What steps do you take when you realize a project you are working on will miss a deadline?
Every information technology project or IT task has an associated timeline and end date. Missing a deadline not only reflects badly on the IT organization but may have a ripple effect on the entire company, imposing additional costs or possibly resulting in a loss of business. A key talent an IT engineer must possess is recognizing when a project is starting to fall behind schedule and taking steps to get it back on track. The interviewer will ask this question to understand how you accomplished this. When answering the question, you may want to provide an example of when you did this in a past job to illustrate your proficiency in keeping projects on schedule.
"The one thing that bothers me most in this profession is missing deadlines. I understand that sometimes outside circumstances impact a project's progress and can make it fall behind schedule. However, it is my responsibility to make sure that projects are completed on time and under budget. If I recognize that a project has fallen behind schedule, I analyze why this is occurring and what is impacting the progress. I then collaborate with my team to develop solutions to put the project back on schedule. These may include working additional hours, applying extra resources to the project, adjusting the parameters and objectives of the project, or other measures. The key is to accomplish projects on time and under budget, so the business has the resources they need to accomplish its goals."
