Creativity Skills
Do you require creativity skills to function well in your job role? This article provides a guide on how you can develop the skills and include them on your resume.
What is Creativity?
Creativity is a valuable skill in an organization as it can be a useful tool for developing new ideas, improving efficiency, and finding solutions to complex problems. Although you may have a natural aptitude for creativity in some forms, it is a skill that is learned and developed over time.
Creativity is the ability to think about a task or problem in a new or different way, or the ability to use your imagination to generate new ideas. Creativity allows you to solve difficult problems or find interesting ways of doing things. If you are creative, you look at things from a unique perspective. You can find patterns and make connections to find opportunities. Being creative involves some risk, but with this skill, you can show that you are motivated to try things that have not been done before.
Importance of Creativity Skills
- Creativity allows you to see the big picture in areas of life
It is important to see the big picture in many areas of life. Whether it’s a personal life or a professional project, it’s easy to get confused and lost in the details. Being creative and letting your mind wander a bit is like taking a walk in the woods. Instead of stopping and focusing on one piece of moss, keep walking along the path and discovering the forest. The more you look at the big picture, the more you will be able to discover new things.
- Creativity helps to motivate you
Feeling discouraged and frustrated about something? Being creative can lift your spirits and help you get rid of your bad mood. It takes your mind off what’s bothering you if you’re preoccupied with your thoughts. Doing something creative like cooking, drawing, solving puzzles, etc is like starting the engine of your mind. You get rid of the distractions and get your brain moving. With this, you will be motivated and it will be easier for you to get on with the task at hand.
- Creativity helps you solve problems
When you try to find a solution to a problem, creative thinking opens up new possibilities. With creative thinking, you will be able to look at a situation from different angles. People often cling to solutions they have always used in the past. Although it may help to solve a problem, it could have been done better if it had been more creative. This is how we get unique ideas and highlight innovators.
- Creativity can make you more productive
Creative people have open and active minds. They are usually full of ideas and are inspired by the world around them. This often makes them more productive, as they contribute more than those who do not open their minds to the world around them. Creative people are always looking for new ways to solve problems, which promotes innovation and efficiency.
- Creativity builds confidence
Creativity helps you see the big picture, stay motivated and solve problems. What could be more confident than that? When you think creatively and take on all sorts of challenges, you prove to yourself that you are a capable person. Very few good things in life happen without effort. Being creative makes the process more exciting and rewarding.
- Creativity helps to clarify your thoughts and feelings
The mind can be a chaotic place. You may feel like you are chasing one thought or another, like a dog chasing every car it sees. Traditional methods of expressing your thoughts and feelings are often too linear and don’t cover everything that is going on. More creative methods, such as journaling, thought mapping, and even drawing, allow you to release the contents of your mind without restriction. When you don’t judge yourself and let your thoughts and feelings flow, they become clearer. The process of creatively expressing thoughts and feelings makes them more real and lasting.
- Creativity allows you to express yourself
Freedom of expression is considered so important to human well-being that it is a human right. Creativity is the key to the door of self-expression, no matter what form of creativity you choose. It can be painting, sculpture, music, cooking, or anything that brings interesting and/or beautiful things to the world.
How to Improve your Creativity Skills
There are several activities and exercises that can help you improve your creativity. These include :
- Try the circle test
Draw twenty circles and set a stopwatch for 30 seconds. Before the time is up, turn each circle into a single image. This exercise will make you think of the same thing in different ways. Repeat it periodically to see how your thoughts change over time.
- Use a sketchbook
Drawing or jotting down ideas not only develops creativity but also helps you process information. If you are listening to a presentation, you can draw something related to what you hear. This will help you remember what was said.
- Read regularly.
Reading is just one way to be mentally stimulated. Studying fiction novels, for example, can introduce you to interesting creative concepts such as complex worlds, plots, puzzles, and characters. Another easy way to develop your creativity is to practice mind games and puzzles.
- Write your thoughts
Try writing your thoughts in a journal at the end of each day. Writing encourages you to think critically about your daily experiences and ideas. Finding ways to apply critical and analytical thinking is a great way to train your mental skills.
- Exercise regularly
Taking care of your physical and mental health can help put you in the best possible condition to practice and apply creative thinking. Regular exercise, at least for 20-30 minutes two or three times a week, is a way to be at your best at work.
- Choose a new route
Try to take a different route to a place you regularly go to become familiar with a new environment. By taking a different route, you expose yourself to unfamiliar sights, sounds, and experiences, which helps to stimulate your overall creativity.
- Try something new
It could be a new food, a new piece of clothing, or a new film, but trying something new stimulates your brain to make connections and look at things differently. When you discover something new, you naturally improve your ability to think creatively while remaining open-minded and observant.
