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Table of contents

What are conceptual skills and why do they matter on a resume?
30+ Conceptual skills examples to include on your resume
How to list conceptual skills on your resume
How to improve your conceptual skills
More skills resources
Key takeaways

Conceptual skills are inherently abstract, so it’s no surprise that many professionals have a hard time defining them. But it is possible to comprehend what they are.

No matter your career stage or field, conceptual skills are essential to your success. The more we understand conceptual skills, the better we’ll be at improving, developing and demonstrating them. Our guide is here to help you get started.

Here you’ll find:

A definition of conceptual skills to give you a baseline understanding of the idea.
Examples of conceptual skills to include on your resume or to focus on as you work on your development.
Guidance on building a resume that showcases conceptual skills.
Tips for improving your skills and honing your thought processes.
Key takeaways to reinforce the most crucial points.

Looking to create a resume that shows off your conceptual skills? Try our AI Resume Builder. It provides customizable content suggestions, automatic formatting, stylish templates and expert tips to empower you to create a resume that tells your story.

What are conceptual skills and why do they matter on a resume?

Unlike more straightforward technical skills, conceptual skills allow you to succeed in the workplace by helping you to think abstractly.

Conceptual skills allow you to navigate complex situations, grasp the multidimensional nature of problems and devise creative solutions.

There is no one single “conceptual skill,” but rather a combination of soft skills that complement each other and work together to improve your ability to think through and respond to complex problems.

Conceptual skills in management might help you grasp how a particular employee’s unique needs impact the ideal management style for nurturing their potential. For a student, conceptual skills help you understand the nuances of the subject matter you study. It isn’t hard to see why employers value these skills so highly and why they can be a major asset to any resume.

30+ Conceptual skills examples to include on your resume

To help you develop a useful understanding of the power of conceptual skills, we’ve divided them into three categories. These categories will help you see the different abilities that go into this skill set and grasp how they all fit together.

Comprehension

Conceptual skills begin with comprehension. Your ability to understand a problem and all of its subtleties and nuances is the first step toward achieving an innovative solution. Comprehension skills help you truly metabolize the information that’s presented to you.

Examples of comprehension skills:

Active listening
Analysis
Communication
Context gathering
Logical reasoning
Perspective taking
Insight development
Bias awareness
Attention to detail
Predictive thinking
Situational awareness
Clarification
Pattern recognition
Strategizing
Organization
Critical thinking

Innovation

Comprehending a problem is a great first step, but to accomplish truly impressive solutions, you must be creative and collaborative to come up with new ideas that solve problems in unique ways. These skills help you adapt your thinking on the fly.

Skills to demonstrate your innovation skills:

Collaboration
Humility
Resourcefulness
Ideation
Adaptability
Idea integration
Experimentation
Hypothesis development
Creative thinking

Decision-making

Finally, the problem-solving process should result in a thoughtful solution. Your conceptual skills empower you to take action, armed with a complete understanding of all facets of a situation and the nuances that come with it.

Skills to help you respond to complex problems:

Problem-solving
Confidence
Leadership
Accountability
Prioritization
Time management
Project management
Initiative

How to list conceptual skills on your resume

With a new understanding of the kinds of skills that contribute to your conceptual skills, you’re ready to add them to your resume. We’ll help you envision how these skills can be as useful as possible to your career’s success.

Step 1

Begin by reviewing the job description

Setting aside conceptual skills, an effective job search should start with the job description. The most persuasive resumes are tailored to pass applicant tracking system (ATS) screenings by incorporating keywords from the job listing.

These phrases describe the ideal candidate and are a great place to look when deciding what conceptual skills you want to prioritize on your resume.

For example, consider this job listing:

Our ideal candidate for the role of graphic designer is someone with:

An advanced degree in graphic design and at least two years of professional experience.
A passion for creative work and a collaborative attitude.
The ability to adapt to changing situations, make independent decisions and manage their own time effectively.
A sense of ownership and accountability for the quality of their work.

