Read on to learn what multitasking is, see examples and synonyms, learn if it’s possible to improve at multitasking, and how to highlight this skill on a resume. Yes, research that shows the brain improves at multitasking with training. There are as many opinions about whether multitasking can make you more efficient in the workplace as there are people. Get the job you want. The interviewer is really looking for you to back up your “yes” with proof. It's also important to know when multitasking is a bad idea. Get the job you want. In this article, we explain what multitasking skills are with examples and show how to improve your multitasking abilities. Multitasking can help you get more done in less time, and it doesn't have to leave you feeling like you are being pulled in ten different directions at once. Use our 2, 5, and 30-minute resume writing tips to quickly improve your resume. But what if multitasking isn’t in your wheelhouse? Find out more about Zety and its career experts. By working on related tasks, you can increase your concentration. When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better. There are many advantages of multitasking. For example, answering the phone in a busy reception area in between greeting patients or answering emails demonstrates multitasking skills. Manage Distractions at Work In the modern workplace, interruptions are aplenty. It’s fast and easy to use. One study found that participants given two simple tasks—selecting the appropriate input to different images and selecting the appropriate vocal response to the presentation of different sounds—became efficient at multitasking after repeated practice. Create a resume in 5 minutes. It can mean that your attention is drawn away from your main task, which has a few risks. Are employers looking for a skill that doesn’t exist? 2. I think I was able to succeed at multitasking in this environment, because I was able to stay calm even when things got busy. For instance, try applying the Eisenhower’s Principle. Multitasking is performed by cognitive processes that manage individual activities and determine how, when, and with what priorities they are performed. Find out why recruiters care so much about multitasking. Also, remember that you won’t walk into your new job knowing exactly what to do, and no employer expects you to figure everything out on your own. It’s unique in that you can think of multitasking as a mix of a soft skill and a hard skill, because experience is often needed to be able to multitask on a job. Pick the right format for your situation. See creative samples and follow our guide to make the best modern resume that will land you the job. For example, you created a social media post but delegate the editing and uploading to an assistant. One of our users, Nikos, had this to say: [I used] a nice template I found on Zety. I found keeping all my notes and tasks highly organized in our task management system fundamental to not getting overwhelmed. Example: As much as possible, I try to prioritize my tasks so that my entire attention span is focused on the most important deliverable at hand. 2. Multi-tasking is a way of life for many, while others try to avoid doing more than one thing at a time. Employees who multitask effectively must be able to rotate their concentration smoothly and entirely from one activity to another. HR professionals should remind employees about the dangers of multitasking, and work with managers to help employees become less overworked, take needed breaks away from their workstation, and improve their time management skills. Maximize your use of time with these five principles of effective multitasking. multitasking skill is regarded as one of the most sought-after skills in the workplace. How are your multitasking skills? The purpose of this case study was therefore to investigate the preparedness of Office Management and Technology students for multitasking in the workplace. These useful active listening examples will help address these questions and more. Now let’s throw a wrench into the works. What is active listening, why is it important and how can you improve this critical skill? In certain conditions, this quick switching may impact the on-hand task negatively. A flawless to-do list is one of the keys to good multitasking. Increased Efficiency Multitasking helps one to achieve different goals in less time. Being a multitasker can be a blessing and curse: Multi-tasking allows you to finish a variety of jobs faster and improves productivity, although it is important to remember that while you can work on several tasks at a time, each still needs to be done to a high quality. For example, when I was covering the reception at XYZ Corp., scanning employees into the building while juggling phone calls became a breeze after working there for three months. By planning your day-to-day activities, and accounting for unexpected tasks, you decide where you can multitask to stay on schedule. This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. I realized just how demanding of a job it was when I saw that some of our new hires couldn’t keep up with the pace. To decide which tasks are high priority and which are low priority, place your tasks into the following categories: After you have organized and prioritized your tasks, group together similar tasks. One task at a time is allowed to focus when a person is usually more efficient. Here’s a job interview tip for you. