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Table of contents

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

Critical thinking skills are indispensable to the modern worker. The ability to use your ingenuity to analyze and solve problems dynamically gives you the power to conquer almost any challenge that the workplace throws your way.

But what exactly are critical thinking skills and how can you develop them into a stronger skill set? Our guide will help you decipher them and provide examples that you can highlight on your resume.

Read on for:

A definition of critical thinking skills to help you grasp their importance.
Examples of critical thinking skills that can enhance your resume.
Strategies to develop and sharpen your critical thinking skills.
Key insights to keep in mind about the fundamentals of critical thinking.

Looking to feature your critical thinking skills on your resume? Consider using our AI Resume Builder. This tool offers tailored content suggestions, expert advice and formatting help, enabling you to craft a professional resume quickly and effectively.

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

To answer the question, “What are critical thinking skills?” we should start by understanding critical thinking. Critical thinking means examining issues from multiple perspectives, making logical connections, analyzing data and sorting through information to get to the heart of what’s important.

So, critical thinking skills enable you to analyze and evaluate information effectively, enhancing your ability to solve problems creatively and make decisions based on logical reasoning and factual analysis. Open-mindedness, collaboration and analysis are all key critical thinking skills that enable you to be an innovative thinker and worker.

For employers, a candidate who showcases critical thinking skills on a resume is a candidate who can be trusted to think through their responsibilities, work independently and find creative answers to issues that arise at work.

30+ Critical thinking skills examples to include on your resume

No matter your career, your resume is bound to be chock-full of valuable skills that help you tackle the responsibilities and challenges of your role. We’ve provided a list of critical thinking skills that you might consider including along with your other professional skills to demonstrate your mental flexibility.

We’ve divided critical thinking skills into three categories to help you understand how they might fit in with the rest of your resume.

Analytical skills

The ability to critically read, comprehend and analyze a situation is a key skill built on a variety of cognitive abilities. The skills listed below will help you demonstrate that you have the skills necessary to critically think through new information.

Analytical skills to include on your resume:

Data analysis
Interpretation
Attention to detail
Evaluation
Problem-solving
Logical reasoning
Synthesis
Comprehension
Creativity
Questioning
Risk assessment
Insight development
Research
Bias recognition

Interpersonal skills

Critical thinking requires the ability to listen to, understand and synthesize a variety of different perspectives. This means that a strong critical thinker must have the interpersonal skills to communicate meaningfully with others.

Interpersonal skills to showcase on your resume:

Perspective taking
Contextualization
Emotional intelligence
Empathy
Written and verbal communication
Conceptualization
Active listening
Collaboration
Accountability
Open-mindedness

Decision-making skills

Finally, the end goal of strong critical thinking is the ability to make effective strategic decisions. Your resume should demonstrate that you have the leadership chops and decisive confidence to act on new information and achieve impressive results.

Decision-making skills to highlight on your resume:

Prioritization
Strategic planning
Leadership
Resource allocation
Forecasting
Resourcefulness
Innovation
Judgment
Action planning
Feedback analysis
Flexibility

How to list critical thinking skills on your resume

Now that you’re armed with an arsenal of critical thinking skills, let’s explore the best ways to showcase them on your resume so that employers can appreciate your brain power.

Step 1

Begin with the job description

Every job application should start with a careful review of the job listing. Search for keywords that signal which critical thinking skills are most valued for the position. Incorporate these skills prominently into your resume to signal to recruiters that you are the ideal candidate.

Consider this job listing:

Our ideal candidate for the role of project manager is someone who can:

Analyze project requirements and develop effective strategies.
Critically evaluate information from multiple sources to make informed decisions.
Resolve complex issues with innovative solutions.
Anticipate potential project pitfalls and strategize preemptive measures.
Achieve objectives within tight deadlines and budgets.

The bolded keywords highlight the critical thinking skills that a candidate may want to highlight on their resume to align their skills with the job description.

