Problem Solving Comes Out Strongest means that, of the six work competencies in the Competency Test, your answers put problem solving highest.
You describe looking for the cause before a fix, splitting large problems into parts and comparing options before you commit. The Competency Test is a free JobCannon self-rating of six areas, scored separately for each. It shows how you describe your own habits, not how skilled you are, and it does not predict job performance. Whether your fixes hold up is something only your results at work can show.
Strengths
- You tend to look for the cause instead of patching the symptom.
- You break a large problem into parts you can actually work on.
- You compare options before committing to one.
- You get unstuck without waiting to be rescued.
Growth Edges
- Looking for the cause can slow you down when a quick, reversible fix would do.
- A self-rating cannot show whether your solutions last, so look at how often the same problem comes back.
- Working alone on a problem can hide it from people who could help or who are affected.
- Your lowest area may be the one that decides whether your solutions get used.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Problem Solving Comes Out Strongest mean?
It means problem solving got the highest rating of the six areas. You described looking for causes, splitting problems up and weighing options more often than you described the habits in the other areas. It is a statement about your habits, not about how hard a problem you can solve.
Is problem solving the same as being smart?
No. Problem solving here means a way of working: define the problem, find the cause, compare options and choose. It is a behavior you can practice. The Competency Test is not an ability or IQ test, and a high rating does not say anything about your reasoning ability.
How do I give a good problem-solving example at an interview?
Pick a real problem and tell it in four steps: what was wrong, how you found the cause, which options you weighed, and what happened after you chose. End with what you would do differently. Interviewers listen for your reasoning, not only for the result.
What if my problem solving is high but I rarely finish things?
That pattern is common: strong analysis and weak follow-through. Check your planning rating. Setting a date by which you will decide, and writing down the next step, turns a good analysis into finished work.
Does this result predict how I will do in a job?
No. It is an in-house self-rating, not a validated instrument, and nothing in it predicts job performance. Use it as a mirror and compare it with real examples from your work.
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