Email Interview QuestionA recruiter has asked me to respond to the following question via email: *How do you maintain high productivity while balancing competing priorities and meeting strict deadlines? Any advice? The key word here is YOU. How would YOU do it. It doesn't matter how I would do it, they're not hiring me.
Tess
If it were me, which it's not like Tess pointed out, I'd formulate an answer that emphasises my ability to manage time and projects. Something to the effect of, I take a few moments to outline each step of the project, estitmate length of time and when it needs to be completed. I schedule out each step for myself, or others involved and complete each task. I'd probably word it better, and be more specific, but that's roughly what I'd say.
You'd have to indicate how you would prioritize. Anything you can't get done which is a high priority should be discussed with a supervisor. Hope this helps. The rest is up to you. I have a tendency to overthink things if I am given the opportunity to "think things over" and come up with an answer. If I don't have a "chance" to think about things, I do better. So, I have two answers. The first thing that came to my mind about handling priorities and my overthinking version. My first version is (and what I actually do): I set aside 3-5 minutes at the top of every hour to go over my work and find out what needs to take priority. Since in my field, law, priorities change minute by minute, big projects (even with a deadline) have to be put to the side to make way for smaller 5-10 minute Motions or other Pleadings that the attorney comes up with on the fly. To make sure that I don't burn out with the projects, I devote 15 minutes per priority project then take 10-15 minutes on regular everday projects and then go back to my 15 minutes for priority. If, by 3:30, I find that I cannot take the time to run to the postage meter to get mail ready for the 4:30 mail runner, I will contact the file room and request a clerk help me with that duty. With the availability and advent of computer programs like Westlaw, research that I need to do regarding a particular statute or case law is faster and allows for more time to spend on the more mundane but ultimately high importance tasks, such as telephone calls to and from opposing counsel, secretarys and court personnel, pre-trial reports and letters of varying degrees of length and importance. My "overthunk" version has me asking about when the deadlines were set, why nobody starting on the project before it became priority and other such matters. For your field and your job within it, you would need to think about what types of prioritys you may face and what types of day to day work you would be doing. Just wanted to give a quick impression as someone reading over the respone Kelly left. One part stood out "If, by 3:30, I find that I cannot take the time to run to the postage meter to get mail ready for the 4:30 mail runner, I will contact the file room and request a clerk help me with that duty." I'd personally avoid this statement, while it's good to ask for help from others, to me this statement sounds like the person didn't manage their time effectively to include not only large projects and spur of the moment projects, but also daily tasks. Something more abstract like "I prioritize the work and schedule it out through completion and then if needed, delgate some of the work" will more or less say the same thing, but not make it sound like you didn't fit everything you need into your day. I hope that this is helpful: When it says 'competing priorities' - I would suggest that you seek clarification from your immediate supervisor if you're unclear on which ones are truly 'critical' priorities and focus on accomplishing those first. If there are more than one of equal critical priority split your efforts and use PDCA, Plan, Do, Check, Adjust to get them done on time. They also may be looking for delegation ability if you have a staff | |
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