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Soft Skills: A Powerful and Essential Asset for HR and TR Pros

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When the pandemic hit, HR professionals used soft skills to save the day for many organizations — by adapting policies, showing flexibility and leading with empathy, among other things. Although the pandemic is now waning, the need for strong soft skills will only continue, experts say.

As new workplace challenges emerge around things like hybrid work, employee well-being and AI, HR and TR practitioners are finding they may need to up their soft skills game.

For example, in a recent  WorldatWork survey  of 776 total rewards professionals, these three soft skills topped the list of factors respondents considered “absolutely critical” or “very important” to their professional success:

• Problem solving (listed by 93.9% of respondents)
• Communication (91.4%)
• Relationship building (87.8%)

Practitioners who don’t take the time to develop these skills risk falling behind in their careers, according to Tracie Sponenberg, chief people officer at The Granite Group, a plumbing, heating, cooling, water and energy wholesale supplier, based in New Hampshire.

Just as importantly, those who don’t keep up won’t be at the top of their game, Sponenberg added. “If you’re not cultivating those soft skills, you’re not doing your job to the best of your ability,” she said. “You’re not giving your company — and, more importantly, your people — what they really need.”

Soft Skills: ‘The Differentiator’

Soft skills are typically described as characteristics and attributes that are key to building interpersonal relationships and getting work done. Examples of soft skills include communication, problem solving, adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking and empathy.

These skills have always been crucial to HR’s work, and their value has only increased of late.

“When you think about what’s happened over the last three or four years, things like collaboration, empathy, better communication, adaptability, flexibility, having a sense of humor — those, to me, are more important now because of what the pandemic did to the workplace,” said Tom Wilson, who leads the executive search function at Frederickson Partners, a Gallagher company.

While some business leaders might be tempted to dismiss soft skills as being too “touchy-feely,” these qualities can be tied to concrete business metrics and results.

For example,  research conducted by Gallagher  found that company leaders with high emotional intelligence are more successful at creating organizations that are productive, cohesive and high-performing. In addition, leaders who show empathy help drive better employee engagement, innovation and inclusivity, according to a  study by Catalyst .

Moreover, soft skills are vital to performance: According to a  report  from LinkedIn, 92% of hiring managers said soft skills matter at least as much as technical skills, and 89% of recruiters said when new hires don’t work out, it’s because they lack the necessary soft skills.

On the flipside, companies whose leaders lack soft skills may struggle to keep top talent or might experience other people-related problems. “Production will go down; employee engagement will go down; turnover would likely go up,” Wilson said. “And you’re probably brewing a really bad culture for the organization.” 

On a personal level, HR professionals who don’t maximize their soft skills may not achieve their full career potential. “Soft skills are the differentiator between somebody who knows what they’re doing and somebody who can really excel,” Sponenberg said.

“Soft skills are the differentiator between somebody who knows what they’re doing and somebody who can really excel.”

Problem Solving

The skill listed at the top of the WorldatWork survey — problem solving — is vital in today’s increasingly complex workplaces. It is also crucial for professions like HR that are experiencing ongoing change.

Over the last decade, HR has been moving from transactional functions to more strategic ones. Part of that transition includes demonstrating soft skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving, said Danielle Spieckerman, chief human resources officer at InBloom Autism Services in St. Louis. “Making sure we can analyze a problem — really get to the root cause of why that is — and be forthcoming with solutions is critical,” she said.

There are opportunities to do that right now in response to current labor market challenges, she noted. For example, many HR professionals are being asked to determine why employees are leaving and to recommend ways to improve retention.

The growing use of AI as a tool to generate data and aid in problem solving is a factor that will continue to push HR professionals into more strategic roles, according to Cori Bernosky, WorldatWork’s vice president of human resources. “Continuing to adapt in this new AI world is important,” she said, “but also then being able to understand the data you’re looking at and work to create solutions for your organization.”

Problem-solving skills also can help when facing challenges related to managing a multigenerational workforce — an issue that was present before the pandemic and persists at many organizations.

At The Granite Group, members of Gen Z are looking for more feedback and more career pathing than older workers historically have, Sponenberg said. That means her HR team is having to provide new coaching to frontline managers on how to interact with this cohort.

“You’re not managing somebody who is 21 and just out of school or new to the workforce the same way you’re managing somebody who’s been with the company for 45 years because they don’t necessarily work the same way,” Sponenberg said.

Communication 

One of the outcomes of the pandemic is that more employees are now able to work remotely or to work hybrid schedules that allow for a combination of on-site and off-site work. As a result, communication has become more difficult. It’s much harder for HR professionals to gauge how participants are receiving messages over a video call than it is in person, for example.

That means HR needs to communicate more clearly and follow up directly with participants to determine how the information was received, according to Wilson.

Sponenberg emphasized that part of communication involves listening — no matter where employees are working from. That’s why the HR team at The Granite Group is making more of an effort to visit the company’s 60 locations and connect with its 700 employees, most of whom are in customer-facing roles. 

 “If you’re not out and about and talking to the people who you’re serving, then what you’re doing isn’t going to have the impact you think it will,” she said.

Communication is also a powerful marketing tool, Spieckerman noted, and will be crucial in the ongoing war for talent. “Presenting a strong case as to why people want to work for your organization or why people want to stay at the organization is going to be important,” she said.

Relationship Building and Empathy

Another result of the pandemic: a greater focus on employee mental health and well-being. For instance, leading with empathy has become imperative, according to Katharine Manning, author of “ The Empathetic Workplace ” and president of Blackbird DC, which provides training and consultation on empathy at work. 

When HR and other leaders show empathy, they build trust and improve relationships in the workplace, Manning said. “And then ultimately, the organization as a whole is more successful because people are more able to engage, they feel supported, and they have trust for their colleagues and for their leadership,” she explained.

Another way companies can support employee well-being is by continuing to show flexibility and to demonstrate the importance of establishing good relationships with employees.

“When COVID hit, it taught us that rules are important, but we also have to make sure that we’re being adaptable and flexible with folks,” Spieckerman said. Doing so demonstrates that a company understands workers’ needs and cares about their well-being, she explained, which ultimately strengthens connections with employees.

Consider how, during the early days of the pandemic, employers provided support through adjusted work hours and other means to help employees who were juggling work and caregiving responsibilities. The need for this kind of assistance hasn’t gone away, even though the public health crisis has receded: Three years later,  caregiving  responsibilities remain a challenge for many employees. 

“The pandemic made these issues impossible to ignore,” Manning said, and the organizations that admit there are employees who are struggling and who need help are going to be the most successful. “If you want to hold onto your people, if you want to have engagement and productivity and collaboration and creativity, all of those things require empathy. And that’s not going away.”

Development Opportunities

Although the WorldatWork survey found that many total rewards professionals value soft skills, it also found gaps between the perceived importance of these skills and respondents’ self-assessments of their proficiency. For example, 91.4% of respondents rated communication as highly important, but only 79.7% of respondents were confident in their communication skills — a gap of 11.7 percentage points. (For problem solving and relationship building, the gaps were 2.5% and 5.9%, respectively.)

Overall, the survey found, one-quarter of respondents said they are still developing the various skills they need to excel in their current roles.

The good news is, there are several ways HR professionals can improve their soft skills — many of which don’t cost a lot of money.

A first step, according to Sponenberg, is to identify which soft skills you may need to improve. Ways to do that include using a predictive index, asking others for feedback and increasing your own self-awareness, she said.

Of course, if you are trying to convince company leaders to invest in soft-skills development, you’ll need to make the business case for it, just as you would for any other initiative. 

According to Manning, making the case for empathy training is fairly easy. She pointed to a  2020 report  that found 80% of employees would be willing to leave their company for a more empathetic employer and 57% would take a pay cut to do so. “The business case is quite compelling,” Manning said. “It’s not a hard one to make.”

HR professionals can also take steps to develop their soft skills on their own.

Spieckerman recommended joining professional associations, networking with other HR professionals and working with a mentor. “Experiential learning is a big part of it, too,” she added. She suggested volunteering for stretch assignments, like taking on a difficult employee relations scenario or being part of a big technology rollout.

Taking the initiative to land assignments that help you gain a new perspective on your organization’s operations and mechanisms for generating revenue can be particularly helpful — especially if they take you out of your comfort zone. (For more, see "Lessons from a CEO: Insights on How HR Can Advance." )

Courses, webinars and other types of self-study are also available.

WorldatWork’s Bernosky values the methodology offered by Crucial Conversations, and notes that LinkedIn Learning offers courses on decision making and critical thinking. For bolstering communication skills, she noted that many  WorldatWork courses  offer sections that focus on communicating with multiple stakeholders, including executives and employees.

Soft Skills Have No Expiration Dates

The need for HR and TR professionals to have strong soft skills won’t go away anytime soon, according to Bernosky. “Moving forward, I think it will continue to be one of the most important elements in establishing a high-trust, highly effective organization that is looking to deliver business outcomes,” she said.

Because soft skills are highly transferable across industries and situations, they’re unlikely to become obsolete. So, no matter how the profession evolves and no matter what form the next business disruption takes, HR and TR professionals with solid soft skills will be better prepared for the future than those without. 

“I think for HR professionals, those skills will help you to feel more confident in navigating whatever is going to come through your door,” Manning said, “because, as we all know, you never have any idea what’s walking through your door.”

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How to assess problem-solving skills

Human beings have been fascinated and motivated by problem-solving for as long as time. Let’s start with the classic ancient legend of Oedipus. The Sphinx aggressively addressed anyone who dared to enter Thebes by posing a riddle. If the traveler failed to answer the riddle correctly, the result was death. However, the Sphinx would be destroyed when the answer was finally correct.

