge Winner (2022): Led a team of 15 people to win an industry innovation challenge by creatively solving a long-standing issue in supply chain management

3. Analysis

Analytical skills on a resume add significant value in virtually any professional setting and are crucial for personal development as well. Demonstrating these skills can help show that you’re adaptable in the workplace and able to draw correct conclusions from information.

Here's how you can showcase analytical skills in the "Projects" section of your resume:

• Customer Behavior Prediction: Utilized machine learning algorithms to analyze customer behavior, leading to more targeted marketing and a 25% increase in sales
• Website Optimization: Conducted A/B tests on website elements, leading to an improved user experience and a 15% increase in engagement
• Resource Allocation: Analyzed departmental needs and reallocated resources, resulting in a 10% decrease in operational costs

4. Decision-making

In fast-paced work environments, employers value job seekers who can identify and analyze problems and make effective decisions to solve them.

Hiring managers often look for candidates with strong decision-making skills within teams, which may require technical or industry-specific expertise. Strong decision-making among a team can contribute to better cohesion and collective problem-solving.

In addition to incorporating decision-making skills in your professional summary, work experience, projects, and more, a resume "Skills" section can be a compelling way to showcase decision-making—highlighting the tools you used to analyze situations, weigh options, and execute effective solutions—making your resume more persuasive.

5. Communication

Once you’ve identified an issue and discussed possible solutions, good communication comes in handy. Good communication skills mean you can present conclusions in a persuasive manner—written or verbal.

However, good communication isn’t just about speaking; it's also about listening. Active listening and open-mindedness help you understand other perspectives and shift your own when necessary. It also involves understanding your and others’ emotions.

There are plenty of ways to integrate communication skills into your resume, whether that's under work experience, projects, or your “Education” section. Sharing quantifiable metrics can also go a long way toward showing how your communication skills have saved the day in your past roles.

Here's a quick example:

• Facilitated team meetings to ensure clear communication and effective collaboration, resulting in a 20% increase in project completion rates
• Presented quarterly reports with team performance and future strategies to senior management

6. Leadership

Good leaders need to be able to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of a course of action (or many) and guide their teams toward the best possible outcomes. By showcasing how your leadership skills have benefited your past companies, you demonstrate your effectiveness as a critical thinker.

One of the most effective ways to highlight your leadership skills on your resume is to show the impact you made at various organizations, with key metrics to show your decisions under pressure.

Here's an example:

Work Experience 

• Spearheaded team expansion from 10 to 30 members in 12 months, leading to a 40% increase in project delivery efficiency and overall team productivity
• Established and led a cross-functional task force, resulting in a 25% reduction in project timelines and a subsequent 15% improvement in client satisfaction
• Directed a team through a critical organizational restructuring, boosting employee morale and engagement, and contributing to a 20% reduction in staff turnover

How to add critical thinking skills to your resume or cover letter

In a competitive job market, employers aren’t just looking for technical expertise or hard skills—they also want candidates who can think critically, solve complex problems, resolve conflict, and adapt to the ever-changing professional landscape.

Exceptional critical thinking and conceptual skills can be the difference between you and another candidate. They demonstrate your ability to analyze situations, make sound decisions, and lead teams—all of which are invaluable in almost any role and industry.

Here are a few ways you can include critical thinking skills on your resume or cover letter to make sure your job application stands out:

1. Use action verbs that highlight critical thinking

Action verbs can bring your critical thinking skills to life and make your resume more engaging. Instead of using generic verbs like "did" or "made," opt for more dynamic verbs such as "analyzed," "formulated," "assessed," or "strategized."

2. Integrate critical thinking into your brand

Your resume summary is often the first thing recruiters read. By embedding critical thinking skills there, you set the tone for the rest of your resume.

For example, a statement like "Results-driven professional, skilled in analytical problem-solving and strategic decision-making" immediately signals to the employer that you have valuable critical thinking skills.

3. Use real-world scenarios and projects

Real-world examples offer concrete evidence of your critical thinking abilities. You can create a separate “Projects” section where you detail specific instances of how you applied critical thinking to solve real-world problems. This provides context that makes your skills more relatable and impactful.

Add critical-thinking skills to your resume with Teal

The job search can seem daunting at first. No matter your industry or career level, editing your resume is easier with Teal. 

Teal’s AI Resume Builder helps you quickly generate personalized resumes tailored for each job application. Incorporate your critical thinking ability by customizing every section and following expert guidance to ensure you don't miss a beat every time you hit apply.

Want to learn more about how Teal can help create a standout resume? Sign up for a free account today to get started!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i demonstrate my critical thinking skills in a job interview after including them on my resume, can i include critical thinking skills in my resume if my previous job roles didn't explicitly require them, should i list critical thinking skills separately on my resume or integrate them into my experience and qualifications.

