Question: Imagine this scenario: You walk into the office and learn that it is going to be a busy day. On top of that, you realize that there will be competing deadlines. How will you handle this work day?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

It’s a busy day with conflicting priorities and deadlines: what do you do?

Follow-up questions:

Would you consider urgent tasks or important tasks first?
Why so?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Situational

Skills:

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

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Flexibility of Closure (Pattern Detection),Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Speed of Closure (Thinking Speed)

Other Factors:

Candidate Preparedness,Personal Improvement (Growth),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor,Job Structure – Handling Time Pressure,Job Structure – Structured versus Unstructured Work

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Analytical Thinking,Handling Ambiguity,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

If the candidate is able to demonstrate their strategic thinking ability and planning and organizing techniques.
If the candidate’s example includes using a to-do list or a tool that helps them keeping a track of their work.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate gives short answers like they will find a way.
If the candidate displays negative feeling about multi-tasking.
If the candidate does not have a clear strategy and their answer sounds more like they can keep working until it is finished no matter how long it may take.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/most-common-competency-based-interview-questions