In the interview sessions, there are times when you have to answer about your management skills. To answer this question efficiently, you will have to prepare for it beforehand. This article aims at helping you to tackle management and organizational questions in an interview. Here are a few sample answers to the question ‘How Did You Prioritize When You Worked On Multiple Projects?’.
There are times when the interviewer asks you about your priorities when it comes to working. The companies look for candidates that will be able to handle the workload with ease. The interviewer asks this question to know how well you can handle a situation. The article will elaborate on how you can answer this question to reserve a place in the company.
Things To Bear In Mind
To convince the interviewer with your answer, you will have to bear certain things in mind. Keeping these things in mind will help you to ace the interview and get the job you have applied for.
Make sure to note the following points to perform well in the interview:
- Express your management and organizational skills in the best possible manner
There are times when the interviewer asks you questions about your capability of managing loads of work. Make sure that while answering this question, you highlight your management and organizational skills. Tell them how you will make a list of things to do and then prioritize those that you find the most important. Do not forget to mention that you are an excellent manager and would be able to manage every work efficiently.
- Give examples to support your organizational skills
You can magnify your answer by giving examples that show how you have managed your workload efficiently in the past. If you are a candidate who has prior work experience, then you must have experience working under pressure. Narrate a time when you managed loads of work. Tell them how you prioritize the work. Give them an effective solution to this question of managing workload.
- Emphasize your choice-making capacity
To make the right decision about the prioritization of work, you should possess a good decision-making capacity. The interviewers are there to examine your decision-making and how to combat the workload. Make sure that you show them all your skills and choice-making capacity. Tell them that you are efficient in making such decisions and if faced with such a situation, you would be able to make the right choice.
- Mention your traits that align with the question
While answering, you will have to highlight the traits that align with the question. Since the interviewer asks if you can manage the workload and how you prioritize work, you can mention that you are a multitasker. You can tell them that you are hardworking, a multitasker, well organized, and a quick learner. Mentioning these qualities can give you a plus point. You might be preferred over others and this will benefit you.
- Answer optimistically, and do not be reluctant to the idea of working on multiple projects together.
Whenever the interviewer asks a question, try and answer it optimistically. A disagreement with the interviewer is very common. Do not escalate this disagreement and make sure that you answer positively. Answering reluctantly would reduce your chances of getting selected for the job. Assure them that you are comfortable with working on multiple projects and will be able to take the correct decision for the company. Impressing the interviewer is in your hands. Try to give the answer they want to hear. Do not be ignorant of the idea of multitasking.
- Keep your answers short, crisp, and clear
Another thing to keep in mind while answering the questions is to keep your answer short and crisp. Do not start narrating stories of your past work experiences in front of the interviewer. Make sure that your point is clear to the interviewer. Your way of speaking should be comprehensible, and the interviewer should get what you want to express. Narrating long stories about your past work experiences might bore the interviewer.
Some Sample Answers You Can Take An Idea From
To present it in a more structured way, here are some of the sample answers that will help you in answering the question in the best possible way. Read the following samples to ace the interview:
- When you have already worked under pressure in the past
If you are an experienced candidate then you can structure your answer in the following manner:
I have worked on multiple projects at the same time in the past. I have a habit of organizing work by making a to-do list and then following it accordingly. I do not keep any work pending. Even if I get loaded with work, I do not lose my cool and make sure that I do every task with the same zeal. When it comes to prioritizing the work, I try to work on those tasks which are to be submitted early. So, even if I am faced with the problem of work pressure, I would be able to manage it efficiently.
- When you are not an experienced candidate
If you are not an experienced candidate, you have to use some other method to answer the question. You can formulate your answer by highlighting your qualities in the following manner:
I accept that I am a novice in this field but, every successful person was a novice once. I am a hardworking, multitasker, and determined person. I assure you that working on multiple projects at the same time is not an impossible task for me. I will be able to prioritize the work according to the deadlines. The task that has the earliest deadline will be given priority. Apart from the deadline, I will also prioritize the work based on its importance. For instance, the task which is important for the company will be given priority. If you see my work, you will not categorize me as a novice. I am efficient enough to work hard and juggle multiple projects. I will surely not disappoint you.