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What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information and make reasoned judgments.

Critical thinking helps to think rationally and understand the connection between ideas. It helps to make sense of the world. Using critical thinking skills will make you challenge the loopholes.

For instance, it would enable you to find better solutions or ways to deal with existing issues, thus making you an asset. It is also why employers wish to find such people who think critically.

Read on to understand more about critical thinking, its importance, and incorporating such skills into your resumes.

Additionally, you can get a clear understanding of the following questions about critical thinking skills :

• What do you mean by critical thinking skills?
• How would you demonstrate critical thinking on a resume?
• What are the examples of critical thinking on a job?
• What are the 5 critical thinking skills?
• How to improve critical thinking skills?

What Are Critical Thinking Skills?

The skills that help us to analyze information, arguments, and situations are known as critical thinking skills. Critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from plenty of information and discriminate between information.

Why is Critical Thinking Important?

A critical thinker evaluates sources of information- data, facts, and research findings. For instance, you can research the pros and cons of having a balanced diet. A quick Google search will give you plenty of information on why it is good for your health or is not.

You can find data to back up either side of the claim. Then, using critical thinking skills, you decide for yourself if having a balanced diet will be more or less beneficial for you.

So, critical thinking is important both personally and professionally. It is a skill that is highly valued by employers as well.

Why is Critical Thinking Important In a Workplace?

Critical thinking guides good decision-making, helping you spot possible obstacles and discover solutions to them. It assists you and your coworkers in coming up with new ideas to achieve objectives.

Critical thinking helps in identifying, and addressing workflow inefficiencies, improving management practices, guiding financial decisions, and cultivating a strategic attitude.

Employers want critical thinkers to evaluate a situation using logical thought and offer the best solution. Hiring a critical thinker implies micro-managing is not required.

How Would You Demonstrate Critical Thinking Skills in Your Job Search?

Critical thinking and critical thinker are the go-to words for employers, so much so that they mention them in the job listing. So, it fetches you brownie points when you mention critical thinking on your resume.

But is that all? Not really!

So, how do you demonstrate critical thinking skills in your job search?

Use Critical Thinking While Looking for Jobs

Read the job listing carefully and decide whether it would be worth your time. In your job search, it might happen that the role is suitable but the working hours are not, or the remuneration is not competitive. Would it then be worth going through the hiring process only to reject the offer in the end?

Add Keywords to Your Resume

If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listing, then emphasize critical thinking skills throughout your job search. Use critical thinking keywords such as analytical, problem solving, creativity, etc. Include the top critical thinking skills that best describe you in your work experience and resume summary.

Demonstrate Critical Thinking in the Experience Section

Mention prior experiences where you had to make a decision in a challenging situation. It could be an instance where you supervised a project when no instructions were given or where you had to prioritize between many tasks.

What impact did your decision have? Quantify the results you achieved due to the decisions you took and mention them as bullet points in the experience section.

Demonstrate Critical Thinking in the Resume Summary

Craft a resume summary that encapsulates your experiences and sprinkle keywords such as implemented, result-oriented, problem solver, and driven. Keep the resume summary short and mention the most valuable experiences that you have had.

For instance, a driven individual with 5+ years of experience in app development who has led a team of 10 and implemented complex changes in software for IT companies.

Mention Skills in Your Cover Letter

Include critical thinking skills in the body of your letter. Pick relevant situations and experiences that you highly value and challenge you the most. Give specific examples of times when you have demonstrated critical thinking at work.

Show the Interviewer Your Skills

You can use instances when you demonstrated critical thinking at work when answering behavioral questions. Use the STAR method or situation, task, action, and result method.

Discuss times when you were faced with challenges at work and explain how you applied critical thinking to solve them. Explain your thought process clearly to the interviewer.

Also read : Should I include my soft skills on a resume?

What Are the Examples of Using Critical Thinking on a Job?

Aside from hard skills that decide how skilled you will be at your job, soft skills decide how tactful you will be with your tasks. Having rich soft skills will ensure that you perform your tasks correctly with very little mistakes or setbacks.

• Deciding the precedence order of tasks : A critical thinker decides the order by which the tasks should be completed on the basis of urgency and importance.
• Deciding the best course of action : A critical thinker reviews the evidence and devises a strategy to reach the desired outcome.
• Deciding favorable inputs : A critical thinker decides which information, data, or materials (in case a project requires using raw material) that would be required to complete the task.

The Top 5 Critical Thinking Skills

The in-demand critical thinking skills must be added to your resume and cover letter. They should be emphasized throughout the application process, such as during interviews.

The most important critical thinking skills are:

It means carefully examining something- a set of data or a text. Critical thinkers examine information, understand it, and convey its implications.

Communication

You have to communicate with colleagues and superiors to share your ideas effectively. Often, you will have to share your conclusions with them one-on-one or in a group.

