time management skills description for resume

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• 7 best time management skills...

7 best time management skills on a resume (with examples)

10 min read · Updated on April 22, 2024

Show hiring managers you're the reliable professional they're seeking

Are you the sort of employee who feels in control, knowing that your deadlines will be met, your desk will be cleared at the end of the day, and your records are always up to date? Or are you the type to panic at the last minute, thriving under the pressure of getting things done but usually running late and leaving your colleagues wondering if your part of the project will ever be completed? 

Yes, we're talking about the importance of time management skills here. In this post, we'll look at why time management skills on your resume are important to employers and which are most in demand. We'll also share how to include time management skills on your own resume and provide some examples so that you can get it right. Let's dive in.

Why are time management skills important on a resume?

Employers want staff who can work efficiently and complete their tasks on time, every time. Whether you're applying for the sort of role that demands the ability to meet major project deadlines or the sort of role that requires you to stay on top of a busy workload, you need to show you're up to the job. That means showing off your time management skills on your resume, so that employers know from the start that you're a reliable employee who can keep up with the demands of the role. 

What are the best time management skills on a resume? 

If you think it's as easy as scribbling “time management” into a skills list on your resume, think again. Let's take a look at some of the most desirable examples of time management skills for your resume and examine how you can incorporate these professional skills  into your own job search document. 

1. Prioritization

Are you the kind of person who can't see the wood for the trees? If you have a to-do list as long as your arm, it's easy to get bogged down carrying out less-important tasks at the expense of the more critical ones. Rather than starting at the top of the list and working down, the employee with strong prioritization skills has the clarity to identify what needs to be done now and what can be saved for later.

2. Planning

Being able to plan ahead and schedule work is a valued and valuable skill. Rather than leaving everything to the last minute and rushing tasks in a panic, a planner breaks down tasks into manageable chunks and schedules in the time necessary to complete them to a high standard by the allocated deadline. Whether you're doing this for your personal workload or coordinating tasks across a whole team, this is a great skill to showcase on your resume. 

3. Delegation

Delegation may not seem like a time management skill, but it is! No-one can do everything. Being able to delegate to junior staff, or even to a peer with more expertise in a particular area, means that you can use your time more productively. When everyone can focus on their own contribution, things happen more efficiently and smoothly. 

4. Using technology

There is a vast amount of technology available these days to help us manage our time better. Whether you collaborate with colleagues on Slack, track the time you spend on tasks using Toggl, plan projects in Asana, or use one of the myriad other technologies available, it's worth calling out this tech on your resume. 

5. Meeting deadlines

This is one of the most critical time management skills for your resume. Employees that miss deadlines create work for their colleagues and let down customers. Whether your role depends on meeting regular deadlines, such as in project management , or you just need to submit your expense claims by a certain time each month, it's worth highlighting your ability to succeed here. 

Are you easily distracted? Or worse, does your distraction distract others from their work? If you can zoom in on your task and maintain concentration, that's a highly desirable skill. While everyone needs a break from time to time, employers are looking for someone who can maintain the focus needed to be productive. 

7. Organization

No list of time management skills would be complete without mentioning organization. Rather than trailing chaos in their wake, the organized employee brings together skills in planning, prioritization, and focus to stay in control of their workload and is recognized as a reliable member of the team. 

Where to put time management skills on your resume 

While you don't need to litter your resume with every time management skill we've listed, you'll want to prove that you're a reliable professional who stays in control by using some of the qualities we've mentioned. A scattering of these skills throughout your resume will help to build a positive image of you in the hiring manager's mind, so here's where you can use them:

In the Profile section

The profile is your elevator pitch, that should position you as a candidate of choice in the reader's eyes. That means it needs to show off your best, and most relevant, attributes for the role. If you're an experienced professional, well into your career, time management may not be one of your key selling points - you can mention it later in your resume instead. But for students and recent graduates, soft skills such as time management are likely to be the focus of their resume. In that case for you, feel free to mention one or more of the skills we've mentioned in your profile. 

In the Key Skills section 

The Key Skills (or Core Competencies) section is an obvious place to list some time management skills on your resume. It's wise to include the skills requested in the job posting in this section, so take a moment to scour the advert for keywords you can mirror. Make sure that any skills you list in this section are evidenced elsewhere on your resume. 

In your Professional Experience section 

Your work history is the ideal place to throw in your aptitude for time management, as you'll have the space and flexibility to add some detail. Remember the mantra: show, don't tell! That means proving that you have the skills you claim, by telling a story and quantifying the outcomes, rather than just saying, “Yep, I can do that.” We've got some examples of this below. 

Examples of time management skills on your resume 

Now you know which time management skills are great to include on your resume, and you know where to include them. But some examples would probably help, so that you can understand what's expected and how to include these skills naturally in your Professional Experience section. We aim to please! We've pulled together some time management skills examples for your resume, that you can adapt and use as inspiration. 

Examples of time management skills for students

Consistently handed in assignments ahead of deadlines, while balancing the competing demands of studies and a part-time job

Maintained a 100% record of punctuality and attendance

Examples of time management skills for a Project Manager resume

Took over a stalled project and achieved delivery by the original deadline, having re-planned timelines and re-energised the project team

Delivered a complex app development project 2 weeks ahead of schedule by delegating tasks fairly across the team and resolving problems collaboratively 

Examples of time management skills for an Administrator resume 

Developed a logical new filing system that enabled faster retrieval of client documents

Completed monthly reporting on time and with zero errors, due to a natural aptitude for focus and attention to detail 

Examples of time management tasks for an Event Manager resume

Prioritized tasks and set deadlines with suppliers to organize a successful team building event for 100+ delegates 

Built a delivery schedule for a major conference and monitored progress, with positive feedback received from senior executives and speakers

Examples of time management skills for a Content Writer resume

Collaborated with a remote team via Slack to ensure that all required content was produced in line with the monthly schedule

Consistently achieved handover deadlines by taking an organized approach and planning a demanding personal workload 

Examples of time management skills for a Warehouse Manager resume

Improved average despatch time by 35% by creating a more efficient floor layout 

Motivated staff to achieve KPI targets by providing one-to-one training on time management

Examples of time management skills for a Retail Assistant resume

Completed stock takes within the agreed timeframes by taking an organized and logical approach

Increased sales and revenue by prioritizing replenishment of high-margin, fast-selling products

How to explain time management skills in an interview

When it comes to an interview, the same mantra of “show, don't tell” applies. Use the STAR technique to tell the interviewer about a time when you used your time management skills to achieve a positive outcome for the team or the business. Remember the 7 examples of time management we've listed above to identify a particular scenario to discuss. You can find out more about the STAR technique in this post: How to use the STAR approach in a job interview .

How to improve your time management skills 

If you struggle with your time management, it's not the end of the world. There are things you can do to improve this vital soft skill so that you can showcase it proudly on your resume. 

