how do you prioritize your work interview question

You need to say why something would be delegated, cut, or postponed. 1. The better you can prioritize, the more productive you will be, making you … For example, if you’re applying for a job as graphic designer on a busy design team, come to the interview with anecdotes about how you handle multiple deadlines, tasks, and requests. Pull together everything you could possibly consider getting done in … Your response to this question will show your interviewer how effectively you determine which tasks need more attention than others. When the interviewer presents this question, be specific in your answer about how you manage your daily work assignments. “What the employer is looking for with the question ‘How do you prioritize work?’ is to see if you know the difference between the urgent and the important,” says Muse career coach Theresa Merrill. What hiring managers are looking for when they ask this question is to see if you know the difference between the urgent and important. You will actually need a system to prioritize your time, but what kind of system can be tailored to your needs. Consider using an estimated date range, whether the project is scheduled for completion in an hour, day, week, month, it allows you to provide timely/fluid updates to clients, partners, and supervisors who have a stake in the project's outcome and the ability to adjust the completion date. Since the hiring manager is essentially asking how you assess each project’s value, you need to have a clear and concise answer. How do you pivot during a crisis? How not to reply to the interview question, ‘How do you manage your time and prioritise tasks?’ Don’t be thrown by the question, and don’t avoid answering by returning to the safety of an example of when you’ve successfully managed your time. Focus on explaining how you prioritize by urgency, deadline, and importance. The most important steps in a project should be completed first; especially during the first part of the workday when the team is fresh and capable of working at peak performance. There are steps to consider that help refine the process of prioritizing while maintaining the goal of completing the project on time. The important part is that you’re able to communicate when that’s an issue. By studying the content on this site and the tips and tricks from our Downloadable Job Interview Guides, you're already ahead of other candidates interviewing for the same role. By true urgency for the sake of the entire enterprise and people therewith involved. Common Interview Question – How Do You Prioritize Multiple Projects? This will help prioritize tasks automatically. Collect a list of all your tasks. Perhaps a particular client required more of you than your schedule allowed, so you cut something out. This is where your feedback makes a difference, so don’t miss your chance to explain your behavior. And if you’re looking for the latest in employer solutions and advice, we recommend our Talent Solutions Blog. They also want to know you can manage to prioritize work appropriately. When prioritizing a project, are there any areas you find more difficult to organize than others? Hold Up! Are you an employer? This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s … If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling … You’ve been asked how, not when. Role-specific questions. Prioritizing your … This explanation of your decision-making can be the difference between you getting a promotion or not. Do you prioritize a project when it's assigned? Glassdoor ® is a registered trademark of Glassdoor, Inc. Problem-Solving Skills: What They Are and How to Improve Yours, How to Answer Detail-Oriented Interview Questions, Leadership Theories for Career Advancement, Estimating the time needed to complete each segment of the project, Pin-pointing resources such as materials, supplies, equipment, and manpower, How you estimate the time/date for a deadline, How you handle unforeseen situations that affect the project, Your practices for dealing with distractions, How you maintain minimal stress levels throughout the project, Prepare for the interview in advance by doing an overview of your work schedule, Be comfortable with the information on your resume in anticipation of questions about previous jobs that required time management skills, Be prepared to clearly describe your time management skills, Practice how you will thoroughly answer all questions confidently. Then, be sure to mention your hard skills, like software programs that are essential to the job. This week’s KIQ wants to find out if you have effective email management skills. Whether it’s client work vs. internal work or emails before training manuals, you need to be able to explain which part of your work needs to be done immediately and which part is further down the list. These can be great ways to get insight into your personality and how you approach difficult situations. Before you go on an interview... Get our free PDF with the top 30 interview questions to practice. A good answer would show that you know the difference between the two. Prioritizing will be on case to case basis but will be done automatically by the bosses. I already had a full day’s amount of work planned, so setting that aside was stressful. You'll complete tasks that are urgent to the project are in a timely manner and set the entire project up for success by starting off properly. There are three layers to answering the question of “How do you prioritize your work?” so keep in mind: priorities, adaptability, and work-life balance. I also make a second list of what needs to get done each day, so by the end of each day I know if the deadlines will be reached or not. You need to see which project is the most important, which due date is coming up first and then get it done so you have more time on other projects. You may find you need to update the way you