How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (2024)

What is creative thinking?

To be able to think creatively means to be able to think in new ways, to think outside the box. Creative thinking can be applied when solving a problem, resolving conflict, finding a way to work together, or simply drawing new conclusions from a set of data you’ve already considered. It’s the ability to look at something with new eyes and overcome your own thought patterns.

Creative thinking is not a skill necessary only for creative people, artists or engineers. Actually, employees in all kinds of industries are valued for their creative thinking skills, as they bring a new perspective to the company or team.

Why is creative thinking important on your resume?

It is important to break the myth that creativity is a mystical inspiration with a divine source. People often think that being creative is a natural gift, but the truth is, it is only a predisposition, an aptitude if you will. Creative thinking is a skill and just like any other skill, you get better at it by practicing.

Let’s unpack what it means to be a creative thinker. Firstly, it is the ability to stay open-minded and make something new. It’s to look for unexpected and unorthodox resolutions when hitting a dead end. Secondly, it means being able to relate different pieces of information and break down issues in order to solve them in a way that has never been tried before.

Creative thinking is crucial not only in your professional career but also in life. It constitutes solving problems, being pioneering and open-minded, having resilience, viewing obstacles as challenges and not as problems.

It’s safe to say that a person, expressing those qualities and nuances of the skill, would be a very valuable asset to each employer. Companies want people who don’t back away from a problem, but rather tackle it in a courageous and new manner.

This is why it’s important to showcase your creative thinking on your resume.

What skills and accomplishments help you highlight your creative thinking?

As you already noticed, there are quite a few different skills that can prove you have creative thinking. The most relevant can be summed up as:

  • Analytical thinking: being able to decompose a problem into its integral parts, to get to the root of the issue, gives you the chance to define it better. Coming up with a well-structured action plan is almost a 100% guarantee of success.
  • Unorthodox problem-solving: show you can think outside the box by mentioning pioneering solutions or action plans you’ve offered throughout your professional life or education. Think of original ideas you’ve pitched that proved as excellent resolutions in tough situations.
  • Open-mindedness: before even talking about analysis or problem-solving, comes being open-minded and not judgmental. Keeping a positive and open outlook allows you to consider different alternatives, lets you weigh in other perspectives, and helps you choose the best course of action. When was the last time you showed that you’re open-minded?

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (1)

How to demonstrate creative thinking on your resume

  • Think of times when you were faced with what looked like an unsolvable problem and the path you took that led to its resolution
  • Share examples of original or unexpected ideas you’ve had that got you out of nail biter situations at work
  • Describe a time when you kept an open mind and that helped you overcome a challenge
  • Talk about a brainstorm session you held or participated in that totally blew everyone’s expectations
  • Mention examples of a lateral thinking approach when you and your team solved a problem by adopting an indirect and creative approach
  • Tell about a time when you turned a defect into an effect - creativity and invention go hand in hand with reusing and reinventing

It’s easy to say you’re creative, and much harder to prove it. We hear you.

Writing on your resume that “I’m a creative thinker who thrives on change” does sound great, but to persuade your future employer, you need to substantiate your creative thinking skills.

Explore your own experience by asking yourself the following questions:

  • What is your problem-solving technique at work?
  • Did you participate in any creative thinking workshops?
  • What examples of your open mindedness can you think of?
  • What is usually your approach when you’re trapped in a corner?

We’ve prepared some real life examples from other Enhancv users. Let’s get down to business.

Example 1: Demonstrate creative thinking in your work experience

Job Situation: Marketing manager applying for a new the role in a big creative agency

Experience

Marketing Manager

MindPuzzle

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (2)02/2015 - 09/2020

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (3)

Amsterdam, NL

MindPuzzle is a digital marketing agency focused on social media, email marketing, SEO and content creation.

RIGHT

As you can see from the description, this marketing manager used only active verbs to illustrate their experience - “grew”, “employed”, “achieve” all speak of proactiveness and progress.

Also, they used a lot of quantitative measures - 20+ employees, 273% ROI, $1.8M budget. This brings an extra special touch in the description - rock solid proof and specifics.

Apart from that, key phrases such as “growth hacking strategies […] for almost 0 marketing budget” and “guerrilla marketing tactics” imply that this person has creative vision and knows how to employ unusual approaches. We’re left with the impression that they know how to make the most out of their opportunities and be forward-thinking.