Alas, along came Oedipus. He answered correctly. He unlocked this complex riddle and killed the Sphinx.

However, rationality was hardly defined at that time. Today, though, most people assume that it simply takes raw intelligence to be a great problem solver. However, it’s not the only crucial element.

Introduction to key problem-solving skills

You’ve surely noticed that many of the skills listed in the problem-solving process are repeated. This is because having these abilities and talents are so crucial to the entire course of getting a problem solved. Let’s look at some key problem-solving skills that are essential in the workplace.

Communication, listening, and customer service skills

In all the stages of problem-solving, you need to listen and engage to understand what the problem is and come to a conclusion as to what the solution may be. Another challenge is being able to communicate effectively so that people understand what you’re saying. It further rolls into interpersonal communication and customer service skills, which really are all about listening and responding appropriately.

Data analysis, research, and topic understanding skills

To produce the best solutions, employees must be able to understand the problem thoroughly. This is possible when the workforce studies the topic and the process correctly. In the workplace, this knowledge comes from years of relevant experience.

Dependability, believability, trustworthiness, and follow-through

To make change happen and take the following steps towards problem-solving, the qualities of dependability, trustworthiness, and diligence are a must. For example, if a person is known for not keeping their word, laziness, and committing blunders, that is not someone you’ll depend on when they provide you with a solution, will you?

Leadership, team-building, and decision-making

A true leader can learn and grow from the problems that arise in their jobs and utilize each challenge to hone their leadership skills. Problem-solving is an important skill for leaders who want to eliminate challenges that can otherwise hinder their people’s or their business’ growth. Let’s take a look at some statistics that prove just how important these skills are:

A Harvard Business Review study states that of all the skills that influence a leader’s success, problem-solving ranked third out of 16.

According to a survey by Goremotely.net, only 10% of CEOs are leaders who guide staff by example .

Another  study at Havard Business Review found a direct link between teambuilding as a social activity and employee motivation.

Are you looking for a holistic way to develop leaders in your workplace?

Numerous skills and attributes define a successful one from a rookie when it comes to leaders. Our leadership development plan (with examples!) can help HR leaders identify potential leaders that are in sync with your company’s future goals.

Why is problem solving important in the workplace?

As a business leader, when too much of your time is spent managing escalations, the lack of problem-solving skills may hurt your business. While you may be hiring talented and capable employees and paying them well, it is only when you harness their full potential and translate that into business value that it is considered a successful hire.

The impact of continuing with poor problem-solving skills may show up in your organization as operational inefficiencies that may also manifest in product quality issues, defects, re-work and non-conformance to design specifications. When the product is defective, or the service is not up to the mark, it directly affects your customer’s experience and consequently reflects on the company’s profile.

At times, poor problem-solving skills could lead to missed market opportunities, slow time to market, customer dissatisfaction, regulatory compliance issues, and declining employee morale.

Problem-solving skills are important for individual business leaders as well. Suppose you’re busy responding to frequent incidents that have the same variables. In that case, this prevents you from focusing your time and effort on improving the future success of business outcomes.

Proven methods to assess and improve problem-solving skills

Pre-employment problem-solving skill assessment .

Recent research indicates that up to 85% of resumes contain misleading statements. Similarly, interviews are subjective and ultimately serve as poor predictors of job performance .

To provide a reliable and objective means of gathering job-related information on candidates, you must validate and develop pre-employment problem-solving assessments. You can further use the data from pre-employment tests to make informed and defensible hiring decisions.

Depending on the job profile, below are examples of pre-employment problem-solving assessment tests:

Personality tests: The rise of personality testing in the 20th century was an endeavor to maximize employee potential. Personality tests help to identify workplace patterns, relevant characteristics, and traits, and to assess how people may respond to different situations.

Examples of personality tests include the Big five personality traits test and Mercer | Mettl’s Dark Personality Inventory .

Cognitive ability test: A pre-employment aptitude test assesses individuals’ abilities such as critical thinking, verbal reasoning, numerical ability, problem-solving, decision-making, etc., which are indicators of a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ). The test results provide data about on-the-job performance. It also assesses current and potential employees for different job levels.

Criteria Cognitive Aptitude test , McQuaig Mental Agility Test , and Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory are commonly used cognitive ability assessment tests.

Convergent and divergent thinking methods

American psychologist JP Guilford coined the terms “convergent thinking” and “divergent thinking” in the 1950s.

Convergent thinking involves starting with pieces of information and then converging around a solution. An example would be determining the correct answer to a multiple-choice question.

The nature of the question does not demand creativity but rather inherently encourages a person to consider the veracity of each answer provided before selecting the single correct one.

Divergent thinking, on the other hand, starts with a prompt that encourages people to think critically, diverging towards distinct answers. An example of divergent thinking would be asking open-ended questions.

Here’s an example of what convergent thinking and a divergent problem-solving model would look like.

The 5 whys method , developed by Sakichi Toyoda, is part of the Toyota production system. In this method, when you come across a problem, you analyze the root cause by asking “Why?” five times. By recognizing the countermeasure, you can prevent the problem from recurring. Here’s an example of the 5 whys method.

Source: Kanbanzie

This method is specifically useful when you have a recurring problem that reoccurs despite repeated actions to address it. It indicates that you are treating the symptoms of the problem and not the actual problem itself.

Starbursting

While brainstorming is about the team coming together to try to find answers, starbursting flips it over and asks everyone to think of questions instead. Here’s an example of the starbursting method.

The idea of this method is to go and expand from here, layering more and more questions until you’ve covered every eventuality of the problem.

Use of data analysis to measure improvement in problem-solving skills for your organization

Problem-solving and data analytics are often used together. Supporting data is very handy whenever a particular problem occurs. By using data analytics, you can find the supporting data and analyze it to use for solving a specific problem.

However, we must emphasize that the data you’re using to solve the problem is accurate and complete. Otherwise, misleading data may take you off track of the problem at hand or even make it appear more complex than it is. Moreover, as you gain knowledge about the current problem, it further eases the way to solve it.

Let’s dig deeper into the top 3 reasons data analytics is important in problem-solving.

 1. Uncover hidden details

Modern data analytics tools have numerous features that let you analyze the given data thoroughly and find hidden or repeating trends without needing any extra human effort. These automated tools are great at extracting the depths of data, going back way into the past.

2. Automated models

Automation is the future. Businesses don’t have enough time or the budget to encourage manual workforces to go through loads of data to solve business problems. Instead, the tools can collect, combine, clean, and transform the relevant data all by themselves and finally use it to predict the solutions.

3. Explore similar problems

When you use a data analytics approach to solve problems, you can collect all the data available and store it. It can assist you when you find yourself in similar problems, providing references for how such issues were tackled in the past.

If you’re looking for ways to help develop problem-solving skills in the workplace and want to build a team of employees who can solve their own problems, contact us to learn how we can help you achieve it.

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How to be viewed as a problem solver in HR

To be perceived as a problem-solver, these actions and behaviors are recommended with your client groups and leaders:

In meetings, transition from negative energy in discussions to positive, constructive forward-thinking problem-solving. Everyone likes to complain occasionally, venting is healthy and cathartic. However, if most of what coworkers hear from you is complaints, you’re likely to become known as a negative person instead of a problem solver.

Gather facts, data, and diverse views from team members; look for root causes of problems. Sometimes you have to go off a hunch, but when possible it’s best to bring data and research to the table. Get diverse views and back your position with data to show you’ve thoroughly considered the factors involved.

Encourage brainstorming to surface as many ideas as possible, even those ‘far out.’ The first idea isn’t always the best. If you just stop there you might miss out on some innovative solutions. Encourage brainstorming to see how many ideas you can come up with, then find the best solution. Perhaps each idea has some ups and downs that can be combined into a winning concept.

Help find “common ground” between team members who may be in conflict. Everyone (in theory) has the same goal – to find a solution that best serves the organization’s needs. However, when tensions get high it can be hard to remember that. Keep conflict productive and find the common ground in between to be seen as a facilitator and valuable team member.

Discuss how to blend ideas and find solutions that the whole group can buy into, and actually commit to implementing. You’ll never get a new initiative off the ground without buy-in, so it’s vital to highlight how each group involved will benefit and how this plan will be the best to achieve the goal.

Check to see that there is a solid agreement on how to move forward as a team. A long planning meeting is useless if you come out of it with halfhearted agreements and unclear next steps. Ensure there’s a clearly laid out plan.

Define roles, responsibilities, and both short and long-term actions. This is a vital step, each participant needs to be held accountable for the actions they’ll have to take.

Consider obstacles and specific approaches to overcome pitfalls. You must think forward and critically to be a valuable asset. Don’t assume things will go perfectly smooth. Consider what likely obstacles are and plan how to overcome them. Others are likely to come up also, but at least you’ll have addressed some of the more likely obstacles.

Facilitate agreement on timelines and checkpoints. Setting a tight deadline is no good if the employees responsible don’t agree to it. Consider in-put and ensure that timelines are reasonable and attainable, even if they are sometimes tight.

To be perceived as an HR innovator, these actions and behaviors are recommended with client groups and leaders:

Encourage ‘out of the box’ thinking when issues or work problems arise. If the same-old solution was working, then you probably wouldn’t be in the position you’re in. Don’t shoot down off-the-wall ideas or creative solutions, a new idea only seems crazy until it succeeds.

