logical thinking skills for resume

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The Most Important Logical Thinking Skills (With Examples)

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Logical thinking skills like critical-thinking, research, and creative thinking are valuable assets in the workplace. These skills are sought after by many employers, who want employees that take into account facts and data before deciding on an important course of action. This is because such solutions will ensure the organization’s processes can continue to operate efficiently.

So, if you’re a job seeker or employee looking to explore and brush up on your logical thinking skills, you’re in luck. This article will cover examples of logical thinking skills in the workplace, as well as what you can do to showcase those skills on your resume and in interviews.

Key Takeaways:

Logical thinking is problem solving based on reasoning that follows a strictly structured progression of analysis.

Critical thinking, research, creativity, mathematics, reading, active listening, and organization are all important logical thinking skills in the workplace.

Logical thinking provides objectivity for decision making that multiple people can accept.

Deduction follows valid premises to reach a logical conclusion.

It can be very helpful to demonstrate logical thinking skills at a job interview.

What is logical thinking?

10 examples of logical thinking skills, examples of logical thinking in the workplace, what is deductive reasoning, logical thinking in a job interview, logical thinking skills faq, final thoughts.

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Logical thinking is the ability to reason out an issue after observing and analyzing it from all angles . You can then form a conclusion that makes the most sense. It also includes the ability to take note of reactions and feedback to aid in the formation of the conclusion.

Logical thinking skills enable you to present your justification for the actions you take, the strategies you use, and the decisions you make. You can easily stand in front of your clients, peers, and supervisors and defend your product, service, and course of action if the necessity arises.

Logical thinking is an excellent way of solving complex problems. You can break the problem into smaller parts; solve them individually in a sequence, then present the complete solution. However, it is not infallible.

So, when a problem in the workplace feels overwhelming, you may want to think about it logically first.

Logical thinking skills are a skill set that enables you to reason logically when solving problems. They enable you to provide well-reasoned answers to any issues that arise. They also empower you to make decisions that most people will consider rational.

Critical-thinking skills. If you are a critical thinker, then you can analyze and evaluate a problem before making judgments. You need to improve your critical thinking process to become a logical thinker.

Your critical thinking skills will improve your ability to solve problems. You will be the go-to employee concerning crises. People can rely on you to be reasonable whenever an issue arises instead of letting biases rule you.

Research skills. If you are a good researcher , then you can search and locate data that can be useful when presenting information on your preferred subject.

The more relevant information you have about a particular subject, the more accurate your conclusions are likely to be. The sources you use must be reputable and relevant.

For this reason, your ability to ferret out information will affect how well you can reason logically.

Creative thinking skills. If you are a creative thinker , then you can find innovative solutions to problems.

You are the kind of person that can think outside the box when brainstorming ideas and potential solutions. Your thinking is not rigid. Instead, you tend to look at issues in ways other people have not thought of before.

While logical thinking is based on data and facts, that doesn’t mean it is rigid. You can creatively find ways of sourcing that data or experimenting so that you can form logical conclusions. Your strategic thinking skills will also help enable you to analyze reactions or collect feedback .

Mathematical skills. If you are skilled in mathematics , then you can work well with numbers and represent mathematical ideas using visual symbols. Your brain must be able to compute information.

Business is a numbers game. That means you must have some knowledge of mathematics. You must be able to perform basic mathematical tasks involving addition, subtractions, divisions, multiplications, etc.

So, to become a logical thinker, you must be comfortable working with numbers. You will encounter them in many business-related complex problems. And your ability to understand them will determine whether you can reach an accurate logical conclusion that helps your organization.

Reading skills. If you are a good reader , then you can make sense of the letters and symbols that you see. Your ability to read will determine your competency concerning your logical thinking and reasoning skills.

And that skill set will come in handy when you are presented with different sets of work-related statements from which you are meant to conclude. Such statements may be part of your company policy, technical manual, etc.

Active listening skills. Active listening is an important communication skill to have. If you are an active listener, then you can hear, understand what is being said, remember it, and respond to it if necessary.

Not all instructions are written. You may need to listen to someone to get the information you need to solve problems before you write it down. In that case, your active listening skills will determine how well you can remember the information so that you can use it to reason things out logically.

Information ordering skills. If you have information ordering skills, then you can arrange things based on a specified order following the set rules or conditions. These things may include mathematical operations, words, pictures, etc.

Different organizations have different business processes. The workflow in one organization will be not similar to that of another organization even if both belong to the same industry.

Your ability to order information will depend on an organization’s culture . And it will have a major impact on how you can think and reason concerning solutions to your company problems.

If you follow the wrong order, then no matter how good your problem-solving techniques are your conclusions may be wrong for your organization.

Persuasion skills. Logical thinking can be useful when persuading others, especially in the workplace.

For example, lets say one of your co-workers wants to take a project in an impulsive direction, which will increase the budget. However, after you do your research, you realize a budget increase would be impossible.

You can then use your logical thinking skills to explain the situation to your co-worker , including details facts and numbers, which will help dissuade them from making an uninformed decision.

Decision making skills. Decision making skills go hand and hand with logical thinking, as being able to think logically about solutions and research topics will make it far easier to make informed decisions.

After all, no one likes making a decision that feels like a shot in the dark, so knowing crucial information about the options aviable to you, and thinking about them logically, can improve your confidence around decision making.

Confidence skills. Confidence that stems from an emotional and irrational place will always be fragile, but when you have more knowledge available to you through logical thinking, you can be more confident in your confidence skills.

For instance, if an employee asked you to answer an important question, you will have a lot more confidence in your answer if you can think logically about it, as opposed to having an air of uncertainty.

To improve your logic skills, it would be wise to practice how to solve problems based on facts and data. Below are examples of logical thinking in the workplace that will help you understand this kind of reasoning so that you can improve your thinking:

The human resource department in your organization has determined that leadership skills are important for anyone looking to go into a senior management position. So, it decides that it needs proof of leadership before hiring anyone internally. To find the right person for the senior management position , every candidate must undertake a project that involves a team of five. Whoever leads the winning team will get the senior managerial position.

This example shows a logical conclusion that is reached by your organization’s human resource department. In this case, your HR department has utilized logical thinking to determine the best internal candidate for the senior manager position.

It could be summarized as follows:

Statement 1: People with excellent leadership skills that produce winning teams make great senior managers. Statement 2: Candidate A is an excellent leader that has produced a winning team. Conclusion: Candidate A will make an excellent senior manager .

A marketing company researches working women on behalf of one of their clients – a robotics company. They find out that these women feel overwhelmed with responsibilities at home and in the workplace. As a result, they do not have enough time to clean, take care of their children, and stay productive in the workplace. A robotics company uses this research to create a robot cleaner that can be operated remotely . Then they advertise this cleaner specifically to working women with the tag line, “Working women can do it all with a little bit of help.” As a result of this marketing campaign, their revenues double within a year.

This example shows a logical conclusion reached by a robotics company after receiving the results of marketing research on working women. In this case, logical thinking has enabled the company to come up with a new marketing strategy for their cleaning product.

Statement 1: Working women struggle to keep their homes clean. Statement 2: Robot cleaners can take over cleaning duties for women who struggle to keep their homes clean. Conclusion: Robot cleaner can help working women keep their homes clean.