Swallow the frog

This may be a revolting expression, but it boils down to tackling the most unpleasant task first. Once you've done that, you have the rest of the day to work productively on much easier tasks, without the prospect of a difficult or challenging issue hanging over your head to face later. 

Schedule 

One of the most helpful things you can do for your time management is to set a schedule – and stick to it. By prioritizing what needs to be done each day, allocating a reasonable amount of time to it, and checking back in regularly, you'll find yourself flying through your to-do list faster than ever.

Embrace technology 

There's a plethora of apps out there designed to help with time management, it's just a case of finding the one that works for you. A bit of time spent on research now could save you hours in the future. 

Take a break

It may seem counterintuitive, but stopping work can actually make you more productive. Scheduling regular short breaks means that you'll return to the task refreshed and with a clearer mind, meaning you'll finish the work sooner and to a higher standard than if you'd just plowed on through. 

Don't write a to-do list 

Rather than writing a to-do list, write a priority list instead. It will be shorter and more manageable, and crossing items off your priority list will leave you with a sense of accomplishment that will power you through some odd tasks on your nice-to-do-but-not-a-priority list. 

Save time when writing your resume

As we mentioned, delegation is a great time management skill for your resume. Did you know that you can delegate that task too? TopResume has a team of expert writers available to make sure you're putting your best foot forward when you start your job search. 

If you've been organized enough to complete the task yourself, why not send your resume for a free review to make sure you've ticked all the boxes? 

Recommended reading: 

• 10 Ways to Build Awesome Time Management Skills
• The 10 Secrets of Effective Team Management
• 11 Best Administrative Skills for Your Resume (With Examples)

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

• Get Unlimited Access

• See All Courses >
• SUCCESS STORIES

• GET YOUR FREE LINKEDIN HEADLINE SCORE >>

• GET YOUR FREE RESUME SCORE >>

• GENERATE YOUR JOB-WINNING COVER LETTER >>

• FIND ANY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS >>

• ResyMatch.io Scan and score your resume vs. any target job.
• ResyBuild.io Build a job-winning resume using proven templates and advice.
• CoverBuild.io Have AI generate a personalized, job-winning cover letter in
• HeadlineAnalyzer.io Transform your LinkedIn headline into a job-generating machine.
• ResyBullet.io Scan, score, and upgrade your resume bullets.
• Mailscoop.io Find anyone’s professional email address in seconds.
• The Job Search Email Playbook Our 100+ page guide to writing job-winning emails.
• Value Validation Project Starter Kit Everything you need to create a job-winning VVP.
• No Experience, No Problem Learn how to change careers with no experience.
• The Interview Preparation System A proven system for job-winning interview prep.
• The LinkedIn Launch Formula A proven system for six-figure success on LinkedIn.
• See All Blog Posts Check out all of our job search articles & posts.
• HeadlineAnalyzer.io Scan your LinkedIn Headline and turn it into a job-generating machine.
• LinkedIn Profile Optimization Our comprehensive guide to optimizing your LinkedIn profile.
• LinkedIn Headlines Learn how to write a crazy-effective LinkedIn headline.
• LinkedIn Profile Picture Learn how to create a job-winning LinkedIn profile picture.
• LinkedIn About Section Write a job-winning About section (with examples!)
• LinkedIn Cover Photos Learn how to create a job-winning LinkedIn cover photo.
• GET YOUR FREE LINKEDIN HEADLINE SCORE >>
• ResyMatch.io Scan your resume and turn it into a job-generating machine.
• ResyBuild.io Build a beautiful, job-winning resume using recruiter-approved templates.
• Resume Examples Check out example resumes for a range of job titles and industries.
• How To Write A Resume Learn how to write a resume that actually wins job offers.
• Resume Summaries Our guide on writing a job-winning resume summary.
• Resume Tips & Action Words 175+ tips & examples to supercharge your resume.
• GET YOUR FREE RESUME SCORE >>
• CoverBuild.io Use our tool to generate a personalized, job-winning cover letter in
• Cover Letter Examples Check out example cover letters for a range of job titles and industries.
• How To Write A Cover Letter Learn how to write a cover letter that actually wins job offers.
• Cover Letter Templates Check out our proven, job-winning cover letter templates.
• Addressing A Cover Letter Learn how to start a cover letter the right way.
• GENERATE YOUR JOB-WINNING COVER LETTER >>
• Mailscoop.io A tool to help you find anyone’s professional email in seconds.
• How To Get A Job Without Applying Online Our flagship guide for effective job searching in today’s market.
• How To Network Our comprehensive guide on learning how to network.
• Tips For Better Networking Emails 6 tips for writing networking emails that actually get results.
• What To Ask In An Informational Interview 10 great questions to ask during a networking conversation.
• FIND ANY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS >>
• How To Prepare For Interviews Our proven preparation framework for turning more interviews into offers.
• How To Create A Job-Winning Interview Presentation Learn our “silver bullet” Value Validation Project presentation strategy.
• Interview Questions & Answer Examples Job-winning example answers for common interview questions.
• What To Wear To An Interview A simple guide to dressing for the job you want.
• How To Write A Job-Winning Thank You Note Learn how to write a post-interview thank you that wins job offers.

7+ Time Management Skills To Add To Your Resume

• LinkedIn 27
• Pinterest 1

“It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

– Steve Jobs

It’s hard to argue with the legendary Steve Jobs’ claim above.

Every activity, from the most mundane task to the grandest undertaking, requires a certain amount of time to perform. But in today’s fast-paced society, time has become a resource that many feel they are in short supply of — especially at work.

With frequent meeting schedules, heavy workloads, and countless emails coming in, it’s easy to fall behind or off track. That’s where time management skills come into play — and they can have a powerful effect on your professional life.

In this article, we’ll cover why (and how) you should be incorporating time management skills into your career or your job search.

• If you want, you can jump right into the sections of your interest: The Importance Of Time Management Examples Of Time Management Skills Highlighting Time Management Skills On Your Resume How To Describe Time Management Skills During An Interview How To Improve Your Time Management Skills To Succeed At Work Productivity & Resume Tips Continued Let’s not waste another second!

The Importance Of Time Management

In the age of multitasking, time management has become an essential skill set to stay organized, efficient, productive, and effective.

When it comes to our careers, time is a precious commodity that should be managed in the most effective way possible. This means setting priorities, organizing our time, and focusing on the most important tasks at hand.

Several benefits come with honing your time management skills, both in your professional and personal life.

Here are some of the immediate, concrete benefits that can be reaped with savvy time management:

☑️ You’ll Be More Focused

When you manage your time well, you’ll always know which task/project to direct your attention toward at any given moment. Your mind won’t be scattered by all the other things on your to-do list.