Regularly solicit organizational needs from client group leaders and individual contributors. There are always ongoing problems, but department and team leaders don’t often bring them up until they peak. By regularly reaching out to identify concerns and problems, you get ahead of issues and can head them off before they become too serious. Management will appreciate the initiative.

Resist a rush to solution; instead, foster open dialogue (‘peel the onion’). Sometimes you need a quick solution, but that doesn’t mean you need to jump on the first solution available. Spend at least an hour to think deeply on a concept — you can usually afford to spend a little more time before you jump to a conclusion.

WHAT TO READ NEXT

Why are problem solving skills in the workplace so important? Subskills, benefits, scenarios

Test your candidates' problem-solving skills with testgorilla.

The importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace can’t be overstated. Every business and job role has its problems. From entry-level hires to senior staffers, every one of your employees will face challenges that don’t can’t be answered by doing a quick Google search – or asking ChatGPT to come up with solutions.

That’s why employers must hire people with excellent problem-solving skills, especially for roles that require dealing with complex business challenges, tight deadlines, and changing variables – for example, when recruiting leaders .

But what are problem-solving skills? What role do they play in the workplace? 

And, most importantly, how can you evaluate candidates’ skills before you hire them?

Table of contents

What are problem solving skills, the benefits of problem solving skills: why are problem solving skills important , examples of problems at the workplace – and how problem solving skills can help, how to assess problem solving skills, evaluate problem solving skills and hire candidates who can think for themselves.

To fully understand the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace, it’s important first to understand the broad skill set that we commonly refer to as “problem solving skills”. 

Generally, problem-solving refers to a person’s ability to successfully manage and find solutions for complex and unexpected situations. 

Candidates with great problem-solving skills have a combination of analytical and creative thinking. They’re comfortable with making decisions and confident enough to rise to challenges in the workplace.

These candidates possess a combination of analytical, creative, and critical-thinking skills – and a high level of attention to detail . As a result, they will quickly identify problems when they arise and identify the most effective solutions. 

They’ll also identify the factors and forces that might have caused the problem and instigate changes to mitigate future challenges.

There are six key problem-solving skills that you should look for when assessing job candidates: 

1. Listening skills

Active listeners are generally great problem solvers. 

They can listen to those around them to gather the information needed to solve the problem at hand. They also recognize the importance of valuing others’ opinions and experiences to help understand why the problem occurred and define the best course of action to remedy it. 

2. Analytical thinking skills 

Analytical thinkers can identify the logical reasons why a problem occurred, what the long-term effects of the issue could be, and identify how effective different solutions might be to select the most practical one. 

That’s why it’s essential to assess analytical thinking skills during recruitment.

3. Creative thinking skills

Creative thinkers can balance their analytical skills with creative approaches to challenges. Creative thinking skills enable individuals to uncover innovative and progressive solutions to problems. 

In this way, they’re able to provide new perspectives and provide imaginative and experimental solutions to all kinds of problems. 

4. Communication skills 

Problem solvers should also possess great communication skills . The ability to effectively relay complex information thoroughly yet succinctly is a huge benefit for employers working in fast-paced environments. 

5. Decision-making skills 

Those with problem-solving skills will also possess the ability to make decisions and be confident in them. This is important, because most problem-solving involves making firm decisions to reach a successful outcome. 

6. Teamwork

Although problem-solvers need to be independent thinkers, it’s also vital for them to work well as part of a team . 

Determining the best solution often requires collaboration, so it’s important that candidates can demonstrate how they can motivate others to come up with the best solutions and work with them to help develop and implement solutions. 

Problem-solving skills enable you to find candidates who are cognitively equipped to handle anything their jobs throw at them.

Problem solvers can observe, judge, and act quickly when difficulties arise when they inevitably do. Moreover, they are not afraid of the unknown, which is invaluable to employers who rely on their employees to identify and solve problems. 

There are several important benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. Below, we’ll go through five of the most significant ones that all problem solvers can bring to their roles and workplaces: 

1. Ability to organize their time intelligently 

Time management skills can often be underlooked as one of the benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. 

However, those with problem-solving abilities also typically possess stellar time-management skills. The ability to manage their time wisely and laser-focus on what’s important to the business will lead to better decision-making and business impact. 

2. Ability to prioritize, plan, and execute strategies

Problem solvers have no issue with carefully assessing customer and business needs and deciding how to prioritize, plan, and execute strategies to meet them. They can manage all moving parts and strategize to meet multiple unique demands.

3. Ability to think outside the box

Problem solvers can often identify hidden opportunities in problems. Thinking outside of the box is an important problem-solving skill in the workplace, because it can often lead to better outcomes than the originally expected ones. 

4. Ability to work under pressure

This is often one of the most important benefits of problem-solving skills in the workplace. Problem solvers often work well under pressure, for example when dealing with short deadlines and changing project requirements.

Depending on your workplace culture, you might prefer someone who can deliver quick solutions or someone who takes their time to identify the next steps. Both are valid and important problem solving qualities. 

5. Ability to address risk

Planning is an important problem-solving skill. Problem solvers are not just equipped to deal with the problem at hand but are also able to anticipate problems that will arise in the future based on trends, patterns, experience, and current events.

Let’s now look at some specific examples of problems that could arise at the workplace – at any workplace, really – and how employees’ problem solving skills can help address each issue. 

Below, you’ll find five typical scenarios where problem solving skills are essential.

Conflict between team members

Poor team dynamics or lack of a collaborative spirit might result in frequent workplace conflicts – especially within larger teams.

For example, members of cross-functional teams might disagree on the way they should address a particular issue or even on the priority they should give to it. 

How problem solving skills can help: 

Teamwork is essential when solving conflict – and a cornerstone of effective cross-functional team leadership .

For this, coworkers need to share a common understanding of the team’s goals and also be willing to work towards achieving them, even when they disagree on the specific approaches to each goal.  The ability to understand others’ perspectives, analyze information critically, and come up with a few different solutions is key to finding a common ground and making progress on the team’s objectives.

Inefficient processes

Outdated, inefficient processes can reduce productivity and frustrate employees.

Multi-step approval processes are a typical example of this. Having multiple layers of approval for routine decisions can significantly slow down team progress and lead to missed opportunities.

Analytical thinking skills are key in identifying inefficiencies and building better procedures. Employees or team leads can build flowcharts that speed up decision making without having to ask a supervisor’s permission at every step of the process. 

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Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and lack of clarity and direction – which, in turn, can be detrimental to team performance. 

For example, if you’re a remote-first company, maintaining clear and effective remote communication can be challenging. 

The over-reliance on emails and messaging apps might make it feel like teams are communicating effectively and are always connected. However, the lack of non-verbal cues and face-to-face interactions might make it more difficult to build rapport and a positive workplace culture .

Listening skills are essential to solving communication issues – and good listeners are often excellent at solving problems by recognizing, understanding, and acknowledging others’ points of view. 

One-on-one meetings enable people to communicate more freely and effectively and solve challenges together, so consider encouraging team members to hop on a call each time they encounter a difficult challenge.

Additionally, you can help employees bond with each other with some remote team building activities to improve team cohesion. Plus, problem solving challenges can be excellent team building exercises.

Technological disruptions 

New technologies often disrupt the usual ways of doing things – and sometimes, this can be disruptive for entire teams’ work. 

For example, generative AI and automation technologies have revolutionized numerous types of work, including data analysis, marketing, customer service, and even content creation.

Creative thinking and cognitive flexibility are among the top 10 most important skills of the future , according to the World Economic Forum. Both are essential for adopting new technologies successfully – and finding ways to make the most out of each new tool to improve productivity. 

Insufficient onboarding resources 

Team members may struggle to do their best work if they haven't received proper training or resources.

For example, start-ups that experience rapid growth might hire a few employees at once – or even entire teams. 

If they fail to allocate sufficient time and resources to onboarding new hires, this might lead to lost productivity, a lacking sense of belonging, or increased turnover. That’s true not only for junior employees but also for newly hired senior leaders , as the Harvard Business Review points out.

Your leadership team’s analytical and decision-making skills are crucial in enabling them to distribute limited resources in a way that would give their teams the best chances of success. 

To build a solid onboarding process , you need leaders who are able to take ownership of it – and who have the right problem-solving skills.

Many organizations use problem-solving interview questions to identify the right candidates for their job openings. However, the most effective way to assess problem-solving skills is with pre-employment skills assessments . 

That’s because skills tests provide an objective way to quantify a candidate’s problem-solving skills in a way that isn’t possible during an interview.

How problem solving skills tests work

Tests like TestGorilla’s problem-solving skills test assist organizations in finding candidates who are able to quickly identify the key elements of the problem and work through the problem at speed without making mistakes. 

By presenting candidates with a wide range of questions related to typical problem-solving scenarios, hiring teams can rank their candidates based on an intensive assessment of each candidate’s skill level.

The test specifically evaluates whether a candidate can perform problem-solving tasks like:

Creating and adjust schedules

Prioritizing items based on a given set of rules

Interpreting data and applying logic to make decisions

Analyzing textual and numerical information to draw conclusions

As you can see, even the best interviewer would have trouble assessing each of these skill areas while still covering all the other questions that they need to ask. 

If you’re convinced of the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace and want to build a team of employees that can think independently and solve their own problems without constant supervision, assess problem-solving skills during the hiring process. 

Problem-solving skills tests like ours are an excellent way to achieve this – especially if you combine them with other skills tests. Check out our extensive test library for other tests you can use in your talent assessment process to hire the best talent. 