Example 2: Resume summary

Job Situation: Marketing specialist applying for a Content marketing manager

Summary

Inbound marketing specialist, experienced in omnichannel marketing strategies, content creation, and SEO. A nerd who likes reading insights as much as creating campaigns. A firm believer that anything can be achieved with a little more focus on the detail and a spark of creative magic.

RIGHT

This summary hits home for 3 different reasons: it gives background of the candidate’s experience, it underlines the hard skills they’re good at, and it highlights 2 important soft skills - they’re detail-oriented and creative.

Craft your summary carefully - usually it’s enough for an experienced talent specialist to tell if you fit the perfect candidate profile just by matching keywords from the job ad requirements with your resume bio.

Focus on the most relevant details!

Example 3: Achievements

Job Situation: UX/UI designer in the market for a new inspiring gig

Achievements

Crafted a UI kit from scratch

As a strategic move to reach more potential partners and clients, I created a UI kit from scratch and publishes it online to be used for free by fellow designers.

Won 'Site of the Day' at Awwwards

Submitted a few website designs to Awwwards, one of them became 'Site of the Day' in October 2020 with a score of 7.7/10

RIGHT

“Achievements” is the section where you can write your own recommendation for yourself by showing off key moments from your career and combining that with your strengths.

In the example above, this U/UI designer showcased original creative thinking for achieving publicity and outreach - giving out high-quality freebies and international exposure in web design awards platform. How inventive, huh?

Example 4: Extracurricular activities & Courses

Job Situation: PR specialist describes her extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities

Creative Writing & Storytelling Trainer

Summer Schools Europe

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (4)05/2017 - 09/2017

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (5)

Cambridge, UK

Summer Schools Europe organize summer boot camps for students with a variety of interests

  • Designed the Creative Writing & Storytelling training program from the bottom up

  • Taught students aged 12-16 about creative writing methods and narrative styles

  • Held multiple workshops on how to think outside the box and develop one's imagination

Communication Training Assistant

101 Faciliators

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (6)05/2016 - 03/2017

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (7)

Cambridge, UK

101 Facilitators is a boutique training agency specialized in corporate and soft skills training

  • Helped facilitate over 18 different training groups

  • Delivered interactive workshops on subjects such as giving constructive feedback, effective teamwork, creating mindmaps, 6 thinking hats

RIGHT

Job Situation: Software developer describes his coursework

Courses

Foundations in Design Thinking

IDEO

Creativity Toolkit I: Changing Perspectives

University of Illinois, Coursera

The Growth Mindset

University of California, Davis

Agile Innovation and Problem Solving Skills

University of Maryland, edX

RIGHT

An ideal way to show further your creative thinking is through one of the additional sections - such as volunteering, extracurricular activities, courses or training you’ve undergone. You may even add important projects that have helped you build, improve or shine with your creativity.

Creative thinking: key takeaways for your resume

  • Quantity and quality can go hand in hand: don’t just say what you did, use quantitative measures and results to support your words (%, $, count)
  • Make sure to include relevant experience and examples to illustrate your creative thinking skills - be explicit in your description, don’t hint it but explain clearly
  • Keep it short and sweet - use keywords and phrases to connect your experience with the job ad requirements, and don’t write walls of texts. Use bullet points and to-the-point sentences to prove how original and inventive you are.

About this report:

Data reflects analysis made on over 1M resume profiles and examples over the last 2 years from Enhancv.com.

While those skills are most commonly met on resumes, you should only use them as inspiration and customize your resume for the given job.

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume (2024)

FAQs

How to Show Creative Thinking Skills on Your Resume? ›

An ideal way to show further your creative thinking is through one of the additional sections - such as volunteering, extracurricular activities, courses or training you've undergone. You may even add important projects that have helped you build, improve or shine with your creativity.

How do you put creativity skills on a resume? ›

An ideal way to show further your creative thinking is through one of the additional sections - such as volunteering, extracurricular activities, courses or training you've undergone. You may even add important projects that have helped you build, improve or shine with your creativity.

