Having excellent organisational skills isn’t just a great personality trait.
They can also make a real difference when it comes to your career. That’s because they’re highly valued by employers in almost every industry. So whatever job you’re looking to go into, knowing how to highlight them effectively is essential if you want to get ahead.
To help you add value to your job applications, here’s everything you need to know about organisational skills (and how to showcase them in your CV).
What are organisational skills?
Organisational skills are a set of specific attributes that help to plan and add structure to tasks, in an effective way.
They are generally soft skills, meaning you might not need any set training to acquire them. In fact, many people may already possess these skills, without evening knowing how to formally identify them (especially on their CV).
However, those with good organisational skills will know how to use their time and resources in the best way possible – meaning they can be a huge asset to have for potential employers.
Examples of jobs with organisational skills
Although they are often thought to be better suited to clerical positions, such as PA and Office Manager, the reality is that jobs which require good organisational skills come in all shapes and sizes.
Team Leaders and Senior Managers, in particular, often need excellent organisation in order to get the most of their team – but there are many other great roles out there for well-organised individuals.
Just a few examples of jobs with organisational skills include:
- Receptionist
- Administrator
- Archivist
- Project Manager
- Product Owner
- Scrum Master
- Event Planner
- Estate Agent
This is by no means an extensive list. So no matter what role you’re looking to move into, it’s highly likely that your organisational skills will help you get ahead.
Examples of organisational skills to add to your CV
Time management – Being able to manage your time effectively is vital to keeping everything else organised. It can mean putting together a schedule, knowing how long a task may take and delivering work on time, or just learning how to prioritise your workload. Think of examples of when you’ve done these things well, and demonstrate any impact or improvements you may have made to the business as a result.
Project planning – Closely linked to time management is project planning. When done well, this can mean the difference between hitting your objectives or not – meaning this skill is always a good one to showcase in your CV. This could include making lists of tasks (using online tools such as Trello can be a great help), goal setting, quality control procedures, and displaying great communication skills to get the most out of your team.
Attention to detail – One of the key benefits of being well-organised is ensuring a higher quality of work. Part of this comes down to having great attention to detail, which means tasks are completed thoroughly and with meticulous accuracy. However, if you’re going to add this to your CV, you need to practice what you preach. Ensure there are no spelling or formatting errors, and showcase things like your analytical skills wherever you can (in your previous roles and responsibilities, for example).
Delegation – Knowing when to take on a task, and when to assign it to someone else, can be essential. Especially if you’re in a more senior position. Think of times you’ve done this well, and how doing so has helped push a project to completion. Knowing your own limitations (and recognising the strengths of other members of your team) are both great ways to show your organisational skills in action.
Administrative skills – Many of the examples listed above are mental-based. However, there are a number of ways you can demonstrate your physical organisational skills too. Examples of physical organisational skills include diary management, setting up filing systems, reorganising your desk (or the entire office) to make it more efficient, or even setting up automated reports to pull data without requiring additional time and effort.
Why are organisational skills important?
Having good organisational skills will ensure your time is spent as efficiently as possible – no matter what task it is you’re working on. Which is just one of the reasons it’s in such high demand amongst employers.
Because you can be more dedicated and focussed on the projects you’re working on, you won’t be tempted to go off on tangents or procrastinate. You’ll also be able to hit the ground running when starting a new position, with the right tools in place to help you succeed.
Additionally, because organisational skills aren’t limited to any particular industry, you’ll be able to take them with you in any other position you apply for – making them highly valuable transferable skills you can hold on to for life.
How can I improve my organisational skills?
Although you may possess many great organisational skills already, it doesn’t mean they can’t be worked on.
This may come in the form of on-the-job training, if this is offered by your employer. However, they can also be built up over time, using the tools you pick up in your day-to-day role.
If you want to be proactive, you can work on your organisational skills independently by taking an online course. There are hundreds of options out there, which will help you work on everything from your time management and scheduling skills, right through to teaching you in-depth project management methodologies (such as PRINCE2®).
The majority of courses on offer can be taken completely online, meaning you can fit studying around your schedule. There are even a number of free and discounted options, allowing you to get certified without a huge upfront cost.
Simply pick the area you’d like to work on, and start your search today.
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