These good time management interview questions are designed to accurately assess the candidate's ability to plan and schedule work tasks. Effective time management is key to being a productive and efficient employee.
Good time management interview questions include:
Job candidates can use these top sample interview answers and tips to demonstrate their ability to effectively manage their time.
How do you determine which tasks are more important? How do you know what to work on first? Typical methods for setting priorities include:
"Each morning I consolidate all my tasks and requests into a single master task list. I go through the list and determine the importance and urgency of each task. I consider criteria such as deadlines, time-sensitivity, dependencies, the impact of the task, available resources, consequences and client and team expectations when categorizing each task . I then prioritize and schedule my task list accordingly. The most critical tasks are tackled first while keeping all the other tasks on the list to ensure they get done as well. If I’m not sure what’s urgent and what isn’t, or how
important a task is, I find out."
Follow up good time management interview questions:
How do you quickly shift priorities?
How do you adapt to changing demands?
Priorities can shift quickly and it is important that you are able to adapt accordingly and effectively deal with changes through the workday. Reviewing your task list frequently and re-organizing and revising your priorities is key.
"I understand that priorities can shift and new tasks and demands can unexpectedly occur. If I’m assigned a new task, I add it to the master list and determine it's urgency and importance before revising my priorities and adapting my schedule. "
Having distractions throughout the day is normal and dealing effectively with them is a key element of good time management What steps do you take to minimize distractions and interruptions?
5 common strategies to prevent distractions and keep focused on the task at hand include:
Your ability to meet deadlines is an accurate measure of your time management skills and good time management interview questions will include an exploration of this. Describe your ability to be well organized and plan properly in order to meet deadlines.
5 effective strategies for meeting deadlines include:
Good sample interview answer:
"Meeting deadlines is crucial to productivity and effectiveness and I pride myself on achieving the right outcomes. I make sure I fully understand what is required of me so that I can plan, prioritize and schedule my work correctly. If it is a larger project, I break it down into more manageable tasks and set a timeline for each of these, ensuring that the final deadline is achievable. I make sure I have the right resources and tools to complete each task. I make a detailed checklist of all the steps to take to complete the project and refer to it frequently using the appropriate software to track my progress."
Follow up good time management interview question:
How do you set deadlines?
It is important that you are able to establish timelines for yourself to complete your work efficiently. Highlight how you:
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed at work? Your ability to manage stress impacts on how you maintain productivity and stay on task in the workplace. Stress management involves effective time management.
8 effective stress management and coping strategies include:
"When I have a heavy workload I use a number of time management skills to maintain performance. I write down everything I need to do and refer to this list frequently. I break down my workload into manageable tasks. I determine the urgency and importance of each task and plan and schedule my activity according to my priorities. I consult with stakeholders and ensure I have the necessary resources for task completion and that the established time frames are realistic."
Follow up good time management interview question:
How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
A good work-life balance is currently an important workplace topic. In your interview answer highlight how you:
What are your preferred strategies for managing your time?
Here are 10 tried and tested ways of successfully staying on top of your tasks and responsibilities at work:
Here are some tips and strategies to keep in mind when you answer time management interview questions:
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