Clients often ask us how other aptitude testing alumni use their aptitudes both in and out of work. In our second survey in this series, we asked clients to tell us about their experiences using the Analytical Reasoning aptitude. (Our first survey explored the Ideaphoria, or idea flow, aptitude.)
What is Analytical Reasoning?
Someone who scores high in Analytical Reasoning has an ability to organize information into a logical order. They often excel at:
- Creating systems
- Improving efficiency
- Understanding and optimizing processes
- Applying structure to complex ideas
Our research, shown in this Analytical Reasoning Occupational Group plot, indicates that editors, computer programmers, system analysts, engineers, attorneys, and physical scientists have higher scores in this aptitude.
Historically, the Foundation used to call Analytical Reasoning the “editing aptitude.”
Who Took the Survey
We invited former clients to participate through our social media accounts and newsletter. Respondents represented a wide range of professional backgrounds, including software engineering, project management, nursing, education, and law.
Most respondents who provided data about the length of their careers have been working in their fields for at least three years. A significant number reported over ten years of experience.
All respondents said they related to the Analytical Reasoning aptitude at least a moderate amount, with 90% saying they relate to its definition “a great deal” or “a lot.”
When asked how often they use this aptitude at work, all respondents said they use it in some way. Eighty-five percent reported using it “a lot” or “a great deal.”
We also asked respondents about their educational backgrounds. Of the respondents who shared data about their education level, all had earned at least a bachelor’s degree and half had earned graduate degrees.
Interestingly, Analytical Reasoning is highly correlated with grades in a variety of course areas, including mathematics, economics, and natural sciences.
What We Learned
Aptitude Use is Linked to Career Satisfaction
In this survey, those who use Analytical Reasoning “a great deal” or “a lot” in their work reported higher levels of satisfaction with their careers. Eighty-eight percent of clients who reported using this aptitude “a great deal” in their work reported being “very satisfied” with their careers, while none of the 15% who use it only a moderate amount reported the same level of satisfaction.
Five Ways to Use Analytical Reasoning at Work
Despite varied professions, responses fell into five common categories for using this aptitude:
- System Creation & Process Improvement: Nearly half of respondents said they use Analytical Reasoning to streamline work, create systems and procedures, or design more efficient workflows.
- Information Organization: Respondents frequently said they use it to organize or structure large amounts of information, like the paralegal who organizes client information for attorneys.
- Software Testing and Coding: Software professionals described activities like designing software architecture, debugging products, and writing code as ways to use this aptitude.
- Planning and Project Management: Professionals from tech to catering mentioned using this ability in project planning and operations management.
- Writing and Editing: Respondents across industries cited writing or editing technical documents as part of their jobs. Editors and creative writers also noted using this aptitude to plot novels and revise manuscripts. (Historically, the Foundation used to call Analytical Reasoning the “editing aptitude.”)
These categories align closely with what we know about the Analytical Reasoning aptitude as helpful for creating systems, improving efficiency, and organizing complex ideas.
How Analytical Reasoning Shows Up in Hobbies and Extracurriculars
We also asked our respondents how they use Analytical Reasoning outside of work. Their hobbies ranged from sports and dance to art and music. Multiple respondents cited genealogical research or gaming as hobbies.
Three distinct categories emerged in how respondents incorporated this aptitude into their extracurriculars:
- Planning: Many respondents noted the planning that goes into their hobbies. This ranged from a cyclist planning their riding routes to a content creator who said Analytical Reasoning helps them schedule their time “as effectively as possible.”
- Following or Figuring Out Steps: Two respondents noted the importance of following steps in ballroom and ballet dancing, but others also mentioned either “figuring out” or “following” steps as important in their hobbies.
- Organizing and Distilling Complex Information: One collage artist described their process as “breaking down the different components of the image [they] want to create.” Other respondents described their genealogy hobby as “building an organized, consistently presented, family tree.”
Final Thoughts
This survey reinforces our long-standing research into aptitudes and career satisfaction. People tend to experience higher career satisfaction when they have the opportunity to regularly use their aptitudes in their work.
Notably, no respondents reported frustration with this aptitude or difficulty finding outlets for it, unlike in our Ideaphoria survey where some respondents felt like their rapid idea flow was under-utilized or even under-appreciated at work. This suggests that an aptitude for creating organization, efficiency, and structure is a versatile ability that can be an asset across many different fields and tasks from technical jobs to creative pursuits.
Curious about Analytical Reasoning and other aptitudes? Learn more in our free reference book, Choosing Intelligently: A Practical Guide to Using Your Aptitudes.