☑️ You’ll Work More Efficiently

With the increased focus/clarity described above, you’ll be able to power through action items without getting distracted. Time management can help you get more done in less time, freeing up your schedule for other tasks or leisure activities. Who doesn't want to be more productive?!!

☑️ You’ll Stay Organized And On Track

One of the greatest benefits of time management is that it can help you stay organized and on track. When you’re properly organized, you’re able to keep appointments, hit deadlines, and maintain tight turnaround times. Successful time management involves proactive planning and systematic scheduling. This is important in both your professional and personal life.

☑️ You’ll Feel Less Stressed

When you’re juggling many things at once, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Honing your time management skills will help bring structure to the chaos, which in turn can help put your mind at ease. By keeping your workflow organized and avoiding procrastination, you can minimize the amount of stress in your life. Time management skills can help you proactively avoid stressful situations (or mitigate their effects). When you have a plan and you’re organized, it can help reduce stress and anxiety.

☑️ Your Work/Life Balance Will Improve

By learning to better manage your time, you can achieve a better work/life balance and avoid burnout. To make the most of our time, we need to be good at managing it. Time management skills can help us be more focused, work more efficiently, stay organized and on track, feel less stressed, and ultimately a better balance between your career and home life.

☑️ You'll Have A Greater Sense Of Control

When you’re in control of your time, you have a greater sense of control over your life. This can lead to increased confidence and a better overall outlook. Time management skills give you the power to take control of your life and shape it the way you want.

In short, time management skills are essential for anyone who wants to be successful in their career. And

Now that we’ve explored the benefits, let’s take a look at some specific skills that fall under the umbrella of “time management.”

Examples Of Time Management Skills

Time management is not a singular activity. Rather, it’s a collection of habits and processes that fit together as a cohesive whole.

These are the 7 most important time management skills to master:

1. Prioritization

In order to allocate your time appropriately, you need to assess the relative importance of each action item on your list. Doing so will help you establish a ‘task hierarchy,’ which can then guide your activity scheduling.

2. Decision-Making

Sometimes, it’s very clear which of your tasks are high-priority and need to take precedence. But often, your action items may appear to carry similar levels of importance. In such cases, you’ll need to be decisive — otherwise, you’ll lose time deliberating.

3. Scheduling

A clearly-defined schedule is the cornerstone of successful time management. Fortunately, technology has equipped us with a wide array of apps and software to aid our scheduling and appointment setting efforts.

4. Problem-Solving

If you’re a busy person, you’ve definitely encountered this problem before: schedule conflicts. Overlapping tasks and appointments can pose a significant challenge — and you’ll need to combine prioritization, decision-making, and strategic thinking to resolve the issue.

5. Organization

Keeping things organized helps you streamline almost every activity. This goes beyond keeping a tidy desk, though. It also means organizing your digital files and folders, documenting processes and procedures, and maintaining an up-to-date calendar.

6. Goal Setting

Setting goals helps you find purpose in your work. And I don’t mean grand, bigger-than-life purposes (although, if you do find your work fulfills a purpose like such, awesome!), but tangible milestones that will help you reach a certain result.

For example, it’s one thing to be a Social Media Manager that shows up every day. It’s another thing to be a Social Media Manager aiming to grow their Instagram follower base to 50K in 6 months. Setting a goal means you’ll have to set an actionable plan to get there. And actionable plans consist of everyday to-do lists. And to-do lists make your work easier and more productive.

7. Communication

Nothing can be more time-consuming than going back and forth with a piece of information – sometimes even risking having to re-do work, which is super counterproductive! Clear and effective communication is a crucial time management skill. This includes not only thoroughness but also using the right channels and tools. For example, using project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Notion can help teams communicate effectively and save time.

So far, we’ve covered what time management entails and why it’s important. Now, let’s review how you should communicate this valuable skill on your resume…

Highlighting Time Management Skills On Your Resume

As you’ve probably gathered from above, time management is a crucial soft skill in the workplace — and employers recognize this.

So, if having time management skills is one of your strengths, you should certainly strive to showcase that on your resume.

Here’s a general rule of thumb to help guide you: when it comes to writing your resume , it’s always better to show not tell.

In other words, you should aim to describe real-world examples of scenarios in which you applied your skills and strengths.

To illustrate this, let’s consider the two hypothetical resume examples below:

Time Management Example  #1 (Weak) -Excellent time management. -Highly organized with strict adherence to deadlines. -Proficient multitasker, working well under pressure.

Time Management Example #2 (Strong) -Developed an improved workflow which cut turnaround times by 20%. -Kept team on-schedule through 3 high-priority product launches, successfully completing all deliverables before the target deadlines.

Notice how the second example references specific, concrete accomplishments (as opposed to the generic self-promotion in the first example) through measurable results.

To help you take it up a notch, I’ve created ResyBullet.io , a free resume bullet analyzer that helps you write crazy-effective resume bullets that grab recruiters' attention.

Simply copy and paste your resume bullet below to begin your analysis and ResyBullet will not only scan and score it but show you exactly how you can improve it:

Free Resume Bullet Analyzer

Learn to write crazy effective resume bullets that grab attention, illustrate value, and actually get results., copy and paste your resume bullet to begin analysis:.

If you are struggling to find measurable results to add to your resume, check out our article “ Resume Metrics: 5 Wayts To Add Measurable Results In Your Resume (With Examples!) “

This concept of ‘Show Not Tell’ is not limited to your resume — it’s also applicable to job interviews, which leads us to our next section…

How To Describe Time Management Skills During An Interview

Continuing on the notion above, an interview is a great opportunity to dig in and get even more specific than a one-page resume allows.

Following the ‘Show Not Tell’ principle, you should be utilizing the interview to bring up stories from your work history that clearly demonstrate your strengths (e.g. time management skills).

For example, if there was a critical moment when you exhibited time management skills in your last role, you can use that story as tangible proof of your abilities.

Often, interviewers will ask situational questions (i.e. “tell me about a time when…”), which is a perfect opportunity to dive into a compelling story.

The key to nailing your interview responses is preparation. If you’re preparing for an interview, be sure to review The 7 Core Interview Questions.

How To Improve Your Time Management Skills To Succeed At Work

In this article, we've emphasized the importance of time management skills and how you should be highlighting those skills on your resume (and in interviews).

But what if you feel that you're lacking in the ‘time management department'? Don’t worry — like any skill, prudent time management can be developed with diligence and effort.

Here are 4 proactive tips to help you improve your time management skills:

Tip #1. Identify the times of day you feel most productive. Maybe you’re an early bird, maybe you’re a night owl — or maybe you get a burst of energy around noon. Try to build your schedule so that your most difficult tasks align with the times you tend to feel most alert.

Tip #2. When you create a schedule or deadline, commit to it. Being flexible is often a good thing. But, when it comes to time management, some rigidity is necessary. If you’re constantly rearranging your schedule or shifting deadlines, this will undermine the effectiveness of the whole process.

