Everything is super fast nowadays. The nerve-racking pursue of never-ending growth is already taking its toll on both mental and physical health of human society as a whole. Yet I do not see it stopping anytime soon. Sadly. Deadlines, daily, weekly, and monthly goals, multitasking. That’s the bread of every corporate employee. And maybe the main reasons why many people quit the job. They just can’t handle it. But can you? And will you? And how to convince the interviewers that you can, how to deal with questions such as “Tell us about a time you missed a deadline?” or “How do you prioritize?” We’ll find the answers on the following lines.
– Do you like this image, and the content on our website? Please share it and help us spread the word. Thank you!
The Basics
- Most common interview questions belonging to this area: How do you prioritize your work? Tell us about a time when you had to meet a tight deadline.
- Less common questions belonging to the area: When working on multiple projects, how do you prioritize. Tell us about a time when you missed a deadline. How do you handle multiple deadlines? Can you describe a situation in which you failed to prioritize correctly? Describe your experience with multi-tasking.
- Out of 10 random jobs, in how many cases will this area be tested during the hiring process: 7/10. Some people break cold sweat as soon as they hear the word “deadline”. Feeling a pressure to deliver isn’t easy for anyone, and hiring managers are well-aware of it. Interviewing for any corporate job, you will face at least one question about prioritization and deadlines. On the other hand, when applying for more basic roles with low pressure levels, they likely won’t ask you any question belonging to this area.
- Difficulty: 4/5. Hard one, especially because they may ask you about situations when you actually failed as an employee (“…when you missed a deadline…, …failed to prioritize correctly…”). It is not easy to talk about this for anyone. Having said that, once you understand the key principles and the main mistakes to avoid, and see my sample answers with explanations, I believe you will feel confident to handle also tricky questions belonging to this area.
- Main goals of the hiring managers with questions belonging to this area: Understanding how you deal with tricky situations common in every corporate workplace, that means prioritizing your work, meeting deadlines, working on multiple projects simultaneously. Assessing how such situations impact you at work, in terms of both your productivity and mental well-being.
- Your main goals with answers to questions belonging to this area: Convincing them that you can handle stressful situations such as tight deadlines and working on multiple projects at the same time. Showing a clear way or processes you use to deal with the situation they inquire about. Showing that you can accept responsibility (for example for a deadline you missed), and learn from your mistakes.
7 sample answers
Sample answer no. 1: A fresh grad applying for their very first corporate job talking about multiple priorities and deadlines they experience in their final year at college:
I experienced such a period last fall, when preparing for my finals. At the same I had to take care of my younger brother and handle one part time job. The days seemed almost insane, and I immediately understood I had to prioritize my tasks, unless I wanted to experience a burnout, or do not really get anything done, and miss my deadlines at school. So I set my priorities clear–graduation was no.1, income no. 2, and everything else went after that. Making a clear schedule for each day, I followed it to the point, and had to forego my hobbies and leisure time activities for a few months. But I eventually managed to pass the finals, keep my part time job, and help my parents with the younger brother twice a week. It wasn’t easy, but the experience showed me that one can get a lot of things done if they try hard and plan their days carefully.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: The applicant explained their action plan in detail (“…I set my priorities clear…a schedule for each day, I followed it to the point…”). This is a great answer, and much better than simply saying that they dug deep to handle everything. It is also good to show that you can sacrifice something to meet the deadline or handle the heavy workload (“…had to forego my hobbies and leisure time activities for a few months”). Overall this is an excellent answer for someone with little working experience.
Sample answer no. 2: Prioritizing and multitasking in a retail store:
To handle multiple priorities and meet deadlines was my daily bread in my last job in retail. The shop was understaffed, and due to the situation in the economy the owner couldn’t afford hiring more people. In normal circumstances, we would keep the shop spotlessly clean and organized, but then, with one person less onboard and a period before Christmas, we just had to let go certain duties, and prioritize the most important task–the interactions with the customers. Because that’s the activity that generates income for the store. It was still stressful, but we managed to meet our sales goals for the holiday period, and things got much better afterwards.
