Resumes

The Right Way To Show Multitasking Skills on a Resume

Most jobs involve some element of multitasking, but does it belong on a resume? Learn how to impress recruiters by showing off your multitasking skills.

3 years ago   •   4 min read

By Rohan Mahtani

“I’m a multitasker who’s used to juggling many projects at once …”

If your resume contains a line like that, it’s time to take it out.

Why? Like any other soft skill, multitasking is an empty buzzword on its own. It’s easy to say you have it, hard to prove, and most people think they’re better at it than they really are. Recruiters don’t want biased, subjective statements — they want facts. Which means that if you want to show that you can handle multitasking on your resume, you’ll need to back it up with proof.

How to say you can multitask on a resume

Ready? Let’s start with a quick overview of how to show multitasking skills on a resume.

  1. Start by taking a look at the job description. What specific tasks are involved?
  2. Consider the multitasking skills you’ll need to do the job. Do you need to be able to consistently handle multiple things at once, balance long and short-term deadlines, or multitask for short bursts of time?
  3. Use a job description keyword finder to make sure you’re covering the essential skills and keywords to get you past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
  4. Brainstorm examples of when you’ve demonstrated similar skills. Because multitasking is a soft skill, it’s okay to choose accomplishments that demonstrate relevant skills in different contexts.
  5. Choose a strong action verb that describes what you did.
  6. Outline the task(s) or projects that required multitasking skills.
  7. Include numbers or metrics to quantify your accomplishments.
  8. Once you’re done, upload your resume for a free resume review for any last-minute tips.
An example of how to write resume accomplishments to demonstrate soft skills like multitasking
An example of how to write resume accomplishments to demonstrate soft skills like multitasking

How to say you have multitasking skills

In your work experience section

Multitasking — like other soft skills — belongs in the work experience section of your resume. Choose accomplishments that show your ability to handle multiple deadlines, conflicting priorities, or a high-volume workload. Clearly state what the task or project was, what specific actions you took, and what the result was. You can also demonstrate your ability to multitask by highlighting multiple demanding accomplishments from the same job side by side.

Here’s an example of what multitasking should look like in the work experience section of your resume:

An example of how to highlight multitasking skills in the work experience section of a resume
An example of how to highlight multitasking skills in the work experience section of a resume

Find out if your resume shows multitasking skills

A good way to check if you’ve chosen accomplishments that highlight your multitasking skills is to upload your resume to the tool below - it’ll scan your bullet point accomplishments and let you know if you’ve shown multitasking and other soft skills like organization, communication and initiative.

Multitasking skills to highlight on a resume

Not all multitasking looks the same. Make sure you’re targeting the specific multitasking skills you’ll need to excel in the position you’re applying for. These might include:

  • Personal organizational skills
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Organizing events
  • Resolving immediate tasks (e.g. customer enquiries)
  • Being highly responsive with short turnaround times
  • Managing a wide variety of tasks or responsibilities
  • Balancing long-term and short-term projects
  • Completing multiple things at once
  • Handling a high-volume workload

Always read over the job posting carefully to see which skills are needed and choose relevant accomplishments. Not sure how well you’re addressing the criteria? Our ATS resume scanner can help identify any missing skills based on the job description.

You should also try to include keywords and hard skills relevant to the job you’re applying for. If you’re unsure which ones to include, use the tool below to find the right ones.

Synonyms for multitasking on a resume

Multitasking is all about variety, which means the last thing you want to do is start repeating the same words over and over. Using synonyms for multitasking on your resume can help keep things fresh. Try action verbs like:

Multitasking resume examples

Now that you know here to start, here are some real-life examples from successful resumes that you can adapt to fit your own accomplishments.

Organized 3-day big data conference with 150+ attendees; curated agenda, promoted event, secured attendance, coordinated event logistics, and liaised with speakers and sponsors; generated $45K revenue.

An accomplishment like this shows how you handled a lot of different activities successfully by being specific about all the tasks you did and the overall result.

Received 50+ emails and incoming calls daily and scheduled 5+ board and foundation meetings a month.

If you’re applying for jobs with a busy day-to-day, choose accomplishments that show your ability to stay on top of constant tasks without getting overwhelmed.

Supervised a team of 15 associates in addition to overseeing a staff of 60+ associates while managing daily operations of the store.

This accomplishment shows how you balanced high-level responsibilities with daily tasks without losing track of either.

Responsible for 60 client accounts averaging 4,000 worksite employees.

Include accomplishments about managing a high volume of projects or accounts to show you can handle multitasking on a large scale.

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