How do you manage a large workload?
The interviewer wants assurances you can meet their expectations. This not only speaks to your project management skills, but your emotional intelligence, attitude, and work style. Start by clarifying how you typically respond to high-stress situations and the tools you implement for yourself to maintain your focus. Let the interviewer know your process for prioritizing each task towards completion.
"When I have a large workload on my plate, I do not stress over the tasks that are in front of me. Rather, I make a simple plan of which tasks are a high priority and which tasks are a lower priority. The higher priority tasks, I complete first. Through this system, I can focus on my tasks individually, rather than stress out by the multitude of tasks ahead of me."
"My workload is always packed, but consistent. The only time it gets hectic is if we've had a lot of assessments and I've gotten behind in grading. My work schedule leaves no room for error; I have a class starting at the same time the previous one ends. So, I am accustomed to having an incredibly full workload."
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 prioritized. I have a notebook that I always have with me. When my work gets heavy, I make sure I am prioritizing assignments and highlighting them in my notebook. I set 3 levels of prioritization and work through them all by the end of the day. If some things do have to wait till the next day, I make sure there are detailed notes for the next shift in an email so they know what I have worked on and make their job easier. The biggest thing is don't let the stress of the load get to you. Just prioritize and keep at it with a positive attitude.
Cindy's Feedback
Good! Explaining by way of process is a great approach. This question lends itself to examples. Do you have an example of a time when you had a large workload? How did you apply your process? Did you finish everything?