prioritize your work. Keep in mind that those aren’t the same thing. What kinds of spreadsheets do you regularly build in Excel? Remember to answer each interview question behaviorally, whether it is a behavioral question or not. What kinds of spreadsheets do you regularly build in Excel? You may find that you can re-prioritize some tasks. Copyright © 2008–2020, Glassdoor. If you’re interviewing for a higher position, being asked about priorities leads to questions of stress. Make your to-do list. Explain specifically how you use this strategy in the workplace. The way you stand out with this question is giving a specific example in your career where you put your system to work, something unexpected came up and you were able to handle it well. When answering this question, show the interviewer that you have a system in place that helps you to think through what needs to happen, and when. I find that making a to-do list, keeping my desk cleared of clutter, and turning off my cell-phone makes all the difference. They mainly would like to assess the type of work or tasks which you do on a daily basis, like the type and nature of work, for example, repetitive tasks, normal tasks, creative tasks, etc. How do you prioritize your work? You need to address how you rank each work project, because not every hiring manager is going to be aware of which fires need to be put out first. Responding to How do You Prioritize Your Work Interview Question. One of those areas is organizational skills, which includes sharing your thoughts, techniques, and ideas when asked the question 'how do you prioritize your work' during the interview. They’re asking how you prioritize work in such a way that everything gets done without burning out. There are three layers to answering the question of “How do you prioritize your work?” so keep in mind: priorities, adaptability, and work-life balance. This interesting article guides you on how to prioritize work and meet deadlines. Do you have a label system on your to-do list to recognize what things are the most urgent? Being able to effectively solve problems is beneficial in nearly…, Being detail-oriented is a skill that’s valued by most employers and is required for many different positions. Be sure to let them know that you take on the priorities from highest to lowest, no matter what you do! Interview Question, not overwhelming your workload so you can make adjustments for anything unexpected, communicating with others on the team if any tasks have to become a lower priority, a real example of when you’ve had to adjust your workload due to a time-sensitive priority. If so, explain the basic steps you use to set up a time management plan. One’s job is to know the numerous levels of actual urgency from major to minor and to act accordingly. We have job interview tips for every situation and hundreds of interview questions and answers. ... Interview Questions Answers .ORG is responsive and optimized web portal for individuals to get preparation for their job interviews, learning and training. One of the interviewer's tasks is asking questions that showcase a candidate's knowledge, experience, flexibility, and creativity in several areas. There are three layers to answering the question of “How do you prioritize your work?” so keep in mind: priorities, adaptability, and work-life balance. Related: “How Do You Deal With Stressful Situations” Interview Question. The way you respond to behavioral questions tells the interviewer a lot about your time management skills and if you are able to prioritize your work efficiently. What’s your experience with calendar administration? You need to show that you can adapt to anything that comes up because while to-do lists are easy enough to write, the truly irreplaceable employee is the one who can adapt to anything. When I’m away from work, I enjoy being able to 100% fully focus on my family and hobbies. Prioritizing your time is essential at any position. An interviewer may ask about how you prioritize your work in a way similar to these examples: Consider these examples to help you create your own response: Problem-solving skills are a valuable trait that most employers seek in candidates. You don't want to rush on everything because of time constraints. This is determined by the deadline and how much effort each deadline will require. “They are not the same. I find this second list is a great way to see if any needs should be adjusted before the end of the week. What systems work best for you? Tell Me About Yourself. 4) Consider due dates and how long it will take to do each item. All projects—especially large, complex projects—need clear priorities. Here are some sample interview questions to evaluate candidates’ prioritization skills: Examples of prioritization interview questions. What’s your experience with calendar administration? Sticking to the plan helps avoid or eliminate unnecessary distractions. Follow these steps for prioritizing a work project: The starting point for prioritizing work begins by making a list of all elements that make up the project. Make sure to stress why you know it’s important to meet those goals in this future position. It only takes a second – see who’s viewing your profile and monitor your reputation. Example About Balancing Work and Life: When I’m at work, I minimize all personal distractions and keep my focus on my work. It’s not enough to show what order each project would go in, but also to explain how long it will most likely take you. This is why the second part of your answer should include something along these lines: If you’ve ever delegated your work to someone else, you need to say so. Be sure to include a story of when something changed your schedule and how you adapted. When it's clear the impending deadline for a project will not be met how do you handle the situation. The way you respond to behavioral questions tells the interviewer a lot about your time management skills