So, you would use critical thinking and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to complex problems.

Also read : How to leverage communication skills in a workplace?

Critical thinking involves creativity and innovation. You would spot patterns in the information or provide a solution that no one else has thought of before. It requires a creative bent of mind.

Open-mindedness

To think critically, one needs to put aside assumptions or judgments. You have to analyze the information you receive and be objective in evaluating ideas without bias.

Problem-Solving

It is another critical thinking skill that involves- analyzing a problem, generating its solution, and then implementing it. It also involves assessing the success of the plan.

Hiring managers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They need employees to come up with practical solutions.

How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills?

If you catch yourself making rushed decisions with no real thought, don't worry because it is a skill that you can build. Use the seven-step rule to develop critical thinking skills:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Choose to be precise while identifying the issue. The narrower the scope, the easier it is to find answers. You do not have to do it all on your own either, if there are coworkers with the same skill set as you, consult them so that you cover all bases.

Step 2: Gather Data

Find several sources of information that contain different ideas and points of view. Doing so will help you avoid hasty decisions and understand how to ensure integrity of choices by looking at it from all points of view.

Step 3: Analyze and Evaluate the Data

To analyze and evaluate data, you need to check the reliability of the sources from where the data is derived. Check if the conclusions are backed by data.

Step 4: Identify Assumptions

Ensure that you identify any underlying assumptions before you come to a conclusion. Consider others' assumptions from every angle along with yours to eradicate any biased decisions and to come up with the best solutions.

Step 5: Establish Significance

Include information that is useful and relevant. While conducting surveys, use a suitable sample size to determine if the outcomes affect many people.

Step 6: Make a Decision/Reach a Conclusion

Identify various conclusions that are possible. Decide which of them are sufficiently supported. Weigh their pros and cons. Making brash decisions can be risky as the lack of thought can lead you to lose resources in many ways.

Step 7: Present or Communicate

Present the conclusion to all stakeholders. Instead of being unprepared, try to structure your thoughts and develop an outline so that you do not miss out on any points. Articulating your thoughts correctly can earn you great respect in a workplace.

Key Takeaways

Critical thinking skills are applicable in both personal and professional lives. More often than not, they are mentioned in the job listings. Keep these points in mind while incorporating such skills into your resumes:

• Critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from plenty of information and are highly valued by employers
• If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listing, then emphasize critical thinking skills throughout your job search
• Critical thinking would help you to decide the precedence order of tasks, the best course of action, and favorable inputs for a task
• Develop critical thinking skills by applying the seven-step rule

Use our career platform for a smooth resume-building experience. We provide a 24/7 online chat service for all your job & career-related queries. You can also reach out to us at [email protected] for any professional assistance.

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Critical Thinking Skills To Advance Your Career: Definitions and Examples

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What are critical thinking skills?

Common critical thinking skills at work, examples of listing critical thinking skills on a resume, tips to improve your critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking is an ability you have to reason logically, rationally and reflectively. Critical thinkers can identify problems by observation and research, question assumptions and analyze to resolve issues. Managers value employees who use critical thinking skills in the workplace to become efficient problem-solvers. In this article, you’ll learn about critical thinking skills and see skill examples to help you get hired.

Critical thinking skills are thought processes you can develop that help you analyze problems and resolve situations in an analytical, unbiased way. Critical thinking skills are often used at work during problem solving, conflict resolution, collaboration, interpretation and in leadership tasks.  

Here are common critical thinking skills with definitions used in at work:

To be accurate is to be free of errors or discrepancies. This means you are careful to choose the right word, double-check your numbers and statistics, and be precise about times and places to the best of your ability. Accounting, for example, is a profession in which accuracy is crucial to ensure that the finances of a company are in good order. Accuracy is also important in the scientific research, engineering and pharmacy industries.

Information-seeking 

Information seekers actively search for data, through research and observation, for making decisions rather than relying only on personal preference or a desired outcome. Other professions in which information gathering is crucial include journalism and law enforcement. For example, an office administrator planning a holiday party cannot just make a reservation at their favorite restaurant; instead, they must seek out quotes, find open dates from venues and ensure each employee can attend before choosing a day. 

Logical reasoning

Logical reasoning is using rational connections between things, events and people to make conclusions. A judge is an example of a career in which logical reasoning is important. A judge has to collect a vast amount of information from a wide variety of sources, decide which information is most reliable, and come up with a verdict accordingly. Other professions in which logical reasoning is important include computer scientist and psychologist.

To evaluate is to judge the quality of something. You might do this every day when you decide whether or not something you want to buy is worth the price. An antiques appraiser has to look at an object, study its history and documentation, and decide its value. Financial advisors and building site inspectors are other professions that requires evaluation.

