Creativity is one of the most sought after qualities by employers and will be even more so come the year 2020. So how do you leverage it even if your job doesn't have any element of creation?
Sometimes it's hard to tell exactly what employers are looking for when they list certain desired skills. This is especially so when the job is seemingly straight forward like data analysis or accounting but one of the desired skills is creativity. If the job involves creating works of art like graphic design it's easy to see how this would be a valuable trait. Believe it or not, it's a valuable skill and can be showcased in just about any job.
Creativity in your approach
You're definitely not the first person that an employer has come across to fill a role (except in unique situations). This is where creativity steps in. The way you approach an ordinary task is probably different from how someone else would do it based on how you work best and your ability to change old processes to make things more efficient. You may not be creating grand works of art when you're an office administrator but the way you organise office files shows creativity that breeds efficiency.
Creativity in problem solving
Problem solving on it's own is a pretty great skill to have. Add to it creativity and you've got the kind of weapon in your arsenal that would convince any employer that you're the right person for the job. One of the ways you can problem solve creatively is trying to look at an issue from a different perspective. One of my favourite ways to solve a stubborn issue is to imagine I'm a different person and list down ideas from their perspective. For example, you can ask yourself, "If I was Barrack Obama, how would I approach this problem?" You'd be surprised about the wild ideas that pop into your head! The creativity comes in through brainstorming those ideas and being able to make them relevant to your current issue.
Creativity in the job search
Here's a bonus for you if you're trying to think about how creativity can apply when you don't have the job yet. You might see a job that fits into your career goals but can't quite find a way to work around the fact that you don't have those specific qualifications. The creativity hack? Blow up your most relevant qualities and downplay those that aren't. You want to make sure that your potential employer sees how you fit into the role given the skills you have. Remember, you just need to get your foot in the door and you CV will get you there. Once you're in, then you can really showcase your superb skills.
