Organizational Skills
Organizational Skills
Organizational Skills
Companies often search for quality employees who possess strong organizational skills which
tend to be most effective when rooted in your daily routine. You can build these skills using
practice and self-discipline. Once you develop organizational skills, you can begin using
them regularly to form a permanent habit and achieve greater success at work.
In this article, we define and provide examples of essential organizational skills. We also
discuss how to highlight and communicate your organizational skills to employers, both in
your resume and in interviews. Plus, we’ll show you how to develop and use organizational
skills to help increase your productivity in the workplace long-term.
Organizational skills are also foundational in that they often support the growth and
development of other proficiencies such as critical thinking and communication. People with
sharp organizational skills may also receive promotional opportunities, leadership roles or
higher-level responsibilities.
Physical organizational skills generally pertain to keeping a tidy workspace (physical and
virtual) and orderly work habits. For instance, if you attend a project planning meeting, you
could demonstrate organizational skills by taking clear notes during the meeting, saving them
in a designated place where you can easily refer back to them and making appropriate
updates to a corresponding project timeline. Some examples of physical organizational skills
in the workplace include:
Documentation
Documenting meetings, as described in the example above, is important. You might also
document the progress of a project, new ideas when they come to you, personal and
professional goals or your to-do list. Documenting valuable information like this, whether it
be in writing, photos or voice or video recordings can help you meet deadlines and solve
future problems.
Filing
You could primarily deal with digital files, emails or paper documents. Regardless, having
designated folders or drives where you save important information can help you move
quickly and be more proactive at work. For example, if your manager were to ask about the
status of a project you’re working on, you could quickly locate documents and timelines to
give them an accurate update.
Record keeping
Orderliness
Decluttering your physical and virtual space can often help you declutter your thoughts as
well. When you have an organized state of mind, you typically have more clarity to analyze
problems and make decisions.
Organizational skills related to reasoning and critical thinking can help you solve problems,
plan projects, collaborate better and much more. These skills are attractive to employers
because they demonstrate your dynamic qualities as an employee. Examples of organizational
skills that involve reasoning include:
Analytical
Your ability to conduct research, sort data, swiftly process findings and come to a sound
conclusion requires strong organizational skills.
Collaboration
It also takes organizational skills to work harmoniously with others on your team when you
may have to schedule and run meetings, assign or take on new responsibilities, set
expectations or track deliverables.
Planning
Another organizational skill is deciding what actually needs to be done, when it needs to be
done, then planning that process. This involves understanding deadlines and working
backward to map out prioritize each task along the way.
Delegation
You can also hone the skill of deciding who is the best person to do each task,
communicating the assignment to them and helping them track their progress. Delegation is
an important organizational skill that allows us to achieve more in less time.
Time Management Another part of organizational skills is understanding how to scope the
amount of time a certain task should take. This allows you to plan your daily schedule and
use your time efficiently. It also supports a better work-life balance.
Below are more examples of organizational skills that employers value and that could also
help you succeed at work. It can be easier to develop these skills once you start building a
strong organizational routine:
Strategy
Leading or managing teams
Conflict Management
Critical Thinking
Problem Solving
Attention To details
Show your physical organizational skills during an interview by arriving on time Dress neatly
taking notes and asking thoughtful questions
This also comes into play when you give your answers. When preparing for an interview,
organize your talking points using the STAR Technique so interviewers can understand your
answers and get an idea of how you communicate ideas.
Display your organizational skills that involve reasoning when describing what you actually
did and how you accomplished your goals. For instance, did you create or implement a new
process that helped your team exceed metrics? Did you take the lead on a project or organize
an event that increased brand awareness for your company?