Tip #3. Know your most common distractions (and avoid them). We all get distracted — it’s part of being human. But we often have certain ‘lures’ that are particularly enticing . Do you check Instagram every 20 minutes? Use an app blocker when working on an important task. Love to snack? Set a timer and forbid yourself from eating until the time is up. Removing little distractions like this will save tons of time while keeping you focused.

Tip #4: Use the Pomodoro Technique to accomplish tasks on your to-do list. This tried-and-true method, originally pioneered by Francesco Cirillo, has been adopted by individuals around the globe to increase their productivity and improve their time management skills. See below for details on how to use the Pomodoro Technique.

How To Use The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique can be applied in any situation that requires mental focus and a task to be completed. All you need is a timer and some self-discipline! Here’s how it’s done:

• Designate a task you want to complete.
• Set a timer to 25 minutes.
• Wholeheartedly commit to focusing on that task (with zero distractions or interruptions) for the 25-minute period.
• When the timer runs out, take a quick break and jot down a check-mark on a piece of paper.
• For the first three check-marks, allow yourself a 3-5 minute break.
• For every fourth check-mark, allow yourself a 15-30 minute break.
• Repeat until the task is finished!

Pomodoro Variations To Consider

The standard version of the Pomodoro Technique calls for 25-minute work intervals. For the average human attention span, this is a relatively ideal ratio of concentration-to-break time. However, it’s not a rigid rule — and you may find one of the following variations more suitable:

• 60 or 90-Minute Intervals. If you have a naturally strong attention span, you may be comfortable working longer than 25 minutes without a break. If so, that’s great! Try 60-minute intervals to start and 90 minutes if you’re a concentration champ!
• Flow-State Intervals. To determine a custom interval that fits you best, track the amount of time you focus on a task when you feel ‘in-the-zone.’ Then, use that timeframe as your Pomodoro Interval. To adjust the breaks accordingly, apply a 1-5 ratio for short breaks and 1-1 for long breaks.

Productivity & Resume Tips Continued

For busy professionals, optimal time management is no small feat. But, by utilizing the tips above, you'll be better-positioned for more efficient, productive workdays — which will ultimately facilitate greater success in both the short-term and the long-term!

Continuing on that note, for more productivity tips, be sure to check my articles on How To Stay Motivated At Work And Improve Productivity and How To Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan That Will Keep You Motived!

And, lastly, for more resume insights, don’t miss my complete guide on How To Write A Job-Winning Resume and What We Learned From Analyzing 125,000+ Resumes !

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow me on Medium
• Follow me on Instagram

Austin Belcak

Austin is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people land jobs without connections, without traditional experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, & Fast Company and has helped people just like you land jobs at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, & more.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Most Popular Posts

YOU’VE SEEN AUSTIN IN

WHAT CAN I HELP WITH?

Welcome Back To Cultivated Culture!

Log into your Cultivated Culture account using one of the options below:

You have exceeded the maximum number of phone messages in a 24 hour period. We limit the number of times you can request security codes in order to protect your security. Please try again later or /contact">contact us for assistance with accessing your account.

Forgot your password? Click here to reset.

Need a free acount? Click Here To Sign Up

By logging in, you agree to Cultivated Culture's Terms of Use , Privacy Policy , and agree to receive email updates.

One Free Account, Four Job-Winning Tools

Sign up for a free Cultivated Culture account and get access to all of our job search tools:

Your Bullet Score is:

Sign up for a free Cultivated Culture account to get the full breakdown of your bullet along with suggestions for improving it:

Sign Up To Save & Export Your Resume

Sign up to create, save, and export your resume and get access to our suite of job search tools!

Sign Up To Get More Free Email Searches

Create a free account to unlock more email searches and get access to all four of our job-winning tools:

Your Headline Score is:

Sign up for a free Cultivated Culture account to get the full breakdown of your headline along with suggestions for improving it:

Already have an acount? Click Here To Log In

We Just Need You To Verify Your Email.

We just emailed you a 6-digit code. Please check your email and enter it below.

Note: Your progress will not be saved until your email is verified. Closing this pop up or window might cause you to lose your progress.

Invalid Code

Choose one of the options below to get the verification code we sent you!

Welcome to the Cultivated Culture family! You can view your results now by clicking the blue button below.

We'll need you to verify your email address before you're able to unlock free scans.

Welcome to the Cultivated Culture family! You can save or export your resume right now by clicking the blue button below.

We'll need you to verify your email address before you're able to unlock free templates, saves, and exports.

Welcome to the Cultivated Culture family! You can view the results of your email look up now by clicking the blue button below.

We'll need you to verify your email address before you're able to unlock free email searches.

We sent a verification code to your email, all you have to do is paste that code here and submit to get full access!

Looks Like You Still Need To Verify Your Email Address!

Whoops! Looks like you still haven't verified your email address. We'll need you to do that before granting free, unlimited access to our tools.

If you can't find the original verification email, click the link below and we'll send a new one:

Sent! Please check your email.

Oops you've hit your credit limit..

Looks like you've used all 10 of your free credits for the month. Your credit limit will refresh in days. You can learn more about your credit limit here.

Want to stop worrying about credits?

Sign up for our Unlimited plan to get instance unlimited access to all of our jon search tools for one low price. Click below to learn more:

Go Unlimited!

Change plan.

Upgrade to get unlimited access to our full suite of tools to help you craft personalized job application materials in 15 minutes (or less!).

Go Unlimited (& Save 10%)!

Upgrade to get unlimited access to our full suite of tools to help you craft personalized job application materials in 15 minutes (or less!), and 10% off our regular pricing thanks to your friend :

Discount Unlocked!

Get 22% off any Unlimited Plan when you upgrade in the next 24 hours!

Your Unlimited plan comes with...

Unlimited access to 6 of our job search tools

Unlimited AI optimizations and generations

200 Mailscoop searches per week

No obligations - cancel any time

By clicking "Upgrade My Plan," you agree to Cultivated Culture's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

By clicking "Change Plan," you agree to Cultivated Culture's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Confirm Your Plan Change

Here is a summary of your plan change:

Current Plan:

Please note the following for plan changes:

Your new plan and rebill date will be effective immediately

The number above depict retail plan pricing, any adjustments or credits will be available in the Invoices section of your Billing tab

If you're moving to a lower cost plan, the difference will be credited to your account and applied towards your next payment

By clicking "Confirm Plan Change," you agree to Cultivated Culture's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Unlimited Plan Upgrade

Change payment method.

Promo code has been applied to your purchase!

Note: This is a weekly subscription, your card will be automatically charged every week until you cancel your plan.

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

(C) 2024 Cultivated Culture

Note: You will not be charged for updating your credit card using this form. After your new card is added, you will be billed on the date of your next billing cycle.