CalcX. Inc. has created a customer survey concerning its new finance software. The goal of the survey is to determine what customers like best about the software. After reading through over 100 customer reviews and ratings, it emerges that 60% of customers love the new user interface because it’s easy to navigate. CalcX. Inc. then decides to improve its marketing strategy. It decides to train every salesperson to talk about the easy navigation feature and how superior it is to the competition. So, every time a client objects to the price, the sales rep could admit that it is expensive, but the excellent user interface makes up for the price. At the end of the year, it emerges that this strategy has improved sales revenues by 10%.

The above example shows how logical thinking has helped CalcX. Sell more software and improve its bottom line.

Statement 1: If the majority of customers like a particular software feature, then sales reps should use it to overcome objections and increase revenues. Statement 2: 60% of the surveyed customers like the user interface of the new software, and; they think it makes navigation easier. Conclusion: The sales reps should market the new software’s user interface and the fact that it is easy to navigate to improve the company’s bottom line.

A political candidate hires a focus group to discuss hot-button issues they feel strongly about. It emerges that the group is torn on sexual reproductive health issues, but most support the issue of internal security . However, nearly everyone is opposed to the lower wages being paid due to the current economic crisis. Based on the results of this research, the candidate decides to focus on improving the economy and security mechanisms in the country. He also decides to let go of the sexual productive health issues because it would potentially cause him to lose some support.

In this case, the political candidate has made logical conclusions on what topics he should use to campaign for his seat with minimal controversies so that he doesn’t lose many votes.

This situation could be summarized as follows:

Statement 1: Most people find sexual reproductive health issues controversial and cannot agree. Statement 2: Most people feel that the internal security of the country is in jeopardy and something should be done about it. Statement 3: Most people want higher wages and an improved economy. Statement 4: Political candidates who want to win must avoid controversy and speak up on things that matter to people. Conclusion: To win, political candidates must focus on higher wages, an improved economy, and the internal security of the country while avoiding sexual reproductive health matters.

Deductive reasoning is an aspect of logical reasoning. It is a top-down reasoning approach that enables you to form a specific logical conclusion based on generalities. Therefore, you can use one or more statements, usually referred to as premises, to conclude something.

For example:

Statement 1: All mothers are women Statement 2: Daisy is a mother. Conclusion: Daisy is a woman.

Based on the above examples, all mothers are classified as women, and since Daisy is a mother, then it’s logical to deduce that she is a woman too.

It’s worth noting though, that deductive reasoning does not always produce an accurate conclusion based on reality.

Statement 1: All caregivers in this room are nurses. Statement 2: This dog, Tom, is a caregiver . Conclusion: This dog, Tom, is a nurse .

From the above example, we have deduced that Tom, the dog, is a nurse simply because the first statement stated that all caregivers are nurses. And yet, in reality, we know that dogs cannot be nurses. They do not have the mental capacity to become engaged in the profession.

For this reason, you must bear in mind that an argument can be validly based on the conditions but it can also be unsound if some statements are based on a fallacy.

Since logical thinking is so important in the workplace, most job interviewers will want to see you demonstrate this skill at the job interview. It is very important to keep in mind your logical thinking skills when you talk about yourself at the interview.

There are many ways in which an interviewer may ask you to demonstrate your logical thinking skills. For example:

You may have to solve an example problem. If the interviewer provides you a problem similar to one you might find at your job, make sure to critically analyze the problem to deduce a solution.

You may be asked about a previous problem or conflict you had to solve. This classic question provides you the opportunity to show your skills in action, so make sure to highlight the objectivity and logic of your problem solving.

Show your logic when talking about yourself. When given the opportunity to talk about yourself, highlight how logic comes into play in your decision making. This could be in how you picked the job position, why you choose your career or education, or what it is about yourself that makes you a great candidate.

Why is it important to think logically?

It’s important to think logically because it allows you to analyze a situation and come up with a logical solution. It allows for you to reason through the important decisions and solve problems with a better understanding of what needs to be done. This is necessary for developing a strong career.

Why is logic important?

Logic is important because it helps develop critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills are important because they help you analyze and evaluate a problem before you make a decision. It also helps you improve your problem-solving skills to allow you to make better decisions.

How do you improve your logical thinking skills?

When improving your logical thinking skills make sure you spend time on a creative hobby and practice questioning. Creative hobbies can help reduce stress levels, and lower stress leads to having an easier time focusing on tasks and making logical thinking. Creative hobbies can include things like drawing, painting, and writing.

Another way to improve your logical thinking is to start asking questions about things. Asking questions allows for you to discover new things and learn about new topics you may not have thought about before.

What are logical thinking skills you need to succeed at work?

There are many logical thinking skills you need to succeed in the workplace. Our top four picks include:

Observation

Active Listening

Problem-solving

Logical thinking skills are valuable skills to have. You need to develop them so that you can become an asset to any organization that hires you. Be sure to include them in your resume and cover letter .

And if you make it to the interview, also ensure that you highlight these skills. You can do all this by highlighting the career accomplishments that required you to use logical thinking in the workplace.

It’s Your Yale – Consider Critical Thinking Skills to Articulate Your Work Quality

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Roger Raber has been a content writer at Zippia for over a year and has authored several hundred articles. Having retired after 28 years of teaching writing and research at both the high school and college levels, Roger enjoys providing career details that help inform people who are curious about a new job or career. Roger holds a BA in English from Cleveland State University and a MA from Marygrove college.

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Critical Thinking Skills for Resume: Definition, Importance Examples

It’s no secret that employers want adaptable people, who 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 comes down to one simple thing: they have strong critical thinking skills.

So of course you’d want to tout these on your resume and all over your job application materials too. There’s one problem, though. 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. You use critical thinking skills in the workplace to solve problems, collaborate with others, resolve conflicts, and complete many other everyday tasks.

To give you a better idea, here are several critical thinking skills examples : 

• Analysis of information for relevancy and accuracy. Strong fact-checking abilities. 
• Critical self-reflection and introspection to eliminate bias or flawed assumptions. 
• Using available data to formulate effective, empathetic, and rational solutions to problems.
• Integrating different information sources and perspectives to form a coherent understanding of an issue. 
• Recognition of fallacies: Ability to spot and eliminate flaws in arguments, assessments, and suggested solutions. 
• Brainstorming multiple approaches to a problem and evaluating their potential effectiveness.

Generally, critical thinking falls into the broader category of conceptual skills — your cognitive abilities to transform abstract problems into concrete solutions. Critical thinking skills also form the base of your analytical skills — a broader range of abilities to perceive, process, and assimilate information. 

Why Are Critical Thinking Skills In Demand By Employers

Employers find ‘soft skills’ like critical thinking in short supply: 78% of employers rank 

critical thinking/analytic reasoning is the most important workplace competency, but only 34% of college graduates they interview are well-prepared in this department. 

At the same time, 93% of employers state that they value strong critical thinking skills over the candidate’s undergraduate degree. Why so? 

Put simply, critical thinking indicates your ability to make good decisions — a competency required for almost every role. 

Critical thinkers can effectively assess the available information and synthesize the best plan of action, based on analyzed data and personal experience.  On the other hand, people with poor critical-thinking skills may be more prone to drawing fast conclusions on incomplete or unreliable data, and rely on ‘hunches’ or personal biases.

