“I write them on my hand in crayon, and then don’t wash my hand until I have completed the task. It doesn’t work as well on rainy days.”

Any job that does not involve multitasking is a job that is going to get really boring, really fast. Could you imagine if you only had to do one thing all day? Terrible.

So, assuming your job is not terrible, you will have many different projects that you need to handle yourself. Rarely will you ever have one job at a time, and if you lose track of what you are supposed to be doing, projects are not going to get finished.

How to Answer

As with many questions about how you organize, you simply need to give a real answer that sounds like it will work well, and shows that you have put thought into your organizational processes.

Bad Answer

“I have a list that I keep at my desk.”

Okay, that’s good, but how do you know when to add to the list or what is due and when? You should elaborate more than this.

Good Answer

“I create a spreadsheet on the server that I update with new projects, and color code with due dates and priority. I also give my managers access to the spreadsheet so that they can see what I am working on and what I have in the pipeline, and give them editing privileges in case they have any projects they would like me to add. Due dates I also place on my Calendar with a 2 day reminder.”

That type of answer shows a lot more thought, and you clearly are organized enough that the employer will have a lot of confidence that you will not lose track of projects.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Give an answer that has a lot of thought and planning.
• Make sure the interviewer is confident in your organizational abilities.

Related posts:

1. Common Interview Question – How Do You Prioritize Multiple Projects?
2. Deadline Interview Question Number 3 – How Do You Prioritize Multiple Projects with the Same Deadline?
3. Common Interview Question – When and How Do You Plan Your Work Day?

“Well, the first thing I do is I throw a coin directly at my supervisor. Whichever side of the coin imprints itself as a bruise on their face, that is the project I work on. If the throw misses, I take a staple gun, walk up to the front desk, and staple the first associate I see on the back of the neck. Then I take a stopwatch and time their scream. If they scream for an odd number of seconds, I go with the first project. Even, second. If they throw in curse words, I immediately skip all projects and prance naked around the office until security tackles me, then I start the process over again from the comfort of my own home.”

Your ability to organize is constantly on trial at the workplace. People that put no thought into how they prioritize multiple projects tend to struggle when coming up on deadlines. So employers may ask you how you organize. There is no right answer, provided that whatever you say sounds like it would work.

Bad Answer

“I ask my supervisor what he/she thinks should take priority and I start working on that, unless told to stop.”

Good Answer

“Through a combination of deadline, difficulty, project length, team status and inherent importance. For example, a short deadline, difficult project where a team requires my work is going to get priority over an equally short deadline, easy project, because the team’s productivity is based on my own productivity. I also try to group similar items together and get started early on difficult, time consuming projects so that when I brush up against the deadline I am not scrambling and can give attention to other projects as needed.”

This is all the interviewer really wants to hear – that you understand how to give priority to certain projects and you put thought into how you give that priority. Supply this type of answer and you should have no problem impressing the interviewer.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Explain factors that go into giving priority.
• Explain how you incorporate those factors into your decision.

Related posts:

1. Deadline Interview Question Number 3 – How Do You Prioritize Multiple Projects with the Same Deadline?
2. Deadline Interview Question Number 2 – How Do You Handle Deadlines for Multiple Assignments
3. Organizational Interview Question: How Do You Keep Track of Your Own Projects?

Your ability to organize is probably one of the most overlooked components of a good employee. Even the best worker is going to struggle if they have no concept of what is due or when the best time to do it would be. Employers that recognize this may ask you how you plan every day.

How to Answer

Your answer does not need to be too complicated, and it does not necessarily matter “what” you use. What matters is that you have an actual answer that shows that you are organized and reliable. This will be best illustrated by the two sample answers.

Bad Answer

“I usually write down what I need to do on a calendar and check it every morning.”

Okay, well, that’s great, but it says very little about your long term planning, your ability to notice deadlines, etc. Anyone can simply write down some junk in a calendar. What do you write down? When? These are all things that need to be considered.

Good Answer

“For daily activities, like meetings, phone calls, etc., I use Microsoft Exchange and set up two email reminders – one usually the day before the event, the other usually an hour before. For projects, I set up an Excel spreadsheet where I place every project in list form, based on a combination of priority and due date. For example, something of top priority due immediately is going to be first. Something of considerable priority but not due for quite a while may be a little further down the list, etc. Then I update accordingly, using highlights to show which projects I am currently working on. Finally, I give my supervisor access to the document so that they can also verify that I am on the right track. Once I complete the project at the top of the list, I mark it off and move to the next project.”

It’s a longer answer, but it is considerably more comprehensive, and it shows that you take your organization seriously. This is a clear strategy, and one that the employer will respect. You should explain your own strategy in detail to the employer with this answer.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Explain exactly what you will do to organize your daily activities.
• Use details and show that you have thought about it.

Related posts:

1. Common Interview Question: How Long Do You Plan on Staying With Us?
2. Common Interview Question: Tell Me About the Work You Did at Your Last Job
3. Common Interview Question – How Would You Describe Your Work Style?