Sign up for our free plan to start building your first assessment – or schedule a demo with one of our experts to see how to evaluate applicants’ problem solving skills quickly, efficiently, and without bias. 

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Problem Solving

Identifies problems and uses logic, judgment, and data to evaluate alternatives and recommend solutions to achieve the desired organizational goal or outcome.

• Uses a logical method for organizing and analyzing information.
• Coordinates with others within his/her network, subject-matter experts and /or additional senior staff to interpret administrative policies, offer advice and solve related problems.
• Identifies and evaluates problems and possible causes to determine root causes and impacts.
• Generates solutions, taking into consideration political, organizational and individual realities.
• Identifies options for solving a problem and evaluates the relative strengths and weaknesses of each option.
• Uses expertise in policies and procedures to identify problems, and makes recommendations for addressing these via communication, job aids, training, etc.
• Researches issues thoroughly. Does not jump to quick conclusions or formulate opinions based on incorrect assumptions, or inaccurate/incomplete information.

Developmental opportunities for this competency are available from the NIH Training Center .

Contact us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.

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Effective Problem Solving Techniques

In today’s workplace, the responsibility of problem solving is no longer an exclusive responsibility of the people occupying seats of upper management, rather, a responsibility that everyone in the organization shares. Effective problem solving skills allow employees throughout the organization to examine problems, identify, assess, and evaluate.

The first step to effective problem solving is to first identify and define the problem. This is simply a broad review of the current situation. The employee, or group of employees working on finding a solution to the problem review and discuss the real “pains” of the problem, how widespread the “pains” are, and how quickly the employee, or group of employees should act in order to resolve the problem at hand. This step also allows the employee or employees to determine what happened, why it happened in order to prevent it from happening again in the future. Tools that could potentially be used for this stage of problem solving are interviewing, completing questionnaires to gather information, or brainstorming. One may find that one of these tools may work better to gather more credible, unbiased data, or that all of them may be necessary. Depending on the amount of time that has been determined is needed to solve the problem, there may not be enough time for all of these data gathering techniques. All organizations are different, so each must figure out what works best for their team. Identifying the problem may seem like an obvious place to start, while this is very important in figuring out the correct path to the solution, something else to think about is the employee, or the group of employees you charge with carrying out this problem solving process. These need to be individuals who really understand the organization and will take the initiative to solve the problem as if it were their own.

The second step to effective and efficient problem solving skills is proposing solutions. After the problem is defined and the root cause has been determined, the employee or employees should generally have enough knowledge essential to offer ideas for proposed solutions. This is where the “no idea is a bad idea” comes in to play. The employee or employees should come up with as many proposed solutions as possible. These proposed solutions should always be tied back to the main cause of the problem in order to ensure that the chances of the problem arising again are much lower, or not possible at all. This is not a solution selection step, however, a time to eliminate any solutions that may be overlapping, or solutions that don’t address the initial cause of the problem that was defined in the first step.

The third step that should be included in your problem solving endeavors is to select the solution. This step takes the solutions that have been created in the previous step and delves deeper into the potential pros and cons of each. The employee or employees solving the problem should assess whether the solution is technically feasible, and whether or not it is acceptable to those who will have to implement the solution. This step involves including those who need to be involved in the implementation of the solution in order to increase commitment and the likelihood of a successful implementation. Having the right employees implement the solution encourages trust in order to get the buy-in of other employees. The right employees will be able to help the employees involved in the process to better see how it affects them and the overall operations of the business.

The fourth step is the implementation step of the problem solving process. Everything should be in place at this point to correctly and transparently communicate the implementation efforts. Communication is important in all of the steps of this process, but it is so important in this step as the problem solvers need everyone involved in the solution to understand the whole process. Also, this step requires action as to what will be done, who will do it, when it will be started, assessing when key milestones will be completed, how necessary actions will be carried out, and why are these actions are solution? These are also questions and answers that need to be communicated to the organization as well.

Lastly, after every solution is implemented, evaluation must always take place. This step must be seen as an opportunity to fine-tune the solution for possible shortcomings. Effective problem solvers will plan additional tools for feedback to detect these shortcomings and to make sure that the problem is solved without creating a new issue. Again, effective communication is key in order to ensure the success of the solution in all areas of the organization and that the appropriate follow-up is completed.

These are important steps to follow in order to ensure a successful problem solving process. Again, selecting the correct individuals in order to effectively carry out these steps is important. High-performing employees and an effective process combine to create a problem solving workplace that produces results.

For additional information on this topic, please contacts us a www.NewFocusHR.com

Written by: Patrick McKenna HR Assistant 07/06/2016

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Problem-solving skills are more in-demand than ever. 

Employers love candidates with problem-solving skills because, in 99% of cases, they guarantee you're also logical, creative, clear-headed, and a great decision-maker. 

But claiming you have organizational skills on your resume is not enough. 

To impress recruiters, you've got to prove that you possess them. 

This includes understanding which problem-solving skills you possess and adding them to your resume (the right way), among other things.

This is where this article comes in! We put together everything you need to know about problem-solving skills, including: 

• 8 Essential Problem-Solving Skills for Your Resume

How to Add Problem-Solving Skills to Your Resume

• Why Are Problem-Solving Skills Important
• 6 Problem-Solving Steps

Let's dive right in! 

8 Problem-Solving Skills for Your Resume

Research shows that problem-solving skills consist of several facets : 

• Identifying and analyzing a problem
• Taking effective actions
• Understanding the effect of the decisions
• Coming up with creative and novel solutions
• Transferring knowledge from one situation to another
• Thinking abstractly about problems

As such, there is no single problem-solving skill. Problem-solving includes a set of skills, all of which are equally important in helping your personal and professional life. 

Below, we’ll cover the eight most important problem-solving skills that you can also list on your resume to impress recruiters: 

#1. Research skills

To properly identify and understand a problem, you need excellent research skills. 

Research skills involve being able to gather information from the right sources, reviewing that information in detail to extract the data you need, analyzing the data according to the context, and being able to apply the data to your situation. 

#2. Analytical skills

Analytical skills are required throughout the entire process of solving a problem. 

In a nutshell, analytical skills refer to being able to analyze a situation in depth and from different perspectives . Specifically, you need analytical skills to achieve all of the following while solving a problem:

• Detect patterns
• Interpret data
• Analyze new information
• Reach conclusions based on several factors

#3. Creativity

Being creative means being able to think outside of the box and look at situations and problems inventively. 

For most people, creativity is mainly associated with creative industries such as arts and crafts, architecture, design, etc. 

In reality, however, creativity is an essential success factor for every job and the data is here to support that. According to this Adobe study , problem-solving (51%) and creativity (47%) have gained the most value in driving salary increases in the last five years. 

When it comes to the process of solving a problem, creativity can help you consider more perspectives, think abstractly about problems, and come up with novel solutions that others haven’t thought of before.

#4. Critical thinking skills

Being able to think critically means that you’re good at rationalizing, understanding the connections between ideas or situations, and logically analyzing any given situation. 

As such, strong critical thinking skills can help you see beyond what’s at face value, make more informed decisions, and anticipate the outcomes of said decisions. 

People who have critical thinking skills share traits such as open-mindedness , cognitive flexibility , skepticism , clarity , and precision . 

#5. Decision-making skills

Before coming up with a single action plan to solve a problem, you’ll need to first brainstorm several possible solutions. 

After that, you need good decision-making skills to choose the best possible solution. Without decision-making skills, you risk prolonging finding a proper solution or aggravating a problem even more. 

#6. Communication skills

With strong communication skills , you’re able to successfully explain the problem to others and propose your solutions. In turn, you can be sure that everyone’s on the same page and that you’re carrying out the action plan accordingly. 

Some communication skills required for problem-solving include: 

• Active listening
• Written and verbal communication
• Giving and receiving feedback

#7. Collaboration

Problem-solving is rarely a process you carry out alone. More often than not, you need to consult relevant stakeholders, give and receive feedback, and work with a team towards a common goal (i.e. solving the problem).

Well, collaboration entails exactly that - working well with others, cooperatively addressing problems, and putting a group’s goal ahead of personal goals. 

Some important collaboration skills that help with problem-solving include: 

• Conflict resolution
• Emotional intelligence 

#8. Attention to Detail 

Have you ever heard of the expression “the devil’s in the details?”

It means that something may seem simple on the surface, but in fact, the details make it complicated and are likely to cause problems.

Well, if you’re someone who shows great attention to detail, you’re not likely to let details keep you from solving a problem effectively. 

Not to mention, being able to spot and understand even the smallest details that make up a problem means you’ll be able to grasp the issue in its entire complexity and come up with even more inventive and workable solutions. 

Now that we covered the most important problem-solving skills, we’ll show you how to add them to your resume so that you can stand out from other candidates. 

Let us walk you through the process, step-by-step: 

#1. Mention Your Problem-Solving Skills on Your Resume Summary

The resume summary is a three or four-sentence paragraph positioned at the top of your resume that includes: 

• Your profession and years of experience 
• Your top skills (i.e. hard skills or soft skills)
• One or two noteworthy achievements 

The goal of the resume summary is to catch the hiring manager’s attention, show them you’re a relevant candidate and get them to go through the rest of your resume in detail. 

As such, it’s your first chance to highlight your problem-solving skills effectively. You can either do that by mentioning them among your top skills or by mentioning an achievement that proves you possess a given skill.

In the best-case scenario, you can even do both. 

Here is an example of how you can include problem-solving skills in your resume summary: 

• Behavioral psychologist with 7+ years of experience in the field. Great research, analytical, and communication skills. Over the last eight years, I’ve worked closely with more than 100 patients with different behavioral disorders, helping them improve their personal and professional lives through different treatment methods. 