This skill requires you to use the information you’ve gathered and the conclusions you have made to make a reasonable theory for what might happen next. Predicting is different from guessing because you can use information like a past experience to help make your prediction more likely. 

For example, an oncologist uses past data, research and their own experience to decide whether chemotherapy or surgery might have the best results for a particular patient. Other examples of professions in which predicting would be a good critical thinking skill include meteorologists and business analysts. 

The best way to demonstrate your critical thinking skills on a resume is by showing how you have practiced them in the past. Here are some examples of how to list critical thinking skills in the work experience section of your resume:

Example of observation, research and problem-solving

‘Researched and implemented a mobile phone app that parents and teachers used to reduce school pickup wait times by an average of 17 minutes.’

Example of communication and creativity

‘Created an ice-breaker evening event for junior analysts that included a scavenger hunt and skits; the event has since become an annual tradition and spread to all four branches.’

Example of research, evaluation and implementation

‘Analyzed customer service feedback surveys to identify three major areas of improvement, and organized trainings and course material accordingly.’

Example of predicting, reasoning and problem-solving

‘Adjusted inventory effectively to prepare for hurricane season, saving the grocery chain $1.2 million in wastage and improving profits by 30 percent.’

Here are popular ways that you can develop your critical thinking skills: 

Ask questions

Ask a lot of questions. Sometimes a situation that seems difficult to solve may not be if you ask questions to find out where the problem is coming from. Questioning is a way to continually gather evidence and find out why other people think or act the way they do. For example, if your team members miss a weekly meeting regularly, you can ask what their challenges are in attending the meeting, and find a way to make sure each person can attend. 

Think about your thinking

 It is important to examine your own thought patterns and assumptions to see if any prejudice or bias affects the way you tackle a problem. For example, if you have always worked in an office, you may feel that a fellow employee who works remotely is less productive than you. If you examine why you are thinking this way, it could be that you have only ever worked from an office, which is why home is synonymous with relaxation. However, if you objectively analyze that employee’s output and compare it to others who work from both home and the office, you will get hard data with which you can prove or disprove your assumption.

This applies to thought, perspectives and people. Always approaching problems with one set of tools, or always relying on one person’s advice, can only lead you to the same result each time. For better results, research alternate methods, talk to others in similar positions and even examine the viewpoints of those who oppose you. For example, if you are tasked with making a bicycle delivery in a new part of town, you might talk to others who live in the area to find out about shortcuts and look up different routes on map apps until you find one that best meets your needs.

Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment. It involves the evaluation of sources, such as data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings.

Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information, and discriminate between useful and less useful details to solve problems or make decisions. Employers prioritize the ability to think critically—find out why, plus see how you can demonstrate that you have this ability throughout the job application process. 

Why Do Employers Value Critical Thinking Skills?

Employers want job candidates who can evaluate a situation using logical thought and offer the best solution.

 Someone with critical thinking skills can be trusted to make decisions independently, and will not need constant handholding.

Hiring a critical thinker means that micromanaging won't be required. Critical thinking abilities are among the most sought-after skills in almost every industry and workplace. You can demonstrate critical thinking by using related keywords in your resume and cover letter, and during your interview.

Examples of Critical Thinking

The circumstances that demand critical thinking vary from industry to industry. Some examples include:

• A triage nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients should be treated.
• A plumber evaluates the materials that would best suit a particular job.
• An attorney reviews evidence and devises a strategy to win a case or to decide whether to settle out of court.
• A manager analyzes customer feedback forms and uses this information to develop a customer service training session for employees.

Promote Your Skills in Your Job Search

If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listings you are applying for, be sure to emphasize your critical thinking skills throughout your job search.

Add Keywords to Your Resume

You can use critical thinking keywords (analytical, problem solving, creativity, etc.) in your resume. When describing your  work history , include top critical thinking skills that accurately describe you. You can also include them in your  resume summary , if you have one.

For example, your summary might read, “Marketing Associate with five years of experience in project management. Skilled in conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis to assess market trends and client needs, and to develop appropriate acquisition tactics.”

Mention Skills in Your Cover Letter

Include these critical thinking skills in your cover letter. In the body of your letter, mention one or two of these skills, and give specific examples of times when you have demonstrated them at work. Think about times when you had to analyze or evaluate materials to solve a problem.

Show the Interviewer Your Skills

You can use these skill words in an interview. Discuss a time when you were faced with a particular problem or challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking to solve it.

Some interviewers will give you a hypothetical scenario or problem, and ask you to use critical thinking skills to solve it. In this case, explain your thought process thoroughly to the interviewer. He or she is typically more focused on how you arrive at your solution rather than the solution itself. The interviewer wants to see you analyze and evaluate (key parts of critical thinking) the given scenario or problem.

Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the job description carefully and focus on the skills listed by the employer.