Upgrade Complete!

You are officially a

Unlimited Member

Invoice Details

Paid Today:

Start Date:

Subscription:

Next Bill Date (Est.):

Note: This receipt and future invoices will be available in the Billing Tab of your Account Dashboard .

Do You Want To Secure Your Account?

Increase your account security with one of our multi-factor authentication options:

Choose An Authentication Method

Awesome! Let's make your account more secure.

Choose your preferred authentication method:

Text Message Authentication

Enter the phone number that you want to use to set up text-based authentication for your account:

*Must enter full phone number including country code

Text Message Verification Code Sent!

Please check your phone for verification code and enter below:

Email Verification Code Sent!

Please check your email for verification code and enter below:

No problem, we'll skip this for now. Do you want us to remind you to secure your account?

It's great to have you. We just have a few questions so we can personalize your experience with our tools:

• I haven't applied to any jobs yet and I am not sure where to start
• I know what types of jobs I am looking for and I have started applying or I plan to start soon
• I have been applying to jobs for 3 months or longer, but haven't gotten the results I'd hoped for
• Get a job in the same industry I currently work in
• Switch careers and get a job in a new industry
• Get promoted at my current company
• Improve my resume
• Improve my cover letter
• Enhance my LinkedIn presence
• Find jobs that I am compatible with

Join Our Free , Live Job Search Strategy Sessions!

Congrats! You officially have access to an ecosystem of job search tools that's going to help you accelerate your job search!

The next step? Grab a seat for one of our free , live job search strategy sessions!

Our team hosts these every week with the goal of covering the top 3 strategies we're seeing help our clients score:

💰 Average Raise: $43,000+

⏱️ Avg. Time To Offer: 3.5 Months

✅ Complete Career Clarity

They're totally free, grab a seat here:

Press Enter to search

Excellent Time Management Skills? Here’s How To Put Them on a Resume

Find out how to say you have good time management on a resume in a practical way that’s sure to impress hiring managers.

3 years ago   •   5 min read

“Time is money.”

When it comes to business, that old saying still rings true. That’s why time management is such an important — and marketable — skill to include on your resume.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should come right out and say it. Soft skills won’t help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and buzzwords alone are unlikely to impress a hiring manager. Instead, you need to prove it — and this guide will show you how.

How to say you have good time management on a resume

First, here’s a quick step by step guide:

• Read the job posting to find out what time management skills are essential to the role.
• Think about how you’ve demonstrated time management skills in the past — these are the accomplishments you’ll focus on.
• Aim to match each bullet point on your resume to a key skill or responsibility listed in the job description .
• Start each bullet point with a strong action verb .
• Use metrics to quantify your accomplishments  (see below for an example).
• Upload your resume and job description to our free Targeted Resume tool to instantly check if your resume contains all the right skills and keywords.

Here’s an example of what your bullet points should look like once you’re done:

How to highlight time management on your resume

In your work experience.

The best place for soft skills on your resume is in your work experience section . Choosing accomplishments that highlight your time management skills is key to showing how you’ve used those skills in a professional setting and underlining what benefits they could bring to the company.

Find out if your resume shows time management skills

When it comes to listing time management skills in your resume, just like any other soft skill, you can’t just say you have excellent time management skills, you need to show how you’ve used these skills in your previous roles. I’d recommend uploading your resume to the tool below — it’ll scan it and tell you if you’ve chosen the right accomplishments that highlight your excellent time management skills and other soft skills such as communication and problem-solving skills.

In your skills section

While the phrase “time management” doesn’t belong on your resume, you can list related hard skills in your skills section . Choose skills like scheduling, project management, and organizational software that relate to time management.

If you’re not sure what skills to add to your skills section, use the tool below to search for the job you’re applying to and it’ll give you a list of skills relevant to the job as well as hard skills relating to time management.

Through your actions

Your resume and cover letter aren’t the only things recruiters consider when making hiring decisions. There’s no point in claiming to have excellent time management skills on your resume if you don’t respond to emails, forget about a scheduled phone screen, or show up late for an interview — so make sure your actions speak louder than words.

Essential time management skills for resumes

The best place to look for key time management skills is in the job description itself, but here’s a short list of useful skills to get you started:

• Organization skills
• Multitasking
• Prioritization
• Punctuality
• Setting goals
• Strategic planning
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Project management
• Record keeping
• Attention to detail
• Maintaining focus

Remember that, like “time management,” these are all buzzwords that, on their own, don’t add much value to a resume . The solution? Use synonyms for these common time management phrases. Let's dive into them.

Time management phrases to use on a resume

Stuck trying to think of the perfect action verb to start your bullet points? Having trouble thinking of other ways to say you’re good at time management? Try these more impressive synonyms:

• Ahead of schedule
• Accelerated
• Met all deadlines
• Within [x] days or weeks
• Increased efficiency
• Designed a new system
• Saved [x] hours of labor
• Completed [project] on time and within budget
• Streamlined
• Cut lead times

Let's look at how some of these action verbs are used in action!

Examples of time management on a resume

Ready to get started? Here are some examples of resume-ready bullet points that highlight time management skills.

• Supported Senior Vice President, managers and supervisors meeting deadlines, managed customer visits, and organized employee recognition events which improved administrative efficiency by 15%.
• Designed and implemented a process to streamline employee timesheets using Google Forms, eliminating the need for manual handwritten timesheets and resulted in a 10 hour per week time saving.
• Created knowledge base of 80 internal resources, improving employee onboarding and reducing time spent per project on administrative tasks by 40%.
• Streamlined assembly line process, leading to a 60% increase in worker efficiency.
• Implemented GoToMeeting and DocuSign to be more strategic, saving up to 20 hours of work per month.
• Managed 10 Key and Direct Buy Accounts as well as 24 other independent accounts totaling over $7 million in sales yearly.
• Processed all accounts payable and receivable invoices and ensured 100% of approved invoices were paid in full and on time while maximizing cash flow.
• Directed and coordinated administrative services to include office, clerical , and support services, mail distribution, telecommunications to 100+ employees.
• Maintained attendance and scheduled vacation days for 40 salaried employees using Excel.
• Streamlined the process of checking calculations and business transactions for accuracy saving 15+ hours per week and reducing error rate by 25%.
• Responsible for the coordination of all travel-related issues for a 300+ member crew. Maintained a $1M travel budget.
• Created invoices and automated collection reminders for those invoices resulting in a 20% decrease in overdue invoice volume.
• Reduced the manual work required for month-end close by 10 hours through process improvement.
• Managed and coached SCRUM team using Agile Methodology of 2 weeks spring cycles to deliver software on time and within budget.
• Increased productivity by 20% through becoming a subject matter expert of a new automated tracking tool and sharing it with the team.