#2. Add the RIGHT Problem-Solving Skills Under Your Soft Skills

Secondly, you should list your problem-solving skills under your resume’s soft skills section . 

The listing part is pretty easy - simply create a section titled Skills and write down your problem-solving skills.

There is, however, one caveat: 

You don’t want to overkill your skills section by listing every problem-solving skill we covered in this article.

Not only will the hiring manager have trouble believing you possess each and every skill, but there’s also a high chance you don’t even need all those skills to begin with. 

To make your skills section as relevant as possile, do the following: 

• Check the job description. The job description can show you exactly what skills you need for the job. If you’re applying for, say, a software engineering position, you’ll probably be required to have the following problem-solving skills: analytical skills, creativity, attention to detail, and cognitive flexibility. 
• Identify the skills you possess. Think about which skills you can back up with actual experience from your previous jobs. Only list problem-solving skills that you actually possess and that you can prove you possess on your resume. 
• Add those skills under your soft skills. Then, add the problem-solving skills that you have and that are required in the job under your resume’s “Soft Skills” section. 

#3. Prove Your Problem-Solving Skills In Your Work Experience Section

Finally, you should use the work experience section to prove that you’ve got the problem-solving skills you’ve mentioned throughout your resume. 

Anyone can just claim that they’ve got problem-solving skills on their resume - not everyone can back them up with experience.

Here’s what you can do to convey that you possess problem-solving skills and also make your work experience section as impactful as possible: 

• Tailor your work experience to the job. Only add past jobs that are relevant to the position you are applying for now. If you’re applying for, say, a software engineering position, the hiring manager will be interested in your previous jobs in the field, but probably not too interested in the time you worked as a server at a restaurant. 
• Focus on your achievements instead of your responsibilities. More often than not, hiring managers know exactly what your responsibilities consisted of in previous jobs. What they want to know is how you made a positive impact with your achievements. 
• Make your achievements quantifiable. Speaking of achievements, you want to make them as quantifiable as possible. After all “treated ten patients in the course of a year using positive reinforcement” sounds much better than “treated ten patients.”
• Use the Laszlo Bock formula . If you’re having trouble phrasing your achievements, the following formula will probably be of help: “Accomplished X as measured by Y doing X.” 
• Leverage action verbs and keywords. There are hundreds of words and verbs you can use instead of “did,” “accomplished,” etc. The more descriptive you are of your achievements, the more impressive they can sound.

And here’s an example of a project manager describing their problem-solving skills in their work experience section:

• Fixed company communication issues by implementing a new project management solution. 
• Improved team productivity by implementing time-tracking software and doing daily stand-up calls.
• Managed to meet all client deliverable deadlines in 2022.

Why Are Problem-Solving Skills Important?

Are you wondering what exactly is it that makes problem-solving skills so important? 

After all, there are hundreds of soft skills out there that you can master, improve, or learn how to add to your resume. So it’s normal to wonder “why should I focus on problem-solving?” 

Here is why problem-solving skills matter:

• They can improve your employability. Problem-solving skills are among the most important skills to employers across a range of occupations. In short, employers are always looking for proactive thinkers who can address professional challenges.
• They can help you grow in your career more easily. You’ll be more likely to get promoted if you can come up with creative solutions to the different problems that you’ll face throughout your career.
• They can become an essential part of your personal brand . Your current employer, coworkers, and future employers alike will see you as someone creative, reliable, and helpful.
• They are related to a range of other valuable skills. When you prove you’re a problem solver, you’re effectively saying you’re attentive to detail, logical, creative, analytical, curious, and other things employers are looking for in their employees.

10 Jobs That Require Problem-Solving Skills

As we’ve already mentioned, problem-solving skills come in handy for practically every job. 

Whether you’re a teacher who needs to solve a dispute between peers in your class or a customer representative who needs to help a client, knowing how to go about solving issues is definitely an asset. 

That said, some jobs are all about solving problems. In such cases, problem-solving skills are not just a nice addition to have on your resume - they’re crucial to getting hired. 

Here are the top 10 jobs requiring problem-solving skills in 2024: 

• Software engineer
• Air-traffic controller
• Police officer
• Social worker
• Psychologist
• UX designer

35 Action Verbs You Can Use to Highlight Your Problem-Solving Skills

The language you use to describe your problem-solving skills matters.  

Sure, you can use “ solved” to describe how you dealt with a problem throughout your entire resume and risk coming off as repetitive and unimaginative. 

Or , you can use any of the following action verbs and keywords and make your problem-solving skills pop out in the eyes of recruiters: 

• Calculate  
• Critically think 
• Draw conclusions
• Experiment 
• Listen/Listen actively 

The Problem-Solving Process in 6 Steps

Problem-solving is a methodical process. It consists of certain steps that you always need to take if you want to find a good solution. 

The more you understand and practice this process, the better you can get at solving problems. 

Below, we cover the six main steps of problem-solving in detail:

#1. Identify the problem 

The first step to solving a problem is identifying exactly what’s causing it. 

After all, if you’re not focusing on the real underlying issue, you might come up with solutions that don’t fit the problem itself. 

Say, for example, that you’re a teacher that’s facing poor class performance. Identifying whether the problem comes from the students’ not studying enough or from your own teaching methods can make a big difference in the solutions you come up with. 

It typically happens that the faster you find the root cause of the problem, the easier it is to find a proper solution. 

#2. Understand the problem

Once you identify the problem, you’ve got to understand it completely. Here are some questions you can ask to make sure you properly understand a problem: 

• What is the scale of the problem? 
• What are its short and long-term effects? 
• Have you faced something like this before?
• Can the problem be solved by dividing it into smaller parts?

The better you understand the problem in its complexity, the more likely you are to come up with effective solutions. 

#3. Research the systems that make up the problem 

In many cases, solving a problem will be a complex undertaking. See, complex problems are often the result of several different underlying systems that you need to understand to find a dynamic solution. 

Let’s take the teacher example from above. 

If a certain student is not doing too well and keeps getting poor grades, you might be tempted to go the easy route and simply chastise them and tell them to study more.

This, in a lot of cases, might simply not work because you’re not addressing the root cause of the problem.

The student might, for example, be burned out , unmotivated by the curriculum, or simply struggling with specific topics.

A problem-solving solution that’s more likely to work would be to talk to the student (or their parents), try to understand the reason for their poor grades, and address the root cause behind the problem itself.

#4. Visualize the problem 

This may not apply to all situations, but it can definitely come in handy for most. 

Drawing a diagram to visualize the situation or your solution to the problem can help you grasp its complexity better - especially if the problem is multi-faceted. Anything from PowerPoint to a piece of white paper can be a good tool to visualize your problem, highlight the problem area, and tackle it more effectively.

#5. Brainstorm solutions 

After you’ve done all the above, it’s time to start thinking about solutions. 

This is another step of the problem-solving process that’s based on collaboration and effective communication. In the brainstorming phase, you should sit with team members or relevant stakeholders and come up with as many creative ideas and solutions as possible. 

This is not where you come up with your most refined, well-thought-out ideas. Instead, it’s where you discuss freely and combine diverse knowledge and analysis of the problem to come up with diverse solutions. 

Brainstorming is an essential part of problem-solving that can help you break out of boring or predictable ideas and thinking patterns. 

#6. Choose the best answer(s)

This is where decision-making skills come in. With a list of different potential solutions, you can narrow down your options to finally choose the best one. 

To reach a solution more easily, take the following into consideration:

• Your company’s/organization’s objectives
• The budget and the timeframe at your disposal
• The success outcomes
• Potential risks linked to the solution 

Finally, discuss your solutions with relevant stakeholders and team members to gather all the possible feedback that can help you make the best possible decision. 

And remember - once you’ve chosen the best possible solution to a problem, your work is far from over. Being a problem solver also includes the following: 

• Develop and implement an action plan
• Monitor the progress of your plan 
• Make necessary adjustments during the process
• Evaluate the outcomes of your solution 

Problem-Solving Skills Resume Example

Want a resume that makes your problem-solving skills pop like the above example? 

Use one of our tried-and-tested resume templates . 

They’re free, modern, and created in collaboration with some of the best HR professionals from around the globe!

Key Takeaways 

And that's a wrap on problem-solving skills. By now, you should know everything there is to know on the topic. 

Before you go, here are the main points we covered in this article: 

• Problem-solving skills are a set of soft skills that help you solve problems effectively. They involve critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, communication skills, and attention to detail. 
• Problem-solving skills can improve your employability, work performance, and personal brand. 
• Add your problem-solving skills to your resume summary, under the soft skills section, and in your work history section. 
• When you’re creating your work history section, make sure to tailor it to the job, focus on your achievements and make them quantifiable, and use action verbs and keywords from the job description. 
• To get better at solving problems, follow these steps: identify and understand the problem, research the systems that make up the problem, visualize the problem, brainstorm, and choose the best possible solution. 
• Once that’s done, create an action plan and make sure to monitor its progress as you’re implementing it. 

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Benefits Of Having Problem Solving Skills For HR Professionals In Workplace

Problem-solving skills are crucial for success in the workplace, and this is especially true for HR professionals. In today’s fast-paced business environment, HR professionals often face complex challenges that require quick and effective solutions.

HR professionals can improve decision-making, enhance productivity, and reduce costs by developing strong problem-solving skills. These skills are also essential for advancing to upper management roles and demonstrating competencies in the SHRM model.”