Pro Tip

Tailoring your resume with critical thinking skills from the job description not only demonstrates your suitability for the position but also helps your resume navigate applicant tracking systems (ATS) more effectively.

Step 2

Feature critical thinking skills in your skills section

Beyond technical skills specific to your field, your skills section should also showcase key soft skills that reflect your mental acuity, teamwork skills and reliability. This is the ideal place to highlight your top critical thinking skills.

Step 3

Integrate critical thinking skills throughout your resume

Your skills section isn’t the only area where you can display your critical thinking abilities. Your work history is also an excellent venue to demonstrate how you’ve applied these skills in real-world situations.

Consider this example:

Project Manager
ABC Technology, City, State
January 2022 – March 2024

Devised strategies that reduced project costs by 20%, through meticulous risk assessment and resource management.
Implemented innovative problem-solving techniques to navigate complex project challenges, enhancing project efficiency.
Conducted thorough analysis of project trends and data, leading to more informed decision-making processes.
Crafted detailed reports on project progress and outcomes, showcasing strong analytical skills and attention to detail.

Your resume profile also offers a prime opportunity to highlight critical thinking skills right at the top of your document. These skills will be some of the first details employers notice, so choose skills that are most relevant to the role and your expertise.

Pro Tip

If you’re just starting out, consider using a functional resume format to focus on your critical thinking skills instead of your limited work experience.

Step 4

Don’t overlook your cover letter

Your cover letter is a crucial component of your job search. It allows you to expand on your resume and convey your enthusiasm for the position, while also providing another platform to demonstrate your critical thinking skills. In your cover letter, describe how your ability to think critically has driven tangible results.

For guidance, explore cover letter samples that highlight strong critical thinking skills. Our Cover Letter Builder can help by offering tailored text based on your background, as well as professional formatting tips, helping you build a compelling cover letter in just a few minutes.

How to improve your critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is an essential skill that transcends the boundaries of the workplace, making us better friends, partners and professionals.

But how can you enhance your proficiency in this skill set? Let’s explore a few straightforward strategies that can boost your ability to think critically.

Improve your critical thinking skills by:

Asking questions

It might seem obvious, but posing questions is fundamental to developing critical thinking skills. The Harvard Business Review suggests questioning your assumptions first. Instead of defending your beliefs, try approaching issues with a sense of genuine curiosity and open-mindedness.

Expanding your perspective

In a world brimming with diverse information, it’s vital to step out of your comfort zone. Forbes recommends reading widely and engaging with content that challenges your views to broaden your thinking horizons. This helps in refining your ability to evaluate different viewpoints critically. In a similar vein, it’s important to pay attention to where the information you receive is coming from. Be open-minded to new ideas, but don’t accept any information as truth without vetting your sources for yourself.

Leveraging educational resources

The internet offers a plethora of resources to hone your critical thinking. Online courses can provide structured learning paths to improve these skills. Here are a few platforms offering courses on critical thinking:

More skills resources

Looking for help understanding, improving or listing a different career skill? Check out our other guides for help making the most out of your resume skills.

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

Key takeaways

List critical thinking skills on your resume

Your resume should include critical thinking skills like active listening, analysis and problem-solving, to show potential employers that you have the mental acuity and creativity to handle any challenge the workplace throws your way.
Work on analytical skills

Develop your ability to critically read, analyze and question information so that your brain power can earn a starring role on your resume.
Emphasize interpersonal skills

Critical thinking isn’t just about comprehension. When we work with others, our critical thinking skills are vital to helping us understand their feelings, motivations and perspectives.
Exercise strong decision-making

Once you’ve thought through a problem, the next step is thinking up an appropriate response. Use your critical thinking skills to become a decisive leader who achieves results.
Improve your critical thinking skills

Ask questions and approach problems with an open mind to become a stronger critical thinker and gain the tools to reason your way through any problem.

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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.