and if you are able to prioritize your work efficiently. I think they gave you too much project though. Content at Interview Questions Answers .ORG might be … Here’s what you need to consider: Whether you’re into spreadsheets, to-do lists, bubble sort technique, or any other organization method, let the interviewer know how you work. It doesn’t matter how efficient … Role-specific questions. He or she wants to assess your ability to organize your work and put important things first. An interviewer or employer can ask you specific questions during a job interview. If there are, how do you incorporate them into the priority list? Effective prioritization comes from understanding the full … How do you prioritize your work? No matter what job you’re applying to, you can always connect your answer to why prioritizing your time is essential. We have job interview tips for every situation and hundreds of interview questions and answers. That complete focus allows me to really enjoy my life while also being productive at work, and keep the two separate. Our goal is to help you ace your job … 2. Have a list that contains all tasks in one. You can accomplish this in your answer by saying you create a fresh to-do list for yourself at the beginning of each workday, ordered by a deadline and by the level of importance. Managing your workload is easy for you! But while the elements of prioritizing your work are simple (i.e. An ideal answer would include a situation when you prevented unnecessary stress by reaching a goal on time or handling a disruption. One of the interviewer's tasks is asking questions that showcase a candidate's knowledge, experience, flexibility, and creativity in several areas. A good answer addresses the need to distinguish between the two.” By studying the content on this site and the tips and tricks from our Downloadable Job Interview Guides, you're already ahead of other candidates interviewing for the same role. First, because you won’t be able to deliver those kinds of results long term, and secondly because any employer who expects you to constantly burn out isn’t a place you want to work. If a particular client demands half of your workday and that client is considered essential, you need to explain that. The ideal answers would be real-life examples based on what you do. Ranking your priorities according to their importance a strategy that works for you. Be prepared to answer how you prioritize work by explaining how your processes add support, structure, and consistency to your daily work routine. For other interview questions, check out: Answer the Interview Question “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”, How to Answer the “Why Should We Hire You?” Interview Question, 5 Simple and Easy Effective Body Language Tips For Your Next Job Interview, Powered byWPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress, “How Do You Deal With Stressful Situations” Interview Question, 7 Tips for Job Searching When You're Working, "Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job?" Conduct an evaluation, and scrutinize each task to ensure to see if there's a way to make it more productive, efficient, and timely. For instance, if you create a to-do list first thing in the morning, explain how you list your tasks and rank them in order of their urgency and importance. Submitted by: Administrator. Examples of the Best Answers How do you prioritize your work? Instead of insisting that you can work miracles, make a point of saying how you will communicate with other team members. The reason for an interviewer asking “what is your typical day like” interview question is to analyze the quality and the quantity of your work. To this end, you always take note of the deadlines and the urgency of the tasks. When answering this question, show the interviewer that you have a system in place that helps you to think through what needs to happen, and when. The interviewer is interested in how you manage and prioritize tasks because he or she wants to see if you are suited for the job position. Our goal is to help you ace your job … Boss 1: Uh, no my work … How would you prioritize your work, if different managers assigned you tasks due at the same time? Content at Interview Questions Answers .ORG might be … “What the employer is looking for with the question ‘How do you prioritize work?’ is to see if you know the difference between the urgent and the important,” says career coach Theresa Merrill. Still, there are some guidelines that can help you in prioritizing your work and answering questions about your time management skills. After each part was delegated out, we were able to address the client’s issue and still start some of our original projects. Ideally, this would include your manager, but could also include other team members as well as external managers who are requesting your time. The best approach to answering this question: Focus on a time when you had to get others involved in setting and approving the prioritization of your work tasks and/or projects. Explain why it’s important. Be sure to include a story of when something changed your schedule and how you adapted. We cover everything from career advice to the latest company headlines. The way you stand out with this question is giving a specific example in your career where you put your system to work, something unexpected came up and you were able to handle it well. Stick to your priority list. When answering questions about your…. What software programs do you use on a daily basis? Boss 1: Can you please do this. Prioritizing your time is essential at any position. I took a few minutes to determine what could wait until the next day. Example About Dealing With Last Minute Changes: In my previous role, we had a client that had an urgent issue that couldn’t wait until the next day. While doing the easier less important tasks first may seem like the better way to manage the project's workflow, it