The knowledge economy, we now operate in, also puts a premium on human capital. Simple menial work can be done by algorithms and smart manufacturing equipment. However, we still need humans to supervise, develop, and oversee the execution. Another study also argues that people with strong critical thinking skills are less likely to get displaced from their jobs by emerging technologies. 

The bottom line: Critical thinking is 81% of employers already highly valued today and one that prepares you well for the future of work. 

List Of Critical Thinking Skills For Your Resume

Let’s be real: you won’t convince hiring managers by simply stating, ‘I have strong 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 share specific critical thinking skills examples on your resume. 

Analysis stands for your ability to effectively deal with 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.

How to demonstrate this critical thinking skill on a resume: 

From a project coordinator resume example : 

Employed a Checklist-Oriented Requirement Analysis (CORA) framework to analyze project requirements, map dependencies, identify possible constraints, and develop contingency plans.

Observation

Observation 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.

How to add this critical thinking skill to a resume: 

From a teacher’s resume example : 

Observed students’ performance on standardized English language tests versus creating assignments to better understand the impact of each on information retention and improve my teaching strategies.

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. Combined with business acumen , interference often helps bring more creative ideas and accelerate innovation. 

How to demonstrate such critical thinking skills on a resume

From a digital marketing manager resume example : 

Increase the ROAS from digital out-of-home ad campaigns by 25%, by a new customer cohort of ‘eco-conscious consumers” and adjusting the messaging for them in key locations.

Problem-Solving

The ability to strategize and evaluate a solution after it has been implemented is the essence of problem-solving skills. Problem-solving requires that you can look at a problem objectively, and think through potential solutions in a methodical manner. 

Although employers are the most likely to assess this skill with problem-solving interview questions , it’s still worth including a short mention on your resume too, especially for roles that require quick thinking. 

How to demonstrate problem-solving skills on a resume: 

From an administrative assistant resume example :

Helped organize a 1,000 sales rep conference on a 3-week deadline, despite facing venue cancelations and two last-moment speaker cancellations. 

Communication

The ability to effectively collaborate with others, discuss problems, give and receive feedback are critical skills 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. 

How to demonstrate strong communication skills on a resume: 

From a program manager resume example : 

Successfully led change management efforts, helping transition over 500 employees to a new EHR system. Addressed initial cultural resistance among staff via a series of workshops, personalized demo sessions, and group training, as well as ‘employee advocate’ initiatives.

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinkers can draw data from the past and present to anticipate future implications of their actions and engineer effective plans to achieve targeted goals. This critical-thinking skill is especially important for anyone in managerial or executive roles as you’d be primarily expected to formulate and oversee different corporate objectives. 

How to demonstrate strategic thinking on a resume

From a Chief Financial Officer resume example :

Spreadheded the effort to re-engineer the procurement function. Developed and executed a strategy, aimed at improving supplier assessments, onboarding, and payments, as well as the general purchase order cycle. Reduced the average purchase time for new materials by 25% and achieved bottom-line improvements of $250k annually.

Critical Evaluation

Critical evaluation indicates your ability to assess the accuracy, validity, and relevancy of information available to you. Much of the information today 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 talk, propaganda, or highly speculative thinking. 

How to demonstrate this critical thinking skill on a resume

From a personal banker resume example:

Educate customers on the risks associated with investments in so-called “hyped” stocks, as well as penny-stock trading. Suggest more sustainable, value-oriented investment strategies, based on their financial goals.

Continuous Learning 

Continuous learning indicates your commitment to self-improvement. Although it’s a less direct demonstration of strong critical-thinking skills, it is still a valid indicator of your ability to effectively navigate the available information, identify emerging themes on the market, and translate these into new professional knowledge. 

From a personal trainer resume example : 

Completed Precision Nutrition Certification Level 1 certification in 2023 to help clients develop appropriate dietary regiments to ensure faster muscle gain naturally.

How To Improve Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is a “muscle” you can train by being more deliberate about how you process information, build logical arguments, and catch some biases in your thinking. If you need some training, start building the following habits: 

• Practice information analysis: When trying to solve a problem, focus on getting all the necessary data first. Then, evaluate which ‘intel’ is accurate, important, and 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.
• Cultivate media literacy skills. When reading your favorite publishers, pay attention to how they make different claims. Are they guilty of exaggerating the problem by citing super-bold, but underrepresenative claims? What do other sources about the same topic? What types of sources do they cite? Are these credible and reliable? Learning to analyze how information is presented helps you develop sharper critical thinking skills. 

Critical thinking skills are key for effective decision-making, smooth collaboration, and personal efficiency — a triumvirate of in-demand skills among employers. 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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Analytical Skills for Your Resume

If you’re reading over a description for a job, you may have come across a requirement such as “Possesses strong analytical skills.” This may leave you wondering: what are analytical skills, and how can I showcase them on my resume?

Analytical skills are commonly listed in job descriptions. These are the skills that allow you to make decisions effectively and solve difficult problems. While you may not know it, you will already have exercised many analytical skills that you can mention on your resume, whether you have done so in the workplace, in school, or elsewhere.

Find your bootcamp match

In this article, we’re going to discuss the basics of analytical skills, why they are important, and walk through a few analytical skills you can mention on your tech resume .

What Are Analytical Skills?

Analytical skills are skills that practice analytical thinking. This is a method of thinking where you first observe a problem, then use the information you have gathered to develop deeper insights into that problem.

Analytical skills are used in a wide range of scenarios in the workplace. For instance, brainstorming new ideas involves a high degree of analytical thinking, because you need to be able to critically evaluate ideas and figure out which ones are worth pursuing.

Making decisions is another scenario where analytical skills may come up. This is because you will need to be able to first analyze a problem before you can make an informed decision about how that problem can be solved.

Analytical thinking involves the ability to try out different approaches and see what works. There is often not one clear answer to a problem that a business faces, and so if you possess analytical thinking skills, you should be competent in trying out ideas, and iterating upon those ideas based on your findings.

Why Do Employers Value Analytical Skills?

Analytical skills are a type of “soft skill”—a trait that is not trained, rather acquired—and are in high demand in the modern workforce.

Analytical skills are important, especially in modern businesses, because they allow you to come up with solutions to difficult problems effectively. Being able to break down a problem into smaller parts, analyze them, and determine an actionable solution can help you tackle tough organizational challenges that a business may be facing.

There are a number of jobs that require analytical skills. For instance, programmers , teachers, data analysts , accountants , and salespeople all need to be comfortable exercising analytical thinking skills.

Examples of Analytical Skills

If you notice that a job description asks for analytical skills, you may be wondering what you can do to your resume to align yourself with those skills.

Here are a few analytical skills you can mention on your resume to showcase your capacity to think analytically:

• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Problem Solving

#1: Communication

In order to solve difficult problems, you need to be able to work in a team.

When you are solving a problem, you’ll first need to work with other stakeholders to determine exactly what problem you need to solve and walk through what approaches have been tried in the past to solve the problem. Then, you’ll need to work with a team to come up with a solution, and implement that solution based on the specifications you have created.

You should be able to effectively communicate using both written and verbal methods of communication, such as presentations, talking with others, and writing memos.

#2: Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that allows you to think clearly and rationally, and find logical connections between different ideas.

When you’re solving a problem for a business, you will need to figure out all the main features of that problem. You’ll also have to discover why a problem has arisen in the first place. To do so effectively, you will need to be capable of using logic to understand the problem at hand.

