Question: Imagine this scenario: You are working towards an urgent deadline when your manager asks you to also work on another equally important project. How do you prioritize your work?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Follow-up questions:

How would you know which of the two needs to be finished first?
What questions do you ask your manager to understand the urgency of the second assignment?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Situational

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Science and Logic,Management of Time,Systems – Judgment and Decision Making

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility),Cognitive – Perceptual Speed,Cognitive – Speed of Closure (Thinking Speed)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Agreeableness,Candidate Preparedness,Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity)

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor,Interpersonal Relationships – Work With Work Group or Team (As a member, not a leader),Job Structure – Handling Time Pressure,Job Structure – Structured versus Unstructured Work,Job Structure – Work/Life Balance

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Handling Ambiguity,Initiative,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are evaluating the time management skills and assess candidate’s ability to distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
If the candidate highlights their organizations skills and ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
If the candidate highlights through an example their adaptability and how they reorganized their priorities.
If the candidate shows that they are mindful of urgent company priorities.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate does not provide specific example where they have shown initiative and ability to effectively organize their work.
If the candidate does not seem to establish timelines for themselves.
If the candidate’s expectations of them does not sound realistic.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/interview-advice/interview-questions