How do you emphasize strategic thinking skills on a resume? ›

How can you show that you are a strategic thinker and identify potential threats?
  1. Use keywords and phrases.
  2. Provide examples and results.
  3. Tailor your skills to the job description. ...
  4. Showcase your learning and development. ...
  5. Include testimonials and endorsements. ...
  6. Here's what else to consider.
Nov 27, 2023

How do you professionally say you are creative? ›

Here are some steps you can use to respond to interview questions asking for examples of creativity:
  1. Find an appropriate example. Brainstorm to think of examples of times that you came up with creative solutions in the workplace. ...
  2. Use the STAR method. ...
  3. Focus on the creative process. ...
  4. Highlight collaboration and communication.
Oct 3, 2022

How do you put creative problem-solving on a resume? ›

How to include problem-solving skills on a resume
  1. Give examples of scenarios where those skills lead to a solution.
  2. Describe a specific process you employed.
  3. List major accomplishments enabled by your solution.
  4. Add specific training related to problem-solving skills.
  5. Use various keywords to avoid repeating “problem-solving”

What is an example of creativity in a resume? ›

Headed group mind-mapping exercises that led to more innovative website development strategies, increasing client satisfaction by 15%.” An example like this shows not only that you are a creative person, but that you are a team player who enables your coworkers to be more creative and effective as well.

How do you describe creativity as a strength? ›

Creativity is also a character strength because it has numerous benefits for individuals and society. For instance, creative individuals tend to be more resilient, flexible, and adaptable to change. They have a broader perspective on life, are open to new experiences and are more likely to take risks.

How do you describe critical thinking skills on a resume? ›

It's always a good idea to show exactly how you solved problems using critical thinking skills. In other words, present any research, analysis, or brainstorming that went into your decision-making process. You can also mention any tools or technology that you used.

How do you say critical thinking skills on a resume? ›

Avoid Listing Critical Thinking as a Skill

Instead, you should provide examples of solving complex problems quickly and efficiently. You can also incorporate key terms and skills that draw attention to your capacity for critical thinking without needing to use the word specifically.

What is creative thinking skills? ›

Creative thinking is the ability to come up with unique, original solutions. Also known as creative problem-solving, creative thinking is a valuable and marketable soft skill in a wide variety of careers.

How do you say I am a creative thinker? ›

Instead of using "Creative," job seekers can use synonyms like "Inventive," "Resourceful," or "Original" to highlight their ability to come up with unique and innovative solutions. These alternatives convey their capacity to think outside the box, problem-solve creatively, and bring fresh ideas to the table.

How do you show creative thinking? ›

10 ways to show creativity in the workplace
  1. Collaborate with others. Creative people often draw inspiration from others. ...
  2. Be willing to take risks. ...
  3. Focus on your tasks. ...
  4. Engage in innovative problem-solving. ...
  5. Challenge conformity. ...
  6. Work independently. ...
  7. Show comfort with ambiguity. ...
  8. Pay attention to detail.
Oct 4, 2022

How do I say I have good problem-solving skills? ›

8 Problem-Solving Skills for Your Resume
  1. Identifying and analyzing a problem.
  2. Taking effective actions.
  3. Understanding the effect of the decisions.
  4. Coming up with creative and novel solutions.
  5. Transferring knowledge from one situation to another.
  6. Thinking abstractly about problems.

How do you demonstrate creative problem solving skills? ›

Creative problem-solving is traditionally based on the following key principles:
  1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking. ...
  2. Reframe Problems as Questions. ...
  3. Defer Judgment of Ideas. ...
  4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But" ...
  5. Creating a Problem Story. ...
  6. Brainstorming. ...
  7. Alternate Worlds.
Feb 1, 2022

How do you say you have strong problem-solving skills? ›

Mention a time when you have taken the initiative to troubleshoot overlooked areas. Explain that you like to collect new information and gather data on a daily basis. Give examples of times when you have assumed the responsibility to improve processes in the company or your team.

How do you say I am creative? ›

Synonyms of creative
  1. innovative.
  2. inventive.
  3. imaginative.
  4. talented.
  5. innovational.
  6. gifted.
  7. original.
  8. ingenious.

What's a fancy word for creative? ›

Synonyms: imaginative , clever , artistic, original , inventive, innovative , ingenious, inspired , visionary.

How do I show that I am creative? ›

Here are 10 ways you can show and promote creativity in the workplace:
  1. Collaborate with others. Creative people often draw inspiration from others. ...
  2. Be willing to take risks. ...
  3. Focus on your tasks. ...
  4. Engage in innovative problem-solving. ...
  5. Challenge conformity. ...
  6. Work independently. ...
  7. Show comfort with ambiguity. ...
  8. Pay attention to detail.
Oct 4, 2022

Does creativity count as a skill? ›

Creativity is a valuable workplace skill because it can be a useful tool for developing new ideas, increasing efficiency and devising solutions to complex problems. While you may have natural creativity skills in certain forms, it is a skill that can be learned and developed over time.

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