#3: Research

Before you can solve a problem, you need to know all about the problem you are trying to solve. This will involve researching the context behind a problem, and collecting any data that will help you better understand the problem at hand.

In the workplace, research may involve working with team members to better understand a problem or creating official methods to collect data to answer a question. For instance, if you are a marketing manager who wants to know why a campaign performed so well, you may have to create a metrics dashboard to analyze data on the effectiveness of a campaign.

#4: Problem Solving

Once you have identified a problem, you need to come up with a solution. In the workplace, you’ll use analytical thinking skills to consider the data you have collected, and figure out what an effective solution to a problem would be.

Then, once you have come up with a solution, you will need to figure out how you can implement that solution. This will involve considering all the constraints within which you need to operate—such as financial or resource limitations—and breaking down your solution into simple and addressable components.

#5: Creativity

To come up with a solution to a problem, you should be able to think creatively.

When you’re working in a business, you may realize that the most obvious solution is not the best option. For instance, if you are trying to reduce overhead, you may realize that cutting certain obvious expenditures is not a good idea because it will impact employee morale. In this case, you would need to come up with other creative ways to reduce overhead.

How to List Analytical Skills on Your Resume

You can highlight analytical skills in three different places on your resume. These are in the summary, professional history, and skills sections.

Let’s walk through an example of how analytical skills can be listed in each of these sections.

Motivated account manager with five years of experience effectively identifying the needs of clients and solving for those needs.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Professional History

Account Manager

J. Davis Paper Company

March 2015 – Present

• Maintained and expanded relationships with core customers.
• Generated monthly accounts closing reports and analysis.
• Liaised with other account managers on core clients.
• Helped identify new ways to improve communication channels with clients.

Administrative assistant skills: organization, time management, resourcefulness, critical thinking, problem solving, written and verbal communication, ability to anticipate needs.

Analytical thinking skills are a crucial component of every industry, from teaching to healthcare to manufacturing. People with analytical thinking skills are those who can effectively identify problems, break them down into smaller parts, and come up with creative solutions to those problems.

If you are applying for a job that seeks analytical skills, make sure that you take some time to consider which skills you have that you could mention on your resume. Ensure that those skills appear prominently on your resume, so that you can position yourself as someone who has the right skills for the job.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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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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• Career Advice

What Are Analytical Skills? Examples + List for Your Resume

Our customers have been hired by:

You’re exactly where you need to understand what analytical skills are, why employers value them so much and—

How you can develop your analytical thinking skills.

But that’s not all.

You’ll also learn how to nail them on your resume and in a job interview.

This article will show you:

• How to define analytical skills.
• Why employers value analytical skills and how they test them.
• What you can do to show your analytical thinking skills on your resume.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

Create your resume now

Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume examples here .

Want to read more about all kinds of skills you can put a resume? Try:   The Best Job Skill Set to Put on a Resume

Looking for other career advice? Head straight to one of our guides:

• How to Make a Resume for a Job: Writing Guide
• 6 Tips on How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description
• Work Experience on a Resume: Job Description Bullet Points Samples

What Are Analytical Skills?  

Analytical skills  are the abilities which allow you to collect, organize, visualize, and assimilate data. They let you see patterns, draw conclusions, and find solutions that can boost your employee productivity and company's bottom-line performance.

No surprise it’s very hard to find a job offer where analytical skills aren’t listed among the employer’s requirements.

It would be a bit of an understatement to say that analytical skills are the same as research or problem-solving skills. 

Analytical skills consist of a set of abilities. That's why we’re talking about skills , not a single skill. They can be treated as an umbrella term for a set consisting of such skills as:

List of Analytical Skills

• Forecasting
• Problem-solving
• Data mining
• Data and metrics interpreting
• Organization
• Communication
• Diagnostics
• Troubleshooting
• Brainstorming

In practice, your analytical skills can enable you to prepare a highly accurate sales forecast. This is more than solving a single problem.

In the next section we'll have a look at some hands-on examples.

Want to find out more about other essential skills in the workplace? We’ve got you covered! Try our guides:

• Creative Thinking Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Communication Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Technical Skills 

Examples of Analytical Skills in the Workplace

Analytical skills are welcome by employers from a wide variety of industries.

Because of their versatility.

Analytical skills are transferable and come in handy in lots of professional contexts. Take a look at the list of jobs that require analytical skills:

• Operations Research Analysts
• Market Research Analysts
• Budget Analysts
• Management Analysts and Consultants
• Computer Network Architects
• Cost Estimators
• Chemists and Materials Scientists
• Software Developers
• Biochemists and Biophysicists
• Urban and Regional Planners
• Financial Managers
• Insurance Underwriters

In fact, the list could go on and on.

Thanks to new business models and rapid technological development, there appear more and more jobs where analytical skills are more than welcome.

Think of SEO, CRO, UI/UX, or product development positions in SaaS companies.

Analytical Skills—Example

Right—

At this point, you may feel like you can more or less define analytical skills.

But what do analytical skills mean in practice?

Here’s an example:

Say, one of your website’s landing pages has been underperforming in terms of sales. You’ve been tasked with identifying the problem and proposing a solution.

The task requires you to use at least a couple of your analytical skills and take several steps:

First, you might want to decide what data you’ll be looking at to make initial assumptions.

• How did the page perform historically in relation to other landing pages?
• Was there a moment in time when something changed?
• What does the structure of the page look like?
• What keywords is it centered around?
• What anchors are used to link to it?

Once you collect the relevant data, you might want to start putting it together to look for patterns and anomalies, theorize, prepare an action plan, and communicate it to your team leader.

If you have analytical skills, these are the things that might be expected of you at work.

Depending on your industry, experience, and expertise you may be asked to:

• Develop solutions with the use of statistical analysis, simulations or predictive modeling.
• Devise and evaluate methods for collecting data (e.g. surveys, questionnaires, or opinion polls).
• Review budget proposals for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with laws and other regulations.
• Conduct simplification and measurement studies to devise efficient and effective ways of operating.
• Select hardware and software to ensure stable and efficient support of the network.

Even though all these tasks come from various industries, they all require strong analytical skills to succeed.

There are many other examples of analytical skills:

• Synthesize large volumes of data

It’s not just about researching any data. You need to be able to identify what data is relevant and what is just random noise.

• Visualize and communicate your findings

Making sense of data is one thing, it’s equally important to be able to put your point across in a convincing manner.

• Compare available resources

Sometimes it all boils down to looking at pros and cons of available solutions and putting them in a larger context.

• Draw logical conclusions

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re working with a data set or gain understanding through trial-and-error. Logical thinking is the basis of your success.

• Find solutions to problems

Even though your analytical skills can serve other purposes than problem-solving. Most of the time this will be the most practical application of them.

• Rationalize your choices

The choices you make must be understandable to your co-workers.

Analytical Skills Test

No employer will take your word for it.

There are a number of ways in which your analytical skills can be tested:

• Pre-employment tests

These could be taken online or at the company location. Depending on the company and the position you’re applying for these could consist of numeracy questions, literacy questions, tasks where you need to put events in a logical series or look for inconsistencies.

• Assessment Centers

The tasks might involve training sessions which teach you some skills, which you’ll need to be able to use in practice to solve a problem. You may be asked to work in groups with other participants on case studies.

• Interview questions

The recruiter might want to learn about specific situations where you had to use your analytical skills in practice. More on this below.

