How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?
Working for WSP Group, you will have many projects on the go, and all of them will be important! The interviewer would like to know that you can prioritize and juggle multiple responsibilities without dropping the ball, or becoming overwhelmed. Prioritizing is a skill that requires practice. There are many approaches you can take. Here are some suggestions:
1) Make a list. By thinking through and writing down each item that needs completion, you can see it on paper.
2) Mark what is urgent or essential. Take into account deadlines and meetings.
3) Order each task based on effort and estimated value.
4) Consider due dates and how long it will take to do each item.
When answering this question, show the interviewer that you have a system in place that helps you to think through what needs to happen, and when. The better you can prioritize, the more productive you will be, making you an asset to WSP Group.
"I aim to be as effective as possible, and use all minutes of the day. In my current role, I have three to five projects going at once. I am the lead on some, the delegator on others, and the reviewer on another, for instance. By splitting up the roles and work responsibilities, my team and I can be the most efficient with our time."
"I love to keep running lists of everything that I need to do, big or small. I've started utilizing a free project management software for lists and task categorization, and then mark them by the level of urgency. I take care of the most time-sensitive issues first and then move along to the equally important, but perhaps less time-sensitive items. I also estimate how long each task will take, so if I have a few minutes between projects, I can tackle the quick to-dos."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I understand that working for WSP will require me to handle many projects on the go, all of them equally important. Organization is a key facet of my skill set and this was never more apparent during my master's year. In my final semester, I had the tricky situation of having to juggle my dissertation with an applied study unit, my other modules, and part-time work.
During this time, I kept a running list of everything I needed to do. I did so using a project management app called Clickup that allowed me to categorize my tasks and arrange them in reflection of urgency. Although my dissertation was most important, its deadline date was further away than the other modules and study unit so that was last on the list despite ticking off small tasks to do with it daily. From my previous experience, I have a good idea of the number of time tasks needed to allocate that effectively. By bring so organised, I managed to get a high mark in my dissertation, a first in the applied study unit and didn't miss an hour of work or a payment in rent.
Amanda's Feedback
Good job! You have used a current, real-life example to demonstrate how you prioritize competing needs and tasks successfully while keeping the big picture in mind. If you use any other project management tools or strategies, consider sharing how these have helped you to stay organized and manage your time or projects effectively.
