Analytical skills: What are they & how to add to your resume

Today, industries are evolving at lightning speed, all thanks to digital technology. And guess what? Malaysia is right there in the mix, embracing technology and digitizing its economy.

In this fast-paced tech world, analytical skills are your secret weapon. They help you understand complex data and make sharp decisions in a digital world.

But what exactly is the meaning of analytical skills? What does having an analytical mindset mean? How can you get better at these skills? And, how can you show them on your resume to get ahead of the competition ?

This guide will help you understand it all. It will help improve analytical skills, giving you an edge in your career. Let's explore why analytical skills are your career's best friend in the digital age.

• What are analytical skills?
• Why are analytical skills important?
• Examples of analytical skills
• How to improve your analytical skills
• How to highlight analytical skills on your resume
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What are analytical skills?

Analytical skills enable you to collect, analyse, and make sense of data in a logical manner. They equip you to make informed decisions. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, and the capacity to reach logical conclusions.

And the best part? These skills are sought after in Malaysia's job market. They aren't limited to any particular job or industry. Hiring managers are on the lookout for people with a "strong analytical mindset". Those with these skills are self-reliant and proficient at rapid problem-solving.

In fact, the Future of Jobs Report highlighted the importance of analytical skills. The WEF's report identified them as the most crucial for employees in 2023.

Why are analytical skills important?

Analytical thinking plays a crucial role in your decision-making processes. It is an essential skill both at the personal level and at work. The skills help you identify trends, solve problems, and enhance your productivity. In today's data-driven world, good analytical skills are essential to understand it all.

Examples of analytical skills

Analytical thinking skills comprise problem-solving, critical thinking, data analysis, research, and decision-making. Together these help you navigate the world better. Let's look at some examples of analytical skills.

Problem-solving

Problem-solving is an essential analytical skill. It includes finding the problem, choosing an optimal solution and implementing it. In the professional world, it goes beyond solving complex problems. It drives progress, innovation, and greater productivity.

Real-Life Example: As a software engineer, imagine you encounter a code problem in an app. So how do you go about solving it? You begin by identifying the issue. Next, you explore various solutions, which could involve rewriting or fine-tuning the code. Then comes the critical decision-making step: choosing the best solution. This problem-solving process not only enhances the software but also showcases your ability to solve problems.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is another vital aspect of analytical skills. This skill empowers you to approach situations or data with logic. It enables you to draw well-founded conclusions and make informed decisions.

As emphasized in a Forbes article, nurturing these soft skills is essential. It plays a pivotal role in effective decision-making. You can conduct thorough analyses and make well-informed choices, avoiding biased judgments.

Real-Life Example: Imagine you're the doctor in this scenario. A patient visits your office and tells you about their symptoms. With your critical thinking skills at the ready, you dive into action to diagnose the ailment. You assess their symptoms, check their medical history, and review any test results.

By applying these skills, you analyse the available information. This methodical approach enables you to pinpoint the patient's exact illness. It helps you in selecting the most effective treatment plan.

Data analysis

Data analysis involves data collection, cleaning it up, and making sense of it. It is an essential skill in decision-making. It empowers you to make informed choices by uncovering trends and facts within data.

Real-Life Example: As part of a marketing team, imagine launching a new campaign. Your first step as a marketer starts with data collection. This data can come from surveys. After refining the data, you analyze it to gain insights into consumer behaviour. With this knowledge, you can create a strategy that resonates with your audience.

Research skills

Research skills cover a variety of abilities. They enable you to collect, assess, and use information in different situations. Their versatility extends to diverse fields, spanning academia, business, healthcare, and technology. They form the foundation for informed decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation.

Real-life example: Imagine you're a market analyst tasked with assessing consumer preferences. Here, research involves, first gathering data from different sources, focusing on buying patterns. After extensive research, you identify key insights that inform your marketing strategy. With this, you can develop a product that resonates with the target audience.

Decision-making

Decision-making is a fundamental analytical skill. It entails evaluating various options to find solutions. This skill is valuable in personal and professional domains. It equips you to navigate intricate situations and meet desired objectives with efficiency.

Real-life example: Imagine you're a CEO at a company, facing a critical decision for its growth. You must choose between developing a product or acquiring another company. To find the best solutions, you assess the pros and cons, consult around and analyze the impact.

How to improve your analytical skills

The modern world values analytical people. This makes the development of analytical skills all the more essential for success. Fortunately, you can hone and improve these soft skills over time. Here are some tips to help you enhance these skills.

Play games and solve brain teasers

Engaging in games and brain teasers cultivates analytical skills. And as Catherine Cote writes, these activities can be an enjoyable daily practice. It can help sharpen your analytical and critical skills.
These include activities such as:

• Sudoku
• Crossword puzzles
• Chess
• Logic games
• Card games
• Video games
• Brain-training apps such as Lumosity and Elevate

Take online courses

Online courses are an effective way to hone analytical skills. They offer a structured and flexible learning environment. This nurtures analytical skills through critical thinking and exploration of diverse topics.

