How to Answer – “How Do You Prioritise Your Work?”

Ever wondered why interviewers almost inevitably ask “How do you prioritize your work?” during an interview? Interviewers ask this question because it’s more than just a casual question. It’s a window into your organizational skills, decision-making abilities, and overall work ethic. But answering it is not as simple as we think. There are certain qualities that interviewers analyze while you answer this question. We have created this article to help you know the drill behind this question and the ways to ace it. You can expect sample answers, tips to frame answers, and why interviewers ask this question while reading it. So, let’s quickly get into the matter.

Why do interviewers ask “How do you prioritize your work?”

Framing the answer gets easier when you know the intention of the interviewer behind this question. That’s why, let’s understand it and then move forward. Interviewers ask “How do you prioritize your work?” for several reasons like

• To Assess your organizational skills and time management: This is a crucial skill in most workplaces and by asking this question, the interviewer wants to understand your approach towards multiple tasks, deadlines, and competing demands.

In my previous role, I was assigned a project with three deliverables due in one week. To manage this, I first listed all the tasks involved and categorized them as urgent/important, less urgent/important, etc. I then used project management software to create a detailed timeline. Also, I communicated with my team and supervisor if I faced any problems and got them resolved on time. That’s how I successfully delivered all three projects on time.

• To evaluate your decision-making ability: Prioritization often involves making tough choices and the interviewer wants to see how you weigh different factors, such as urgency, importance, and impact, to make informed decisions about what to tackle first.

During a busy project phase, I was approached with a new urgent request. I wanted to work on it so I inquired about the task’s details and the deadline. Upon realizing the conflicts with existing deadlines, I discussed the workload and the timeline with my manager. Together we were able to prioritize the work and were able to deliver both tasks on time and that too without compromising quality or deadlines.

• Gauge your work ethic and commitment: Are you someone who takes initiative and proactively seeks out important tasks? Or do you wait to be told what to do? This question can reveal your level of self-motivation and commitment to achieving goals.

While working on a complicated report with a strict deadline, I realized that the project would require more time than the decided one. Instead of waiting until the last minute, I quickly scheduled a meeting with my manager and openly communicated my concerns, and potential challenges and suggesting a slightly adjusted deadline with a clear justification. My manager appreciated my transparency and we agreed on a revised deadline. This experience not only prevented potential delays but also strengthened my communication and collaboration skills.

• Understand how you handle pressure: There will be times when you have more work than you can handle and the interviewer wants to see how you cope under pressure. Whether you can maintain focus and prioritize effectively even when faced with competing deadlines.

While working on a project, I discovered a potential issue that could hamper our progress. Recognizing the need for diverse perspectives, I organized a team meeting to discuss the issue. We brainstormed solutions together and reached a consensus on the best approach. I then prepared a clear and concise proposal for our manager, outlining the issue, our proposed solution, and its potential benefits. Ultimately, our manager appreciated our collaborative effort and prioritized the task accordingly, leading to a successful and timely completion of the project.

• Identify potential conflicts or red flags: Your answer to this question can also reveal potential conflicts with the company culture or work style. For example, if you prioritize completing tasks independently over collaborating with others, it might not be a good fit for a team-oriented environment. So here is what you can say instead.

During a large team project, we needed to allocate various tasks with diverse skill requirements. To ensure fairness and effectiveness, I started by gathering individual strengths and preferences through open discussions and allocated tasks accordingly. This collaborative approach resulted in a fair and balanced workload distribution, fostering team buy-in and ultimately leading to a smooth and successful project completion.

These are some of the main reasons why interviewers ask this question. If you know the intent, you can easily frame the answer. So, based on the insights, let’s know the tips to frame the answers.

Tips to answer “How do you prioritise your work?”

• Start with a general framework: Briefly outline your overall approach to prioritization by mentioning factors like urgency, importance, impact, deadlines, and available resources.
• Provide a specific example: Share a concrete situation where you had to prioritize tasks effectively by describing the context, tasks involved, and how you went about making decisions because it helps the interviewer visualize your thought process and decision-making skills.
• Highlight key skills and qualities: Weave in relevant skills and qualities you used during the situation. Such as analyzing and evaluating tasks, time management, communication, collaboration, adaptability, etc.
• End with a positive takeaway: Did you meet deadlines? Did the project succeed? Briefly summarize the outcome of your prioritization efforts because this helps to showcase the effectiveness of your approach.

Sample Answers- For Freshers and Experienced

For Freshers

Sample Answer 1 (Daily To-Do List):

“I start each day by creating a prioritized to-do list. I assess tasks based on deadlines, importance to the project, and potential impact. Urgent deadlines take priority, followed by tasks crucial for team progress. Smaller or less urgent tasks get slotted later in the day or delegated when possible. This approach keeps me organized and ensures I efficiently contribute to team goals.”

Sample Answer 2 (Communication and Adaptability):

“As a fresher, my focus is to understand the overall project priorities. For this, I actively communicate with experienced colleagues and my manager to clarify task importance and deadlines. I prioritize based on their guidance and learn to adapt quickly to changing priorities. While I am still building my prioritization framework, clear communication and a willingness to adapt are my key tools.”

For Experienced Professionals

Sample Answer 1 (Eisenhower Matrix):

“I prioritize my work using the Eisenhower Matrix, which categorizes tasks by urgency and importance. Urgent and important tasks get tackled first, followed by urgent but less important ones. Less urgent but important tasks get scheduled, while unimportant and non-urgent tasks are delegated or eliminated. This method allows me to stay focused on high-impact work while ensuring no critical tasks fall through the cracks.”

Sample Answer 2 (Project Management Software):

“For complicated projects, I leverage some project management software like Trello or Asana. I establish clear deadlines, dependencies, and milestones for each task. Prioritization happens through stakeholder input, impact analysis, and potential roadblocks identified. Regularly revisiting the project plan and utilizing real-time updates ensures continuous adjustments based on evolving priorities.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Vagueness and Lack of Specificity: Avoid generic statements like “I’m good at prioritizing” or “I just get things done.” Instead, provide a clear framework and specific examples that demonstrate your thought process and decision-making skills.
• Focusing Solely on Urgency: While urgency is important, don’t neglect factors like importance and impact because they show your ability to balance immediate needs with long-term goals and potential consequences.
• Failing to Showcase Skills and Qualities: Don’t just describe the situation; highlight the skills and qualities you used while prioritizing such as analytical thinking, time management, communication, collaboration, and adaptability.
• Creating an Unrealistic Image: Nobody’s Perfect. Avoid claiming to be able to do everything flawlessly by acknowledging potential challenges and how you overcome them to demonstrate self-awareness and problem-solving ability.

The “How do you prioritize your work?” question isn’t just a hurdle to overcome but it’s an opportunity to shine. Tailoring your answer to the specific demands of the role and company culture is key and you can do this by researching about company values, understanding their work culture, and highlighting how your prioritization is beneficial to the company. This demonstration of initiative and adaptability will show the interviewer you’re not just prepared for the question but for the unique challenges and opportunities ahead. So, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and prepare to showcase your prioritization prowess with confidence!