How to list time management skills on a resume: 4 tips
Potential employers will consider hiring job seekers who can successfully demonstrate resume time management skills. The trick is to highlight proven achievements and abilities so you stand out from other job seekers, rather than just stating your time management skills.
Here are four tips with real-life examples to help you describe time management skills on your resume:
1. Follow the lead of the job listing
In every job posting, you will see a detailed job description. Within the description, there will be keywords explaining the job responsibilities and qualifications.
For example, here is a typical job description for an activities/event coordinator position:
“The activities/event coordinator manages the entertainment, activities and daily communications regarding community center events. This role requires leadership of an energetic, creative person with previous relevant experience, presentation skills, teamwork and time management skills for creating, scheduling and leading events in a timely manner.”
Reflect on what the job description is asking of job candidates and tailor those specific keywords in your resume through relevant experience, skills and your most impressive accomplishments.
Here is an example of an event coordinator resume experience section using those keywords:
- Scheduled and led entertainment, sports games and other activity programs to enhance guest experience.
- Effectively managed communication to community residents through daily online schedules, texts, emails and social media posts.
- Energetically hosted/presented events with direct socialization with event attendees.
- Assisted community center director, marketing manager and event sponsors to support all teams.
2. Feature your top time management skills in your skills section
To showcase how you used your best resume time management skills, list examples of how you’ve used time management to complete major tasks – specifics with numbers (e.g., “Led team improvement processes that resulted in 30% more efficiency in hitting deadlines”). You want to stand out from the competition by being recognized for managing stress levels while building effective time management skills.
Here are time management skills examples that a candidate could include on a dentist resume:
- Prioritization of dental patients based on appointment type.
- Multitasking between dentist office rooms and patients.
- Organization skills whether in the office or tools in examining rooms.
- Problem solving to provide dental treatment plans.
- Critical thinking to make the right decisions regarding dental treatment.
- Empathetic to a patient’s pain tolerance or fear of dental procedures.
- Interpersonal skills to recognize whether a patient is comfortable during exam and treatment.
- Communication to explain what a procedure entails and update patient records.
- Detail-oriented when administering the right dosage of laughing gas or novocaine.
3. Show how you’ve used your time management skills in your work experience section
While you’re listing your previous work history in your resume work experience section, write your accomplishments to hit on required skill keywords as noted in the job description of the job posting. This will clearly identify how you successfully showcased the required skills for the job role.
For example, here is a typical job description of a marketing manager position:
The marketing manager role will support the strategic planning and development of all marketing initiatives by providing quick direction, delegating tasks, setting schedules and offering consistent, confident authority. This role will manage the design and development of all digital marketing, social media and retention programs. Marketing manager will work closely with other departments including brand, analytics, finance, product development, legal and editing.
Here is an example of a marketing manager resume experience section using those keywords:
- Oversaw asset development, website design, email and digital media projects and scheduling with demonstrated success and growth.
- Supported multiple projects and staff with detailed, strategic planning and out-of-the-box critical thinking.
- Used organizational skills to consistently meet deadlines.
- Collaborated effectively across teams globally to meet departmental goals through problem solving and prioritization.
- Managed and developed planning and managing marketing budgets.
4. Feature a top time management skill in your summary
Since your resume summary is featured at the top of your resume just below your contact information, it’s a good idea to mention your top time management skill in your summary. Focus on an accomplishment that shows your commitment to time management and efficiency, something that will make you stand out from other job candidates.
Here is a resume summary for a logistics manager resume. Note the bolded words supporting the job seeker’s top time management skills that show this candidate is goal oriented, driven, efficient and successful.
Results-oriented logistics manager with 5+ years of experience and a proven track record of optimizing cost and service levels. Negotiated contracts and rates with suppliers, achieving a 29% cost savings while simultaneously implementing logistics software systems to increase efficiency by 21% and reducing order processing time by five days.
For more tips on presenting your skills, discover which skills employers are looking for on your resume.
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