Organizational Skills Interview Questions
Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Organizational Skills interview questions and answers.
- How do you physically organize your workspace? See answer
- Can you give me an example of a time when being organized helped you? See answer
- What organizational tools do you use? See answer
- Can you tell me about a time when you worked under a tight deadline? See answer
- How do you prioritize daily work tasks? See answer
- How do you help keep a team project organized? See answer
- How do you approach a complicated problem? See answer
- How do you stay organized when you’re juggling multiple projects and tasks?
- What do you do if you don’t plan enough before a project starts?
- How do you deal with colleagues who aren’t organized?
- How do you keep track of tasks you delegate to others?
- Do you consider yourself an organized person?
- How do you handle something unexpected at work that interrupts your plans?
- Have you ever run a meeting and how did you keep it organized?
- If you’re working with lots of data for a project, how do you organize it all so you can analyze and use it?
- What do you think is the most important part of time management?
- How do you organize a project from beginning to end?
- How would your coworkers describe your organizational style?
- What do you do if someone you supervise is struggling with organization?
- Have you had a situation when you weren’t organized and it hurt the outcome?
10 Organizational Skills Interview Questions and Answers
Q:
How do you approach a complicated problem?
A:
Organization is always important, but it's crucial when you're working on a complex problem. With this question, you learn how strategic the candidate is when faced with a complicated situation. You can learn about their organizational strategies and how they make the project manageable. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Ability to analyze the parts of the project
- Clear strategies to organize the project
- Ability to stay calm when faced with a difficult problem
“When I'm dealing with a complex work situation, I give myself time to look at it first from a high level to determine the best way to tackle it. I then break it down into smaller pieces to figure out how to deal with all the components that make it so complex. I take detailed notes and use mind mapping to process my thoughts on the situation. I also determine which parts of the process I can handle and where I need help.”
Q:
How do you stay organized when you're juggling multiple projects and tasks?
A:
Employees often have to juggle multiple responsibilities and projects at once. Evaluating how they handle these situations helps you determine whether they have the organizational skills to pull it off. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Clear organizational strategies
- Analysis and planning skills to create a work plan
- Ability to meet deadlines
“I keep all of my projects and tasks organized in Trello, which gives me a visual representation of what's due and when. When I get a new project or task, I work backward from the due date, dissecting it into pieces and creating mini-deadlines for each section. This helps me decide how to fit all of the pieces into my schedule to ensure everything is done on time.”
Q:
How do you physically organize your workspace?
A:
Being organized often starts with the physical space. Someone who keeps their workspace tidy with a strong organizational system can work more efficiently. This question lets the candidate show that they know how to create an organized environment. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Understanding of the connection between the physical space and organization
- Awareness of personal preferences for physical organization
- Use of a specific system that works for them
“I like to keep my desk clear of everything other than what I'm working with at the time. This removes distractions and makes it easy for me to find what I need. I have a filing cabinet to keep my physical documents organized, and I have shelving with labels on each shelf to keep other supplies and items organized. I know exactly where everything is located, and the labelling and organization system makes it easy for other people to find things in my office when needed.”
Q:
Can you give me an example of a time when being organized helped you?
A:
Organization is a word that gets thrown around a lot. Finding someone who realizes the importance of organization and has real-life examples of how it's helped in the past knows how to apply those skills. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Awareness of how organization helped with a successful project
- Specific examples of the candidate being organized
- Applying that experience to future projects
“In my last event planner position, I was in charge of a large conference. We scouted out several venues and settled on the best option. At the last minute, we had to switch the venue and adjust some of the session scheduling. I had all the information neatly organized and was able to quickly find a backup venue. We adjusted the scheduling and kept everything on track.”
Q:
What organizational tools do you use?
A:
Including organizational skills interview questions about tools helps you gauge how serious a candidate is about staying organized. If they're familiar with different tools, they've done research and want to improve their organizational skills. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Experience with various tools
- Familiarity with the organizational tools you use
- Awareness of how organizational tools help
“I prefer Trello to keep my tasks and ideas organized. I like the visualization and easy progress tracking, so I can see exactly what needs to be done. I also like Calendly for keeping track of my schedule. I've tested different organizational tools, and these two stand out for me as the ones that work best for my organizational style.”
Q:
Can you tell me about a time when you worked under a tight deadline?
A:
Meeting tight deadlines requires strong organization and focus. A quick deadline is often a high-pressure situation with no room for error or wasted time. Hearing how the candidate handles a quick turn-around can give you clues about their organizational skills. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Ability to stay calm under pressure
- Organizational strategies to keep the project on track
- Understanding of why deadlines are important
“While working as a copywriter, I was asked to take on a last-minute project that had to be written within 48 hours. I would normally spend a full week on a piece of this scope, but I was able to create an outline quickly to see what interview sources and data I would need. I broke down the piece into smaller segments and was able to finish it a few hours before the deadline.”
Q:
What do you do if you don't plan enough before a project starts?
A:
Employees who know when to re-evaluate can help get a project back on track. It's common to lack planning or organization occasionally. You want an employee who knows how to correct the situation quickly to protect the project. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Ability to step back and assess
- Acknowledgement of failing to plan and ownership over the situation
- Learning from being underprepared
“I constantly evaluate how a project is going, so I can tell quickly if I went into it unprepared. My problem-solving skills kick into high gear and help me identify exactly where the planning failed. I take a pause to evaluate the situation and determine where I need to reorganize the project. On a recent photography project, I underestimated the complexity of the shoot and didn't fully understand the client's wishes. I took a day to refocus, so I could review the requirements, find the right models, and find the ideal locations for the shoot.”
Q:
How do you prioritize daily work tasks?
A:
Having a strong system for prioritizing and scheduling work tasks demonstrates organization. Asking this as one of your organizational skills interview questions lets you see whether the candidate uses a system or just wings it. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Quick, detailed response
- Specific steps they follow each day
- Room for flexibility when something comes up
“At the beginning of the week, I look at everything I need to accomplish and break it down into smaller pieces for each day. Each morning, I look at the tasks I need to do and allocate my time for the day, taking into account meetings and other commitments. I prioritize the tasks based on deadlines and urgency to ensure everything gets done on time.”
Q:
How do you deal with colleagues who aren't organized?
A:
Disorganized colleagues can delay projects, which hurts the entire team. Someone who can address those issues respectfully can help keep the team moving forward. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Conflict resolution skills
- Clear, respectful communication
- Willingness to help the disorganized colleague
“It can be frustrating when colleagues are disorganized because it often delays other team members. If the disorganization doesn't affect others, I offer some tips but don't press the issue. When it interferes with my tasks, I talk to the colleague privately. With a former colleague, I explained how their lack of organization and delayed work kept me from doing my part since I needed his work done first. We brainstormed ways he could stay organized and on time with the next project, and the situation improved.”
Q:
How do you help keep a team project organized?
A:
If the position is heavily team focused, having someone who can keep the group organized is an asset. Knowing how to motivate others and organize work from other people requires strong organizational skills. A highly organized person can take on the role of tracking and organizing the project to avoid delays. Here's what to look for in an answer:
- Understanding of how team members affect one another
- Organizational strategies for the team
- Willingness to accept different organizational methods
“I'm often the person who keeps track of team progress. As a highly organized person, I naturally keep all the parts of a team project organized. I communicate with the team on the project progress and catch delays quickly before they slow down the team. It can be frustrating when working on a team with someone who's disorganized, but I always offer some quick tools and strategies they can implement easily to stay on top of the project.”
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