One of the most requested soft skills by recruiters
PROBLEM-SOLVING
In the era of new technologies and the constantly changing market, it is necessary to deal with new situations and problems. Every day we face scenarios that a short time ago we would have thought impossible and so the perfect five-year plans lose their validity and there is a need for new and rapid solutions. The altering and evolving environment requires facing difficulties by choosing every time new ways of solutions and problem-solving.
Problem-solving: this skill is one of the most requested skills by employers. Related to the ability to analyze, a good level of problem-solving means studying and being able to find the best solution to the obstacles that arise daily along the way.
How to evaluate problem-solving?
Find below some questions that may help you to identify your problem-solving skills:
– What innovative processes have you undertaken to solve a sudden problem?
– How would you manage a queue of 500 emails in your mailbox, in an hour of time?
– How did you approach a project where you understood that your usual approach would not work?
The problem-solving process
Here we present some suggested steps to solve a problem
1. Identification and “diagnosis” of the problem
The first thing to do is to accurately identify and write down the problem to be analyzed. You can ask yourself questions like: What exactly is the problem? What are its effects now, what could they be in the future? Whom do they concern? Has the problem ever happened before, if so – who and how did it solve it then? Did that method work, if not – why? Who can you ask for help? What threatens to solve the problem?
2. Define the impact of the problem
Try to assess the extent of a problem, to understand how much damage it can cause.
Particular sensitivity is required to analyze the extent of a problem, to understand its impact and potential. It is necessary in some way to guess the future and imagine the implications.
3. Possible causes of the problem
Brainstorm the possible causes of the problem. It will help you to understand the problem and will give a better chance of resolving it. In this way, you can eliminate its repetition in the future.
4. Develop solution(s)
Now is the time to choose a method to solve it. Before you do that, it is good to generate several possibilities. For example, write on a piece of paper all the ideas that come to your mind, brainstorm with people involved in the problem, or see how others solved such or similar problems.
Try to imagine the effects of using a given solution (both short and long-term), threats, and opportunities that it brings, activities, costs, the time it requires. In this way, it will be easier to choose the best method to solve the problem.
5. … solve the problem:)
Apply the method of your choice to solve the problem.
6. Verify the effects
Finally, we evaluate our solution. We check whether (or to what extent) the initial problem disappears thanks to it.
WHAT ELSE TO REMEMBER
Analyzing the problem is important, but dragging it too much can mean a lack of courage to make a decision or a tendency to procrastinate – to constantly delay and postpone the decision. Don’t analyze too much:)
Try to look at the problem from a different point of view, take a different perspective. It may result in finding a new, interesting solution, and if the problem concerns many people – contribute to a satisfactory effect for others.
The last thing – have an emergency plan. If we chose the solution but it didn’t work out as we would expect, with Plan B we can act immediately without wasting time generating ideas from scratch.
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