Skill Demand Index
Based on 16 scored job postings out of 2,381 total. Depth levels reflect actual proficiency tiers, not just keyword presence.
0.7%
Demand Rate
L4
Median Depth
0%
Gap Rate
16
Jobs Analyzed
Advanced
Most employers want Strategic Thinking at lead-level proficiency, not surface awareness.
Overview
Market context for Strategic Thinking in the current job market
Strategic Thinking is required in 0.7% of scored job postings on ShouldApply, making it a growing skill in the current job market. Employers looking for Strategic Thinking typically want candidates who can demonstrate real proficiency, not just surface awareness.
What the data shows for Strategic Thinking:
What L4 means in practice:
L4 (Advanced) means solving hard problems, optimizing workflows, and mentoring others. Employers want someone who can be the go-to person for Strategic Thinking on their team.
This means employers aren't looking for someone who has used Strategic Thinking once or twice. They want evidence of professional application — shipped work, measurable outcomes, and the ability to operate independently.
Common skill gaps:
The gap rate of 0% means most candidates have adequate Strategic Thinking proficiency. To stand out, aim for L4-L5 depth with concrete evidence.
Which roles need Strategic Thinking most:
Marketing positions drive 50% of demand. Other and Operations also frequently list Strategic Thinking as a requirement. Skills commonly paired with Strategic Thinking include Project Management.
Depth Level Distribution
How candidates match Strategic Thinking requirements across 16 scored evaluations
Average depth: L4.1·Median depth: L4.0
Salary Correlation
How Strategic Thinking affects compensation based on postings with disclosed salary data
Without Strategic Thinking
$137K
Median $130K
443 jobs
Skill Demand Insight
“Strategic Thinking appears in 0.7% of all scored jobs.”
From 16 scored job postings
Skill Pairings
Other skills that frequently appear alongside Strategic Thinking
31%
co-occurrence
19%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
13%
co-occurrence
Role Breakdown
Job categories most likely to require Strategic Thinking
Gap Analysis
How often Strategic Thinking is identified as a skill gap (L0–L1) in scored applications
Very low gap rate — candidates generally have this skill
When Strategic Thinking appears in a job's requirements, 0% of scored applicants received an L0 or L1 (missing or minimal).
Yes. Strategic Thinking appears in 0.7% of scored job postings on ShouldApply, making it a growing skill in the current market. Based on 16 analyzed jobs, demand is steady across multiple role types.
The median required depth is L4. Most employers want advanced proficiency — candidates who can lead projects and optimize processes.
Salary data for Strategic Thinking is still accumulating.
The most common pairings are Project Management, Data Analysis, Account Management, Startup/Scale-up Experience, Management Consulting. Strengthening these alongside Strategic Thinking improves your fit across more positions.
Top roles: Marketing, Other, Operations, HR / Recruiting. Marketing positions have the highest demand at 50% of all Strategic Thinking jobs.
L1→L2: online courses and personal projects. L2→L3: daily professional use and shipped work. L3→L4: mentoring others and optimizing processes. L4→L5: architecture decisions, open source contributions, or published work.
See how you stack up against Strategic Thinking job requirements
ShouldApply scores your profile against each skill at the depth level jobs actually need.
Analyze my Strategic Thinking gaps →See how your depth compares to what employers actually require
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