Even though analytical skills testing can take on many forms, you can be sure of one thing—

They will test you. One way or another.

The good news?

We’re talking about skills . Not talents.

And skills you can learn.

Here’s how—

How to Improve Analytical Skills

There are a number of ways for you to improve your analytical skills:

Yes, you got it right. To teach someone effectively, you need more than just a good grasp of the subject matter. You must be able to explain it in a clear way, see it from different perspectives, understand the challenges it poses, find patterns, analogies, rules, and exceptions. Teaching others will help you hone your analytical skills and see the world through other people’s eyes.

As simple as that. Practice makes perfect. There are a lot of resources available online both paid and free that can help you develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Have a go at a couple of tests to see what’s expected of you. You can start with this one , or this one .

• Become more observant of the world around you .

Ask questions, consider alternatives, don't take things for granted. No ideas on how to begin? Here's a fun one: when watching your favorite Netflix series look for plot holes and inconsistencies, talk to your friends about them, say what you'd have done differently in the protagonist’s place. It’s a simple and enjoyable way of improving analytical skills.

• Play logic games.

Chess. Sudoku. Einstein’s Riddle. Rubik’s Cube. XCOM2. You name it! Improving your analytical thinking skills doesn’t have to be boring.

Analytical Skills—Resume

If you want to impress your future employer with your analytical skills, there’s no better way of demonstrating them than on a carefully crafted resume.

In fact—

You can approach making your resume in a truly analytical manner.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Analytical Skills on Resume

If there was only one word to describe the perfect resume, it would be:

Tailored to a specific job offer.

The same is true about the best skills for a resume.

They need to be tailored to a specific job.

You already know that there’s no single analytical skill, but a set of skills.

To convince the employer you’re the best candidate, you must show them you’ve got specifically what they’re looking for.

You can do it in two ways.

• Identify the keywords and use them on your resume.

Each job posting contains keywords that identify the analytical skills the employer is looking for by name. Here’s an example from a job opening for a business analyst position:

• Develop and maintain sales reports to provide actionable insights that support data-driven decision-making for the sales and executive leadership teams.

From the job description it’s clear the employer is looking for someone with:

• Data and metrics interpreting skills
• Reporting skills

Now, you can put these particular skills straight into your key skills section.

Your best bet is to go through the entire job posting and identify all the analytical skills sought after by the employer.

This way you’ll avoid overgeneralizing (e.g. putting analytical skills in your resume key skills section), and listing wrong skills (e.g. diagnostic skills) which are in fact among analytical skills, but not necessary for the role.

As you see, you don’t need any lists of analytical skills. What you do need, though, is to know what analytical skills to list on a resume.

Pro Tip: Putting the right keywords on a resume will not just help you nail the analytical skills in your key skills section, but also guarantee you getting past the ATS scanning stage.

• Put analytical skills as accomplishments on your resume.

Apart from listing the right analytical skills on your resume, you can actually demonstrate how proficient and effective you really are.

By presenting your analytical skills as accomplishments on your resume. Again, let’s fall back on the business analyst job description bullet. There you are:

Here’s the secret.

If you happen to have any achievements that reflect your success performing a similar task, describe them using the language from the job ad, and quantify them like so:

• Developed and maintained sales analytics reports and dashboards that identified and effectively helped to eliminate major bottleneck generating 20% loss of revenue .

This way you’re not just listing a relevant analytical skill on a resume, but you’re giving a real-life example of how good you are at doing it.

And one more thing.

To up your chances, do both: fish out the relevant analytical skills and list them among your key skills and describe your best analytical skills in terms of achievements.

Here’s a little bonus for you. Learn how to describe your work experience in the most effective way:  Work Experience on a Resume: Job Description Bullet Points Samples

Analytical Skills—Interview Questions

Last but not least.

Get ready for the job interview.

But be specific.

You know—

You can prepare for an interview “in general.” For example by giving yourself a pep talk in front of the mirror.

But that’s not enough.

The recruiter will want you to prove to them your resume is not a work of fiction, and your analytical skills are up to par.

The good news:

• You already know how to identify the analytical skills the employer looks for by looking for keywords in a job posting.
• You know how to use these keywords to your advantage by including the relevant analytical skills in your key skills list and by describing your skills in terms of achievements.

Now you need to learn how to talk about these skills using the so-called STAR method.

By the way, we have a great guide on STAR method interview questions that will help you ace any interview.

Here’s what you can expect in an interview.

The recruiter is particularly interested in your data and metrics interpreting skills as well as your reporting skills.

They may ask you something along the lines of “Tell me about a situation when your analytical skills made a difference.”

The question itself may be a bit misleading as the term analytical skills is broad.

From the job offer you’ve learned which skills you need to focus on. And more than that, you’ve listed an achievement you can now elaborate on in more detail.

So, how to ace such a question?

Tell the recruiter more about this:

Just follow the STAR (Situation–Task–Action–Result) model:

• Situation: The employer wanted to develop analyses and reports to boost sales.
• Task: You were tasked with devising and implementing the reports and dashboards.
• Action: What steps you took to perform the task. What methods and technologies you used.
• Result: What was the result of your actions.

And this is how you can prepare your answers to analytical skills interview questions.

Let no interview question take you by surprise. Ever. Read our guides to learn how to breeze through your interview:

• Common Job Interview Questions & Answers
• 65+ Best Questions to Ask an Interviewer & Land Top Jobs [Proven Tips]
• 20 Situational Interview Questions and Answers to Nail Your Interview

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaways

Here’s a summary of the most points about analytical skills:

• There's no single definition of analytical skills. Analytical skills consist of a set of skills that includes problem-solving, data skills, and creativity among others.
• There are a large number of jobs requiring analytical skills. Employers value analytical skills for their versatility and transferability.
• There are many analytical skills tests and interview questions to test analytical skills. The good thing is there are many ways to improve analytical skills.
• When looking for a job it’s crucial to identify what analytical skills the employer is after.
• Your resume needs to be tailored to put the right analytical skills in the spotlight.
• When preparing for a job interview, focus on the analytical skills you listed on your resume and learn how to talk about them using the STAR method.

Do you have any questions about analytical skills? Maybe you’d like to share some tips on how to develop them? Give us a shout out in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you!

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines . We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

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• Career Advice
• How can you Show Critical...

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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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

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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.

Decision-Making Skills and How to Describe them on Your Resume?

Here are the top ways to show your Decision-Making skills on your resume. Find out relevant Decision-Making keywords and phrases and build your resume today.

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In This Guide:

What are decision-making skills, why decision-making skills are important on your resume, what skills, activities, and accomplishments help you highlight your decision-making skills, decision-making skills: key takeaways for your resume.

Decision-making is incorporated into your daily life. Most of which are straightforward and don’t require much thought. No matter if you have to choose something simple like where to go to lunch today or something more serious, like, for instance, choosing a career. Every day, you have to choose from two or more alternatives to reach the best outcome in the shortest time.

Decision-making is one of the most important skills you can have. It’s a process of evaluating risks and opportunities, gathering information, and taking action after carefully analyzing and examining the available options and the given circumstances.

Decision-making is an important skill set in any job role. It is a common belief that making decisions is necessary for only the higher management in an organization. Decision-making skills are traits that appeal the most to recruiters and are the requirement of virtually every job.

