Organisational Skills: What They Are and Why You Need Them

Whether you are leading a team of individuals or starting your education journey at college or university, organisational skills are essential for long and short-term success. They help you manage your resources, including time, energy, and possessions, so you can better plan your day, prepare for and complete tasks, and meet deadlines.

What are organisational skills?

Organisational skills are tools you can use to stay focused and efficiently prioritise your responsibilities. Practising organisation in day-to-day activities can help you manage your workload and equip you with the tools and strategies needed to thrive in roles at work, home, and school.

Organisational skills also include processes to keep your work structured and measurable. Practising these skills helps you effectively complete all of your tasks thoroughly and on time.

Examples of organisational skills

From properly managing time to working well with others, gaining organisational skills can help you achieve in a company or university setting. Familiarise yourself with key organisational skills and how to use them to benefit your work and school performance.

Time management

Managing your time is crucial to organisational success. Making a schedule, creating appointments, and planning in advance allow you to better understand your personal schedule and the time it takes to accomplish things.

Collaboration

Working in groups or teams can save substantial time on projects and be an excellent source of learning different perspectives. Collaboration is a way to get to know your employees and peers and allows an opportunity to share ideas.

Delegation 

Delegating is a way to ask others for help by passing off tasks that were originally yours to someone else. It is important for those with a heavy workload and can be a great way to build trust and bond with co-workers by sharing interests and tasks. Asking for help is a practical way to ensure you can complete all project-related tasks by the deadline.

Communication

Communicating your ideas, feelings, needs, and expectations is essential to creating a healthy work environment. Good communication ensures everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities and duties in the workplace. Clear communication removes uncertainty and creates a space for others to come to you with questions and get the answers they need.

Goal setting

Setting goals is an excellent way to keep you and your employees on task. Deadlines, due dates, and personal milestones allow you to prioritise what you need to do first, plan your milestones, and schedule your tasks.

Why are organisational skills important?

Organisational skills are beneficial in many ways because they help you create structure and can save you, your company, and your teammates time and energy. Having goals and tasks planned, scheduled, and communicated removes unnecessary tasks, allowing you to accomplish more.

When you practice organisational skills, you also reduce stress from being overworked or overloaded. Delegating is a great way to reduce stress, as you can focus on tasks that highlight your strengths and assign duties to others that highlight theirs. This way, everyone works on tasks that suit their interests and strengths, helping the team succeed.

How to showcase organisational skills

Detail how you've applied your organisational skills to job applications and evaluations. Emphasising your ability to manage time, collaborate, and set goals will make you a desirable candidate, so communicate these strengths effectively on your CV and in interviews.

How to showcase organisational skills on your CV

When writing a CV or cover letter, list your organisational skills as they pertain to the job you’re applying for. In the profile or summary at the top of your CV, describe yourself and your organisational skills. This brings focus to your strengths when employers review your CV.

Another way to showcase your skills is by adding them to your relevant job experience. For example, when describing your past roles and responsibilities, highlight your organisational skills by telling the employer that you, for example, “expertly managed time” or “set and surpassed goals” in that specific role.

Next steps with Coursera

Organisational skills are important in every aspect of life, from work and school to personal commitments. Consider your interests and personal or professional goals when choosing specific skills to develop. Then, showcase the skills you've honed on your CV.

One way to develop organisational skills is to take online courses. Consider time management courses on Coursera, such as Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management For Personal and Professional Productivity, delivered by the University of California. You can also apply the organisational skills you've learned when you take additional courses or enroll in a degree program like the MSc Cyber Security degree from the University of London.