Demand for soft skills has become ubiquitous across all industries and job roles today. One such soft skill that every employer is looking for, especially in fresh graduates, is problem solving. It is imperative for freshers to understand the importance of this skill and the ways to develop it if they want to stand out in the competitive job market.

Problem-solving skill: What and why

Think of problem-solving skill as a superpower at work, says Hardeep Singh, President, Right Management, a consulting arm of ManpowerGroup. He defines it as the ability to identify, analyse and solve problems effectively. However, the idea is not just to fix an issue but to find the smartest way to do it. Employers are in search of people with such skills because they can handle tough problems with ease and come up with creative solutions. Lokesh Nigam, Co-founder and CEO, Konverz.ai, a conversational intelligence tool simplifying and improving talent decisions, says problem-solving skill is not static but something that is flexible to meet the needs of various circumstances and challenges. It is vigorous and comprises cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspects, such as critical thinking, creativity, decision-making, collaboration and communication.

According to a 2023 hiring survey conducted by edtech startup Scaler, around 91% of respondents said in the larger scheme of things, employees’ ability to solve problems trumped education, though the latter is used as a basic filter to shortlist candidates when hiring, according to Nigam. But employers are eager to hire freshers who possess problem-solving skill as that allows businesses to remain nimble, competitive and responsive to the market’s ever-changing expectations, he adds.

How can freshers land better growth opportunities through such skills?
For those trying to gain a strong footing at work and push up their career graph, acquiring and asserting problem-solving skill can be an absolute game changer. Explaining how this skill assists in career advancement, Singh says it can lead to increased visibility within your organisation, further offering opportunities to work on high-profile projects or lead teams. Hence, by demonstrating the ability to tackle challenges and find innovative ways to overcome them, one can set oneself apart and land new and exciting career opportunities, he says.Mastering problem-solving skill can essentially enhance career growth opportunities for freshers in several ways, says Nigam. Like Singh, he also emphasises on how tackling complex problems and delivering effective results can culminate in increased identification and opportunities for expansion.

The ability to encounter new challenges and navigate through them over time also helps build confidence and resilience in the professional journey. Most importantly, developing this ability can lead to greater professional satisfaction and fulfilment, he explains.

Instances of overcoming workplace challenges through problem solving
Both experts offer examples where individuals were able to strategically tackle challenges and strengthen their positions at work by applying problem-solving techniques.

“I recall a situation where a new team member was faced with a project that had a very tight deadline due to unexpected delays,” says Singh of Right Management. “Despite the pressure, the colleague remained calm and applied their problem-solving skills. They started by prioritising tasks and then collaborated with their teammates to ensure everyone was on the same page. By working together, they were able to successfully deliver the project on time.”

Showcasing such abilities to handle stress also earned them respect and recognition within the team, he recalls.

Nigam also offers an instance where an early career professional survived a high-pressure situation and strengthened the client’s trust in the organisation by accurately applying her technical acumen and staying calm: “A young developer named Priya, just two months into her job, faced a looming deadline for an app development project. The app had a persistent bug that previous attempts hadn’t fixed, threatening the delivery date and the startup’s reputation. With a blend of determination and innovation, Priya spent a night tracing through lines of code. Her fresh perspective uncovered a minor, overlooked logic error that was causing the malfunction. By morning, not only was the bug fixed, but Priya also optimised the app’s performance, enhancing user experience.”

Strategies to cultivate problem-solving skill as freshers
Experts say there are some strategies that freshers can use to develop problem-solving abilities.

To begin with, they recommend understanding and uncovering the person’s strengths to resolve the problem in their own unique way. Whether you do a tremendous job in generating ideas or analysing data, find out what you are naturally good at to leverage it, they say.

Next, engage in activities that encourage critical thinking, such as puzzles, brain teasers, and logic games to improve analytical abilities and discover unmatched problem-solving techniques. Another advice they have is to move ahead with a growth mindset. This will make it easier to embrace mistakes and learn from them.

Connecting with veterans and mentors who can provide advice, direction and feedback on problem-solving approaches can also be of great help, say the experts. Attending workshops and reading books on the subject can give a person insights that can be used to enhance problem-solving capabilities.

Lastly, they advise freshers to volunteer for projects and express willingness to take on new challenges in order to broaden their perspective and bolster their overall skill development.