With the proliferation of smartphones and increased use of social media, people are getting distracted and spending their time on unnecessary things. If they are not managing their time well, there is no way they are going to reach their goals at work and life outside of it. Time management is one of the most effective skills that can help these people manage their time well. This skill allows people to use their time wisely and helps them on how to avoid distractions and how to get things done when new priorities pop up. Generally, time management interview questions seek insight into a people’s ability to manage stress when handling multiple tasks, meet deadlines, spend their time well and avoid distractions, prioritize their work, to name a few.
In this article, we’ll review some of the most commonly asked time management interview questions and how to answer them effectively.
Question 1: Why is it important to manage your time well?
Interviewee Answer: To respond to this question, the interviewee can say taking control of the time can help them improve their ability to focus. Because of this, there will be no need to rush for completing any task.
For instance: “For better time management, I create a to-do list that helps me to focus on tasks.”
Question 2: How do you decide which tasks to do first?
Interviewee Answer: It is better to complete tasks that are time-sensitive. Since there is a time limit for every task, it is important to complete the task with a shorter time span first.
For instance: “I opt for a systematic approach by scheduling tasks according to urgency at first or tasks with short space of time.”
Question 3: How do you manage deadlines?
Interviewee Answer: Keeping a list of projects with deadlines can help to manage all projects properly. By dividing the projects into smaller units and tracking it reduces wastage of time.
For instance: “To keep track of all my projects and their due dates, I use project management software. When new projects emerge, I add them to my software list and include the deadline that helps me prioritize tasks that need to be done before others on my to-do list.”
Question 4: How do you balance work and personal life?
Interviewee Answer: By creating a timeline of activities can help to form a balance between work and personal life. This timeline can be divided into two slots: personal and work, according to which activities will be divided.
For instance: “I use timesheet for tracking my work as well as making sure that it doesn’t impact on my personal life.”
Question 5: Describe how you manage stress at work.
Interviewee Answer: Stress is the mandatory part of the job. However, having the skills of balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines does not allow feeling overly stressed.
For instance: “To overcome stress, I perform breathing exercises or watch funny videos. Also, taking a quick break of 5-10 minutes helps me become clearer, more focused, and more productive.”
Question 6: How do you track task status?
Interviewee Answer: Project status reports act not only as important communication tools during project execution but also as important historical documents that inform the development of future projects.
For instance: “Using tools that help with monitoring and tracking makes evaluating a project easier.”
Question 7: Why is it important to delegate?
Interviewee Answer: Delegation is significant to any organization as it empowers employees or team members. By assigning tasks to team members, not only reduces the wastage of time but also increases the productivity of the whole team.
For instance: “I think delegation is important because it increases efficiency, development of the entire team members. At the same time, it empowers employees to take responsibility for the assigned projects.”
Question 8: How do you prepare for the day ahead?
Interviewee Answer: Pre-planning plays an important role in managing tasks ahead of time. This can help people prepare for the upcoming day.
For instance: “Having a to-do list or the week planned out in advance helps me to be more mindful.”
Question 9: How do you ensure that everyone on your team has enough work?
Interviewee Answer: It is important to keep track of all the members to make sure that they are all working on something instead of wasting their time. If people work instinctively and know that the job they do is the best way they can spend their lives right now, their performance will be exponentially higher.
For instance: “By keeping regular team meetings, it enables all employees to keep up with each other.”
Question 10: How do you know what you’re doing is a good use of your time?
Interviewee Answer: It’s a great question because most of us probably assume we’re spending the right way. However, sometimes it may happen that we are not organized in our approaches to tackle any issue or to complete the task. So, it is better to keep track of what activities we have performed and how much time has been taken to complete it. This will give us insights into how we spend our time correctly.
For instance: “I use an app similar to Ever-note to organize and keep track of my activities. This helps me to become more focused.”
Also Read, Glancing at the Future of 3D Printing
