Do you have an upcoming job interview? Check out my example answers to the interview question: “Tell me about a time when your workload was heavy“, “Describe a situation when you had many deadlines” or “How do you handle a heavy workload?
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This interview question is often asked to find out more about how a candidate handles responsibilities or challenging situations at work. Provide a suitable example and inform the interviewer about the context, action, result and learnings (CARL method) you took from this experience:
Example Answer
For job seekers WITH EXPERIENCE
Context: “When I was a [Job title] at [Company XYZ], one of my colleagues was about to go on maternity leave and no replacement was hired. I requested a list of all the projects she was working on and shadowed her for two days straight to ensure a smooth transition.
Action: Over the course of six months, my workload doubled. However, I remained calm, prioritized tasks and focussed on one task at a time. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., I spent time on new projects and for the remainder of the day I resumed my other projects.
Result: This daily routine proved to be efficient. I managed to finish all projects on time and attained a constant 95% client satisfaction level based on conducted surveys.
Learning: What I’ve learned from a sudden heavy workload, is that organizational habits and a daily routine are key to stay on track. Also, I noticed that busy times are an opportunity to excel and stand out.”
Example Answer
For job seekers WITH NO EXPERIENCE
Context: “As I haven’t actually been employed before, I can tell you about a time when my workload was heavy at university. I was assigned in a 5-person team to write a marketing plan.
Each student had to finish around 20% of the report. However, three days before the deadline it became apparent that one teammate was not pulling the weight.
Action: I booked a classroom and arranged a team meeting. I suggested sharing the burden among several members which unfortunately led to a disagreement. I then took initiative and assigned the remaining 15% to myself.
Result: As a result, I had to work overtime for three days straight. It took a 15 minute break every hour to avoid getting fatigued, but I managed to complete it before the deadline.
Learning: What I’ve learned from this project is to keep each team member in the loop, provide feedback when needed and check up on the progress of each member.”
TIPS
√ Do highlight your contributions, remain objective and inform the interviewer about what you’ve learned from the experience
√ Do provide a positive and constructive answer that is short, concise and to the point
X Don’t appear as someone that is emotionally unstable. For example, don’t say you were stressed out about an unanticipated workload or challenging situation you had in the past.
X Don’t blame a heavy workload on mismanagement, lazy or unqualified colleagues. Hiring managers are looking for positive candidates that take accountability and responsibility.
