7 Time Management Interview Questions & How to Answer Them

You may be surprised to hear that time management problems are the main reason why most professionals with excellent degrees and certifications typically fail their interviews. To avoid such pitfalls, It is essential that candidates fully prepare, including being familiar with typical time management interview questions

Surprising, I know.

But I realized it when a candidate came to me with a great CV and said, “I didn’t get selected for the job role.” And when I asked my interviewer for feedback, he said you need to work on your time management skills.

Sometimes things that we take for granted or that look small can actually make a huge difference.

When you go for interviews, you’ll encounter a bunch of questions:

• Technical questions
• Behavioural questions

And every question has a significant reason to be asked.

With time management questions, interviewers want to see how you manage tasks on tight deadlines or when you have a lot of work on the table.

No matter how great your education or technical skills are, it’s not worth it if you don’t know how to manage your tasks effectively.

This blog is your sign to prepare interview questions related to time management.

This is exactly why we are here.

I’m listing the top 5 time management interview questions and answers for you to prepare for your next interview.

This article will show you:

• Top time management interview questions.
• Why do interviewers ask that question.
• How to answer it.
• What are the common mistakes most candidates make that you need to avoid.

So, let’s dive in.

Top 5 Time Management Interview Questions

Before we go straight into the questions, here are some points that you need to take care of when you answer.

• Effective management is not only about you being solely handling everything. You should know how to and when to delegate your tasks.

• To show that you manage time effectively, don’t go too far by saying you can manage big projects in a short time. It’s good but not smart. Talk about how you break big tasks into small ones and manage them effectively.

• Time management comes when you have a lot of work to do but tight deadlines. So make sure to talk about how you’ll plan for last-minute urgent tasks.

• It is best to respond to this question with an example. Something that you’ve experienced in the past and how you’ve dealt with it. Use the STAR method for such questions.

These are some basic yet the most important points you should take care of.

Now let’s talk about the common time management questions and answers.

Question 1.

How do you prioritize your tasks?

It’s a simple yet very important question. Interviewers ask this to gauge when you have a lot of tasks on the table, and how you would choose which tasks are more important or need your time first.

Make sure to give a strategic answer.

Answer:

I prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. I typically start my day by listing all tasks and categorizing them into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. This method, inspired by the Eisenhower Matrix, helps me focus on what needs immediate attention while planning for other significant tasks.

Question 2.

Tell me about a time when you didn’t meet the deadline. What happened then?

Why would an interviewer ask you for the outcome? This is because he wants to know how you faced such a situation, what was your mistake, and what you learned.

The problem is never in that you missed the deadline, the actual problem arises when you:

• Tell lies
• Show poor attitude
• Don’t take responsibility

So avoid doing these. And since it’s a behavioural question, make sure to answer it in a structured way, i.e., using the STAR method.

Answer:

At my last job, I had to get our company’s website redone before our busiest season started.

My job was to make sure everything, from design to launch, was done in three months.

Even with a lot of planning and team meetings, we ran into unexpected delays in getting the content ready and fixing some tech problems. I tried to fix this by working faster with my team, talking to the bosses for more help, and having more meetings to solve the tech issues.

Despite all we did, we were still two weeks late. The good news is, that the delay helped us fix everything properly, and the new website worked great. Our customers liked the changes. I learned it’s smart to plan for buffer time just in case and to be ready to change plans when needed.

Question 3:

When you have multiple conflicting deadlines, how do you prioritize the tasks?

Interviewers ask this question to find out how you approach it when you have multiple deadlines. And this is something every employer or ‌professional faces.

Make sure you use your experience and answer more strategically in order to win this question.

Answer:

If I had to face conflicting deadlines, I would do a couple of things to make sure that I am on the right track. 

So, I’d do…

• First, I assess the importance and impact of each task. This involves considering the consequences of not meeting each deadline.

• I discuss the situation with clients or team members to understand if there’s any flexibility with deadlines.

• I look at the tasks to see if any can be delegated. In my previous role, when faced with simultaneous project launches, I delegated parts of the workload to team members who had the capacity.

• I would also go for some great product management tools.

• I’m always ready to reassess my priorities as things change. For example, when an urgent project came up unexpectedly, I quickly re-evaluated my task list, focused on the urgent project first, and then moved on to the others, adjusting my plan to ensure all deadlines were met.

• Lastly, I regularly review my progress and update my plans accordingly.

Question 4:

Why do you think time management is important?

Here, the interviewer simply wants to know your views or thoughts on time management. You can make it more impactful if you discuss your previous time management skills and how they have helped you increase your productivity. Also, time management is something we apply to our daily work chores too.

So make sure you build a connection and give a genuine answer.

Answer:

Time management is super important because it helps us get more done without feeling stressed out. I’ve found that when I plan my day and stick to those plans, I can finish my work faster and still have time for fun stuff. This way, I’m not always working late or feeling rushed. It’s like making sure there’s enough time in the day for everything I need and want to do. It’s helped me stay calm and enjoy my work and free time more.

Question 5:

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed with your workload?

Interviewers ask this question to understand how you handle pressure and manage stress in the workplace. They want to see if you have effective strategies for managing your tasks when the workload becomes challenging.

This helps him understand your:

• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to prioritize your tasks
• Communication skills

Answer:

When I feel overwhelmed with my workload, I take a step back and prioritize my tasks. I list everything I need to do and then mark the most urgent and important tasks to tackle first. This helps me focus on what needs to be done right away. I also break big tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, so they don’t seem so daunting.

If the workload is still too much, I’ll talk to my manager or team about redistributing tasks or extending deadlines where possible. Communication is key in these situations.

Lastly, I make sure to take short breaks to clear my mind and avoid burnout. Sometimes, a quick walk or a few minutes of relaxation can boost my productivity and help me tackle my workload more effectively.

These are the top 5 time management interview questions that every candidate should prepare.

Before we wrap up, here are the top 3 nos’.

3 Things to Avoid:

1. Don’t overcommit:

Be realistic about what you can achieve; saying ‘yes’ to everything can lead to burnout.

2. Don’t ignore communication:

It is easier to avoid misunderstandings and errors when you have clear communication with your team or manager.

3. Don’t blame others

Be strong enough to take responsibility and work on the mistakes.

Putting it all together

Time management is a crucial skill, whether professionally or personally. Those who have mastered this skill never feel burned out.

And if you are going for an interview, expect the interviewer to ask you such questions. Be ready to answer them all with the STAR technique, adding some good relevant examples, and talking about practical approaches or metrics.

Do this, and you are on your way to impressing your hiring manager with your time management skills.