- Quick thing to notice about this one: The applicant showed nicely that their no. 1 priority are the business goals (“…prioritize the most important task–the interactions with the customers…that generates income for the store…”). Notice how they also admitted feeling stressed (“It was still stressful…”). Meeting deadline and having to prioritize on the go is stressful for everyone, and it is even better admitting it in your answer, because it gives it more credibility in the eyes of the interviewers.
Sample answer no. 3: Meeting a tight deadline in a corporate setting:
I remember a deadline for an important project in my last corporate job. Somehow we were behind with schedule on that project, and the time at work just wasn’t enough for us to get things done, and to also progress with other projects. So we put everything else on hold for the week, stayed overtime daily, and worked on this single project only. Eventually we managed to meet the deadlines, but it was also a hard lesson. Since we let the remaining projects almost idle, we fell behind on them, and the entire cycle repeated. To tell you the truth, the heavy workload was the no. 1 reason why I left the job. I know it is hard everywhere, but in my last job it was simply too much. You cannot do 20 hours overtime each week, can you?
- Quick thing to notice about this one: I love how the applicant explains the full picture: while they managed to meet the most important deadline, they actually missed other as a consequence of focusing on the no. 1 priority. Notice how they show the readiness to sacrifice something for the company (“…we stayed overtime daily…”). At the end they explain it was simply too much and they had to leave the job, which is a great way of answering also another question the interviewers may have on their mind (Why did you leave your last job?).
Sample answer no. 4: Job applicant with no previous working experience, showing his attitude to deadlines and prioritization:
Well, I am very young and do not exactly remember such a busy time in life. But I understand that today virtually all workplaces are fast-paced, and I will find myself in a situation when I need to prioritize my tasks. When it happens, at the start I will consult the mangers and my colleagues with more experience, to help me with my schedule. In some time I should be able to prioritize the work on my own, and make sure that I take care of the most important duties first.
- Quick thing to notice: Everyone has to start somewhere. If you lack previous experience with situations they inquire about, tell them what you would do in them, or plan to do in the future. It is also important to show that you do not wear pink glasses, and expect tough situations at work (“… today all workplaces are fast-paced, and I will find myself in a situation when I need to prioritize…”). .
Sample answer no. 5: Freelancer applying for their first job after long years of working on their own:
Best experience is from my 12 years old freelancing career. Working as a content writer, I sometimes accepted more clients than I could realistically handle. But I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass, since in content writing business you never know. A one-time client can easily turn into a repetitive client who will give you a lot of business over the years. In such cases, first thing I did was extending my working days, and working for 4 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays. I was ready to make this sacrifice for my clients, and with 4 hours of work on weekends I still managed to have a decent life-work balance. And then I personally approached each client, trying to find out more about the deadline, and whether it was really that hot, or I could deliver the work a bit later. At the end of the day, it is all about planning, and communication. I always eventually managed to deliver the work in a timely manner, though I have not always met the initial deadline. But since I talked with the clients, and we agreed on slight delay, people were satisfied with my work and I managed to successfully freelance for 12 years.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: They clearly described how they dealt with deadlines and heavy workload (“…4 hours of work on weekends…personally approached each client, trying to find out more about the deadline…”). However, certain things that work in freelancing, in a simple setup freelancer-client won’t work in a complex corporate setting where missing your deadline may impact many other people or potentially even other projects. That’s why I would avoid the part where he says that he tried to postpone some deadlines, and delivered the work with a bit of delay.
Sample answer no. 6: Talking about excellent time management skills and never missing a deadline:
It has never happened to me, because time management and planning are my greatest strengths. I never bite more than I can chew, or accept tasks or projects I cannot handle, considering my existing workload. What’s more, I can plan my days extremely well, making sure I won’t waste more time than absolutely necessary with tasks like emails and meetings. 90% of time at work, I focus on the core of my job, and get things done. Basically at 7 in the morning I already know what I am going to do every minute at work until I leave the office. When you plan your days precisely, and limit all distractions to minimum, you can avoid stressful situations, tight deadlines, and other things people who struggle with planning and discipline often face at work.
