BY WENDY ALEXANDER
How to Answer Interview Questions About Competing Priorities
Good Judgment Includes Knowing What Can Wait
I overheard a conversation My Drunk Aunt was having
My Drunk Aunt; Whenever someone invites me over and I see more than 3 cars parked outside, I keep driving just in case it’s another intervention
Me;
Anyway…
If your answer to ‘How do you handle competing priorities?’ is ‘I work harder and get everything done’ then you’ve left out the part the interviewer needs to hear
They want to know how you decide what gets your attention when you genuinely really can’t do it all
You’ve probably had a Monday where three people needed three different things by lunchtime and each one thought their deadline was end-of-the-world important
You could tell the interviewer you stayed late and did it all but that leaves them guessing what’s your plan when working another five hours won’t fix it
So give them an example where you made your decision and talked to the people who had to live with it
Before your next interview think through these three questions;
What would have happened if each piece of work had to wait?
Who did you speak to before deciding?
What did you agree to delay so the most important work could happen?
Your answer might sound like this;
‘We had a customer deadline and two internal requests due on the same day
I checked the impact of each and confirmed that missing the customer deadline would hold up their launch
I spoke to the two internal managers and agreed new dates for their work so the team could finish the customer delivery and everyone knew what to expect’
Now you’ve given the interviewer something useful because they can hear how you weighed up the work and the choice you made and how you kept people informed
And please include detail on what you decided could wait because that’s often the part showing your best judgment
An experienced human interview coach can help you spot these decisions in work you dismiss as ‘just doing my job’
When we practise I can ask why you chose that deadline and what you’d have done if the other managers pushed back so you learn to explain your thinking beyond your first prepared answer
Your dog can hear you preparing her dinner and spot a ball under the chair at the same time and still manage to leave the ball where it is
She knows what matters right now and she knows the ball will still be there after dinner
That’s The Dog Code at work and sometimes your best decision is knowing what can wait
The Dog Code book and audio are both available now at happycareerhub.com so get your copy and start putting these ideas to work
Your life is not a dress rehearsal so live like someone left the gate open
My Drunk Aunt; Whenever someone invites me over and I see more than 3 cars parked outside, I keep driving just in case it’s another intervention
Me;
Anyway…
If your answer to ‘How do you handle competing priorities?’ is ‘I work harder and get everything done’ then you’ve left out the part the interviewer needs to hear
They want to know how you decide what gets your attention when you genuinely really can’t do it all
You’ve probably had a Monday where three people needed three different things by lunchtime and each one thought their deadline was end-of-the-world important
You could tell the interviewer you stayed late and did it all but that leaves them guessing what’s your plan when working another five hours won’t fix it
So give them an example where you made your decision and talked to the people who had to live with it
Before your next interview think through these three questions;
What would have happened if each piece of work had to wait?
Who did you speak to before deciding?
What did you agree to delay so the most important work could happen?
Your answer might sound like this;
‘We had a customer deadline and two internal requests due on the same day
I checked the impact of each and confirmed that missing the customer deadline would hold up their launch
I spoke to the two internal managers and agreed new dates for their work so the team could finish the customer delivery and everyone knew what to expect’
Now you’ve given the interviewer something useful because they can hear how you weighed up the work and the choice you made and how you kept people informed
And please include detail on what you decided could wait because that’s often the part showing your best judgment
An experienced human interview coach can help you spot these decisions in work you dismiss as ‘just doing my job’
When we practise I can ask why you chose that deadline and what you’d have done if the other managers pushed back so you learn to explain your thinking beyond your first prepared answer
Your dog can hear you preparing her dinner and spot a ball under the chair at the same time and still manage to leave the ball where it is
She knows what matters right now and she knows the ball will still be there after dinner
That’s The Dog Code at work and sometimes your best decision is knowing what can wait
The Dog Code book and audio are both available now at happycareerhub.com so get your copy and start putting these ideas to work
Your life is not a dress rehearsal so live like someone left the gate open
Show the judgment behind your decisions
The Dog Code gives you practical ways to stay calm, listen closely and explain your value when the questions get difficult
Get The Dog Code - AUD$7