Here, we will explore the benefits of having strong problem solving skills for HR professionals and strategies for developing and utilizing these skills effectively.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Role of HR Professionals

HR professionals play a critical role in organizations by managing the most valuable resource people. Their responsibilities include recruiting and hiring employees, providing training and development opportunities, managing employee relations and benefits, and ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations.

They are also responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures to promote a positive and inclusive work environment. Influential HR professionals must have many skills, including communication, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and leadership.

Must be able to balance the needs of employees with those of the organization and to work collaboratively with managers and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals. HR professionals are vital to the success of any organization, as they are responsible for developing and maintaining a skilled and engaged workforce that can drive growth and profitability.

Benefits of Problem-Solving Skills for HR Professionals

Having solid problem-solving skills can provide numerous benefits for HR professionals. Here are some of the most significant advantages:

Improved Decision-Making

Problem-solving skills enable HR professionals to make informed decisions quickly and effectively. They can choose the best course of action to resolve complex employee-related issues by identifying potential solutions and analyzing their outcomes.

Enhanced Productivity

HR professionals with strong problem-solving skills can streamline processes and procedures, reducing the time and effort required to handle employee relations issues. This leads to increased productivity and efficiency within the organization.

Reduced Costs

By effectively managing employee relations issues and reducing conflicts, HR professionals with problem-solving skills can save the organization money. This includes avoiding costly legal disputes, improving employee retention rates, and reducing recruitment and training costs.

Increased Career Advancement Opportunities

HR professionals with strong problem-solving skills are highly valued in the industry. Possessing these skills can lead to more significant opportunities for career advancement, higher salaries, and more challenging and rewarding roles.

Competitive Advantage

Organizations with HR professionals with effective problem-solving skills have a competitive advantage over those without. They can handle complex employee relations issues more efficiently, reducing costs and improving productivity, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.

How Can Problem-Solving Skills Impact Business Outcomes?

Problem-solving skills can have a significant impact on business outcomes. HR professionals with strong problem-solving skills can help their organizations by identifying and resolving issues that affect employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.

They can also make informed decisions about the allocation of resources, the implementation of new policies, and the development of new strategies.

Additionally, by fostering a culture of problem-solving, organizations can encourage innovation and creativity, leading to the development of new products, services, and processes.

This can help organizations stay competitive in their respective markets and adapt to changing business environments. Overall, problem-solving skills are valuable for HR professionals, and their impact on business outcomes cannot be overstated.

Developing Problem Solving Skills For HR Professionals

Problem-solving is a skill that can be developed with practice and experience. Here are some ways HR professionals can enhance their problem-solving skills :

Attend Training and Development Programs

HR professionals can attend training and development programs to learn problem-solving techniques and strategies. These programs also provide opportunities to practice problem-solving in a safe and supportive environment.

Seek Mentorship

HR professionals can seek mentorship from experienced problem solvers within their organization or industry. Mentors can provide guidance and advice on how to approach complex employee-related issues.

Collaborate with Others

Collaborating with colleagues from different departments can expose HR professionals to different perspectives and problem-solving techniques. It helps them develop a more comprehensive understanding of their issues and identify more effective solutions.

Stay Informed

Keeping up with industry news and trends can help HR professionals stay informed about emerging challenges and opportunities. This can help them anticipate problems and develop proactive solutions.

Practice Reflective Thinking

Reflective thinking involves examining one’s thoughts and actions to identify areas for improvement. By reflecting on their problem-solving experiences, HR professionals can determine what worked well and what did not and adjust their approach accordingly.

Challenges That HR Professionals May Face In Problem-Solving

While problem-solving is essential for HR professionals, it can be challenging. Here are some of the challenges that they may face:

• Emotions : Employee-related issues can be emotionally charged, and it can be challenging to separate emotions from facts. HR professionals must learn to approach problems with empathy while also remaining objective.
• Limited Resources : HR professionals may need more resources, such as time, budget, or personnel, to address complex problems effectively. This can require them to be creative and find innovative solutions.
• Legal Compliance : Many employee-related issues have legal implications, and HR professionals must ensure that their solutions comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Resistance to Change : Employees or upper management may resist changes proposed by HR professionals, even when they are the best course of action. HR professionals must learn to communicate effectively and build consensus to overcome this challenge.
• Ambiguity : HR professionals may sometimes need guidance or clarity with no solution. In these cases, they must learn to navigate complexity and make informed decisions based on the available information.

Read Also: Why Is Critical Thinking Important For Problem Solving And Decision Making?

How Can HR Leaders Assess Problem Solving Skills In Their Teams?

Assessing problem-solving skills is essential for HR leaders to ensure that their team can effectively handle the challenges that arise in the workplace. Here are some ways HR leaders can assess problem-solving skills:

• Ask Behavioral Interview Questions: Behavioral interview questions assess how candidates have handled real-life situations. HR leaders can use these questions to determine how well team members have solved problems in their previous roles.
• Use Case Studies: Case studies allow team members to apply their problem-solving skills to real-life scenarios. HR leaders can use case studies to observe how team members approach and solve problems.
• Conduct Problem-Solving Exercises: Problem-solving exercises allow HR leaders to see how team members think on their feet and approach problems in real time. These exercises can be in the form of brainstorming sessions or role-playing activities.
• Review Performance Metrics: HR leaders can review team members’ performance metrics to assess their problem-solving skills. For example, if an HR professional can reduce employee turnover by implementing a new retention strategy, this demonstrates their ability to solve a complex problem.
• Assess Soft Skills: Soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability, are essential for effective problem-solving . HR leaders can assess these skills through observation, colleague feedback, and self-assessments.

Final Words

Problem solving skills for HR professionals are essential for HR to navigate the challenges that arise in the workplace effectively. By developing their problem-solving skills , HR professionals can contribute to the success of their organization by improving processes, resolving conflicts, and making informed decisions.

In addition, HR leaders can assess the problem-solving skills of their team through various methods, such as behavioral interview questions, case studies, problem-solving exercises, performance metrics, and soft skill assessments. By doing so, HR leaders can identify areas for improvement and ensure that their team can effectively handle the challenges that arise in the workplace.

Overall, the benefits of problem-solving skills for HR professionals are numerous. Investing in developing these skills can lead to improved performance, increased employee satisfaction, and a more successful organization.

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26 Expert-Backed Problem Solving Examples – Interview Answers

Published: February 13, 2023

Interview Questions and Answers

Actionable advice from real experts:

Biron Clark

Former Recruiter

Contributor

Dr. Kyle Elliott

Career Coach

Hayley Jukes

Editor-in-Chief

Biron Clark , Former Recruiter

Kyle Elliott , Career Coach

Hayley Jukes , Editor

As a recruiter , I know employers like to hire people who can solve problems and work well under pressure.

 A job rarely goes 100% according to plan, so hiring managers are more likely to hire you if you seem like you can handle unexpected challenges while staying calm and logical.

But how do they measure this?

Hiring managers will ask you interview questions about your problem-solving skills, and they might also look for examples of problem-solving on your resume and cover letter. 

In this article, I’m going to share a list of problem-solving examples and sample interview answers to questions like, “Give an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem?” and “Describe a time when you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you handle it, and what was the result?”

• Problem-solving involves identifying, prioritizing, analyzing, and solving problems using a variety of skills like critical thinking, creativity, decision making, and communication.
• Describe the Situation, Task, Action, and Result ( STAR method ) when discussing your problem-solving experiences.
• Tailor your interview answer with the specific skills and qualifications outlined in the job description.
• Provide numerical data or metrics to demonstrate the tangible impact of your problem-solving efforts.

What are Problem Solving Skills? 

Problem-solving is the ability to identify a problem, prioritize based on gravity and urgency, analyze the root cause, gather relevant information, develop and evaluate viable solutions, decide on the most effective and logical solution, and plan and execute implementation. 

Problem-solving encompasses other skills that can be showcased in an interview response and your resume. Problem-solving skills examples include:

• Critical thinking
• Analytical skills
• Decision making
• Research skills
• Technical skills
• Communication skills
• Adaptability and flexibility

Why is Problem Solving Important in the Workplace?

Problem-solving is essential in the workplace because it directly impacts productivity and efficiency. Whenever you encounter a problem, tackling it head-on prevents minor issues from escalating into bigger ones that could disrupt the entire workflow. 

Beyond maintaining smooth operations, your ability to solve problems fosters innovation. It encourages you to think creatively, finding better ways to achieve goals, which keeps the business competitive and pushes the boundaries of what you can achieve. 

Effective problem-solving also contributes to a healthier work environment; it reduces stress by providing clear strategies for overcoming obstacles and builds confidence within teams. 