Top Critical Thinking Skills

Keep these in-demand critical thinking skills in mind as you update your resume and write your cover letter. As you've seen, you can also emphasize them at other points throughout the application process, such as your interview. 

Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a problem, a set of data, or a text. People with  analytical skills  can examine information, understand what it means, and properly explain to others the implications of that information.

• Asking Thoughtful Questions
• Data Analysis
• Interpretation
• Questioning Evidence
• Recognizing Patterns

Communication

Often, you will need to share your conclusions with your employers or with a group of colleagues. You need to be able to  communicate with others  to share your ideas effectively. You might also need to engage in critical thinking in a group. In this case, you will need to work with others and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to complex problems.

• Active Listening
• Collaboration
• Explanation
• Interpersonal
• Presentation
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

Critical thinking often involves creativity and innovation. You might need to spot patterns in the information you are looking at or come up with a solution that no one else has thought of before. All of this involves a creative eye that can take a different approach from all other approaches.

• Flexibility
• Conceptualization
• Imagination
• Drawing Connections
• Synthesizing

Open-Mindedness

To think critically, you need to be able to put aside any assumptions or judgments and merely analyze the information you receive. You need to be objective, evaluating ideas without bias.

• Objectivity
• Observation

Problem Solving

Problem-solving is another critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a problem, generating and implementing a solution, and assessing the success of the plan. Employers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They also need to be able to come up with practical solutions.

• Attention to Detail
• Clarification
• Decision Making
• Groundedness
• Identifying Patterns

More Critical Thinking Skills

• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Noticing Outliers
• Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
• Brainstorming
• Optimization
• Restructuring
• Integration
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Ongoing Improvement
• Causal Relationships
• Case Analysis
• Diagnostics
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Intelligence
• Quantitative Data Management
• Qualitative Data Management
• Risk Management
• Scientific Method
• Consumer Behavior

Key Takeaways

• Demonstrate that you have critical thinking skills by adding relevant keywords to your resume.
• Mention pertinent critical thinking skills in your cover letter, too, and include an example of a time when you demonstrated them at work.
• Finally, highlight critical thinking skills during your interview. For instance, you might discuss a time when you were faced with a challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking skills to solve it.

University of Louisville. " What is Critical Thinking ."

American Management Association. " AMA Critical Skills Survey: Workers Need Higher Level Skills to Succeed in the 21st Century ."

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Critical Thinking Skills for a Resume

Critical thinking skills are the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. Critical thinking could be described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking. It requires you to use your ability to reason.

For example, you can research the pros and cons of running two miles a day. A quick Google search will give you plenty of information for and against this idea. Reasons why it is good for your health and reasons why it is hard on your body. You can find data and research to back up either side of the claim. Then, using critical thinking skills, you decide for yourself if running two miles a day will be more or less beneficial for you personally.

Related :  Personal Qualities Employers are Looking For

Why are critical thinking skills important on a resume?

Critical thinking is the only way to make sense of the world. You’ll constantly challenge what seems given. For example, in your job, even if something appears to be functioning properly, critical thinking will help you try and identify new, better  solutions.

Employers and hiring managers want to be sure you can process what is going on around you and use that information in your career. Critical thinking skills are the cornerstone of self-development and improvement. That’s why they’re so critical  to have in today’s job market.

The Seven Steps of Critical Thinking

1. Identify the problem or question.  Be as precise as possible: the narrower the issue, the easier it is to find solutions or answers.

2. Gather data, opinions, and arguments.  Try to find several sources that present different ideas and points of view.

3. Analyze and evaluate the data.  Are the sources reliable? Are their conclusions data-backed or just argumentative? Is there enough information or data to support the given hypotheses?

4. Identify assumptions.  Are you sure the sources you found are unbiased? Are you sure you weren’t biased in your search for answers?

5. Establish significance.  What piece of information is most important? Is the sample size sufficient? Are all opinions and arguments even relevant to the problem you’re trying to solve?

6. Make a decision/reach a conclusion.  Identify various conclusions that are possible and decide which (if any) of them are sufficiently supported. Weigh the strengths and limitations of all possible options.

7. Present or communicate.  Once you’ve reached a conclusion, present it to all stakeholders.

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Strong Analytical Thinking Skills: Example Usage on Resume, Skill Set and Top Keywords in 2024

Three ways to show your analytical skills on your resume in 2023!

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In This Guide:

What are analytical thinking skills, why are analytical thinking skills important on your resume.

What traits, skills, and abilities help you demonstrate strong analytical skills on your resume?"?

How to demonstrate strong analytical thinking skills on your resume

Analytical thinking skills are a set of soft skills that help you recognize, collect and process data related to a problem that needs to be solved efficiently. They also help you identify improvement possibilities or predict and prevent disaster.

Great analytical thinking skills usually cover a spectrum of abilities such as Communication, Creativity, Critical thinking, Data analysis, and Research.