For more personalized suggestions, why not use our free resume checker ? Get an instant score based on key criteria hiring managers are looking for and actionable steps to improve your resume.

Spread the word

How to write an executive summary, the complete guide to listing remote work on a resume, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.

🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.

Please enter a valid email address

Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

Resume Templates

Resume samples

Create and edit your resume online

Generate compelling resumes with our AI resume builder and secure employment quickly.

Write a cover letter

Take a look at our cover letter guides and examples, to help you write a cover letter that complement your resume and enhace your applications.

Cover Letter Examples

Cover Letter Samples

Create and edit your cover letter

Use our user-friendly tool to create the perfect cover letter.

Featured articles

• How to Write a Motivation Letter With Examples
• How to Write a Resume in 2024 That Gets Results
• Teamwork Skills on Your Resume: List and Examples
• What Are the Best Colors for Your Resume?

Latests articles

• Flexible and Rewarding Jobs for Moms: 2025’s Top Picks
• Mastering LinkedIn Skills – Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices
• How To Survive Background Checks by Employers
• Best Online Jobs for Teens in 2025

Dive Into Expert Guides to Enhance your Resume

How to Add Time Management Skills to Your Resume – With Examples

In today’s fast-paced work environments, you are expected to wear multiple hats and juggle a variety of priorities. In fact, the ability to manage time effectively can make or break your success. 

Time management has become an in-demand transferable skill . The ability to stay organized and consistently meet deadlines makes you stand out as a reliable and efficient professional from entry-level positions to the C-suite.

But how do you demonstrate time management skills on a resume in a way that’s compelling and impactful? Below, we will examine the following points: 

• What time management skills are
• How you can develop these skills,
• How to strategically highlight time management skills on your resume 

We will also share an example of a resume that demonstrates time management skills effectively.

Let’s begin!

Resume Time Management Skills – What Are They?

Time management skills have been defined as “the ability to use one’s time effectively or productively, especially at work.” Put another way, these skills are “the process of organizing and planning your activities (time) in a way that maximizes performance, efficiency, and productivity.”

Good time management skills are demonstrated by the results they produce and the impact on others .

For example, if you can manage your time well, you will be able to meet deadlines, stay organized, prioritize tasks, and get your work done on time and with less stress. This will remain true even if your schedule or workload abruptly changes.

💡Top Insight

Joseph Ferrari, a prominent professor of psychology, suggests that 20% of adults in the United States are habitual procrastinators .

Interestingly, time management is important in one’s personal life as well. In order to maintain a healthy work/life balance, an employee should be able to finish workplace tasks without excessive overtime or “taking work home” so that work does not encroach on personal time.

This also helps keep stress to a minimum. On the flip side of this, time must be well managed in one’s personal life so that necessary tasks can be completed while not at work. Time management also plays a role in getting adequate sleep.

Are you wondering how to list time management skills on a resume? Keep reading to discover our best tips.

How To Develop Time Management Skills

Before you highlight this skill when writing your resume , you need to make sure that it’s a skill you possess.  If you’re ready to begin strengthening your time management skills, try a few of the following exercises:

• Keep a calendar of important events and deadlines.
• Get plenty of sleep , striving to go to bed and wake at the same time each day.
• Prioritize your tasks based on your immediate, short-term, and long-term goals. These tasks can be prioritized for the day, week, and month. Concentrate on getting the most important tasks done first.

 If you have trouble prioritizing, have your supervisor or a trusted colleague provide input on current priorities and goals.

• Make it a habit to be punctual and meet all deadlines. This habit will help build a positive reputation in and outside of the workplace. 
• Identify and eliminate time wasters . You can do this in both your work life and personal life.

💡 Our expert’s advice

Conduct a time audit! Spend a week journaling your daily activities to get a better idea of where you are spending most of your time.

• Try the Pomodoro technique – set a timer for 25 minutes, and don’t allow yourself to be distracted from your task. Then, take a 5-minute break. Repeat.
• Evaluate your schedule to determine whether it is realistic. If you find you are trying to cram too much into a period of time, make adjustments.

How To Describe Time Management Skills on a Resume

There are a variety of ways to present your time management skills on your resume.

In your skills, summary, and experience section , you can list traits that demonstrate your ability to manage your time effectively at work.

To take your resume up a notch (and make a strong impression), you want to demonstrate how you’ve used time management in your career. 

In fact, the best approach is to use quantifiable achievements and specific examples to demonstrate how you’ve managed time efficiently in the past.

We’ll show you how to include these, but remember  that our  AI resume builder  can also provide you with personalized suggestions when you create yours.

1. Time management skills resume phrases

How you describe your time management skills will depend on your line of work and the duties involved. For example, if you are a manager, time management might involve scheduling others – actually creating their work schedules.

Other jobs may not include this task, but you may have to meet your own deadlines, delegate tasks, manage projects , etc.

Below, we’ll consider some keywords and phrases that can indicate you know how to manage your time well – without ever using the phrase “time management.”

2. Scheduling

Scheduling is the foundation of time management. It’s about organizing tasks, people, and resources to meet deadlines and goals. 

This skill is indispensable whether you have a number of daily tasks to perform or long-term projects to complete.  

You may find it helpful to make lists of necessary tasks, putting the most important or most urgent at the top . You might decide to delegate certain tasks to others. Find what style works best for you and work on refining and improving it over time. 

As mentioned earlier, scheduling can also involve managing others’ time . This is especially the case if you are a manager or supervisor charged with creating rotating weekly schedules for employees. 

You must be a good communicator, listener, and delegator striving to understand the unique needs and situations of each employee. You must juggle employee considerations and the demands of the project or workload.

Use the following keywords related to scheduling :

• Remained on schedule
• Created weekly employee schedules
• Prioritized tasks
• Managing appointments
• Record keeping

For example:

• Designed and maintained weekly project schedules ensuring all milestones were met ahead of deadlines. 
• Created efficient employee schedules, reducing staffing conflicts and improved operational efficiency 30%. 
• Prioritized and delegated tasks to ensure timely completion of high-priority initiatives.

When possible, include metrics in your achievements for a bigger impact!

3. Setting goals

Whether they are personal goals like receiving a raise or a promotion, or task-oriented goals like finishing your report on time, achieving goals requires good time management. After all, time must be set aside for the steps needed to reach any given goal.

Goals also aid you in finding a sense of direction . When you work toward a goal, you are less likely to be distracted by less important tasks.

So, if you want to demonstrate your time management by setting goals , you might include the following phrases on your resume:

• Goal-oriented
• Setting and achieving goals
• Meeting deadlines
• Long-term project

For instance:

• Set and surpassed quarterly sales goals by 20%.
• Established project goals and timelines to ensure completion of all deliverables to 10+ clients. 
• Improved project completion rates 30% by implementing a task-tracking system.