- When you elaborate upon your methodology of working
While answering the question, you can also throw light upon the methods you follow for working efficiently.
You can structure your answer in the following manner:
I have a habit of dividing my work into chunks and then carrying it out accordingly. At the beginning of the day, I divide my work according to the attention it demands. If a task has to be completed on short notice, I will keep it for the beginning of the day. It is because the spirits are high when the day starts. So, it is better to complete the important work at the beginning of the day. And as the energy reduces towards the end of the day, I prefer to do less important work or the work that can be submitted later. It is my method of working and prioritizing tasks. It has worked for me in the past and, I assure you that it will work in the future as well.
- When you have worked under a pressuring boss
There are times when you have already worked with a boss who has pressurized you to work on multiple projects. In such a situation, you can answer the question by giving the example of the times when you worked to please your autocratic boss:
I have experience of working under a boss who would load me with work. He used to load me with many projects at the same time. Initially, I faced problems in prioritizing the work. But gradually, I learned how to handle the workload. That experience has made me capable enough to combat every situation. I can work efficiently even under pressure and have a good knowledge of what task to prioritize. If you are looking for a person who can handle the workload efficiently then I can be the one.
- When you give a more philosophical answer
There are times when you might run out of words. You might not have an example of past work experience. In such a situation, you can use a philosophical answer as follows:
I have not worked under so much pressure. But I know that life is all about juggling multiple things. Life has taught me to tussle with multiple things at the same time. I am acquainted with the art of prioritizing the things in life. And I think that will help me in managing things at work as well. As you know that life is the best teacher, it has taught me a lot. And I can say I have been an obedient student and would be able to apply the lessons learned. The company will benefit by having me as I would be able to manage and productively prioritize the work. I consider myself a suitable candidate for the job.
- When you consider prioritizing work as a problem, and it is the reason behind leaving your previous job
Excessive workload and failure in prioritizing work might be the reason you left your job. It is fine if you straight away tell the interviewers that prioritization of work was the reason why you left your previous job. Here is an example of the way you can formulate your answer:
When it comes to prioritization of work, I am not that efficient. I am a hardworking and efficient employee. But when I was asked to do multiple projects at a time, I faced many challenges. It was the reason why I left my previous job and applied here. I tried my best to prioritize work in my last job, but they handed me multiple projects. It was hard for me to categorize the most significant task as they portrayed every task as a priority. I was under pressure and was not able to give my best. Hence, I planned to apply here, and I am expecting a little less workload here.
I am the most suitable employee you can have and who would not disappoint you.
These were some of the sample answers on how to answer when asked about the prioritization of work. You can take aid from the answers given above. And then, you can add your input to the answer, and make it your own.
Conclusion
Working on multiple projects is not everyone’s cup of tea. But the companies look for employees who can work under pressure and work on multiple projects simultaneously. This is the reason why they ask the question of working on multiple projects and prioritization of work. To answer the question, you have to prepare for every situation.
The article provided you with an outline of how you can answer the question depending upon the situation. It also gives you tips that can help you to enhance your answer and ace the interview. You can go through the article to know the tips and the structure of the answer. It will increase your probability of getting selected by the company. You are free to add your input to the answers, but keep in mind that it does not hurt the sentiments of the interviewer or portray a negative image of yours.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
- What are some things that are to be kept in mind while answering the question of prioritization of work?
This question is asked to test if you can work under pressure or not. To answer this question you have to make sure that you tell the interviewer about all of your management and organizational skills. It will have a positive impact on the interviewer. Along with it, you can narrate any past working experience to enhance the quality of the answer. Do not forget to keep the answer short and clear.
- How should I answer the question of working on multiple projects simultaneously if I cannot do so?
If you do not want to work on multiple projects at the same time. You can directly tell them a valid reason behind it. Like it reduces your efficiency and that your past experiences have not been good. But make sure the answer does not portray a negative image of yours.