To demonstrate what we mean, let’s have a quiz. In WW2, the RAF aimed to reinforce their airplanes so that they have a better chance of survival. They knew which parts of the airplane received the most bullet holes. So, what did they do? Keep reading and you will find out.

Because analytical thinking skills are a set, you will need to demonstrate them indirectly in your resume, highlighting the abilities we mentioned a few lines earlier. HR officers will look for them in the skill section, especially if the job title you are applying for contains the word “analyst”.

In simple words, analytical thinking skills ensure survival and progress. In the corporate world, analytical skills are vital for making an enterprise profitable. Those with analytical skills show the way and lead the path. Decisions and actions are based on those skills and without them, any company is doomed. This is why the most sought-after employees and executives are the ones with a proven record of analytical thinking. To see patterns and trends, to draw logical conclusions, and be able to communicate that within the organization is a must in finances, data science, medicine, marketing, law, and many more well-paid and prestigious positions.

What traits, skills, and abilities help you demonstrate strong analytical skills on your resume?"?

• Observation skills and curiosity : sometimes the data you need to solve a problem is not delivered to your desk. You need not only to see what is in front of you, but what is missing. Remember our RAF planes? Some came back, but some did not.
• Research : once you notice a problem, you will have to look for data. Here you need to be patient, study the problem, and collect all the relevant information and data you can. You need to be creative in finding places where to look for it.
• Data analysis : to analyze data, you need to be able to concentrate and systematize the information. This is where the patterns and dependencies will show up. Your job is to make sense of it and come up with a conclusion.
• Creativity and Critical thinking : to be able to think critically and creatively means to be able to avoid the obvious. Often, critical thinking means exploring even impossible angles to find a solution. A good example that comes to mind is Israel’s 10th man approach, depicted in the movie “Z world war”. The rule states that the 10th member of their council is obligated to doubt anything if all nine others agree on a decision. By the way, do you still think about the RAF planes? Back then they found the solution, avoiding the obvious.
• Communication : once you have a solution, you will need to find a way to communicate it to your colleagues. Here you need to know how to present the information when to present it, how to draw attention and how to inspire.
• Give examples with critical situations on your job that demonstrate those skills
• Describe a specific process or method you use
• Think of major achievements and breakthroughs made possible by your analytical skills
• If you practice brain games and read a lot of books, make sure to include this in the “Interests” section, as these improve analytical skills.
• List specific courses or certificates related to analytical skills

Writing “Strong analytical thinking skills” on your resume is simply not enough. You will need to prove your case, convincing the HR officer that you might be able to think analytically. You have to show examples, achievements and be creative. Remember, the HR officer uses analytical skills as well to find a suitable candidate.

Below you will find relevant examples that will help you start:

Example 1: Show your analytical thinking skills in your experience bullet point

• • Developed a market entry strategy in California, targeting 1 million bottles sold in the first year of operations
• • Increased the store turnover by 20%and the main KPIs by 15% by proficient management of stock and orders
• • Successfully managed and motivated a 5-member team, reducing the staff turnover to 0
• • Successfully managed events with more than 50 suppliers involved and up to 500 participants
• • Recruited, trained and managed multicultural team composed of approximately 100 persons
• • First ever digital content into TV integration increased impressions +2%
• • Invented a cross-category solutions, bringing +3% penetration on Telivus portfolio and +5.7% sales increase

Example taken from our Project Manager resume guide

The applicant demonstrates strong analytical skills by meeting his sales forecast. His analysis of stock and orders allowed him to implement a strategy that resulted in savings for the company. This also shows that he can work with data. The experience in managing events with more participants and at a bigger scale repeatedly shows the candidate’s ability to plan and communicate. The word “Invented” speaks of creativity.

Example 2: Demonstrate analytical skills in your resume summary

Example taken from our Software Engineer resume guide

We can see that the candidate has a major achievement. More importantly, the achievement is for an “optimized” network. Any optimization is a result of analytical skills. Especially useful are achievements confirmed by a third-party organization.

Example 3: Use your achievements to make the point

Example taken from our Resumes of Chernobyl article

This is what counts. We can see that Mr. Legasov “Led the investigation” of the Chernobyl disaster, which is to show that he conducted research and collected data. Then he analyzed the data and using creative and critical thinking he came up with conclusions and solutions. “Pointed to the problems” is the most incredible part of his achievements. Although the party and the whole political situation did not allow for honesty and the spread of information, he put his will and communication skills and work and informed the world about the dangers of RBMK-1000 reactors.

Top related skills to strong analytical skills:

• Public Speaking
• Demonstrate, do not claim: Lead the HR officer through your achievements and results.
• Make them believe in you: List any awards and recognition.
• Be wise with words: Sort and clear sentences. Action and power verbs. Only the essence. You will explain the details later at the interview.

