Organizational skills are transferable traits necessary for most career fields. During the interview process, employers often ask questions about candidates’ organizational skills to understand how they can use these qualifications to succeed in a position. If you’re prepared for an interview, it’s important to understand how to answer questions about your organizational skills. In this article, we explore how to answer organizational skills interview questions with several example questions and answers to help you prepare.
- Reassure Your Interviewer. …
- Describe Your System—and Be Specific. …
- Attach It to the Underlying Why. …
- Mention Communication and Collaboration. …
- Don’t Be Too Rigid. …
- Consider the Role You’re Interviewing For. …
- Make Sure Your Answer Is, Well, Organized. …
- Keep It Succinct.
Organizational Skills Interview Questions And Answers
What the Interviewer Wants to Know
At the most basic level, interviewers want to know if you are—or are not—organized as an employee.
Theyll be looking for evidence that you can keep track of deadlines and responsibilities and follow up on even the smallest of tasks.
Theyll also be interested to know if your organizational abilities are a good match for what the role demands.
Interviewers may ask:
How to Answer Questions About Organization
There isnt a single right way to stay organized, and thus there isnt one correct answer to the question.
In your response, you should share your personal methods for staying organized, whether its using a pen and paper to make a list or taking advantage of project management software. You should also explain why you opt for this method.
The best answers will provide examples of how youve used different organizational systems and also show that youre capable of being flexible.
Thats important because sometimes a system that works for one role wont necessarily be a good fit for another role — youll want to show that you can adapt to meet the needs of the situation at hand.
Tips for Giving the Best Answers
In your response, make an effort to talk about your own personal methods, what works for you, and why. Follow these strategies in framing your response:
Can you describe a time when you had to complete multiple projects at once?
Completing more than one task at a time can help the interviewer evaluate your ability to multitask and handle several work assignments at once. Give some examples of one or two projects you completed in the past that had similar deadlines and how your organizational skills and ability to multitask helped you succeed.
Example: “I recently helped a client audit their business website. This required me to take on several projects, all of which had the same deadline. In one project, I focused on content creation while the other tasks involved some reconfiguration of the website features. I organized my content projects into several weeks and split each project into smaller tasks that helped me meet my productivity goals. This resulted in a completed website with additional accessibility features and updated content relevant to the clients audience.”
What factors do you consider when creating project plans?
Strategic planning, organizing objectives and delegating tasks often are organizational skills employers look for, and this question can help the interviewer assess your skills in these areas. When answering this question, describe your experience when planning and developing each phase of a project.
Example: “At my last organization, I worked with a small development team where we each had a role in contributing to project outlines. My team and I always considered the specifications both the client and company outlined before creating formal plans for project execution. Having this information helped my team and I establish additional parameters like usability testing, budgeting constraints and scheduling, which were several other factors we always accounted for in our planning.”
Can you give an example of how your planning resulted in successful outcomes?
This question can help the interviewer evaluate how effectively you plan and accomplish important objectives. Consider an example of a situation in which you contributed planning methods, outlined project schedules or delegated tasks because these activities can highlight your ability to organize and outline action plans to achieve goals.
Example: “In my last position, I helped my manager organize our department budgets. We always had multiple projects we worked on, so organizing our departments documents was a large task. Because it was such a time-consuming project, I helped my manager plan a schedule specifically for reorganizing these budget files.
This helped my manager by letting them focus on their work while my teammates and I took turns for one hour each day to get our budget documents in order. Because of my ability to plan this schedule ahead of time, my team was able to improve our documentation efficiency and still meet important project deadlines.”
6 organizational skills interview questions and example answers
When preparing for your interview, consider the following example questions and answers about organizational skills to help you:
Why Employers Ask “How Do You Stay Organized?”
Most jobs involve quite a few tasks these days, so employers want to check your organizational skills and see if you’ll be able to prioritize and stay on top of everything.
If you can’t stay organized, they’ll worry you’ll:
A hiring manager may not feel comfortable offering you the role if they aren’t sure you’ll be able to organize your work and your time.
So your goal any time you hear this question in your job search is to demonstrate a past track record of strong organizational skills.
Also, try to sound like you have a positive attitude toward the topic and don’t struggle with organization in general.
In the next section, I’ll share more about how to craft the perfect answer…
7 sample answers to “How would you describe your organizational skills?” interview question
Displaying Job Interview Questions 81-88
81. What kind of supervisor do you work best for? Provide examples.
Sample excellent response:
I like to work for a supervisor who allows me the autonomy to perform my job to the best of my abilities. I also like constructive criticism and feedback so I can improve myself and the organization. One example was my boss at a university. He hired me as an administrative coordinator because of my administrative and organizational skills. He knew that I had many new ideas and allowed me the opportunity to implement many new programs.
Of course, I kept him constantly informed and sought advice when needed. I improved communications in the department by implementing a departmental Web page. I also streamlined the check-in process by preparing the amount of work that could be done the day before. I improved staff morale by implementing a desk-assistant-of-the-month, which led to lower turnover. These are just a few examples. I was given the Recognizing Outstanding Student Employees Award for my efforts and unique ideas. I gained not only my bosss confidence and support but his respect as well.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
82. Describe some projects or ideas (not necessarily your own) that were implemented, or carried out successfully primarily because of your efforts.
