What Are Analytical Skills & Why Are They Important?
Analytical skills are practical, useful, and generally quite highly valued by employers. They can be used to problem solve and make decisions based on information about a particular situation or issue.
Analyzing information isn’t just about understanding it—it’s about using those analytical skills to draw conclusions and make smart decisions. These skills are important in everyday life because they help us solve problems and make sense of things. They can be applied to our day-to-day activities, but also applied in our workplaces.
For example, when you’re at work, analytical skills can come in handy for all sorts of tasks. From figuring out what a customer needs in a store, to health and safety concerns, to spotting potential issues in a project… they’re essential!
And guess what?
They’re useful in a wide variety of different jobs, not just ones focused on numbers, or reading Excel spreadsheets.
So, what exactly are analytical skills?
Well, they’re all about gathering, understanding, and assessing information to make good choices or solve problems based on the information collected. Things like critical thinking, creating solutions, solving health and safety issues, and data interpretation are all a part of it. These skills can help you make better decisions, save time and money, and even boost your confidence.
Still not too sure what we mean?
Well, let’s break it down a bit more by going over the specifics of some of the skills mentioned above!
Analytical skill examples:
1. Problem-solving
Problem-solving is about finding solutions to tough situations by gathering info and weighing options. For example, if you’re a mechanic and can’t find the cause of a weird noise in a car, you’ll need to think creatively to find the solution, and gather information from the customer and your co-workers.
2. Critical thinking
Critical thinking is like looking at information and deciding if it’s trustworthy. It’s super useful, whether you’re reading news online or working in a job like law or medicine. You can read, compare articles, and search for more information on the topic before making a decision.
3. Data analysis
Data analysis involves digging into data to find patterns or trends. Say you’re in marketing, you might use tools like Google Analytics to see how well an ad campaign is doing and use it to track your audience engagement. It can be helpful for making future changes to a campaign or project to try and boost the level of responses that piece of marketing is getting.
4. Research skills
Research skills help you find info to answer questions or solve problems. Whether you’re an engineer testing material or a journalist writing a story, knowing how to research is key. Learn what keywords go with your project and use those in your Google searches, find out which are your most valuable resources for information, and utilize those.
5. Decision-making
And then there’s decision-making—taking all that info and making a smart choice. It’s important for everything from planning a project to choosing what to include in a presentation or an email campaign.
How could I add these skills to my resume?
If you want to show off your analytical skills on your resume, you can list them in the skills section, talk about how you’ve used them in past jobs, or even mention them in your summary or objective statement.
Not sure how to do that? Not to worry!
We have a wide variety of resources for you to access. KES has two other articles on adding various skills to your resume! There is “Why Add Technical Skills to your Resume?” and “Communication Skills and Your Resume”.
Still not quite what you’re looking for? Or perhaps you’re new to the workforce, or returning after a break, and aren’t sure where to start?
We have an article for youth, “Creating a Resume as a High-School Student”, as well as an online resume and cover letter builder for you to access anytime!
Don’t forget—communication, collaboration, creativity, emotional intelligence, and continuous learning are all important parts of being good at analyzing stuff too. They help you work better with others, come up with new ideas, understand people’s feelings, and keep learning and growing in your job. Keep up those analytical skills! We know you’ve got this.
Here are additional resources to help you identify analytical skills and add them to your resume!
Kootenay Employment Services offers several online tools, one of which is our resume and cover letter builders. Get started on your student resume today!
Kootenay Employment Services has a collection of articles on building the best resume that you can. Are you wanting to add more and bulk up your resume? Read on for our article on “Communication Skills and Your Resume”.
Zety is an online business that offers a great resume builder, and professional career advice! Their article provides additional definition around analytical skills, plus a very handy list that you can add to your resume!
Indeed is a job-seekers’ website with job postings from across the world. Their article provides details and tips for a variety of analytical skills in the workplace.