The bolded phrases in this example job listing are all conceptual skills that a candidate may want to emphasize in order to create a resume that really stands out for this role.

Pro Tip

You shouldn’t copy and paste the job listing into your resume, but it’s smart to integrate some of the specific word choices that the listing uses. For example, if a listing mentions they’re looking for someone who’s “detail-oriented,” add that skill to your resume as it is in the listing instead of using a variation, such as “attention to detail.”

Step 2

Incorporate conceptual skills into your skills section

The skills section of your resume is the obvious place to list the bulk of your conceptual skills. Because it is usually just a simple list of skills, it’s easy to edit this section for each application and fine-tune the conceptual skills that you include.

Step 3

Integrate conceptual skills throughout your resume

Your skills section isn’t the only place where your conceptual skills can make a big difference. Try using your work history section to showcase how you’ve actually used those conceptual skills and achieved results in past roles.

For example:

Graphic Designer
ABC Manufacturing, New York, NY
June 2018 – May 2024

Spearheaded multiple design projects, consistently delivering innovative and impactful visual solutions that enhanced brand visibility and engagement.
Collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams to develop cohesive designs that align with strategic business goals, demonstrating a strong commitment to teamwork and project success.
Proactively adapted to rapidly changing project requirements, effectively managing time to meet tight deadlines without compromising on the quality of work.
Exercised independent decision-making in design choices and problem-solving, significantly improving project turnaround times and client satisfaction.

Pro Tip

If you’re new to the workforce, consider using a functional resume format so that your arsenal of hard and soft skills can take center stage on your resume, instead of your relative lack of experience.

Step 4

Include conceptual skills in your cover letter

An impressive resume is just one piece of the puzzle. Enhance your chances with a well-written cover letter. Your cover letter provides ample opportunities to showcase your conceptual skills and demonstrate to potential employers that you’ve got what it takes.

Not sure where to start? Try analyzing some successful cover letter examples. Our Cover Letter Builder can also help with text suggestions, formatting assistance and templates.

How to improve your conceptual skills

Now that you know what conceptual skills are and how they can be useful on your resume, it’s time to focus on development. Whether abstract thinking is already your jam or whether this whole article has left you scratching your head, we can all stand to improve our comprehension and problem-solving abilities.

Improve your conceptual skills by:

Communicating thoughtfully

The way we communicate with others has a huge impact on our ability to think through issues. Througheducation.com recommends honing your conceptual skills by focusing on your communication style. Receiving context, clarity and outside perspectives from others will help your mind stay engaged and informed while tackling problems.

Practicing “big picture” thinking

It’s easy to lose the forest for the trees, but one key part of abstract thinking is the ability to zoom out and really metabolize the “gist” of an issue instead of trying to solve it based on a narrow viewpoint. RallyBright suggests that professionals looking to develop their conceptual skills should focus on “big picture” thinking to help exercise that abstract thinking muscle.

Relying on the experts

Learning on your own is a great way to make small improvements over time, but don’t shy away from accepting expert help. Online courses like this one by FutureLearn, provide a structured approach built upon the knowledge of subject matter experts.

More skills resources

Looking for help understanding, improving or showcasing a different career skill on your resume? Check out our other skills guides for assistance.

Now, let’s explore some key takeaways to help you remember what’s important!

Key takeaways

Showcase conceptual skills on your resume

Integrate the skills listed in the job throughout your resume to prove you have the conceptual skills they’re looking for.
Demonstrate comprehension skills

Showcase your ability to digest information and understand complex problems from every possible angle.
Highlight your innovation skills

Demonstrate that you know how to adapt your thinking and weave together different ideas to solve problems in unique ways.
Showcase decision-making skills

Illustrate your ability to make informed, strategic decisions and lead the way toward innovative solutions.
Improve your conceptual skills

Work on communication and “big picture” thinking to help improve your conceptual skills. When in doubt, online courses are a great resource to help you get started.

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Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.