Sample excellent response:
I had been recently given the duty of being the head swim-team coach for the YMCA I was employed with. A swim meet was just around the corner, but only five swimmers had enrolled for the program, none of whom had ever been a part of an organized team. Funding would be cut for the team if more interest could not be generated. So I decided that I would take action and actively recruit people to join. Not only did I have to run the practices and correct any technical mistakes the swimmers were making, but I had to contact other local swim teams to invite then to join the meet. I had to meet with the parents and the children separately and organize a way to help pay for t-shirts, swimsuits, goggles, and swim caps.
By the third week of the program, I had gained 15 more swimmers and every single one had beat his or her own time in practice. When the meet came, I organized the events, ordered ribbons, and recruited volunteers. At the end of the meet, my team had come in first place among four other teams. The parents were delighted, and the profits from the swim team had skyrocketed to the approval of the board of directors.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
83. Describe a situation that required a number of things to be done at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?
Sample excellent response:
In my current job, I have to handle multiple responsibilities in developing new projects, maintaining existing ones, and maintaining good client relations. I allocate a certain amount of time for each area daily. That way clients can see very clearly that projects are progressing, and I have more satisfaction in accomplishing multiple tasks under pressure.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
84. Have you found any ways to make school or a job easier or more rewarding or to make yourself more effective?
Sample excellent response:
I find that taking a proactive mindset to recognizing and solving problems before they happen make any job more rewarding. It not only saves time and effort but gives me a sense of accomplishment and ownership in my job. I demonstrated my proactiveness when I worked with Food Lion. As a bookkeeper, I was responsible for the offices. The safe was kept outside of the office in front of the cash registers, where anyone could get inside of it if I or another office associate had it open to drop a deposit or get money in and out. I realized that the situation was a security hazard.
Although we could not move the safe to the inside of the office where it was more secure, I ordered a timelock compartment and had it installed, and the safe could be opened only at a specific time when the store closed each day. Only money could be dropped through a slot in the compartment door. We kept large sums of money in that compartment. We kept operating cash on hand since we needed some excess money to perform daily functions. One month after I left that store to attend college, I learned that it was robbed. Because of my efforts and foresight, the robbers got only a small amount of cash. My previous supervisor thanked me for my efforts, which gave me a great feeling, and I carried this proactive mindset to my other jobs thereafter.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
85. How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples.
Sample excellent response:
I took a time-management course in which I learned to prioritize all tasks on A, B, or C lists. I always try to tackle the A list first. In every working situation, co-workers have always complimented me on how well I manage my time. I enjoy the social atmosphere of the office, but I make it a point not to waste much time on chitchat with colleagues. Ive also learned that the average office worker spends about an hour a day handling e-mail. I make it a point not to deal with my e-mail more than once or twice a day, and I filter my messages into folders so I can prioritize the way I deal with them.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
86. Tell of a time when your active listening skills really paid off for you — maybe a time when other people missed the key idea being expressed.
Sample excellent response:
When I presented my senior research in college, I was questioned by the members of my major department as a “panel.” My grade was determined largely on my ability to answer the questions effectively and smoothly, which depended very much on my ability to listen carefully to what was being asked. I had seen other students slip up when they misunderstood what the panel was asking because they didnt listen well enough. I succeeded in listening carefully and did well on my presentation.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
87. What has been your experience in giving presentations? What has been your most successful experience in speech making?
Sample excellent response:
I have grown to be a confident presenter. My most successful presentation took place at my university when I was responsible for presenting a leadership-development program for a class of Resident Assistants. The point of my program was to teach each RA his/her leadership style, so he/she knew how to interact on his/her floor as a student leader. The most significant aspect of this program is that it taught them about their leadership styles without their knowing it. Each student filled out a general questionnaire that asked about preferences. Each person according to his/her responses was assigned to a group with a general name. I then gave each group a book to read. Each group had to read it aloud. After each group read each book, I then explained how each group tackled the task.
They all had handled the task differently. Each student successfully understood how they approached tasks and from that how they would approach their job as a RA. Not only did I engage the audience in what was being presented, I have since seen the program adapted in other presentations by RAs in that class. Not only did they enjoy it, they learned something about themselves that would help them help their residents.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
88. Tell of the most difficult customer service experience that you have ever had to handle — perhaps an angry or irate customer. Be specific and tell what you did and what was the outcome.
Sample excellent response:
I was making business phone calls behind the membership office at the YMCA when an angry man came up to the counter demanding a refund. He began yelling at the membership workers and complaining about the swimming program, saying that it was a rip-off. The other workers were flustered, and even though membership services were not my department, I calmly asked the man what was wrong. He that his son had been in swimming lessons for four weeks and was still afraid of the water.
Instead of instantly giving him the refund, I offered to personally give his son private swim lessons for a week, explaining to him that sometimes children react differently to each instructors teaching techniques. He finally agreed to accept without the refund. After a week of private lessons, his son was no longer afraid of the water and he could swim nearly a lap of the pool. At the end of the lessons, not only did he sign his child up for another paid session of private lessons, but he bought a family membership and apologized to me for his behavior the week before.
Also, remember the S-A-R (situation-action-result) technique and see a sample S-A-R story.
Learn how to respond to other interview questions by visiting LiveCareers Interview Questions section.
FAQ
How do you interview your organizational skills?
How do you give organizational skills examples?
- How do you prioritize your work? …
- What are some organizational methods you feel are effective? …
- How do you ensure you meet important deadlines? …
- Can you describe a time when you had to complete multiple projects at once?
