Organization skills are essential for multitasking and keeping a business running smoothly and successfully. Employers aim to recruit applicants who can work to achieve results consistently, even when unforeseen delays or problems arise.
What are Organizational Skills?
Organization skills are those related to creating structure and order, boosting productivity, and prioritizing tasks that must be completed immediately, versus those that can be postponed, delegated to another person, or eliminated altogether. Maintaining strong organizational skills can reduce the chance of developing poor work habits such as procrastination, clutter, miscommunication, and inefficiency. Managers look for employees who can not only keep their work and their desk organized, but for those who can also adjust quickly to the organizational structure of a company.
Internal and External Organization Skills
Internal Organization Skills: Organizational skills encompass more than simply keeping a clutter-free desk and organized computer. While maintaining a clear space to work is important, neatness is only one of several key organizational skills. Employees with excellent organizational skills are also able to keep themselves calm and prepared with systematic planning and scheduling. External Organization Skills: Work projects are typically centered around a rigid timeline, and organizing a job into smaller projects and goals can be an effective way to complete them. Employers look for workers who can schedule and delegate these smaller tasks to themselves and other employees in order to stay on track with deadlines while sustaining a healthy work-life balance.
Examples of Organizational Skills
Physical Organization
Physical organization includes not just a tidy desk, but also the layout of rooms, floors, and whole buildings, and it goes well beyond maintaining a neat appearance. A poorly organized space leads to physical discomfort, wasted time, lost objects, and even lost people. The space people work in has a lot to do with how well they work. Someone must design these spaces, and then everyone else must maintain order.
Administrative Assessment Attention to Detail Concision Coordination Creative Thinking Documentation Effectiveness Handling Details Identifying Problems Identifying Resources Managing Appointments Microsoft Office Proficiency Policy Enforcement Prioritization Productivity Situational Assessment Task Analysis Task Assessment Task Resolution Workflow Analysis Workflow Management
Planning
Without a plan, a goal is only a wish. For any project, planning means anticipating which resources will be necessary and how long the project will take, then assembling those resources and blocking out the necessary time. If necessary, a worker may even have to alter the plan based on resource availability and time constraints. A plan might be as simple as deciding which end of the hall to clean first, or it could chart corporate strategy for the next ten years. Small-scale planning may be easier and faster, but it is not less important. Skills related to planning can be described using the following keywords:
Analysis Analyzing Issues Budgeting Business Intelligence Data Data Trends Deadlines Decision Making Design Development Forecasting Information Gathering Metrics Development Planning Development Predicting Problem Solving Program Management Project Management Research Review Scheduling Strategic Planning Strategy Development Structural Planning Succession Planning Trends
Teamwork
On a well-organized team, each member has a different role, and tasks are assigned accordingly. Creating the organizational structure of a new team is a skilled accomplishment, but so is giving and accepting appropriate delegation, following directions, and communicating clearly with the right people. Well-organized people understand and maintain the structures of the teams of which they are a part. The following are terms used to describe skills related to teamwork:
Attentive Listening Collaboration Communication Confidence Delegation Difference Resolution Directing Others Evaluating Facilitating Goals Goal Setting Group Leadership Implementation Implementing Decisions Instruction Leadership Management Managing Conflict Meeting Deadlines Meeting Goals Motivation Multitasking Negotiation Oral Communication Persuasion Presentation Providing Feedback Public Speaking Responsibility Taking Charge Teaching Team Building Teamwork Time Management Training Working with Others Writing
More Organizational Skills
Here are additional organizational skills you can use on resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews. Required skills will vary based on the job for which you’re applying, so also review our skills listed by job and type of skill.
Active Listening Conscientiousness Decision Making Filing Maintaining Focus Microsoft Excel Proficient Proactivity Resourcefulness Self-Motivation Strategic Planning Take Initiative
HIGHLIGHT SKILLS IN YOUR COVER LETTER: Incorporate your organizational skills into your cover letter. Include one or two skills, and give specific examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits at work. USE SKILL WORDS DURING JOB INTERVIEWS: You can also use these words in your job interviews. Be prepared to give examples of how you’ve used each of these skills when you’re responding to organizational interview questions.
