12 Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
While least once during the interview, you’ve been asked this question: “Can you tell us about a problem you encountered and how you overcame it?” Have you ever wondered why such questions are asked at all? The answer is simple: the employer is trying to evaluate your analytical skills.
Employees with good analytical skills are incredibly appreciated, because they are seen as those who will quickly solve any problems that arise. Analytical skills can be acquired and this will make you an indispensable employee.
Now let’s look at the most common and significant skills that will definitely come in handy for you in your work.
12 Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
1 The ability to identify problems in the initial stages – Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
When the problem has already manifested itself, to influence the work activity and even start a chain of undesirable changes, everyone can recognize it.
But to see the problem at the initial stage, when it has not yet done harm, is the ability of a person with analytical thinking.
He sees how his (or someone else’s) decisions can affect the general state of affairs and tries to eliminate problems even before they appear.
2 Research and data collection
It is not as simple as it seems. Firstly, because there can be a lot of data, which requires more involvement in the process. Secondly, because you must be able to separate important data from those that do not affect the state of affairs.
3 Data Analysis – Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
They analyze data in almost any field. This helps to understand the whole situation under study – to identify all patterns and negative deviations from the plan, make a forecast for the near future and give the necessary recommendations. Some companies hire specially trained analysts to focus on data analysis.
4 Critical Thinking
A critically thinking person casts doubt on the information he has received and only after verification of reliability does he use it for his own purposes. He searches for confirmation or refutation of information only in reliable sources or compares data with already known ones.
5 Process Analysis – Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
Too often, people see a problem, evaluating the situation based on the result, which forces them to make the wrong decisions. An analysis of the process should exclude such a possibility, because the study, in this case, is aimed at studying cause-effect relationships, which helps to take more effective measures.
6 Comparison
The concept of “perfect solution” does not exist. In most cases, a problem has more than one solution. Analytical skills will allow you to evaluate the pros and cons of various scenarios in order to minimize the possibility of negative consequences.
7 Human Resource Management – Analytical Skills To Succeed At Work
This is not just the ability to set up a person for work – it is first of all the ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and, based on the result, assign them tasks in accordance with skill sets.
8 Prioritization
Regardless of whether we are talking about a new project or identifying problems and shortcomings in the system, one problem rarely arises. In most cases, there are several shortcomings in this process that need to be addressed. It is with the help of analytical thinking that you can prioritize problems identified.
9 Reporting – both oral and written
Every employee – from the janitor to the chairman of the board of directors – has a boss. And reporting to the boss is an ongoing process. Everything, from written reports on the state of affairs to individual ones, should be presented in the best possible way – correctly formatted and supported by analytical data.
10 Planning
Analytical skills will allow you to break a large project into separate parts to facilitate its implementation. But you will not do this at random, but only by weighing the pros and cons.
11 Recognition of causal relationships
It is not enough to be able to recognize a problem – it is important to learn how to trace cause and effect relationships in order to understand why this problem arose. This is the most effective way that can significantly reduce the number of possible problems even before they occur.
12 Identification of problems and weaknesses in the organization
Having a good set of analytical skills allows you to correctly diagnose problems or deficiencies within the organization. Data may show that there is a problem, but it is data analysis that points to it. Is the cause of the problem a design defect, a supplier problem, human error or quality control? You will need to find the answer to these questions.
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