Examples of Problem-Solving in the Workplace

• Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else
• Overcoming a delay at work through problem solving and communication
• Resolving an issue with a difficult or upset customer
• Overcoming issues related to a limited budget, and still delivering good work through the use of creative problem solving
• Overcoming a scheduling/staffing shortage in the department to still deliver excellent work
• Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues
• Handling and resolving a conflict with a coworker
• Solving any problems related to money, customer billing, accounting and bookkeeping, etc.
• Taking initiative when another team member overlooked or missed something important
• Taking initiative to meet with your superior to discuss a problem before it became potentially worse
• Solving a safety issue at work or reporting the issue to those who could solve it
• Using problem solving abilities to reduce/eliminate a company expense
• Finding a way to make the company more profitable through new service or product offerings, new pricing ideas, promotion and sale ideas, etc.
• Changing how a process, team, or task is organized to make it more efficient
• Using creative thinking to come up with a solution that the company hasn’t used before
• Performing research to collect data and information to find a new solution to a problem
• Boosting a company or team’s performance by improving some aspect of communication among employees
• Finding a new piece of data that can guide a company’s decisions or strategy better in a certain area

Problem-Solving Examples for Recent Grads/Entry-Level Job Seekers

• Coordinating work between team members in a class project
• Reassigning a missing team member’s work to other group members in a class project
• Adjusting your workflow on a project to accommodate a tight deadline
• Speaking to your professor to get help when you were struggling or unsure about a project
• Asking classmates, peers, or professors for help in an area of struggle
• Talking to your academic advisor to brainstorm solutions to a problem you were facing
• Researching solutions to an academic problem online, via Google or other methods
• Using problem solving and creative thinking to obtain an internship or other work opportunity during school after struggling at first

How To Answer “Tell Us About a Problem You Solved”

When you answer interview questions about problem-solving scenarios, or if you decide to demonstrate your problem-solving skills in a cover letter (which is a good idea any time the job description mentions problem-solving as a necessary skill), I recommend using the STAR method.

STAR stands for:

It’s a simple way of walking the listener or reader through the story in a way that will make sense to them. 

Start by briefly describing the general situation and the task at hand. After this, describe the course of action you chose and why. Ideally, show that you evaluated all the information you could given the time you had, and made a decision based on logic and fact. Finally, describe the positive result you achieved.

Note: Our sample answers below are structured following the STAR formula. Be sure to check them out!

EXPERT ADVICE

Dr. Kyle Elliott , MPA, CHES Tech & Interview Career Coach caffeinatedkyle.com

How can I communicate complex problem-solving experiences clearly and succinctly?

Before answering any interview question, it’s important to understand why the interviewer is asking the question in the first place.

When it comes to questions about your complex problem-solving experiences, for example, the interviewer likely wants to know about your leadership acumen, collaboration abilities, and communication skills, not the problem itself.

Therefore, your answer should be focused on highlighting how you excelled in each of these areas, not diving into the weeds of the problem itself, which is a common mistake less-experienced interviewees often make.

Tailoring Your Answer Based on the Skills Mentioned in the Job Description

As a recruiter, one of the top tips I can give you when responding to the prompt “Tell us about a problem you solved,” is to tailor your answer to the specific skills and qualifications outlined in the job description. 

Once you’ve pinpointed the skills and key competencies the employer is seeking, craft your response to highlight experiences where you successfully utilized or developed those particular abilities. 

For instance, if the job requires strong leadership skills, focus on a problem-solving scenario where you took charge and effectively guided a team toward resolution. 

By aligning your answer with the desired skills outlined in the job description, you demonstrate your suitability for the role and show the employer that you understand their needs.

Amanda Augustine expands on this by saying:

“Showcase the specific skills you used to solve the problem. Did it require critical thinking, analytical abilities, or strong collaboration? Highlight the relevant skills the employer is seeking.”  

Interview Answers to “Tell Me About a Time You Solved a Problem”

Now, let’s look at some sample interview answers to, “Give me an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem,” or “Tell me about a time you solved a problem,” since you’re likely to hear different versions of this interview question in all sorts of industries.

The example interview responses are structured using the STAR method and are categorized into the top 5 key problem-solving skills recruiters look for in a candidate.

1. Analytical Thinking

Situation: In my previous role as a data analyst , our team encountered a significant drop in website traffic.

Task: I was tasked with identifying the root cause of the decrease.

Action: I conducted a thorough analysis of website metrics, including traffic sources, user demographics, and page performance. Through my analysis, I discovered a technical issue with our website’s loading speed, causing users to bounce. 

Result: By optimizing server response time, compressing images, and minimizing redirects, we saw a 20% increase in traffic within two weeks.

2. Critical Thinking

Situation: During a project deadline crunch, our team encountered a major technical issue that threatened to derail our progress.

Task: My task was to assess the situation and devise a solution quickly.

Action: I immediately convened a meeting with the team to brainstorm potential solutions. Instead of panicking, I encouraged everyone to think outside the box and consider unconventional approaches. We analyzed the problem from different angles and weighed the pros and cons of each solution.

Result: By devising a workaround solution, we were able to meet the project deadline, avoiding potential delays that could have cost the company $100,000 in penalties for missing contractual obligations.

3. Decision Making

Situation: As a project manager , I was faced with a dilemma when two key team members had conflicting opinions on the project direction.

Task: My task was to make a decisive choice that would align with the project goals and maintain team cohesion.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with both team members to understand their perspectives in detail. I listened actively, asked probing questions, and encouraged open dialogue. After carefully weighing the pros and cons of each approach, I made a decision that incorporated elements from both viewpoints.

Result: The decision I made not only resolved the immediate conflict but also led to a stronger sense of collaboration within the team. By valuing input from all team members and making a well-informed decision, we were able to achieve our project objectives efficiently.

4. Communication (Teamwork)

Situation: During a cross-functional project, miscommunication between departments was causing delays and misunderstandings.

Task: My task was to improve communication channels and foster better teamwork among team members.

Action: I initiated regular cross-departmental meetings to ensure that everyone was on the same page regarding project goals and timelines. I also implemented a centralized communication platform where team members could share updates, ask questions, and collaborate more effectively.

Result: Streamlining workflows and improving communication channels led to a 30% reduction in project completion time, saving the company $25,000 in operational costs.

5. Persistence 

Situation: During a challenging sales quarter, I encountered numerous rejections and setbacks while trying to close a major client deal.

Task: My task was to persistently pursue the client and overcome obstacles to secure the deal.

Action: I maintained regular communication with the client, addressing their concerns and demonstrating the value proposition of our product. Despite facing multiple rejections, I remained persistent and resilient, adjusting my approach based on feedback and market dynamics.

Result: After months of perseverance, I successfully closed the deal with the client. By closing the major client deal, I exceeded quarterly sales targets by 25%, resulting in a revenue increase of $250,000 for the company.

Tips to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Throughout your career, being able to showcase and effectively communicate your problem-solving skills gives you more leverage in achieving better jobs and earning more money .

So to improve your problem-solving skills, I recommend always analyzing a problem and situation before acting.

 When discussing problem-solving with employers, you never want to sound like you rush or make impulsive decisions. They want to see fact-based or data-based decisions when you solve problems.

Don’t just say you’re good at solving problems. Show it with specifics. How much did you boost efficiency? Did you save the company money? Adding numbers can really make your achievements stand out.

To get better at solving problems, analyze the outcomes of past solutions you came up with. You can recognize what works and what doesn’t.

Think about how you can improve researching and analyzing a situation, how you can get better at communicating, and deciding on the right people in the organization to talk to and “pull in” to help you if needed, etc.

Finally, practice staying calm even in stressful situations. Take a few minutes to walk outside if needed. Step away from your phone and computer to clear your head. A work problem is rarely so urgent that you cannot take five minutes to think (with the possible exception of safety problems), and you’ll get better outcomes if you solve problems by acting logically instead of rushing to react in a panic.

You can use all of the ideas above to describe your problem-solving skills when asked interview questions about the topic. If you say that you do the things above, employers will be impressed when they assess your problem-solving ability.

More Interview Resources

• 3 Answers to “How Do You Handle Stress?”
• How to Answer “How Do You Handle Conflict?” (Interview Question)
• Sample Answers to “Tell Me About a Time You Failed”

About the Author

Biron Clark is a former executive recruiter who has worked individually with hundreds of job seekers, reviewed thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and recruited for top venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has been advising job seekers since 2012 to think differently in their job search and land high-paying, competitive positions. Follow on Twitter and LinkedIn .

Read more articles by Biron Clark

About the Contributor

Kyle Elliott , career coach and mental health advocate, transforms his side hustle into a notable practice, aiding Silicon Valley professionals in maximizing potential. Follow Kyle on LinkedIn .

About the Editor

Hayley Jukes is the Editor-in-Chief at CareerSidekick with five years of experience creating engaging articles, books, and transcripts for diverse platforms and audiences.

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December 15, 2022

The Problem-Solving Interview: 16 Questions for Better Hires

We’ve all been there. You hire the wrong candidate, resulting in wasted time, money and energy. You’ve learned the true cost of a bad hire the hard way. And you want to make sure your future interview process is as goof-proof as possible.

That’s where problem-solving interviews can change the game.

Though traditional interviews haven’t gone by the wayside, more companies are taking a practical approach when it comes to vetting candidates based on actual workplace scenarios.

Problem-solving interviews use questions that evaluate how candidates deal with difficult situations they may actually face in a given role. With scenario-based and behavioral questions for all of your problem-solving needs, consider this your totally bookmarkable resource to keep coming back to when prepping for candidate interviews.

Examples of problem-solving interview questions:

• Tell me about a project where you had to manage a cross-functional team.
• Describe a situation where you succeeded in motivating team performance.
• What is the most creative idea or project you've generated in your current role?
• In what ways have you encouraged your work team to be more innovative?
• Have you ever improved project workflows based on your analysis?
• Have you ever had a deadline you weren't able to meet? What happened?
• Give an example of a time when you had to explain something complex to a frustrated client.
• Talk about a time when you worked under extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?

Help your hiring team get more out of your candidate interviews while still keeping things human for applicants. Breezy is the candidate-friendly applicant tracking system that includes custom interview guides so that every interviewer on your team knows exactly what to ask.

What's the buzz about problem-solving interviews?

Problem-solving interview questions occasionally go by other names. 

From behavioral interview questions, scenario-based interview questions, or simply ‘second job interview questions’ — if you’re like most employers, you probably already have an unofficial term for the part of the hiring process where you really lean in and learn how a candidate might act in a given situation.

