One of the foremost qualities that any employer wants to see in their employees is the ability to multitask. This particular skill applies to a variety of different professions, from the finance world to academia to industrial engineering, and is highly valued due to its connection to production and efficiency. What follow are some tips for where and how to include references to your ability to multitask on your resume.
Objective Statement
The objective statement on your resume is the first thing that employers or hiring committees will read, so if you want to emphasize your ability to multitask from the get-go, this is the place to do it. Objective statements are meant to be relatively brief, and they also need to encompass your goals as well as your skills, so your reference to multitasking will have to be straight to the point. For example, you might describe yourself here as “A goal-oriented individual with the ability to multitask efficiently and pay close attention to detail.”
Work Experience Section
The other obvious place to focus attention on your ability to multitask is under your work experience section. Here, you are required to provide brief descriptions of your previous jobs, so use this opportunity to summarize the ways in which you successfully managed a number of responsibilities at once. For example, if you worked as a customer service representative, you might write the following description under your job title: “Ensured customer satisfaction while simultaneously marketing company products by successfully closing over 50 sales.” This would demonstrate that you are not only able to multitask, but that you can manage your responsibilities so that they are mutually beneficial.
Skills and Abilities
It is also possible to emphasize your ability to multitask under a “Skills and Abilities” heading on your resume. This is usually a brief section wherein you summarize and highlight abilities that are relevant to the position for which you are applying. Here too, it is relatively simple to emphasize your multitasking capabilities. Your list, for instance, might look like the following: “Proficient in Word and Excel, well-organized and detail-oriented, in possession of excellent interpersonal skills, and capable of multitasking efficiently to increase company production and sales.”
Extracurricular Activities and Interests
Some people opt to include a brief line at the end of the resume where they list outside interests, which may be somewhat peripheral but still relevant to the position at hand. This section allows a job applicant to add a more personalized touch to a resume. By listing a few activities or volunteer organizations with which you are involved outside of work, you can demonstrate not only that you are an interesting and well-rounded person, but also that you are able to juggle a wide-range of activities in your daily life, even outside of the office.
Multitasking can be emphasized in a number of different ways on a resume. It’s possible to mention this skill directly, or to simply allude to it by listing the simultaneous activities and responsibilities you successfully manage on an ongoing basis. The most effective way to highlight your multitasking skills is to include both direct and indirect reference, so there can be no mistaking that you are an organized and efficient applicant.
