In a 2012 survey of 768 managers and executives, the American Management Association (AMA) found employers consider the critical thinking skills of their employees crucial for the future success of their organizations. Likewise, in a recent study by Cengage, 52 percent of employers said critical thinking skills are more important than technical skills. However, these surveys then went on to show an important disconnect. For the managers surveyed by AMA, 49 percent reported their employees' critical thinking skills were either average or below average, and 64 percent of the employers surveyed by Cengage reported it was very difficult or somewhat difficult to find qualified applicants with strong critical thinking skills.
Employers are increasingly seeking employees with strong critical thinking abilities. It's fairly easy to list technical abilities on a resume, but it's a lot more challenging to convey an aptitude for critical thinking. Here are some tips for highlighting your critical thinking skills throughout the job search process.
- Your resume: It's important not just to list critical thinking and other soft skills on your resume, but to tie them in specifically to accomplishments on your resume. Show how your critical thinking skills were a key component to the successful outcome of a project. Use words such as "identified," "analyzed," "evaluated" and "managed" to describe the process. Also, be sure to include any metrics related to project success such as revenue growth, cost savings, etc.
- Cover letter: You can also include critical thinking skills in your cover letter or introductory email. Select one or two accomplishments or challenges you've faced at work and give specific examples of how you used your critical thinking skills to generate a successful outcome. Sharing accomplishments like this is a great way to show employers what you've done in the past and what you can do for them.
- The interview: This is a perfect opportunity to highlight your critical thinking skills. An employer will often ask for examples of how you've used your decision-making and problem-solving skills. Remember to focus on the process and how you came to the outcome. Give examples of how you conducted research, weighed your options, analyzed the information, consulted with team members and came to a conclusion. Be prepared to share two to three examples of how you've handled making important decisions or solving complex problems. If you're not asked specifically about your decision-making or critical-thinking skills, share them as part of describing your strengths, accomplishments or challenges you've overcome.
Technical skills will always be important, but critical thinking skills are becoming increasingly important to employers.
For more information, visit BICRecruiting.com, call (281) 538-9996 or email hkassu@bicrecruiting.com.
