What Are Problem-Solving Skills
Considered a soft skill (a personal strength, as opposed to
a hard skill that is learned through education or training), an aptitude for
creative and effective problem-solving is nonetheless one of the most valued
attributes employers seek in their job candidates.
For example, a cable television technician might be trying
to resolve a customer problem with a weak signal. A teacher might need to
figure out how to improve the performance of her students on a writing
proficiency test. A store manager might be trying to reduce theft of
merchandise. A computer specialist might be looking for a way to speed up a
slow program.
Problem-Solving Steps and Skills
Now that you've brainstormed a list of potential problems,
your next step is to think up effective solutions for these issues, noting the
skills you will need to resolve them. Here are the steps most commonly used in
problem-solving, their associated skills, and examples of where they are
utilized in different career sectors.
1. Analyzing the factors or causes contributing to the
unwanted situation
In order to solve a problem, you must first figure out what
caused it. This requires that you gather and evaluate data, isolate possible
contributing circumstances, and pinpoint the chief causal factors that need to
be addressed in order to resolve the problem.
Required Skills:
Active Listening
Data Gathering
Data Analysis
Fact Finding
Historical Analysis
Causal Analysis
Process Analysis
Needs Identification
Examples: Diagnosing Illnesses, Identifying the Causes for
Social Problems, Interpreting Data to Determine the Scope of Problems,
Pinpointing Behaviors Contributing to Marital Distress, Recognizing Invalid
Research Models
2. Generating a set of alternative interventions to achieve
your end goal
Once you’ve determined what is causing a problem, it’s time
to come up with possible alternative solutions. Sometimes this involves
teamwork, since two (or more) minds are often better than one. It’s rare that a
single strategy is the obvious route to solving a complex problem; devising a
set of alternatives helps you to cover your bases and reduce your risk exposure
should the first strategy you implement fail.
Required Skills:
Brainstorming
Creative Thinking
Prediction
Forecasting
Project Design
Project Planning
Examples: Brainstorming Solutions, Developing Treatment
Plans, Devising and Testing Hypotheses
3. Evaluating the best solutions
Depending upon the nature of the problem and your chain of
command, evaluating the best solutions may be performed by assigned teams, team
leads, or forwarded upward to major corporate decision makers. Whoever makes
the decision must evaluate potential costs, required resources, and possible
barriers to successful solution implementation.
Required Skills:
Analysis
Discussion
Corroboration
Teamwork
Test Development
Mediation
Prioritizing
Examples: Evaluating Alternative Strategies for Reducing
Stress, Proposing Diplomatic Solutions to Border Disputes, Selecting Employees
to Lay Off During a Business Downturn, Troubleshooting Computer Malfunctions
4. Implementing a plan
Once a course of action has been decided upon, it must be
implemented, along with benchmarks that can quickly and accurately determine
whether it’s working to solve a problem. Plan implementation also typically
involves alerting personnel to changes in their standard operating procedures
(SOPs).
Required Skills:
Project Management
Project Implementation
Collaboration
Time Management
Benchmark Development
Examples: Anticipating Obstacles to Implementation,
Implementing Solutions, Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts, Repairing Malfunctioning
Machinery
5. Assessing the effectiveness of your interventions
Once a solution is implemented, the best problem-solvers
have systems in place to ascertain if and how quickly it’s working. This way,
they know as soon as possible whether the issue has been resolved or,
alternatively, whether they’ll have to change their response to the problem
mid-stream.
Required Skills:
Communication
Data Analysis
Surveys
Customer Feedback
Follow-through
Troubleshooting
Examples: Surveying End-users, Comparing Production Figures,
Evaluating YOY Sales Figures
Tips for Answering Interview Questions About Problem-Solving
You don't have to provide a cookie-cutter answer. Employers
are always eager for individuals who can think outside of the box and present
new solutions, especially when old ones aren't working.
As you explain your thought process, use the steps listed
above (from analyzing the cause to assessing the effectiveness of your interventions).
Or, share an example of a problem you solved in a previous role. Explain how
and why you solved the issue.
Sample Interview Answers Demonstrating Problem-Solving
Skills
Here are a few examples of how job candidates in different
professions might
describe their problem-solving skills:
Interviewers may also provide an example of a potential
problem and then ask you to outline the steps you should take to address it. To
prepare, brainstorm issues that commonly arise in your field.
More Problem-Solving Skills
The list below includes common strategies involved in
problem-solving. These skills can be useful to include in your answer to an
interview question related to problem-solving.
Active Listening
Anticipating Obstacles to Implementation
Assessing the Effectiveness of Interventions
Brainstorming Solutions
Collaboration
Determining Factors Impacting Stress
Developing Treatment Plans
Devising a Classroom Management Plan to Address Student
Misbehavior
Devising Hypotheses
Diagnosing Illnesses
Drawing Consensus around a Set of Solutions
Evaluating Alternative Strategies for Reducing Stress
Finding Middle Ground
Flexibility to Try New Approaches
Follow-through
Gathering Data
Identifying the Causes for Social Problems
Identifying the Interests of all Parties
Implementing Solutions
Interpreting Data to Determine the Scope of Problems
Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts
Pinpointing Behaviors Contributing to Marital Distress
Proposing Diplomatic Solutions to Border Disputes
Recognizing Invalid Research Models
Recommending Ways to Improve Communication in Relationships
Repairing Malfunctioning Machinery
Resolving a Customer Complaint
Restructuring a Budget after a Revenue Shortfall
Selecting Employees to Lay Off During a Business Downturn
Testing Hypotheses
Troubleshooting Computer Malfunctions
Validating Data to Correctly Identify Problems
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