Tell me about a time several deadlines landed in the same week. How did you prioritise and what happened?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests organisation & deadlines. Uses checklists, calendars and prioritisation, communicates early when at risk, and consistently meets due dates.
• What to bring out: Assessed urgency and impact, planned the work, communicated early with stakeholders, asked for help if needed, and met key dates.
• Expect a follow-up like: What would you do if you realized one deadline would be missed?

Another way it may be asked: Say close, an audit request and a tax deadline all hit at once. How did you handle it?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the organisation & deadlines you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

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