Employees who can make good decisions work effectively in large, complex organizations, subject to constantly changing business environments. The ability to make decisions helps efficiency, organizational growth and contributes to the success of the company.

That’s why is important to show on your resume your abilities to make decisions. More specifically if the position you are applying for clearly describes the working environment as fast-paced, dynamic, or quickly changing.

Let's take a look, what good decision-making skills are and how to present them on your resume.

Making good decisions is all about your ability to choose the best option from several while considering the situation and the circumstances. A good decision-maker has critical thinking and knowledge to determine the best solution for a problem or difficult situation. Here are a list whit decision-making skills:

• Analytical Skills are the ability to determine the best solution for a problem or difficult situation. That means that you can quickly define the issues that may affect the outcome of a decision.
• Problem-solving: To determine the source of a problem and find an effective solution is one of the important traits of a good decision-maker.
• Logical reasoning is your ability to use your logical thinking and facts to make a relevant decision. Take into account all pros and cons of each possible step with real logical thinking.
• Planning helps you to develop a strategy to accomplish your goals. You can see all the steps to achieve your objectives and possible issues that may arise. This way, you can quickly define the problems and adjust your decision accordingly.
• Collaboration Skills: You need to work well with your co-workers. To come to a decision, sometimes you will need to get the input of others. It’s important to know when decisions need collaboration from your team. Communicating your ideas and welcoming feedback are keys to a collaborative environment and reaching the best decision.

How to demonstrate decision-making skills on your resume

• Provide examples of your decision-making skills.
• Show your ability to evaluate risks and opportunities and make the best decisions to achieve the company's goals.
• Demonstrate a strong ability to analyze problems.
• Demonstrate an ability to perform and communicate
• Show that you use the most penetrating and objective evaluations to arrive at decisions.

Example 1: Demonstrate decision-making skills in the experience section

• • Successfully improved the bottom line by implementing strategic decisions for new cost-cutting measures to reduce the expenses by 20%.
• • Increased the customer satisfaction rate by 33% by refining the customer service.
• • Increased the company revenue by 22% during the first year of employment.
• • Developed and oversaw marketing strategies for successfully attracting new clients and boosting sales by 15%.

This example shows that this Business Development Executive has strong decision-making skills by proving that they strengthen the company's market share and maximize the business performance. They communicate the ability to determine a problem, evaluate it, and make a series of decisions to improve the organization's expenses.

Refining customer service exhibits their collaboration skills by communicating ideas and getting the input of others to come to a decision.

The provided examples show significant experience with specific achievements, demonstrate strong skills for good decision-maker.

Example 2: Demonstrate decision-making skills in the resume summary section

Give a brief overview of your decision-making skills and experience on your resume to give value to what you offer. You need to make sure your resume gets the recruiter’s attention.

Highlight the specifics important for the position that you are applying for.

This summary statement projects confidence and expertise in making decisions. It is proof that they are professionals with years of experience. They understand the process of decision-making and are capable of making adjustments in each step of the execution.

Example 3: Show your decision-making skills in your achievements sections

Demonstrate your career growth and expertise by highlighting your decision-making skills in the achievements' section on your resume.

These examples exhibit key performance indicators like leadership and organizational skills. This shows their ability to make decisions with a positive impact on the organization.

Presenting your accomplishments gives the recruiter a bigger picture of you and your skillset.

• Employers want to hire employees they can count on to make various decisions daily. Decision-making skills are a requirement of virtually every job and are very important to show them on a resume.
• Demonstrate confidence and expertise in making decisions.
• Choose the right skills needed to make decisions. Don’t forget to show how you apply these skills in your work by giving examples in your summary and achievements section. Try to emphasize your decision-making skills on your resume.

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Logical Thinking in the Workplace: A Complete Guide for 2024

In any workplace, logical thinking plays a vital role in ensuring the success and effectiveness of everyday operations. Logical thinking involves the use of reasoning, critical thinking and deduction to solve problems and make decisions based on sound principles and evidence-based facts.

In the modern workplace, the pace of business is faster than ever before, and employees are consistently faced with complex issues that require quick and effective problem-solving skills. Logical thinking helps employees to analyze data, identify patterns and make decisions that are based on facts, rather than simply relying on gut instincts or assumptions.

Importance of Logical Thinking in the Workplace

The ability to think logically is crucial for success in the workplace, regardless of an individual’s profession or industry. When employees are logical thinkers, they can communicate effectively, break down complex information into manageable pieces, and apply insights and ideas in the best interest of the company.

Benefits of Logical Thinking in the Workplace

Employees who are skilled in logical thinking can identify problems more easily, create efficient solutions and make informed decisions based on the company’s strategic goals. Furthermore, logical thinking facilitates a working environment of collaboration, creativity, and innovation, leading to improved teamwork and job satisfaction.

Definition of Logical Thinking

Logical thinking is a cognitive process of evaluating information and situations and making decisions based on empirical evidence and sound principles. It involves collecting and analyzing data, identifying trends and making inferences based on objective facts, and drawing conclusions based on the insight gained through logical analysis. Logical thinking typically involves breaking down complex problems into simpler components, and then applying reasoning and problem-solving techniques to identify the best possible solutions.

Logical thinking is a fundamental skill that is essential for success in the workplace. By providing a strong framework for problem-solving and decision-making, logical thinking can lead to increased efficiency, productivity, job satisfaction, and overall success in any organization.

The Role of Logical Thinking in the Workplace

In order to succeed in the workplace, you need to be able to think logically. Logical thinking is the process of using reasoning and critical thinking skills to arrive at a conclusion. It involves separating the facts from the opinions and analyzing the evidence in order to make informed decisions.

A. Understanding the Impact of Logical Thinking on the Workplace

Logical thinking plays a crucial role in the workplace. It helps individuals to solve problems, make decisions, and communicate effectively with colleagues and clients. Logical thinking is essential for achieving success in many different fields, from science and engineering to business and finance.

B. Types of Logical Thinking Used in the Workplace

In the workplace, there are several types of logical thinking that are commonly used. These include deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and abductive reasoning.

Deductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on a set of premises or assumptions. For example, if you know that all dogs are mammals, and you observe a new animal with fur and four legs, you can logically deduce that it is a mammal.

Inductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on patterns and observations. For example, if you observe that every time you turn off your computer, it stops working, you can logically induct that turning off the computer is causing it to stop working.

Abductive reasoning involves making educated guesses based on incomplete information. This type of reasoning is often used in problem-solving situations where the individual does not have all the facts. For example, if a client complains about a product malfunction, you can use abductive reasoning to narrow down the possible causes of the problem.

C. Examples of Logical Thinking Applied in the Workplace

In the workplace, logical thinking is applied in a variety of situations. Here are some examples:

• A sales manager uses deductive reasoning to determine which sales techniques are most effective with different types of clients.
• An engineer uses inductive reasoning to develop a new product design based on previous successful designs.
• A marketer uses abductive reasoning to figure out what might be causing a drop in customer engagement with a new advertising campaign.

Logical thinking is an essential skill for success in the workplace. By understanding the impact of logical thinking, the types of logical thinking used in the workplace, and examples of logical thinking applied in the workplace, individuals can develop this skill and use it to their advantage in their career.

Key Elements of Logical Thinking

Applying logical thinking in the workplace can help you make sound decisions, solve complex problems, and enhance your critical thinking skills. In this section, we will discuss the six key elements of logical thinking that can help you become a more effective problem solver.