Whatever you call it, a problem-solving interview is essentially:

A behavioral interview asking questions that provide insight into how a candidate has dealt with challenging workplace issues in the past . The candidate’s answers often reveal their actual level of experience and potential to handle similar situations in the future.

To get a real flavor for what this type of interview will entail, and the types of problems and problem-solving skills we’re considering, we’ve compiled a go-to list of top examples of problem-solving interview questions. Feel free to adjust these questions, the problem-solving abilities and the potential problems these questions address to suit your specific role and employer brand .

15 examples of problem-solving interview questions

Each interviewing situation is unique. Questions for an entry-level position obviously won't get you very far with an executive-level candidate . Similarly the questions you ask for a technical role like software engineer are going to be far different from those you’d ask of a sales candidate.

Before you launch into any problem-solving interview, take time to match your questions to your open role. And remember, the more structured your interview process , the easier it'll be to make the right call.

Here are three of the most common problem-solving interview scenarios, plus our top questions for each.

Leadership roles

Question #1: Describe the most difficult team you've had to lead? What made it challenging? How did you go about overcoming the issues?

Why it works: Asking a candidate to rate the difficulty of working with others is a great way to see whether they throw their team under the bus or focus more on the problem/solution aspect of the question. A strong candidate will map out how they overcame the situation and prevented it from becoming a long-term issue within the company.

Question #2: What do you consider your proudest moment or greatest achievement in the workplace? What were the practical steps that got you there?

Why it works: Some leadership skills come naturally — but most require careful planning and the ability to take inspired action. A candidate who doesn’t just regurgitate their resume but gives actual insight into how they achieve the impossible is someone who's willing to think about process and the importance of why they're in a leadership position in the first place.

Question #3: Tell me about a project where you had to manage a cross-functional team to achieve a specific goal or outcome. How did you adapt your leadership style to achieve this objective?

Why it works: The ability to adapt is crucial for strong leaders. No single leadership style matches every work situation. Exceptional leaders know how to tune into their teams and adapt accordingly.

Question #4: Describe a situation where you succeeded in motivating your team to improve their performance. What actions were the most effective?

Why it works: Performance management is a tough nut to crack . You're looking for an executive candidate who has the right mix of diplomacy and energy to get the best work out of every employee.

Question #5: Describe a leadership role you've undertaken outside of work. Why did you choose to commit to this role? How did you benefit from it?

Why it works: Great leaders don’t leave their leadership hats in the office. Knowing your candidate takes on leadership roles in their community — be it volunteering, coaching or running a professional group — helps you get a better understanding of their leadership characteristics both within and outside of the office.

Creative roles

Question #1: What is the most creative idea or project you've generated in your current role? How was it received?

Why it works: Creativity can mean something completely different based on the role and organization — but a true creative will have a unique approach to problem-solving even if they aren’t interviewing for the role of Art Director. A candidate’s ability to take criticism will also shine through in this question.

Question #2: In what ways have you encouraged your team to be more creative and innovative?

Why it works: A truly creative person will help others think outside the box. How your candidate answers this question will give you insight into their teamwork skills and help clue you into how they apply their creativity at the strategic level.

Question #3: Every creative needs an outlet. What creative work do you like to do in your own time?

Why it works: Do those creative juices flow into other areas of life? If your creative candidate lights up when you ask about their hobbies and work outside the office, you know that same energy will flood into the workplace too.

Question #4: What tech tools do you use daily?

Why it works: Creatives tend to love tech and knowing how they keep their tech skills sharp gives you a glimpse into what strategies they'll bring to the table to help keep your company on the cutting edge.

Question #5: What do you think of our creative materials?

Why it works: If your candidate is truly invested in your brand, they probably did their homework. The right person will be eager to offer insight into your marketing, branding or other creative projects. Someone who shows up with their A-game and isn’t afraid to deliver their very own 'like it, love it, leave it' feedback is a keeper.

Technical roles

Question #1: Have you ever improved a project workflow based on your analysis? If so, how did you do this?

Why it works: If there's one thing every great techie should have, it's laser-precise attention to detail. You want a candidate who takes a proactive approach to optimizing workflows and doesn’t hang back hoping for someone else to step in and make things more efficient. 

Question #2: Have you ever had a deadline you weren't able to meet? What happened? How did you handle it?

Why it works: In a fast-paced tech environment, deadlines can get pushed back due to things beyond your candidate’s control. If they own up to this and demonstrate that they know how to stay cool under pressure, it’s a good sign they can handle the heat.

Question #3: When you’re working with a large number of clients, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your clients’ needs?

Why it works: Time management skills are crucial in technical roles. A candidate who's not only able to deliver the coding and programming goods but can also manage a tight schedule and full plate of internal and external client requests is a true unicorn.

Question #4: Give an example of a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?

Why it works: Technical workers usually have their own jargon, but it’s important for your candidate to be able to convey their work to the everyday client or team member. If they can’t explain what they do in simple terms, this could be a red flag for any role with a client-facing or cross-departmental component.

Question #5: Talk about a time you worked under extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?

Why it works: Many tech employees work remotely or with flex schedules. It’s important for your candidate to be a self-starter. Look for specific insights about the tactics and methods they use to manage their own schedule, meet deadlines and deliver on project expectations.

Questions #6 : What resources do you follow to stay current with changes in technology? 

Why it works: Technical roles require candidates to stay current. It’s important to ask the candidate how they keep up with an. Because when you’re hiring for roles like SEO , IT coordinator or software engineer , they need to think outside the box (and into the future).

Red flags to look out for in your problem-solving interviews 

While problem-solving interview questions’ answers can help best-fit candidates truly shine, they can also cast a harsh light on people who aren’t fit for the job. 

Here are some red flags you should look out for, from possibly ok-ish to definitely not the right fit.

Vague (or nonexistent) answers 🚩

If the interviewee can’t remember a time they thought outside of the box or were challenged in the workplace or handled a stressful situation, it might mean they steer clear of tough situations and difficult decisions. So if they offer up a super vague answer with little to no specifics, try to ask follow-up questions to get some insight into their mentality.

Over-the-top uneasiness 🚩🚩

Problem-solving questions are designed to make candidates think critically about their work style, and being put on the spot like that is bound to be a little uncomfortable. But if candidates are so stressed they can’t give you a straight answer, it’s probably a sign that they don’t deal with pressure well.

Scripted responses 🚩🚩🚩

Candidates who give superficial responses are more likely to choose the easy way out instead of thinking critically about the best way to handle a scenario. Run-of-the-mill answers also show a lack of creativity. Go for candidates who analyze the situation and really dig into the issue at hand to come up with a more thorough answer.

Problem-oriented mindset 🚩🚩🚩🚩

The name says it all: problem-solving interview questions are about solving the problem, not dwelling on the difficulties. So if a candidate answering a problem-solving question seems too hung up on the issue at hand rather than how they rose above and dealt with it, they might not be the culture add you’re looking for.

Tips to ask the right problem-solving interview questions

A problem-solving interview is only as good as the questions you ask. So if you want to identify results-oriented candidates and analytical problem-solvers, here’s how to ask the right questions .

Use hypothetical scenarios with real-world applications

Don’t waste your time on unrealistic scenarios and improbable outcomes. Ask hard-hitting questions with real-life solutions.

Illuminate the candidate’s thought process

Ask questions that give insight into a candidate’s thought process. Pay special attention to how candidates approach a scenario, working through the problem step-by-step and arriving at a clear (and effective) solution. Oh, and keep an eye out for innovative perspectives!

Gauge team spirit

The best solutions are often collaborative ones. Ask questions about a situation that required a team effort, and pay special attention to how they characterize their colleagues and the collective decision-making process. You want candidates who are comfortable asking for help and have a knack for teamwork.

Know what you can (and can’t) ask

Some interview questions are awkward, others are straight-up illegal. 

We know you're not out to violate anyone's rights, but even the most well-meaning hiring managers can end up asking lousy interview questions. How lousy, you ask?

These ones top our list of major no-nos:

“Tell me about your biggest weakness.” 

Oh, you mean like the time I accidentally disconnected the server and left thousands of customers without service for hours? Get real. No one's going to reveal their Kryptonite during an interview. This question generates the most canned answers imaginable ranging from “I’m a workaholic,” to “I over-deliver and exceed expectations.” 🙄

“If a song described you, what would it be.”

Avoid this and any other overly abstract question asking a candidate to describe themselves in bizarre metaphors. Be direct. Relate the questions to the position and interviewee, not some over the top hypothetical about whether someone sees themself as a shark or a unicorn.

“Tell me about your [sexual orientation, relationship status, ethnicity, race, religion, political affiliation].”

One word: creepy. Oh, and: illegal. (Okay, that's two words but you get the idea...) 

Fact is, any question that doesn't jive with the EEOC not only violates the candidate’s rights, it may also have you searching for a new career. Just don't go there.

Avoid the ‘gotchyas’ and keep your interview q’s focused on solving real problems

At the end of the day, no single thread of interview questions will work as a one-size-fits-all. 

Human hiring requires human thinking. By analyzing and hand-selecting thoughtful questions, you can ensure a consistent interview flow with all candidates while avoiding generic replies and those dreaded awkward silences. 

Just make sure they're interview questions that both you and your candidate can feel good about.

With Breezy’s modern recruitment platform, you can access over 400 free interview guides , schedule interviews with one click, and deliver a first-rate hiring experience candidates love.

Try it yourself totally free.

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