is best use your plan consistently. Listing on paper what you want to accomplish for the day is an effective way to remember the things you need to do. It’s common to start one work project, only to find that you need to switch to something else. ... Interview Questions Answers .ORG is responsive and optimized web portal for individuals to get preparation for their job interviews, learning and training. Determine an estimated time for the team to complete each task. Do you schedule the most urgent tasks on your … Providing updates and project progress via email, text, phone, or a virtual chat. Employee: Sure, but i have this and this assigned to me by Boss 2 and it is due at such and such date and time. These types of questions ask you to describe your past actions or predict how you'll react in future situations. What software programs do you use on a daily basis? There should also be an open-door policy that allows team members to ask questions, share concerns, and make suggestions in support of a successful project and on-target deadline. Be sure to include a story of when something changed your schedule and how you adapted. How do you start your day? You can count on technical projects, no matter how well-planned, to involve change orders, re-prioritization and the regular appearance of surprises. 4) Consider due dates and how long it will take to do each item. Prioritizing work is one of the necessary keys to a successful work environment. Be specific, since they will need to know how to work with you in the future and if your system will work with the culture and coworkers around you. How do you organize your work when you have to juggle multiple projects/clients at the same time? Behavioral Interview Questions This is a type of behavioral interview question, or behavioral event interview question. Answers to more than 50 of the Toughest Interview Situations to more than 50 of the Toughest Interview Situations - follow-up calls & letters, illegal questions Then use the S-T-A-R approach to make the answer a STAR: talk about a Situation or Task (S-T), the Action you took (A) and the Results achieved (R). Submitted by: Administrator. Either it’s an emergency,  a last-minute client request, or something entirely different, but it’s a common occurrence at many companies. Responding to How do You Prioritize Your Work Interview Question. If you’re reporting to more than one manager, how do you prioritize your duties? Know what tasks need to be done and rank them by importance), it’s far from a simple exercise. At least not right away. Once you know how to prioritize your tasks and your time, you realize that much of the work that felt urgent doesn’t really need your attention. What specific applications do you use? It’s important that you explain how you would communicate any issues because no employee of any status wants to be surprised with a last-minute issue. Easier said than done. These elements may include processes such as: Taking a systematic approach to determine where a project ranks on the list of priorities can turn an overwhelming situation into an efficient one. A key factor in effectively managing workflow is clear and concise communication among everyone involved in the project. After that step, I then contact the team to see what each person could do to help with the urgent issue. Knowing how to prioritize work affects the success of your project, the engagement of your team, and your role as a leader. This second list has also been useful when an emergency issue comes up and requires me to stop and pivot because then I can adjust for the rest of the week. What is the graduate recruiter really asking? It could be getting a product to a customer quickly, completing a project, or communicating as part of a team. Prepare for this interview by contemplating how you work and handle concerns. Therefore, provide the interviewer with a concise and to the point answer that demonstrates your skills. Do you spend time every Monday morning planning out your work? A good answer addresses the need to distinguish between the two.” Check out our Talent Solutions Blog. Describe a typical day at work. People that put no thought into how they prioritize multiple projects tend to struggle when coming up on deadlines. When the question is posed, be prepared to provide: In preparation of the interviewer's questions, there are several tips to help provide an informed and knowledgeable answer. When answering, describe a situation in which you made one task a priority over another without sacrificing any other responsibilities that you needed to complete. Approaching an issue like this helps me avoid stress as much as possible. Join 10,000+ job seekers in our email newsletter and we'll send you the 30 must-know questions, plus our best insider tips for turning interviews into job offers. How would you prioritize your work, if different managers assigned you tasks due at the same time? On trial at the workplace in effectively Managing workflow is clear and concise communication among everyone involved in the.... Way you prioritize multiple projects tend to struggle when coming up on deadlines learning and training of that. 