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Managing your time and ability to balance multiple tasks can help you improve your career. ", Showcasing your multitasking skills during an interview works the same way as explaining them in your resume and cover letter. This question might pop up if you put “multitasking” as a skill on your resume, so be prepared to back up your claim with proof! Even though that example involves very simple tasks, it shows that multitasking is a skill that can improve over time. At the workplace, active listening ... Multitasking skills are a particularly good skill to have at a time when businesses are cutting costs and are expecting fewer employees to handle multiple tasks. Multitasking is a skill you can put on your resume to show employers you have experience dealing switching between multiple tasks and responsibilities. List of Pros of Multitasking . Here are a few ways to highlight your multitasking skills during your job search: In your resume, you want to show your ability to multitask rather than simply stating it. However, you define the multitasking skill, you need it. The first says that everyone does it nowadays. So research suggests you’re better off giving one task at a time your undivided attention, but some jobs don’t make that easy. If you perform a task repeatedly, your brain kind of goes into auto-pilot mode, giving you the processing power to perform another task. You may think that multitasking is a desirable skill in the modern workplace but it can be very costly to organisations - find out why. 1. Multitasking as a mass phenomenon has also been favored by the speed with which technological devices have spread both in the workplace and in the private sector. Here are some example questions and answers to help you demonstrate your multitasking skills when it counts. Write a cover letter that convinces employers you’re the best. Once you create a list of tasks to complete, reorganize your list by highest priority to lowest. Do you have any questions around multitasking? Improve your CV with help from expert guides. Try our resume builder. Even if you don’t have relevant experience in multitasking, you can talk about how you would manage a demanding situation hypothetically. You also plan to run a couple of miles today. These alternatives to constant multitasking will help employees experience a healthier and less stressful work life. Read more! With extreme pressure on time and completing multiple tasks at once, a person is forced to multitask, in order to save time. I found them to be a great way for me to set my own priorities, but still keep in contact with the team to see if my priorities were on track with the team's goals at all times. Multitasking is a skill you can put on your resume to show employers you have experience dealing switching between multiple tasks and responsibilities. You can also incorporate your multitasking skills in response to other questions, like, "What is your greatest strength?". Let’s look at the top ten jobs that require multitasking according: When it comes to more common job categories, research from the University of North Texas found “Business, Management and Administration,” “Finance,” and “Human Services” to be the career clusters that require the most demanding multitasking skills. You can set professional and personal goals to improve your career. But when that’s not possible, I have found that with experience I have gotten better and better at multitasking. Here are the advantages of multitasking: Multitasking consists of many skills that you should develop to be a more productive professional. In order to multitask successfully, workers must be able to prioritize tasks and address the most critical and pressing demands first. A pilot can’t focus on each sensor one at a time. It’s unique in that you can think of multitasking as a mix of a soft skill and a hard skill, because experience is often needed to be able to multitask on a job. Avoid distractions like ringing phones and noisy colleagues to get multiple tasks done efficiently. But as we just found out, multitasking isn’t always a choice. In the modern, technology-driven workplace, employees often engage in electronic multitasking behaviors. For example, an executive assistant often takes notes during meetings as people speak. Giving specific examples in your resume introduction and work experience section is much more effective than listing multitasking in your skills section. As such, when you are on the job hunt, it’s not enough to simply state that you are a multitasker on your CV. If an interviewer asks specifically about your multitasking abilities, give them a specific example. Actionable examples included. Both of these processes take up a brief amount of time (less than a second) that overtime adds up. This can also be a great example of a strength for an interview. Great. Example: "As the administrative assistant for a doctor's office, I executed my regular daily tasks, which included scheduling appointments, filing insurance claims and performing accounting and billing, and I also trained two new employees. Delegation relates closely to scheduling and prioritization. Ways to eliminate distractions include: Regularly monitor what you accomplish during the day to ensure you're staying on schedule. Multitasking as a Skill: Myth or Must-Have for Employers, See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here, See more templates and create your resume here, great example of a strength for an interview, 15+ Best Online Resume Builders 2020 (Reviews & Features), 40 Best Resume Tips & Tricks 2020: Writing Advice & Samples, Modern Resume Template & Format (18+ Examples for 2020), Waiting on multiple tables to deliver food, accept payment, and clean tables, Keeping track of multiple dishes being cooked at the same time, Caring for multiple patients in a nursing home or medical facility, Working as a bartender in a busy location, Juggling more than one call as a customer service representative, Directing numerous planes as an air traffic controller, Watching a classroom while grading papers, Managing multiple projects simultaneously, Treating a room full of patients in an emergency room, Driving a truck while receiving updates from