A. Identifying the Problem or Situation

The first step in logical thinking is identifying and defining the problem or situation that needs to be solved. This involves asking the right questions, gathering information, and understanding the context of the problem. It is important to be clear and specific about the problem to avoid confusion and misinterpretation.

B. Gathering and Analyzing Information

Once you have identified the problem, the next step is to gather and analyze information related to the problem. Gathering information involves collecting data from relevant sources such as documents, reports, and interviews. Analyzing the information involves evaluating its relevance, reliability, and validity. This helps you gain a better understanding of the problem and identify potential solutions.

C. Identifying Assumptions

Assumptions are beliefs or ideas that people take for granted without questioning them. Identifying and challenging assumptions is an important step in logical thinking. Assumptions can be based on personal biases, stereotypes or incomplete information. By identifying and analyzing assumptions, you can gain a more accurate understanding of the problem and avoid making hasty conclusions.

D. Establishing Criteria for Making Decisions

Once you have a clear understanding of the problem and have gathered relevant information, the next step is to establish criteria for making decisions. Criteria are the standards or guidelines that are used to evaluate different alternatives. This involves considering factors such as feasibility, cost, benefits, and risks.

E. Analyzing and Evaluating Alternatives

After establishing criteria, the next step is to identify and analyze different alternatives to address the problem. This involves evaluating the pros and cons of each alternative and determining its suitability for the situation. It is important to consider the potential outcomes of each alternative and their impact on the organization.

F. Making Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

Deductive and inductive reasoning are two types of logical reasoning that can be useful in decision-making. Deductive reasoning involves using general principles or rules to make specific predictions or conclusions. Inductive reasoning involves using specific observations or data to make generalizations or hypotheses. Both types of reasoning can be used to support decisions, depending on the context of the problem.

Applying logical thinking in the workplace involves a systematic approach to problem-solving that involves identifying the problem, gathering and analyzing information, challenging assumptions, establishing criteria, evaluating alternatives, and using deductive and inductive reasoning. By using these key elements, you can develop your critical thinking skills and become a more effective decision-maker.

Tips for Developing Logical Thinking Skills

The ability to think logically is a critical skill in the workplace. It allows individuals to evaluate complex situations and make sound decisions with limited information. Here are five tips for developing logical thinking skills:

A. Identify Biases and Assumptions

Everyone has biases and assumptions that influence their thinking. These can lead to flawed conclusions and decisions. The first step in developing logical thinking skills is to recognize and acknowledge these biases and assumptions. This can be done through introspection, seeking feedback from others, and engaging in conversations that challenge preconceived notions.

B. Applying Critical Thinking Strategies

Critical thinking is the application of logical and systematic analysis to information to reach well-reasoned conclusions. It involves questioning assumptions, evaluating evidence, and considering alternative perspectives. To apply critical thinking strategies in the workplace, individuals should learn to ask effective questions, gather and analyze data, and make informed decisions based on sound reasoning.

C. Encouraging Creativity

Creative thinking is essential to developing innovative solutions and strategies. It involves generating new ideas, looking at things from different perspectives, and exploring unconventional approaches. To encourage creativity in the workplace, individuals should be open to new ideas, collaborate with others, and create an environment that values experimentation and risk-taking.

D. Practicing Analytical and Reasoning Skills

Analytical and reasoning skills are necessary to evaluate complex information and make informed decisions. It involves breaking down complex problems, identifying patterns and trends, and evaluating the potential impact of different scenarios. To practice analytical and reasoning skills, individuals should work on puzzles, engage in thought experiments, and seek out opportunities to analyze data and solve problems.

E. Enhancing Resilience

Resilience is the ability to recover from adversity and setbacks. It involves maintaining a positive attitude, adapting to change, and persevering through difficult circumstances. Enhancing resilience requires cultivating a growth mindset, building strong relationships, and developing coping strategies to manage stress and setbacks.

Developing logical thinking skills is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness, critical thinking strategies, creativity, analytical and reasoning skills, and resilience. By practicing these skills, individuals can make well-informed decisions, solve complex problems, and contribute to a more effective and productive workplace.

Techniques to Improve Logical Thinking in the Workplace

In any workplace, logical thinking is an essential skill that employees need to have to make informed decisions and solve problems effectively. Employers should take steps to help their workforce improve their logical thinking skills to enhance their overall performance. Here are five techniques that can help in improving logical thinking in the workplace:

A. Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning is a cognitive approach to critical thinking that can be helpful in the workplace. This method involves asking strategic questions that require deep reflection and exploration of a particular idea or issue. Employers can train their employees to use this technique to improve their ability to process information and identify potential problems or weak points.

B. SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis is a tool used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a business or project. It promotes logical thinking by breaking the problem down into manageable parts, which helps in finding potential solutions, and helps employees identify what the organization or a project needs to work on, and what can be leveraged for success.

C. Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a creative approach to organizing information visually. The process involves brainstorming ideas and then connecting them through diagrams, graphs, or other graphical representations. Mind mapping can help in logical thinking by allowing employees to approach a problem from multiple perspectives and connections, which can be useful in identifying potential solutions.

D. Flowcharting

Flowcharting is a visual representation of a process or system that can be used to highlight the various steps involved in a project or task. It enables logical thinking by providing an overview of the entire process, and the flow of events that lead to a successful outcome. It’s a helpful technique for employees who need to troubleshoot complex tasks with heavy dependencies.

E. Fishbone Diagram

Fishbone diagram or Ishikawa diagram is a problem-solving tool that helps individuals identify possible causes of an issue. In this technique, the problem is identified at the head of a fishbone shape, and contributing factors are shown on the bone itself. By detailing the problem and its causes, employees can gain a better understanding of the issue and the necessary steps for finding solutions.

Improving logical thinking in the workplace is crucial for any organization’s success. Using these techniques can help employees develop stronger analytical and critical thinking skills while promoting problem-solving abilities. With the right training and tools, employees can become more efficient and effective at their jobs, creating a more productive and innovative workforce.

Barriers to Logical Thinking in the Workplace

As important as logical thinking is in the workplace, various barriers can make it challenging to achieve. These barriers can stem from a negative mindset and attitudes, resistance to change, fear and uncertainty, poor communication and collaboration, and organizational culture.

A. Negative Mindset and Attitudes

Negativity is a significant barrier to logical thinking in the workplace. Employees with a negative mindset and attitude may exhibit pessimism, apathy, and low morale. Such employees may shy away from taking responsibility for tasks or take on tasks with minimal effort, which can lead to mistakes, missed opportunities, and subpar results.

B. Resistance to Change

Inertia often sets in when change is introduced into the workplace. Employees may resist changes in job roles, procedures, or technology, making it challenging to apply logical thinking to adapt to change. Rather than welcoming the change and the opportunity it presents, employees may grumble, question, or outright reject it, hindering the development of logical thinking skills.

C. Fear and Uncertainty

Fear and uncertainty are common problems in the workplace that limit logical thinking ability. Fear and uncertainty in the workplace may arise from various factors, including job insecurity, pending layoffs, or lack of job satisfaction. Employees facing such fears may avoid undertaking new responsibilities, fail to communicate effectively with colleagues, or restrict their contributions, limiting their and the organization’s potential.

