How to Assess Your Problem Solving Skills

Assessing your problem-solving skills is vital to succeeding in the workplace.

The ability to solve problems is crucial in the workplace, whether you work for a large corporation or a small business, in a scientific field or in academia. If you are seeking your first job or looking to switch jobs in the middle of your career, it is likely the interviewer will ask you about your problem-solving skills. You could also be asked to assess your problem-solving skills by a workplace superior if you are hoping for a promotion.

Instructions

1. Ask yourself if you understand the problem thoroughly. This means defining the problem and accurately defining how it is similar to other problems you have encountered earlier in your career. Think about the steps you took to solve those previously problems.

2. Think about how skillful you are in gathering information to address the problem once it has been defined. This entails researching information related to the problem, considering all of the variables that might be critical to its solution and weighing strategies to solve the problem.

3. Consider your ability to manage the problem. This could include dividing the problem into smaller parts that are easier to address, making a list of tangible steps that could be used to solve the problem and relying on techniques such as brainstorming to examine your options in tackling the problem.

4. Rate yourself on your ability to focus on the larger question rather than getting bogged down on a specific point that might not be relevant to solving the problem. In business and industry, for example, ask yourself if you retain focus on what makes the difference between a profit and a loss, which is typically of utmost concern to a company.

5. Evaluate your skill in choosing a solution once you have completed the other steps. Implementing action is crucial once you have identified and evaluated the possible solutions. Rate yourself on your acumen in identifying and rejecting faulty premises, testing hypotheses and making a recommendation.

6. Ask yourself how you proceed after implementing a solution. Instead of relaxing and returning to your day-to-day duties, you should be monitoring the outcome and reviewing the entire problem-solving process.

References

• California Institute of Technology: Interviewing Techniques
• Philadelphia University: Problem-Solving
• University of Kent: Problem Solving Skills