4. Prioritizing tasks

Prioritization is key when time is limited. Why? You may not have time to complete every task on your to-do list. 

By focusing on what’s most important, you can work more efficiently and produce high-quality results. 

Related to this is the ability to break down tasks into their constituent parts . This will allow you to allocate your time more effectively – you will be able to do each task in the order needed rather than wasting time.

Breaking down tasks into smaller parts also helps you to determine how much time each task will take.

You can use the following terms to demonstrate these skills on your resume:

• Analyzed priorities
• Prioritized/prioritizing
• Delegated assignments
• Order of completion
• Objective hierarchy
• Time-sensitive
• Decision-making
• Break down tasks
• Reduced project turnaround 20% by analyzing and prioritizing tasks based on business needs. 
• Improved team productivity 25% by implementing internal prioritization system.

5. Meeting deadlines

Deadlines are a crucial aspect of good time management. Your ability to meet them consistently demonstrates excellent time management skills, even under pressure.

Accountability is an important quality related to meeting your deadlines. If you are good at scheduling but don’t hold yourself (or your employees) to that deadline, your time management plan falls apart.

When we discussed prioritization, we mentioned breaking tasks down into smaller parts. This plays a role in meeting deadlines as well. You can set “mini-deadlines” commonly called benchmarks .

These benchmarks note that certain parts of a larger project have been completed. You can use the following terms to describe these skills :

• Setting deadlines
• Coming in under deadline
• Increased client satisfaction rate to 98% by consistently delivering projects on or ahead of deadlines. 
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously.
• Awarded Premier Agent of the Year award for holding long-standing record for zero missed deadlines.

6. Delegation

There is a maxim that says “no man is an island.” This is true of time management – in most business situations, you cannot complete all the necessary tasks on your own. You need to delegate or assign some tasks to other competent workers .

Good delegation involves several parts. First, you must know your employees or coworkers well enough to understand who has the skills needed to complete the task. This requires good communication and interpersonal skills.

Next, you must be able to communicate the details of the task , including the deadlines, to the individual.

Another aspect of delegation is knowing your own limitations . For example, you might be really good at computer coding but not so good at graphic design. So, if the project involves creating a website for a client, you should delegate the graphic design tasks to someone with the needed skills.

This can rely on a personal quality – humility. You might need to cultivate modesty and a humble attitude in order to admit that you are not the best at everything.

Sometimes, delegation means outsourcing a task to a business-to-business service provider or a freelancer. Again, you will need to communicate clearly the parameters of the assignment as well as the deadline and benchmarks along the way.

You can use the following terms to describe these skills:

• Outsourcing
• Assigning tasks
• Saved company 2.5K manpower hours annually by outsourcing administrative tasks to external vendors. 
• Improved productivity 35% by assigning tasks based on team member’s specialty and área of expertise.

Work environments are filled with distractions. Focusing is an important part of time management. You may think that multitasking would be the best way to get things done and stay on schedule, but this is not always the case.

If you can focus your energy and attention on one project at a time , efficiency increases.

Good time managers also master the ability to shift their focus rapidly . Sometimes, something unexpected comes up and must be handled immediately.

If you can give it 100 percent of your attention and get it done, you can get back to your prioritized projects that much faster.

Having focus also reduces stress, especially in hectic work environments. Rather than wasting time by worrying over many what-ifs, you can look for and implement solutions to one problem at a time.

You can use the following terms to describe these skills :

• Detail-oriented
• Problem-solver
• Strategic thinking
• Reduced project completion times 40% by minimizing distractions and optimizing workflows. 
• Maintained 100%  client satisfaction rate by shifting focus quickly to address urgent client needs with minimal downtime.

Other time management skills

There are a number of other skills related to time management. Specifically, these skills help you and your employees avoid wasting time by improving efficiency .

These miscellaneous skills include :

• Assessment and evaluation
• Documentation
• Effective teamwork
• Office management and maintenance
• Organization and filing
• Resource management
• Self-awareness
• Stock inventory
• Strategic planning
• Stress management and coping

Think about it – if you use a good paperwork filing system or inventory your stock, you won’t waste time trying to find these items later.

If you manage your resources well, you won’t run out of supplies in the middle of a project, causing a delay. And if you work effectively as a team, you won’t encounter problems like duplicating effort.

Really, it is quite amazing how pervasive this necessary skill proves to be!

Time Management Skills Resume Example

Are you still seeking inspiration on how to show time management skills on a resume? Consider the following examples.

As you do, pay attention to how the applicant provides concrete examples of time management skills rather than simply listing them. Our applicant is applying for a managerial position at a grocery store. Time management skills were specifically listed in the job description.

Corey Smith 555.555.5555 [email protected] 123 Anywhere Street, Anywhere, NY

• Time management
• Organization
• Supervisory Skills

Work Experience

Shift manager Captain D’s Restaurant Anywhere, NY 2020 – 2024

• Improved operational efficiency 20% by creating rotating weekly employee schedules while balancing personal requests and business needs. 
• Reorganized kitchen workflows, reducing meal prep times 15%, resulting in faster customer service. 
• Increased Google review rating from 3.5 to 4.5 stars within 6 months by implementing customer satisfaction strategies and time management techniques.

Cashier Olde Time Grocery Store Somewhere, NY 2015 – 2020

• Managed over 200 daily customer transactions accurately and efficiently, while delivery high levels of customer service. 
• Improved team productivity 15% by training new hires on best practices in time management. 
• Received commendation for punctuality and reliability over 5 years

High School Diploma Anywhere High School Anywhere, NY

Did you notice the time management-related skills that Corey highlighted? He used terms like “productivity,” “best practices,” and “efficiency.”

He also cited specific examples of these skills in action. For instance, his efforts helped decrease the time it took to complete orders and deliver them to the customer.

Key Takeaways

• Time management isn’t just a skill- it’s your competitive advantage. 
• You can improve your time management skills by keeping a calendar and setting (and sticking to!) a schedule of activities .
• Time management involves a varied subset of skills , including scheduling, setting goals, prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, delegation, and focus.
• On your resume, you should show examples of time management in action rather than just listing it as a skill.

Struggling with Resume Writing?

Ease the process with our templates

Related Blog

Resume Templates

Create and edit your resume online

Generate compelling resumes with our user-friendly tool and secure employment quickly.

Resume examples for 217 jobs

Writing the perfect resume with our help just got easier. Check our resume guides for the job you desire.

Most Popular Resume Examples

Featured articles

• Free Online Certifications to Add to Your Resume
• How To Put Shadowing on Your Resume: Tips and Examples
• How to Decline a Job Offer but Keep the Door Open

Latests articles

• High Paying Skills to Boost Your Resume (With Examples & Tips)
• How To Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description
• Top People Skills to Include in Your Resume (With Examples)
• The Definitive Guide to Resume Review With AI
• How To Write a Resume for Skills-Based Hiring

Dive Into Expert Guides to Enhance your Resume

Make use of expert tips & tricks to to help you build the perfect resume

Time Management Skills to Add to Your Resume – With examples

Time is your most valuable resource. That’s why it’s so important to let employers know how you handle it.  Looking for how to say you have good time management skills on resume? You landed on the right page to save some time.