- Listen to music
Music can affect you on an emotional level, changing your mood and concentration. When you need to think creatively or brainstorm, find music that inspires you. Even if you work in an open-plan office, playing a song that promotes creativity in your headphones can greatly improve your problem-solving and innovation skills.
- Ask for feedback on your ideas
Creativity is not only about your thoughts and ideas, but also about others’ concepts and collaborations. One way to improve your creative thinking is to ask for feedback or advice on your ideas. When you receive information, try to put yourself in your colleague’s shoes to understand their point of view.
- Finding motivation in an unrelated area
When tackling a problem related to your field, look for motivation outside your field. There may be a simple answer or idea that fits your scenario. By using your networking, observation, and problem-solving skills, you can use the successes of others to achieve your own goals.
Jobs that Require Creativity Skills
- Graphic Design
A graphic designer uses visual elements to communicate ideas across different media platforms. They use typography, images, colors, shapes, and other design techniques to create the desired look or feel for client projects.
Graphic designers may work independently or as part of a team, depending on the specific project, but in all cases, they must be able to accept the guidelines and vision of others and work under pressure.
Graphic designers must also have good communication and creative skills, as they often need to communicate with clients to understand their needs. Graphic designers can earn a lot of money working for clients as full-time freelancers.
- Web Development
A web developer creates and maintains the look, feel, and functionality of websites. They use different programming languages to write the code that tells the website how it should look and function.
This can range from creating basic websites to developing more complex applications. They also need strong technical skills, creativity, knowledge of programming languages, and the ability to design.
- Copywriting
A copywriter writes persuasive, convincing, and attractive texts for advertisements, brochures, website content, etc. They must capture the audience’s attention and make them want to buy the product, service, or subject they are promoting.
Copywriters usually have a university degree in English, journalism, marketing, or a related field. They must also have a creative approach to writing and be able to target a specific audience.
- Marketing Management
A marketing manager is a person who plans and develops strategies to promote the products and services offered by a company.
Marketing managers usually have a degree in marketing or business administration. They must be able to understand what their customers want or need to sell and then create campaigns that appeal to them. They must also have creativity, excellent communication skills, be able to tell a story, sell a product, and have an eye for detail.
Marketing managers can work in an agency, directly for a company, or as independent consultants for companies that need help with their marketing efforts.
How to Include Creativity Skills in your Resume
The following are different ways you can use to include creativity in your resume:
- Think back to when you were faced with a problem that seemed unsolvable and the path you took to solve it.
- Give examples of original or unexpected ideas that got you out of difficult situations at work.
- Describe a time when you kept an open mind and how it helped you to overcome difficulties.
- Describe a brainstorming session you led or participated in that completely changed everyone’s expectations.
- Give examples of situations where you and your team solved a problem using an indirect and creative approach.
Examples of How to Include Creativity Skills in Your Resume
The following points illustrate how to include creativity in a resume as a marketing manager:
- Grew a team from 2 people to over 20 digital marketing, advertising, and content writing professionals.
- Applied several growth hacking strategies to make up for a near-zero marketing budget at the start.
- Achieved 273% return on marketing investment in two years, using different marketing tactics for clients such as Nike, Iamsterdam, Pllek, etc
- Managed $1.8 million in brand sales and sponsorships per year.
How to Demonstrate Creativity Skills in a Job Interview
- Find a relevant example of circumstances when you used your creative thinking
Brainstorm examples where you have found creative solutions in the workplace. As you cannot predict exactly how the interviewer will ask you about your creative abilities, it is a good idea to think of a few examples that you can share depending on the question.
Try to think of all the times you have been able to use creative thinking at work. For example, you may have developed a new social media strategy or perhaps, developed a new refund processing strategy to improve the efficiency of your accounting department. Pause and think of times when you creatively solved a problem that led to increased productivity, revenue, or other innovation.
- Focus on the creative process
When discussing your innovative ideas and contributions, focus on the creative processes you used. For example, you can tell the story of how you came up with the idea for an effective solution or a positive change in the organization. If appropriate, discuss the process you used to compare your idea to other options and how you arrived at the solution. By showing how you considered different possibilities, you can help the hiring manager better understand your problem-solving process and the fact that you strategically approached the decision.
Examples of Interview Questions to Test Creativity Skills
Interview questions that help in testing creativity include the following:
- What is creativity?
This question is an excellent way to test your knowledge of creativity and its application in the workplace. To answer this question you can define creativity in your own words or use an example from your previous experience that shows what creativity looks like in action.
- Can you explain the difference between divergent and convergent thinking?
This question is a great way to test your knowledge of creativity and how it can be applied in the workplace. Your answer should show that you understand the difference between the two types of thinking and when each is most effective.
- How do you think about a new project or product idea?
This question can help the interviewer understand your creative process and how you apply it to projects. Use examples from your past experience to explain the steps you take to develop new ideas for a project or product.