And what happened to those pilots and their planes? An analyst at the RAF concluded that they need to reinforce the parts of the plane where there are no bullet holes. The reason for this was that although hit many times, the planes they studied returned after all. The rest hit in other places, did not.

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10 Most In-Demand Soft Skills to Put on Your Resume

L ong gone are the days when listing hard skills was the best (and oftentimes only) way to get your foot in the door at a prestigious company. While technical knowledge and training will always be important, soft skills (or essentially personality traits) are becoming increasingly important to highlight on your resume. And it makes sense, as more companies prioritize work culture and, therefore, the personalities of those they’re hiring.

But which soft skills are the ones that standout the most on a resume? Using data from Indeed.com, CashNetUSA scoured job ads for 46 predetermined soft skills to find the ones that appeared the most on high-paid jobs that surpassed the 75th percentile of wages in America’s most populated cities as well as each state. These are the soft skills that came out on top.

10. Resilience

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 34.29%

Resilience is a soft skill that highlights your ability to handle stress and challenges that come up at work. 

A good example of how to add this to your resume could be, “Showed resilience when leading a team after budget cuts by still delivering work on time and within scope.”

* Data comes from a January 2024 report released by CashNetUSA .

9. Financial Management

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 38.24%

If you’ve ever been in charge of a budget of any size, you can say that you have financial management skills. 

For instance, something like “oversaw the financial management of the freelance budget” could work if you hired contractors for a specific project.

8. Innovation

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 39.24%

Sure, this one makes our eyes roll a bit, too, but in today’s fast-paced world, innovation is key. No one wants an employee that stays stagnant or, worse, digs their heels in at the slight mention of change. 

You know who’s not stagnant? Someone who “excelled at brainstorming and ideation in the innovation process for [fill in project name].” You get it.

7. Emotional Intelligence

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 43.11%

We’re actually pleasantly surprised with this one. After all, we didn’t think corporations necessarily had it in them to care about this.

Jokes aside, having emotional intelligence is something that makes a good team member and an even better manager. After all, it’s hard to resolve team conflicts without it. The more a company emphasizes a “harmonious work environment,” the more this soft skill will matter.

6. Mentoring

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 47.89%

Here’s another managerial skill that job ads like to use to weed out the haves from the have-nots when it comes to managers. Do you actually enjoy mentoring people or have you just fallen up the corporate ladder into a management position?

True leaders will make mentoring a priority and want to highlight it on their resume.

5. Critical Thinking

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 47.94%

“Critical thinking” or “problem solving” can be put in the same bucket as resilience. How did you handle a challenging situation at work? It’s even better if you have data to back up your claim.

Well, maybe you “demonstrated strong critical-thinking skills when analyzing financial reports and making forecasts for the following quarter.”

4. Presentation Skills

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 56%

Presentation skills are the nature of the beast when it comes to today's Corporate America. That's because lots of today’s high-paying jobs require working with cross-functional teams and being able to explain your work in easy, digestible terms.

Think someone on a data science team explaining their findings to a marketing team. Along with "presentation skills," you could also add the specific presentation tools or software you use for your presentations on your resume.

3. Persuasion

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 57.41%

Persuasion sounds rather seductive, but it's crucial when trying to get specific projects across the finish line.

It's also a term that's used a lot in marketing when talking about "persuasive marketing skills" required to communicate well with a customer audience.

2. Negotiation

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 58.26%

This skill goes back to business basics. Proper negotiation skills come in handy in any aspect of life, whether you're negotiating a $1 billion merger or whether or not your toddler can have dessert for breakfast.

That said, it's a skill that takes time to hone — which is why it's considered all the more valuable.

1. Strategic Thinking

Percentage of highly paid jobs requiring the skill: 64.77%

Strategic thinking is essentially a combination of innovation and critical thinking, but the best way to incorporate this keyword on your resume is by using the CAR (challenge, action, result) technique.

You could say something like, "Used strategic thinking skills by analyzing user engagement data and running an A/B test that resulted in increased engagement of 20 percent."

For more resume advice, check out "How to Make Your Resume Shine."

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important was originally published on Ivy Exec .

Strong critical thinking skills are crucial for career success, regardless of educational background. It embodies the ability to engage in astute and effective decision-making, lending invaluable dimensions to professional growth.

At its essence, critical thinking is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in a logical and reasoned manner. It’s not merely about accumulating knowledge but harnessing it effectively to make informed decisions and solve complex problems. In the dynamic landscape of modern careers, honing this skill is paramount.

The Impact of Critical Thinking on Your Career

☑ problem-solving mastery.

Visualize critical thinking as the Sherlock Holmes of your career journey. It facilitates swift problem resolution akin to a detective unraveling a mystery. By methodically analyzing situations and deconstructing complexities, critical thinkers emerge as adept problem solvers, rendering them invaluable assets in the workplace.