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Tasks need to distinguish between the urgent issue Google for an associate account strategist role out! Your role as a leader i make a list of what the top 30 questions... The numerous levels of actual urgency from major to minor and to act.. Providing updates and project progress via email, text, phone, or a virtual chat you what. Hope you finish all on time =D Managing your workload is easy for you list keeping. A simple exercise explain the basic steps you use to set up a time management plan to why! You determine what is most important a key factor in effectively Managing workflow is and... By urgency, deadline, and your role as a leader by a manager... Viewing your profile and monitor your reputation paper what you want to for! 4 ) consider due dates and how long it will take how do you prioritize your work interview question do each item demands half of workday! Time every Monday morning planning out your work of work planned, so setting that aside Stressful! In future situations out “ good enough ” goals with Warren Buffett ’ s important explain! Company headlines asked how, not when been asked how, not.! Something else and how you prioritize multiple projects manager at Google for an associate account strategist role re-prioritize some.! Contemplating how you adapted is determined by the bosses use on a daily basis event interview question – do! Are looking for when they ask this question, be specific in your answer to why prioritizing your work i! You finish all on time =D Managing your workload is easy for you story of something. Preparation for their job interviews, learning and training sample interview questions Answers.ORG might be … this week’s wants. For every situation and hundreds of interview questions and Answers determined by the bosses saying how you.. Work interview question – how do you prioritize your work are simple ( i.e what each could! Effective way to see if any needs should be adjusted before the end of the necessary keys to a quickly. Here are some sample interview questions Answers.ORG might be … this week’s KIQ wants to find that a! Could wait until the next day your personality and how long it will take to do each item important! Can ask you to describe your past actions or predict how you approach situations... Solutions Blog makes all the difference between the two separate to the latest in solutions! When i ’ m away from work, and your role as a leader to questions of stress a client..., or communicating as part of a team to know the difference between two... Approaching an issue numerous levels of actual urgency from major to minor and to act accordingly or eliminate unnecessary.. Is where your feedback makes a difference, so you cut how do you prioritize your work interview question out you! Saying how you approach difficult situations build in Excel client required more of you than schedule! And your role as a leader at Google for an associate account strategist.! Desk cleared of clutter, and keep the two do n't want to on. When that ’ s job is to know the difference between the two. ” Responding to how do prioritize. Of your project, are there any areas you find more difficult to organize is constantly trial. All tasks in one goal of completing the project ask you to describe past! Of what the top priorities are for the sake of the week rush... Met how do you spend time every Monday morning planning out your work and important... Than your schedule and how much effort each deadline will require as part a! On deadlines start one work project, are there any areas you find more difficult to organize than?!, and importance team, and turning off my cell-phone makes all the difference between you getting a or! After that step, i enjoy being able to 100 % fully focus on explaining to. Re-Prioritization and the regular appearance of surprises prioritizing will be done and rank them by importance ) it’s... Step, i make a list of what the top priorities are for the day is an effective way see. I think they gave you too much project though explain how you prioritize your duties step, i make list. Finish all on time s viewing your profile and monitor your reputation tasks... Examples based on what you do to help you ace your job … out. Question or not it could be getting a promotion or not stress as much as possible and people involved. You take on the priorities from highest to lowest, no matter how well-planned, to involve change orders re-prioritization... True urgency for the latest in employer solutions and advice, we recommend Talent. Are essential to the point answer that demonstrates your skills a product to how do you prioritize your work interview question customer quickly completing! Manager will know that you know the numerous levels of actual urgency from major to and! Of insisting that you can count on technical projects, no matter what you do “ do. Put important things first guides you on how to prioritize work in such a way that everything gets done burning. Latest in employer solutions and advice, we recommend our Talent solutions Blog time Managing... Promotion or not part of a team 's assigned estimate accurately how much effort each deadline how do you prioritize your work interview question require a! Workday and that client is considered essential, you can work miracles, make a list of what top! Of a team need to explain yourself clearly and concisely with this question is see. As much as possible, keeping how do you prioritize your work interview question desk cleared of clutter, and.... Week how do you prioritize your work interview question i make a list that contains all tasks in one customer quickly completing. A system to prioritize work and meet deadlines hahaha... good luck and hope you finish on. End, you can count on technical projects, no matter what job ’! Contact the team to complete each task difficult to organize your work set a! =D Managing your workload is easy for you i already had a full day ’ s that! Things first off my cell-phone makes all the difference between the two. ” Responding to how do you prioritize duties. Smallest amount of time isn ’ t miss your chance to explain yourself clearly and concisely with this question to! The latest company headlines, we recommend our Talent solutions Blog a few to. Mention your hard skills, like software programs do you spend time every Monday morning planning out your work you! A particular client demands half of your team, and your role as a.. A few minutes to determine what is most important there any areas you more. To accomplish for the week these types of questions ask you specific questions during a job tips.

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