Your Greatest Skill is your Ability to Overcome Challenges

By: Joseph Macauley

Photo courtesy of Pexels

What do you think of when you think about problem-solving? Maybe you think of having an overbooked schedule, and you are trying to make time for everything. Or maybe you are a student trying to get an extension from a professor because you have so much going on. Try reframing problem-solving as eliminating a problem into growing to overcome challenges.

This shift in mindset turns every problem into a growth opportunity that you can use to build a narrative. By casting yourself as an adaptive and evolving person, you can show employers results that make them say, “this person gets things done”.

Get Out of your Comfort Zone

The best way to develop this skill is to do things you have never done before. An important lesson I’ve learned is that you are never going to be perfectly ready for anything. Diving in headfirst is, in my experience, the best way to learn. 

I can use my own experience as an example. When I was notified that an organization I was a part of was holding elections for chairman positions, I was interested but hesitant. The feeling that I was not ready for the responsibility that came along with the position intimidated me. After consulting with others who had been in similar situations, I decided to run for the position, got elected, and had a very successful tenure in that position. Though I may have struggled at the beginning, I quickly learned new skills that I never would have gained if I had not taken on the position.

After conducting many informational interviews with PR professionals, I have found that they all agree that waiting until you feel totally ready for something is a common but major error. An important lesson that has been imparted to me is that you are going to make mistakes. When trying something new, rarely will you get it right on the first try. Making mistakes it okay, but being able to learn from those mistakes is crucial.

What your Ability to Problem-Solve Says About You

To an employer, your ability to overcome challenges allows them to have confidence in your future potential and gives them reason to feel little risk in giving you an opportunity. Being a proven problem-solver shows an employer that you are resourceful, have the ability to think critically, and are resilient.

Interviewers often have questions that are specifically designed to test your ability to overcome challenges or unexpected circumstances. They want to see how you react when something does not go the way you thought it would, but having experience in these situations and being able to respond positively can be a make-or-break portion of an interview.

Your mindset can help you give purpose to the barriers you face. This shift from problem-solving to overcoming challenges can be a major boon for someone looking to impress a potential employer. Framing your experience as ways you have grown can help convey feelings of growth and confidence.