This time management question is designed to see if you have a system for handling multiple responsibilities. The best answers demonstrate a clear, logical framework for making decisions.

Question: “How do you prioritize your workload? Give an example.”

STAR Method Breakdown:

• (S)ituation: “During our busiest season last quarter, I was managing three major client accounts, each with ongoing tasks, while also being responsible for preparing a weekly performance report for management.”
• (T)ask: “My task was to ensure all client needs were met promptly and the internal report was delivered on time, without letting quality slip on either end.”
• (A)ction: “I use an Eisenhower Matrix framework to prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. At the start of each day, I would categorize my to-do list: urgent and important tasks (like a client request with a hard deadline) were done first. Important but not urgent tasks (like planning for a future client check-in) were scheduled for later in the day or week. Urgent but not important tasks (like some internal emails) were handled quickly. Things that were neither were minimized. For example, a client had an urgent issue with their account, which I made my top priority. I communicated to my manager that the weekly report would be delivered in the afternoon instead of the morning, ensuring transparency.”
• (R)esult: “Using this system allowed me to successfully resolve the urgent client issue within an hour, complete all other critical client work, and still deliver the management report on the same day. My manager praised my ability to stay organized and communicative under pressure, and we retained all three clients through the busy season.”

For more examples, review our STAR Method Example: Time Management .

This example supports the article Behavioral Questions on Time Management .