Academic Dean Mock Interview
Master 35 Academic Dean interview questions covering strategic leadership, faculty relations, and accreditation.
Question 4 of 35
How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?
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Example Answer
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Community Answers
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
As an academic dean, you will have a large variety of tasks on your plate, and you must be able to quickly and efficiently prioritize your schedule and the schedule of others. Assure the interviewer that you can do this task while considering several factors. For example, you can mention how you focus on tasks that directly impact student success and well-being, such as meeting with students and reviewing academic performance data. Additionally, you can describe how you prioritize time-sensitive projects and deadlines to ensure they are completed efficiently and effectively. Finally, you can explain how you consider your team's and colleagues' needs, as collaboration and communication are essential in any academic setting. Ultimately, the interviewer will see your approach as grounded in a commitment to student success, efficiency, and collaboration.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"When prioritizing my schedule, I will assess the urgency level and calculate whether another person on my faculty can get the ball rolling on the project. In my current role, I hold regular faculty meetings so that all staff members can be heard regarding what they feel is a priority on campus."
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"I prioritize my time by focusing on the most pressing issues first. This means I start by addressing any urgent matters that require immediate attention. Once those are taken care of, I move on to tasks that are time-sensitive or have deadlines approaching. I also consider the importance of each task and how it aligns with the overall goals and mission of the institution. Communication and collaboration with my team and other departments are also crucial in determining my priorities. It's a balancing act, but by staying organized and flexible, I can manage my time effectively and efficiently."
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"As an academic dean, I prioritize my time by focusing on the most important tasks first. This means I assess each task's urgency and importance and determine which ones require immediate attention. Of course, I also factor in any deadlines or meetings that are upcoming, as well as any pressing issues that need to be addressed. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that I am effectively managing my time and resources while also meeting the needs of my department and the students we serve. It's not always an easy task, but I believe it can be done effectively with careful planning and organization."
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Anonymous Answer
I prioritize based on the degree of urgency of the problem.
Rachelle's Feedback
Great start! If you were giving this answer in an interview, it would be best to elaborate. You can achieve a fuller response by providing an example of a time when you encountered this situation and met a deadline through excellent reaction time, for instance.
Anonymous Answer
I schedule my work-related time around the due dates of an assigned task. My goal has always been to be a week early in completing any assigned task for further review, feedback, and correction. In matters that come forward that are high priority, I focus my work ethic towards completing that task yet staying mindful of my previous work schedule.
Stephanie's Feedback
It's clear that you've developed a useful system for staying on track and completing assigned tasks. Because this question specifically asks about how you decide what gets "top priority," I would suggest altering your answer a bit to show you manage competing priorities. (Example: if you have two major projects due at the same time, how do you prioritize? How do you handle unforeseen pop-ups?)
Anonymous Answer
I prioritize collaboration with faculty and leadership. While urgent tasks tend to get top priority, I focus on long-term goals, so I'm not simply putting out fires. Long-term goals such as growing enrollment, creating a more inclusive curriculum and diverse hiring practices align with our core values as an institution, and those I keep at the forefront of all of these decisions.
Cindy's Feedback
Good! This shows a balanced approach to getting urgent work done while focusing on long-term goals as well.
Anonymous Answer
Assuming the projects and the urgency of those projects, that would be the determination of the priority. Understanding that priorities may change and that the projects and their sense of urgency may change.
Stephanie's Feedback
This is a great start, but it doesn't quite answer the question. I suggest providing a bit more detail, along with a specific example or two, if appropriate. In your current work, do you manage priorities? Do you have an example of a time when priorities shifted and there was a new sense of urgency? How did you react?
Anonymous Answer
My priority would be items that are time-sensitive or have a major impact. For example, if it's two-thirds of the way through the semester and students are failing some courses, I focus on finding tutors for the students. Secondly, I'm responsive to other urgent requests that come from my boss or my colleagues that are time-sensitive. Third, I work towards standard deadlines, e.g. tenure review letters, etc.
Chad's Feedback
Good answer! It seems you can effectively prioritize your time based on urgency and impact. This question also presents another opportunity to increase the interviewer's confidence in your ability to manage the large variety of tasks associated with the role.
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