dispatch, Chatting with a customer while ringing up their purchases, Writing on a blackboard while teaching a class, Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers. Multitasking is when you perform two or more tasks simultaneously. Multitasking skills are important because they create an efficient work environment. A basic, but also popular question regarding multitasking. If your goal is productivity, try to avoid multitasking as it’s been shown to reduce productivity by up to 40%. Read More: How to Prioritize Tasks in the Workplace. See perfect cover letter samples that get jobs. To learn more visit our Privacy Policy. Now have a look at how multitasking skills help you and what are the negative effects of multitasking at work. Thanks for multitasking your way through this article. Good multitasking requires knowing when you have enough work and maintaining boundaries to manage your time. Delegation is when you ask others to help you complete tasks to stay on schedule. It may take longer to accomplish a task, and the task may be prone to errors. Example: In my last job as a project manager, I was tasked with overseeing multiple projects with strict deadlines. When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Rather than appointing five new people for a particular process, a multiskilled employee can do everything on his own. Find out how you can get a new job or improve the one you have. Get the job you want. Multitasking usually involves working on similar duties, so grouping them together can increase your efficiency. Freelancers, business owners, and nine-to-fivers can all relate. When juggling multiple tasks at the same time is a job requirement, you can almost guarantee multitasking interview questions to arise. Prioritization is the ability to assess your responsibilities and organize tasks in terms of importance to manage your time. Read more: Key Job Skills for Any Job (List of Examples). They both listen and write to ensure the accurate documentation of … Keep your workspace tidy so you can always find the paperwork, notes and other documents you need right away. Read original data insights to boost your reporting. This could decrease the time needed for projects and certain tasks. The STAR technique for interview questions is excellent for answering these kinds of situational questions. If you're behind schedule, you may need to focus strictly on one task instead of attempting to task switch. (And gen Z almost non-stop.). Learn how to find the right job and get it. Read more: How to Answer the Most Common Job Interview Questions. Multitasking is usually not a good idea in the workplace, but that doesn't mean you should never do it. By listing volunteer work and other activities, you show your talents in successfully balancing a variety of projects. In the workplace, usually, your basic task is to come up with something that will reduce your concentration. Multitasking skills are, generally, considered the deciding factor between leaders and followers. Related: 10 Simple Ways to Be More Productive at Work. Create a CV in 5 minutes. The second story you sometimes hear about multitasking is that it’s impossible. Prioritizing and organizing your day can help you meet deadlines, remain focused and be proactive. He recognizes the life-changing impact great career advice can have, and that's why he shares expert tips with every job seeker out there. Spell check? My resume is now one page long, not three. Learn how to make a cover letter that gets interviews. Improve your career with expert tips and strategies. Follow these steps to help you improve your multitasking skills: Create a plan of action by making a daily to-do list. 1. The exception to this rule is when the tasks are well-practiced and the two tasks don’t conflict with each other in the brain. Multitasking is the act or skill of managing more than one task at once. With the same stuff. Modern resume design for the modern day resume. Indeed is not a career or legal advisor and does not guarantee job interviews or offers. The Negative Effects of Multitasking in the Workplace Published on ... management skills – Many employees may try to over multitask in order to compensate for their lack of time management skills. Clearly, the time it takes your brain to switch between tasks adds up over time. Do prefer working in a highly structured or a highly unstructured environment? Create a cover letter in 5 minutes. Example: I got great experience multitasking when I had to work on several assignments at the same time as a marketing intern at my last company. Here is a list of words similar to multitask: Read more: The Ultimate List of Resume Action Words and Verbs. The future of work is upon us. Start building your resume here. Or, more specifically, why it’s neurologically impossible. Newsflash: Multitasking is probably productivity’s biggest enemy. Cory is a career expert with extensive experience in manufacturing and consulting. The information on this site is provided as a courtesy. Prioritizing may mean completing the most simple items first and spending the rest of your time on larger, more complicated tasks. Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Pick the right resume format for your situation. Many psychologists consider multitasking at the workplace may negatively impact the working capability. They deliver more output with minimum resources. Employees frequently need to handle multiple projects or tasks at the same time. Read more: How to Build a Resume for a Job. It pretty much comes down to your own preferences: Some people (like leadership speaker and consultant Selena Rezvani) are “fervent anti-multitaskers,” while others say successful multitasking simply depends on selecting the right combination of tasks. See perfect resume samples that get jobs. 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