- Quick thing to notice: The applicant is extremely confident about their time management skills. And while they clearly explain how they handle heavy workload (“…90% of time at work, I focus on the core of my job…”), and also explain their excellent planning skills: (“…at 7 in the morning I already know what I am going to do every minute at work until I leave the office…”), in reality things do not always work like this in a corporate setup. Regardless of how efficient you are, and how well your day is planned, you may have to wait for someone else to deliver the piece of work you need to proceed with your work, or sometimes the workload may be just too heavy for an excellent planner. Hence if you decide to go with a similar answer, say that in 90% of cases you do not experience the problems of tight deadline and difficult prioritization (due to your excellent planning and time management skills). The remaining 10% is outside of your control, and in such cases you simply try your best.
Sample answer no. 7: Someone extremely busy and overworked almost all the time:
I feel like I live such a reality 24/7. Not that I struggle with planning or something similar. Just with kids, two jobs, and a desire to continue working on my skills and education, I just always have to make choices, and often prioritize one thing to another. What I do is trying to find some balance, and make sure that I do not fail in any of my roles. To explain it better, I know I am neither a perfect employee, nor an amazing parent, nor the best student. But I try to be a good father and husband, a responsible employee, and a decent student. And in this way I prioritize my tasks, making sure that I do not neglect any of my roles, just because I try to be perfect in other roles…
- Quick thing to notice about this one: A nice an honest answer of someone who simply tries to cope with a busy life. However, to succeed in a job interview, you should give your job the first priority…
Advanced information
Mistakes people make while answering questions about deadlines and prioritization in the interviews
- Playing the issue down, relying on your excellent time-management skills or similar. When it comes to deadlines and prioritization, things are never entirely under your control in a corporate setting. What I try to say here is that regardless of how excellent your time-management is, you may still face a tight deadline or even miss one, simply because some other colleague missed theirs, and had not delivered you important materials on time, or because there is a chaos in a project you are working on. While you can certainly praise your skills in this area, it is a mistake saying that similar situations have never happened to you, or that it never will. Praise your skills, but also admit it can happen to you, and explain what you will do in such a case.
- Blaming others. Maybe you missed a deadline because someone else missed their. Or you faced issues of prioritization because your project managers did a poor job and assigned you conflicting priorities. And while it is fine saying so, it is a mistake simply blaming others for the entire situation. In an interview, you should always admit your part, and accepting at least partial responsibility for the given situation.
- Saying that you never experienced such a situation due to lack of working experience. This just won’t do in the world we live in now. Sure enough, you faced deadlines at school, and problems of prioritization and multitasking in your daily life. The pressure is the same, regardless of the setting, and so the way you handled them. Trying to get away with an answer that you have not experienced similar situations because this is your first job application is a mistake. The only exception is when you clearly explain what you would do in such a situation (check sample answer no. 4).
Few points from the perspective of the hiring managers/interviewers
- Do not aim for perfection, we know that these situations are hard for everyone. We know that everyone finds it hard with tight deadlines and multi-tasking. So do we… Do not be afraid to show your human side, even to explain how you failed. As long as you learned the lesson and managed to move on, failing is totally all right–even if it cost you your last job. We will understand it, and even appreciate your honesty.
- The mental side also matters for us. It is one thing how you handled the tight/missed deadline when it comes to how it impacted your work. Another one, and equally important for us, is how you handled it mentally, and how it impacted you. Do not hesitate to share it with us, it can only help you score the most points for your answer to the questions from this area.
7 keywords to remember when answering questions belonging to this area
- Admit your struggles with deadlines and priorities, accept responsibility and do not blame your colleagues, deadline is a deadline and examples from school and personal life are just as good as examples from work, don’t be afraid to explain impact on your mental & physical well-being, explain your remedies & processes when it comes to dealing with deadlines, do not aim for perfection, share lessons you learned while dealing with these situations.
So that’s it! You’ve just covered area no. 13 out of 25 areas that cover 99% of questions you may ever get in the interviews. Just 12 areas left! Check the next one: Conflicts, or go back to homepage for the full list of 25 areas and pick one you want to learn about and practice right now.