☑ Refined Decision-Making

Navigating dilemmas in your career path resembles traversing uncertain terrain. Critical thinking acts as a dependable GPS, steering you toward informed decisions. It involves weighing options, evaluating potential outcomes, and confidently choosing the most favorable path forward.

☑ Enhanced Teamwork Dynamics

Within collaborative settings, critical thinkers stand out as proactive contributors. They engage in scrutinizing ideas, proposing enhancements, and fostering meaningful contributions. Consequently, the team evolves into a dynamic hub of ideas, with the critical thinker recognized as the architect behind its success.

☑ Communication Prowess

Effective communication is the cornerstone of professional interactions. Critical thinking enriches communication skills, enabling the clear and logical articulation of ideas. Whether in emails, presentations, or casual conversations, individuals adept in critical thinking exude clarity, earning appreciation for their ability to convey thoughts seamlessly.

☑ Adaptability and Resilience

Perceptive individuals adept in critical thinking display resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges. Instead of succumbing to panic, they assess situations, recalibrate their approaches, and persist in moving forward despite adversity.

☑ Fostering Innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of progressive organizations, and critical thinking serves as its catalyst. Proficient critical thinkers possess the ability to identify overlooked opportunities, propose inventive solutions, and streamline processes, thereby positioning their organizations at the forefront of innovation.

☑ Confidence Amplification

Critical thinkers exude confidence derived from honing their analytical skills. This self-assurance radiates during job interviews, presentations, and daily interactions, catching the attention of superiors and propelling career advancement.

So, how can one cultivate and harness this invaluable skill?

✅ developing curiosity and inquisitiveness:.

Embrace a curious mindset by questioning the status quo and exploring topics beyond your immediate scope. Cultivate an inquisitive approach to everyday situations. Encourage a habit of asking “why” and “how” to deepen understanding. Curiosity fuels the desire to seek information and alternative perspectives.

✅ Practice Reflection and Self-Awareness:

Engage in reflective thinking by assessing your thoughts, actions, and decisions. Regularly introspect to understand your biases, assumptions, and cognitive processes. Cultivate self-awareness to recognize personal prejudices or cognitive biases that might influence your thinking. This allows for a more objective analysis of situations.

✅ Strengthening Analytical Skills:

Practice breaking down complex problems into manageable components. Analyze each part systematically to understand the whole picture. Develop skills in data analysis, statistics, and logical reasoning. This includes understanding correlation versus causation, interpreting graphs, and evaluating statistical significance.

✅ Engaging in Active Listening and Observation:

Actively listen to diverse viewpoints without immediately forming judgments. Allow others to express their ideas fully before responding. Observe situations attentively, noticing details that others might overlook. This habit enhances your ability to analyze problems more comprehensively.

✅ Encouraging Intellectual Humility and Open-Mindedness:

Foster intellectual humility by acknowledging that you don’t know everything. Be open to learning from others, regardless of their position or expertise. Cultivate open-mindedness by actively seeking out perspectives different from your own. Engage in discussions with people holding diverse opinions to broaden your understanding.

✅ Practicing Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:

Engage in regular problem-solving exercises that challenge you to think creatively and analytically. This can include puzzles, riddles, or real-world scenarios. When making decisions, consciously evaluate available information, consider various alternatives, and anticipate potential outcomes before reaching a conclusion.

✅ Continuous Learning and Exposure to Varied Content:

Read extensively across diverse subjects and formats, exposing yourself to different viewpoints, cultures, and ways of thinking. Engage in courses, workshops, or seminars that stimulate critical thinking skills. Seek out opportunities for learning that challenge your existing beliefs.

✅ Engage in Constructive Disagreement and Debate:

Encourage healthy debates and discussions where differing opinions are respectfully debated.

This practice fosters the ability to defend your viewpoints logically while also being open to changing your perspective based on valid arguments. Embrace disagreement as an opportunity to learn rather than a conflict to win. Engaging in constructive debate sharpens your ability to evaluate and counter-arguments effectively.

✅ Utilize Problem-Based Learning and Real-World Applications:

Engage in problem-based learning activities that simulate real-world challenges. Work on projects or scenarios that require critical thinking skills to develop practical problem-solving approaches. Apply critical thinking in real-life situations whenever possible.

This could involve analyzing news articles, evaluating product reviews, or dissecting marketing strategies to understand their underlying rationale.

In conclusion, critical thinking is the linchpin of a successful career journey. It empowers individuals to navigate complexities, make informed decisions, and innovate in their respective domains. Embracing and honing this skill isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity in a world where adaptability and sound judgment reign supreme.

So, as you traverse your career path, remember that the ability to think critically is not just an asset but the differentiator that propels you toward excellence.