Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

“The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think”  

     Albert Einstein

What is Critical Thinking & Problem Solving?

Critical thinking is having the capacity to identify and respond to different needs according to the current context. It requires an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of new and varied information.

WCSU Opportunities to Grow your Critical Thinking Skills

Compassion Competency

How can I demonstrate my critical thinking skills to a potential employer?

You can demonstrate your ability to think critically in many ways. The simplest would be to showcase scenarios where there was a problem in which you solved. This can be shown on a resume or on your LinkedIn profile. You can also showcase your critical thinking skills by preparing for and answering interview questions in a confident and informative way. For advice on either of these methods or for some specific to you, come visit the Career Success Center.

Sample Activity 

Example

You can explain the steps you used to get and interpret knowledge, facts and data from a diverse set of sources to analyze an issue, make a decision or solve a problem.

"When moderating jobs on Handshake, I need to interpret the information provided by employers according to the recruitment policies established by the University. Once I decide whether the account can be approved or not, I provide a clear and concise explanation for that decision."

You have completed a task or used resources in a new or different way and can describe your process.

"Because our office has gone through drastic levels of change in the services as well as staff members, staying on the same page can be hard to manage. Because of this, I created a daily task guide that provides student staff a source of direction in completing day-to-day task in the case that there isn't another staff member available to help."

You accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may impact outcomes.

"As a hiring manager I look through hundreds of resumes a day. It's a lot of information to look through but I take the time to unbiasedly and accurately determine which applicants have the skills and experience to best improve the company."

You multi-task well in a fast-paced environment.

"When managing our business's social media accounts I am always working with the design and writing teams to create useful and engaging content. Being able to multitask efficiently and get high-quality posts out according to our schedule is critical to maximizing viewer conversions and maintaining our public image."