Work life can be hectic, and showing you know how to manage your time lets potential employers know that you can work effectively , prioritize tasks, and stay organized, no matter what your schedule or project list looks like.

Time management is an essential skill for any employee —for both in the office and daily life—but it can be difficult to display it effectively on your resume.  So if you are asking yourself, how do I to write or show my time management skills on my resume , you landed on the right page.

In this ResumeGiants article, you will see a few ways you can showcase your time management at work and tell employers why you would be a strong asset to their team.

This ResumeGiants article includes:

Time Management Definition

Time management skills are exactly how they sound. They’re the process of organizing and planning your activities (time) in a way that it maximizes performance, efficiency, and productivity.

These skills are crucial for both everyday life and in a work environment. 

Work life can move fast. Being able to manage your time effectively can help you stay on top of that pile of tasks you have to complete without missing deadlines or rushing through your work. It shows employers you can:

• Stay on track
• Remain organized
• Use your time (and their money) wisely
• Manage stress and keep calm in busy situations
• Complete projects on time

That’s why so many employers want to see time management skills on applicant resumes. 

Time Management Skill Tips for Your Resume

No matter which industry you work in, time management skills are essential to manage your workload. 

However, not every job uses the same skills . For example, scheduling (a type of time management) is likely more important for an administrative assistant than someone who works on an assembly line. 

Here are a few examples of time management skills to add to your resume:

1. Setting Goals

The term “goals” can mean many things. A goal could be a long-term personal objective like a promotion, or it can be a short-term project like finishing the stack of paperwork that appeared on your desk. 

Understanding your goals, no matter how small they may seem, is an important part of time management. 

When you know what needs to be done—or even what you want to get done—you give yourself a sense of direction . You’re less likely to waste time on menial tasks, like checking your social media, when there are goals you want to achieve. 

Goal setting is especially important for jobs that include long-term projects, like implementing procedures. It shows potential employers that you can focus on a project to completion.

2. Scheduling

Scheduling skills are almost the definition of time management. The ability to maintain a detailed schedule will obviously help you stay on track and manage your time wisely .

Luckily, technology has made scheduling skills much easier to grasp. You can use apps and software to manage your calendar and send alerts to help you manage your time. 

Scheduling is important for jobs that require you to jump between or organize various tasks, like a manager or administrative assistant. 

3. Prioritizing Tasks

Scheduling is only the first step of the equation.  Prioritization skills are as important, being able to deliver tasks on time.

Once you know what needs to be done, you need to determine the order of completion . Some tasks are more important or time-sensitive than others. That’s where prioritization comes in.

Prioritizing skills is the ability to create a clear objective hierarchy . 

Some tasks are more important than others and need to be completed first. You might have three projects on your schedule for the day, but if something else comes up, which ones can you push? 

Understanding how to prioritize helps you manage your time wisely and shows potential employers that you can make important task-related decisions.

The ability to prioritize tasks is important for any job that requires you to juggle multiple tasks . It’s especially essential for management positions where unexpected tasks might pop up, forcing you to change your schedule at a moment’s notice.

4. Breaking Down Tasks

Just knowing what you need to do isn’t good enough to maximize efficiency. 

If you’re really a good time manager, you’ll be able to break down tasks into smaller portions to allocate your time even more effectively.

For example, a large task like installing kitchen cabinets can be broken down into several steps: 

• Measuring the space – 15 minutes
• Removing the existing cabinets – 30-45 minutes
• Covering the countertops – 15 minutes
• Installation – 2 hours
• Cleanup – 30 minutes

By breaking down large projects into smaller tasks, you can more easily stay on track and better estimate how long the project will take. 

The ability to break down tasks is important for jobs that require the completion of large or long-term projects.

5. Setting Deadlines (and Sticking to Them)

Deadlines are an important part of time management for accountability . They’re the end date or time to complete a task. 

You can be the best scheduler in the world, but if you don’t hold yourself accountable to that schedule, what does it matter? 

The ability to set and stick to deadlines is especially important for project-based jobs, like graphic designers, web developers, and copywriters, though it can benefit just about any job that requires completion of multiple tasks. 

6. Delegating and Outsourcing

A big part of time management is knowing what tasks are worth your while and which ones are best done by someone with different skills. 

For example, you might be great at fixing cars but not so good at organizing your finances. 

Instead of taking time away from doing what you do best to struggle your way through bookkeeping tasks, outsourcing to an accountant who can do the same tasks more efficiently shows stronger time management skills.

Delegating and outsourcing are important time management skills for managerial jobs or positions that require work with diverse teams. 

The ability to multitask might seem like a strength you’d want to put on a resume , but it’s not always a plus. How can you put 100% into a single task if you’re working on several projects simultaneously?

Strong time managers focus on one project at a time . 

When you can put all your energy into one task at a time, you can complete each project more efficiently and with fewer errors. 

Coupled with scheduling and prioritizing, focus is a powerful time management skill that many employers love to see on a resume.

Focus is an important time management skill for just about any job, but it’s especially important for positions that require the completion of multiple projects at once. It shows you can stick to the project at hand and finish it quickly and efficiently without needing to go back and correct mistakes. 

Effective Time Management Skills on Your Resume

Time management is an essential skill that all employers want to see, but it’s not always easy to showcase on a resume. 

If you want to know how to improve time management skills on your resume, it’s much better to show than to tell.

Rather than put a generic statement like, “great at time management” into a free resume maker and call it a day, provide concrete examples of when you’ve used your time management skills and how they impacted your work.

For example, instead of simply listing “highly organized” (which is very weak), include specifics like “Created a more efficient workflow which decreased turnaround times by 15%.” 

This shows employers that you can (and have) used your organization skills to implement real change, and provides actual statistics to make the point sink in.

The more specific you can be to show your effective time management skills , the better

It’s always better to show instead of tell. That way, potential employers don’t have to just take your word for it. You can prove it! 

Time Management Skills Are an Important Part of Any Resume

It doesn’t matter which job you want to apply to, time management skills are something that any employer will want to see on a resume. 

It shows that you know how to effectively use your time at work to complete tasks in an efficient and productive way and tells potential employers that if they hire you, they’ll get the most bang for their buck!

Once you think about which time management skills you want to showcase on your resume, hop over to ResumeGiants’ free online resume builder easily organize your experience on a document that’s sure to impress. 

We have dozens of resume formats , templates, and examples available to help you build a winning resume to snag the job of your dreams.