The Multitasker

Stating on your resume or cover letter that you are able to multitask is usually a plus when employers are looking to hire someone. This statement means that you are not limited to doing just one thing at a time which in an employer’s mind means more productivity in less time. It can also mean that you can focus on one thing without being distracted by others. I don’t know about you but I can eat, instant message, email, scan, listen to music and conduct some research on the net all at the same time. It’s a gift, what can I say but that does not always equal multiple tasks actually getting completed at the same time. I can’t tell you how many times I have been typing away while on the phone and come to find out my ditsy behind has typed half of my conversation when I was suppose to be typing up a report. I once instant messaged a proposal to my mother by mistake.

At times a simple faux pas can be amusing while other times it can send you to the unemployment line. Not too many people would want to go from having a cushy office job to buffing floors for the buffing boss. Other drawbacks of multitasking are that you end up with a number of uncompleted projects because you never took to the time to actually finish one while working on a number of others. The trick is to figure out when it would be beneficial to you to multitask and when to focus on just one project at a time. You may not be able to complete five projects in one day but you will be able to give your boss at least two or three completed assignments that were done right the first time. Depending on the industry that you work in discrepancies are a not okay for any reason.

A study conducted at Stanford University suggests that workers who think they are multitaskers are in fact the complete opposite. Instead they are unable to prioritize and usually fall short of completing assignments in a timely manner. Not only are assignments not completed but they also lack focus and hand in sub par work.

The next time your boss hands you a number of projects that he or she wants completed yesterday, ask them which of the assignments take precedence and prioritize them accordingly. The realization that multitasking is not always possible will save you a lot of headaches as well as keep you from attempting to jump on one leg, rub your belly and pat your head while saying rubber baby bumpers simultaneously.