D. Poor Communication and Collaboration

Communication and collaboration are essential aspects of logical thinking in the workplace. Poor communication and collaboration practices limit organizational productivity, and can hinder the adoption of logical thinking strategies. Employees may misunderstand or misinterpret one another, leading to errors, burnout, and low morale.

E. Organizational Culture

Organizational culture is the collective attitudes, values, and beliefs that shape the workplace environment. A workplace culture that does not prioritize logical thinking may limit employees’ ability to think critically, participate actively in problem-solving, or even stigmatize logical thinking’s importance. Organizations must nurture a culture of logical thinking that promotes openness, creativity, and innovation to remove the barriers to logical thinking in the workplace.

The barriers to logical thinking in the workplace are significant and multifaceted. Organizational leaders must create an environment that supports and nurtures logical thinking, promoting teamwork, communication, and collaboration to remove the barriers and empower employees to think critically, solve problems, and achieve results.

Examples of Logical Thinking in the Workplace

Logical thinking is essential in the workplace to help companies make informed decisions and solve complex problems. Here are five examples of how logical thinking is applied in various aspects of the workplace.

A. Analyzing Data to Improve Operations

Data analysis is a key component of logical thinking in the workplace. By examining data, companies can identify patterns, understand trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve operations. For example, a company may analyze sales data to identify the best-selling products, which can help improve inventory management and boost profits.

B. Developing Strategies to Address Business Challenges

Logical thinking also plays a crucial role in developing strategies to address business challenges. Companies must identify the root cause of a problem and develop a practical solution. By using analysis and critical thinking, businesses can develop effective strategies to address various challenges, such as declining sales or production issues.

C. Exploring New Market Opportunities

Companies must be able to adapt and keep up with changing market trends. A key aspect of logical thinking is the ability to identify new market opportunities and trends accurately. By exploring new market opportunities, companies can expand and grow, ultimately leading to increased profits.

D. Identifying Root Causes of Problems

Logical thinking is also used in identifying the root causes of problems. Often, issues occur because of more than one factor, making it challenging to identify the primary cause. By using logical thinking, companies can analyze data, gather insights, and identify the root cause of any problem, making it easier to develop effective solutions.

E. Enhancing Customer Experience

Logical thinking is also essential when it comes to enhancing customer experience. By analyzing customer behavior and feedback, companies can develop personalized strategies to improve the customer experience. For example, a company may use data analysis to identify common customer issues, enabling them to develop customized solutions that address the needs of individual customers.

Logical thinking is a valuable skill that plays a crucial role in various aspects of the workplace. Whether analyzing data, developing strategies or addressing business challenges, logical thinking is an essential skill for success in any line of work. Using the examples shared above, businesses can optimize their operations, increase customer satisfaction, and grow their business in today’s competitive market.

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• Logical Thinking
• Skills & Tools

The ability of an individual to think in a disciplined manner or base his thoughts on facts and evidence is known as his logical thinking skills. Very simply, logical thinking skills mean incorporating logic into one’s thinking process whenever analyzing a problem on order to come up with a solution.

Logical thinking skills require and involve a progressive analysis, for example, by weighing all available options, using facts and figures, and making important decisions based on the pros and cons. They do not take into account the elements of feelings and emotions.

Why is logical thinking important

Logical thinking skills are essential to the health of any workplace environment. People at any level can be called and expected to resolve problems that are inherent to the area of their expertise. Therefore, the more logical thinking skills are utilized in a workplace; the better will be the decision-making process with fewer mistakes.

Logical thinking skills helps us improve ourselves in many ways, for example, by forcing intellectual self-improvement because you consider hard facts even when you are assessing your own performance. They also help you become a better team player because you are unlikely to let you emotions, such as your ego, cloud your judgment.

They also tend to increase your capability of being creative because you tend to make as many logical connections, across subjects, as possible. All these improvements on an individual level tend to translate to organizational success eventually.

How to improve your logical thinking skills

Following are some tips that shall prove very useful in improving your logical thinking skills:

• Develop the habit of questioning . Hone your questioning skills and use them everywhere. Whatever information you have collected, whether facts and figures or simply assumptions, verify it all. Check your sources of information and investigate every piece of information that you find even slightly questionable. You must check everything for their authenticity before you begin to evaluate the worth of any such information you have gathered.
• Adjust your perspective first. Understand the biases you may have as a human being by determining what exactly they are how they may affect the way you deal with information. Be flexible enough to look at a problem from different perspectives even if they contradict your long-held beliefs. Accept with an open mind and entertain any new information, without any personal biases that you may have.
• Learn to put it all together effectively . Try to organize your thoughts whether by writing or by using mind-mapping to help you clarify them first. Examine all information you have, figure out relationships among those bits of collected information, and determine which ones are of highest value. Weigh all your options once you have put them in front of you, and then make a decision or come up with a solution.

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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."

FAQs on Volunteering and Career Growth

What Work Skills Can I Learn By Volunteering?

The possibilities are endless. Volunteer opportunities can help you learn skills such as budgeting, food service, working on a computer and more. You can also learn soft skills , or skills that can be transferred to many jobs such as leadership, networking and problem solving.

You can learn various skill sets depending on where you volunteer. For example, if you volunteer at a thrift store, you may learn customer service, organization, and cashier skills. You may also pick up communication and teamwork skills as you work with other people. More in-demand job skills you can learn by volunteering include:

• Public speaking
• Clerical tasks
• Fundraising
• Time management
• Multitasking

Where Should I Volunteer?

If you want your volunteer work to directly enhance your career, it’s a good idea to find a placement where you can learn or improve specific job skills. For example, if you want to gain skills for a career in education, explore opportunities in schools, youth community centers or tutoring organizations. You may be able get experience while working closely with an educator and possibly find a mentor . Visit the U.S. Department of Education for volunteer opportunities in education. If you’re interested in a career in event planning, many nonprofit organizations and event venues need volunteers in all areas. National nonprofits such as the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Association host events year-round where volunteers are needed.

Can Volunteer Work Fill Employment Gaps on a Resume?

Yes. Volunteer work is a great activity to add to your resume during the times you were unemployed. It shows a potential employer that you kept busy and had a real desire to contribute. If you can show that you were productive and learned work skills, it gives an employer a broader view of what you may bring to their company or organization. Even if your volunteer work does not directly relate to your career, it still can help, not only on your resume, but in your community!

Can Volunteering Actually Get Me a Job?

It is possible, but not guaranteed. Volunteering can help you meet community members and neighbors who may have contacts in your career area. Share your career goals with people who have similar interests or are employed in your field. You can also share your career goals with the staff at your volunteer location, if it’s a place you’d like to work. The staff may keep you in mind for future job openings, paid internships, or even apprenticeships if available.

Volunteering can not only help you give back to your community, but it can have a positive impact on your career. Here are a few resources for virtual and on-site listings to get started!

• Volunteermatch
• Points of Light
• Volunteer.gov

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, eligible participants can work with service providers to receive the service and supports they need to find and maintain employment as they move toward financial independence through work.

Through the Ticket Program, a service provider such as an Employment Network (EN) , can help determine where you may need additional skills and documented experiences. They can help you choose volunteer roles that can build your resume.

To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842. For callers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, call our TTY at 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. You can also learn more by registering for a free, online Work Incentives Seminar Event webinar. Or text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292 to receive Ticket Program texts. Standard messaging rates may apply, and you can opt out at any time.

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