How often do you take work home with you?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Prep
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Most people work overtime hours or occasionally take their work home with them. This can suggest a willingness to go the extra mile for your employer or team. However, suggesting you regularly work overtime or take your work home with you could indicate you are unnecessarily wracking up more pay through expending payroll hours or aren't effective in your time management skills, or have a work and personal life imbalance. Someone who has trouble balancing their professional life with their personal life is more likely to bring their drama to work and their professional labors home. Such individuals have a greater likelihood of burning out on the job and contributing to dissent and employee attrition. So consider advertising how balanced you are and your willingness to go the extra mile for your teams when necessary. Advertise your emotional intelligence by communicating how going the extra mile often looks like performing beyond expectations and being able to handle your workload efficiently while delivering ahead of your deadlines.

Often an organization will offer incentives, such as their contributions to their employee/s work-life balance on their career website, in the form of value propositions aimed at appealing to their ideal candidates. Try to identify how your AAA club aims to enhance your work-life balance. For example, AAA's National office advertises on its website, "Bring your authentic self to work! AAA offers a flexible, supportive, collaborative work environment, helps guide our employee experience, and offers opportunities to connect, grow and give. Plus, our hybrid work environment helps you balance your work with your life."

"I make sure to utilize my work hours very efficiently, so the only time I take my work home is when there is an extremely stringent deadline. I would say that, overall, I take my work home maybe twice per month. It's all about being diligent with your time in the office!"

"I have no issue rising to the call when called upon. If I need to take work home and put in overtime, I would do so in a heartbeat. However, I don't feel that is consistently necessary to do my part. I manage my time well, personally and professionally, and maintain a strong work-life balance. So, being as disciplined and organized as I am, I accomplish what I set out to, within realistic timeframes, and have a pretty good track record for setting myself up for success for tomorrow and the day after."