Many candidates struggle with how to present their creative thinking skills, but these are highly prized. Check out our tips to help you showcase your skills
How to List Creative Thinking Skills on a Resume
Creative Thinking Skills
Have you ever seen somebody find unique solutions to complex problems? Have you seen team members overcome challenges with innovative solutions? These creative problem-solvers who can demonstrate divergent thinking are valuable to companies everywhere. So, you should include these skills in your professional resume, but what are creative thinking skills?
What Are Creative Thinking Skills?
Creative thinking skills are techniques used to look at issues from different and creative angles. Some examples of creative thinking techniques include:
- Brainstorming sessions
- Mind-mapping
- Lateral thinking activities
- Storyboarding
- Roleplaying
These activities can help build the soft skills and creative skills required to bring new perspectives to problem-solve for businesses.
And what are the benefits of creative thinking? A group of people who can demonstrate critical thinking skills and bring different perspectives prevents stagnation and breeds success.
Creative Thinking Skills To Showcase
Creative people are in high demand, so you should look to showcase whatever creative thinking skills you have on your resume. But, how can you highlight the fact you are a creative thinker?
In the skills section of your resume, it’s good to list some of the following skills to indicate to the hiring manager that you have these transferable, in-demand qualities.
- Problem-solving skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Communication skills
- Creative thinking skills
- Creative problem-solving skills
- Analytical skills
While you may not wish to include all of these, it is essential to include some of these attributes if you want to imply you are an expert in original ideas; they are keywords that recruiters look for.
In general, you should keep developing these skills to improve your creative thought process. You should also take the time to give examples of times when your creative thinking process has found possible solutions in your previous professional experience.
Here is an example of what this could look like:
“I headed a brainstorming session, encouraging active listening between co-workers. This led to us devising and implementing a new workflow system that has increased efficiency by 15%.”
An example like this shows that these creative skills are actionable and that you are not just helpful in generating ideas but implementing them too. With this example, you allude to the value of teamwork; it wasn’t just about your skills, but the whole team coming together. These are the attributes that a recruiter looks for in your resume.
Interview Questions That Test Your Creative Thinking Skills
Listing your creative thinking skills is all well and good, but you’re going to need to back these up with evidence if you are invited to an interview. You will likely be questioned about the skills you mention in your resume, so be prepared to share your creative ideas. These skills are a way of thinking, and you can't evidence this with qualifications or certifications. Be ready to answer questions like these in an interview setting:
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What is one way you have thought outside the box in your job?
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Tell me about a presentation you have created that you are particularly proud of.
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How have you stepped outside of your comfort zone and utilized creative problem-solving in your job?
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When have you used effective writing and communication skills?
These questions allow you to talk about your experiences that showcase an application of your lateral thinking. When you answer, always emphasize how your creative solutions benefited the company. Be specific about the situation, the problem, the creative skills you used to solve the problem, and the overall result. Remember to listen carefully, take your time and make sure you are addressing the key aspect of the interviewer’s question. The interviewers are essentially testing your creative thinking skills on the spot, so the way you answer can show your creative thought processes in action.