Platforms like Coursera, EdX, and Khan Academy offer these online courses.

Practice what you learn

Regular practice reinforces your analytical skills. It makes them an integral part of your decision-making processes. This enables you to translate theoretical knowledge into practical solutions and insights. You can hence find effective solutions and tackle complex challenges with ease.

How to highlight analytical skills on your resume

Adding analytical skills to the skills section

Your resume's skills section is a vital component. Highlighting your analytical skills here can set you apart. To make the most impact on the hiring managers, align your listed skills with the job description. Quality, not quantity, wins the day.

Here's how:

• List relevant analytical skills: Tailor your skills to match the job requirements. For instance, the role could call for strong skills like data analysis. So include terms like 'Predictive analysis,' 'Statistical analysis,' or 'Research.'
• Match the job description language:Use the exact terms in the job descriptions. For example, the term 'analytical thinking' may appear. So include it as 'Analytical Thinking' rather than 'Logical Thinking'.

Incorporating analytical skills in your work experience section

In your work experience section, showcase your analytical skills through tangible achievements.

• Start with action verbs:Use dynamic verbs like "Analyzed," "Interpreted," or "Solved." These action words illustrate your abilities in a professional context.
• Highlight analytical achievements:Rather than saying, "Used creative thinking skills," provide specific examples. This helps quantify the impact of your contributions. Say "Increased customer engagement by 30% through creative thinking in marketing strategy development."

Showcasing analytical skills in your summary or objective section

Your resume summary section serves as your first impression during a job search, so make it count.

Here's how:

• Write a powerful professional summary:Mention your key analytical skills and accomplishments. For example, "Experienced marketing research strategist, skilled in interpreting market research."
• Highlighting analytical skills in a career objective.Showcase your desire to apply your analytical skills. Say, "Aspiring leader with strong analytical skills, looking for leadership roles."

Conclusion

In today's evolving world, analytical skills are not just valuable; they're indispensable. They enable you to make informed decisions, spark innovative ideas, and drive growth. Describing your best analytical skills can set you apart in this competitive job market.

Key takeaways from this guide emphasize various strong analytical skills. These include the skill to solve problems, critical thinking, data analysis, research and decision-making. Each of these soft skills plays a unique role in various industries. They also aid in analysis, problem resolution, effective decision-making, and better understanding.

Furthermore, highlighting analytical skills on your resume can boost your appeal to employers. You can show them in resume sections like skills, experience, or career objectives. This will help you stand out in the job market.

But, knowing what to do is only the beginning. To excel, you must nurture and demonstrate your strong analytical skills. For guidance on navigating the job market and enhancing your career journey.

Explore JobStreet’s Career Resources for job market and career guidance. Our platform provides valuable insights for job seekers and employers. It helps enhance your job interview skills and supports you at every career stage.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why are communication skills important in analytical work?
   ⁠In the world of analytics, communication skills are essential. It enables you to explain your work in a way that everyone around you can grasp. Analytical communication skills foster better teamwork and smarter decisions. You can deal with insights or collaborate on projects better with these skills. It is as essential as your analytical skills. They're the bridge that connects your insights to real-world impact.
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2. Why are collaboration skills important in analytical work?
   ⁠In analytical work, collaboration skills are as important as your number-crunching ability. They enable you to gather various viewpoints, improving decision-making. Analytical tasks, especially complex ones, often need a team effort. They need different skills and expertise to work together. Thus, effective collaboration can yield better results. It promotes a broad view of problems and the creation of multi-faceted solutions.
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3. Why is creativity important in analytical work?
   ⁠In the world of data, creativity isn't just important; it's a game-changer. It unleashes new solutions and fresh perspectives on complex data. Don't shy away from exploring new ideas. It often leads to groundbreaking discoveries that transform how we use data. Embrace your creativity to think outside the box and unlock the full potential of data!
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4. Why is emotional intelligence important in analytical work?
   ⁠In the realm of analytical work, understanding emotions is crucial. It helps when dealing with data about people and collaborating with your team. With emotional intelligence, you can make your communication more personal. This transforms your analytical work into something tangible and significant. It also proves invaluable when you're working with a team facilitating better decision-making.
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5. Why is continuous learning important in analytical work?
   ⁠In the fast-paced data world, you always need to keep learning. It's what keeps your data skills sharp and up-to-date. With how fast things change in data analysis, you need to keep learning all the time.
   ⁠By always learning, you keep your analytical skills sharp and stay ahead of what's new in the data world. This means you're always ready for whatever new challenges that might come your way.
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6. How can one demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills in selection criteria responses?
   ⁠To demonstrate your analytical thinking in selection criteria responses, use a real-life example. You can follow the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to showcase your skills:
   • Start by describing a Situation where you faced a challenge or problem at work.
   • Next, detail the Task or objective.
   • Then, explain the Action you took, emphasizing the analytical thinking skills you applied.
   • Finally, share the Result of your action.

This structured approach is a clear and concise way of highlighting your abilities in a job interview.