How to Handle a Project With Competing Priorities in a Job Interview
Competing priorities are a reality of project management. Learn how to handle them effectively in a job interview and leave a lasting impression.
What is the hiring manager looking for?
Hiring managers ask this question to assess your ability to prioritize tasks, manage your time, and handle stress. They want to know how you would approach a situation where you have multiple projects or tasks that all need to be completed within a certain timeframe. They are also interested in your communication and interpersonal skills, as you will need to be able to work with team members and stakeholders to get the job done.
How to structure your answer
1. Start by understanding the context. What are the goals of the project? What are the deadlines? What are the resources available?
2. Identify the competing priorities. What tasks are most important? What tasks are less important?
3. Develop a plan. Once you know what the competing priorities are, you can start to develop a plan for how you will manage them. This plan should include a timeline, a budget, and a list of resources you will need.
4. Communicate your plan to your team. Once you have a plan, you need to communicate it to your team. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what they need to do.
5. Be flexible and adaptable. Things don’t always go according to plan, so it’s important to be flexible and adaptable. If something unexpected happens, you need to be able to adjust your plan accordingly.
Tips to answer this interview question
– Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your team members, your manager, or even your mentors.
– Don’t micromanage. Trust your team and allow them to make decisions. Micromanaging will only slow down the project and create resentment.
– Don’t be afraid to say no. It’s important to be able to say no to new requests if you’re already at capacity. Taking on too much work will only lead to burnout and poor performance.
Example interview answers to this question
Question: Can you share an example of when you had to manage a project with competing priorities?
Answer:
“I was once tasked with leading a project to develop a new website for my company. The project had a tight deadline, and we were also facing a number of competing priorities. For example, we wanted to create a website that was both user-friendly and visually appealing, but we also needed to make sure it was affordable and easy to maintain.
To manage these competing priorities, I started by understanding the context of the project. I spoke with the stakeholders to learn more about their goals and expectations. I also conducted a competitive analysis to see what other companies were doing in terms of their websites.
Once I had a good understanding of the project, I identified the competing priorities. I then developed a plan that outlined how I would manage each priority. For example, I decided to focus on creating a user-friendly website that was also affordable and easy to maintain. I also created a timeline that outlined when each task would be completed.
I communicated my plan to my team and we began working on the project. We were able to successfully complete the project on time and within budget. The website was a success and it helped to increase traffic to our company’s website.”
Why this answer is strong:
This answer is strong because it demonstrates the candidate’s ability to prioritize tasks, manage their time, and handle stress. The candidate also shows their ability to communicate effectively and work with a team.
Question: How would you handle a situation where you had multiple projects or tasks that all needed to be completed within a certain timeframe?
Answer:
“I would start by understanding the context of each project or task. I would then identify the competing priorities and develop a plan for how I would manage them. I would also communicate my plan to my team and be flexible and adaptable as needed.
For example, I once had to manage three projects that were all due at the same time. I started by understanding the goals and expectations of each project. I then identified the competing priorities and developed a plan for how I would manage each project. I communicated my plan to my team and we began working on the projects.
We were able to successfully complete all three projects on time and within budget. I was able to do this by prioritizing tasks, managing my time effectively, and communicating with my team.”
Why this answer is strong:
This answer is strong because it demonstrates the candidate’s ability to prioritize tasks, manage their time, and handle stress. The candidate also shows their ability to communicate effectively and work with a team.
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