What Is Creative Thinking? Skills Examples

Explore the inventory of innovative thought capabilities and discover how to leverage them for maximum effect. Additionally, gain insights from professionals on enhancing creativity in five swift actions.

Mastering creative thinking skills holds significance across various professions and workplaces.

Initially, “creativity” may seem relevant only to individuals in artistic, design, writing, or marketing roles.

However, creative skills are indispensable for all professionals.

Creative thinkers possess the ability to perceive things from fresh, unconventional perspectives and devise solutions previously unexplored.

Creativity serves as the driving force behind innovation and advancement.

And you’ve arrived at the perfect destination to gain comprehensive insights into creative thinking!

This guide will provide:

– Illustrative examples of top creative thinking skills.
– Understanding of creative thinking and strategies to utilize creativity skills for career enhancement.
– A compilation of ideal jobs suited for creative thinkers and strategies to secure them.
– Creative thinking exercises designed to enhance your creativity starting today.

 

What Constitutes Creative Thinking?

Creative thinking involves the ability to approach matters from novel viewpoints and alternative angles. It embodies an imaginative cognitive process leading to unforeseen conclusions and innovative approaches to tasks. Techniques such as brainstorming or lateral thinking can assist in stimulating creative ideas.

Examples of Creative Thinking Skills

Problem Solving

Addressing unforeseen challenges demands considerable creativity. Employers seek to recruit creative thinkers not solely for their creativity per se, but rather for their capability to apply it innovatively in problem-solving endeavors.

Creative Writing

This skill is both common and highly sought after. Proficiency in crafting compelling and imaginative written content is invaluable in marketing, sales, journalism, and various other roles that involve writing, such as drafting emails, reports, and presentations.

Open-Mindedness

Open-minded individuals challenge stereotypes and seek innovative solutions and approaches instead of adhering to conventional methods that may no longer be effective.

Analysis

While the ability to gather information and data is important, without creative thinking skills, analyzing this data effectively becomes challenging. Creativity in analytical thinking enables individuals to derive meaningful insights from raw data sets.

Communication

Effective communication, presented in an engaging and creative manner, is essential for conveying ideas successfully and gaining buy-in from others.

Active Listening

Active listening enhances idea processing, enabling individuals to refine and challenge ideas during creative brainstorming sessions.

Sales and Marketing

Crafting a creative message is crucial in sales and marketing to enhance the effectiveness of sales pitches.

Graphic Design

Graphic design combines artistic craftsmanship with innovative thinking. While artistic skill is important, fresh and creative ideas are necessary to breathe life into projects.

Leadership

Leadership involves inspiring others, and possessing strong leadership skills rooted in creative ideas and visions enables leaders to unite teams and drive them towards common objectives.

It’s important to note the distinction between creative and critical thinking skills, as these are often conflated but are distinct concepts.

Utilizing Creative Skills in Your Job Hunt

After reviewing the top examples of creative thinking skills, consider how you can leverage these abilities to enhance your career.

Numerous rewarding professions emphasize creativity, and we’ve outlined some of the most sought-after ones below.

If you aspire to secure a role in any of these fields, simply click on the job title to access a detailed guide on crafting a winning resume tailored to your next creative endeavor.

Explore the following list of creative career paths for your consideration!

Jobs for Creative Thinkers

Academic Career
Acting
Bartending
Culinary Career (Chef or Cook)
Data Analysis
Data Science
Graphic Design
Interior Design
Management
Marketing and Marketing Management
Programming
Public Relations
Sales
Software Engineering
Teaching
UX/UI Design
Visual Art
Web Design
Writing

And what sorts of creative gigs are hot right now? Let’s see some statistics—

Recent research by The Creative Group revealed that the top 10 areas for creative hiring will be:

1. Web and mobile development
2. Web production
3. User interface and interaction design
4. Creative development
5. Visual design
6. User experience
7. Digital marketing
8. User research
9. Art direction
10. Social media / marketing strategy (tied)

     

    Creative Thinking Skills on a Resume

    For those seeking inspiration on how to showcase creative skills on a resume without delving into comprehensive guides, here are some examples:

    Creative Thinking on a Resume—Writer/PR Specialist

    – Proficient in crafting various Public Relations materials, including press releases, blog posts, bulletins, and email campaigns (outreach emails, sales emails, engagement emails).
    – Capable of generating up to 1,500 words of high-quality, original content daily.

    Creative Thinking on a Resume—Graphic Designer

    – Collaborated on projects to develop layouts and visuals for online written content.
    – Contributed to the creation of a client website that received a 2016 Shopify Ecommerce Design Award.

    Creative Thinking on a Resume—UX/UI Designer

    – Led the design process for all elements, templates, and branding consistency.
    – Enhanced UX scores by surpassing the company average by 25%.

    Creative Thinking on a Resume—Marketing Manager

    – Oversaw all aspects of digital marketing, both creative and operational.
    – Implemented an incentive-driven A/B testing competition among team members, resulting in a 114% increase in landing page conversions within 4 months.

How to Be More Creative: 5 Tips for Increasing Creativity Today

Many individuals commonly believe that creativity is an innate talent—one that you either possess from birth or simply lack.

However, the reality is that creativity can be cultivated. Moreover, developing creative thinking skills can be an enjoyable and rewarding endeavor.

Here are some steps you can take to enhance your creativity:

1. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Many believe that familiarity stifles creativity. Research supports this notion: In an experiment, college students tasked with envisioning extraterrestrial animals initially created creatures resembling earthly ones. However, when researchers imposed constraints—such as requiring animals to have feathers and survive in specific conditions—the students’ ideas became more imaginative. When facing a creative challenge, impose limitations on your work. For example, in presentations, start each slide with an active verb or set stricter word count limits for writing assignments. These constraints prompt your brain to devise innovative solutions.

2. Brainstorm

Brainstorming combines creative thinking skills and teamwork. It involves generating ideas for a problem or creative task and recording all suggestions, regardless of feasibility. Instead of focusing on the best ideas, try refining the worst ones. Extract their positive aspects or transform them into viable solutions. This approach often yields unexpected creative insights that can enhance your stronger ideas.

3. Work Through Uninspired Moments

As a professional writer, overcoming writer’s block is essential. Commit to creative work even on uninspired days, working in short, focused intervals, such as 20 minutes. During these periods, avoid distractions and focus solely on the task at hand. Even minimal progress, like writing a few words or jotting down a single idea, is valuable. With repeated practice, you’ll find yourself becoming more productive and creative within these time blocks.

4. Alternate Between Work and Daydreaming

Studies suggest that mental disconnection, daydreaming, or even napping can boost creativity. Importantly, these activities are most effective after investing substantial time in a project. The deeper you are in the creative process, the more beneficial unplugging and daydreaming become. Therefore, consider taking breaks to rejuvenate your mind during intensive creative endeavors.

5. Reflect on Love or Sex

Research indicates that contemplating romantic love enhances holistic thinking, fostering creativity in understanding broader concepts. Similarly, reflecting on sexual experiences sharpens perception of present, concrete details, enabling quicker analysis of patterns. Consider leveraging these insights when seeking to enhance your creative thinking skills.