Interviews are a stressful process for both the interviewer and the interviewee. For a lot of us, being interviewed is an awkward time as it makes you talk about yourself. Not to mention there are all sorts of questions that they will ask and sometimes that can throw you off guard. Some interview questions you should be prepared for, however, such as interview questions about multitasking.
So, today’s article is going to be about interview questions. Specifically, interview questions that relate to your skill in multitasking.
What is Multitasking?
If you don’t know what multitasking is then you are probably in the wrong place. But for those who need a refresher, multitasking is obviously when you are able to handle multiple tasks at once.
Now multitasking is an interesting skill because it can depend on what tasks you are doing. For a clown at the circus, they have to juggle multiple objects while putting on a show for the crowd. Or as a parent, you may have to do some work while also taking care of a kid.
There are many ways to multitask and there are so many different combinations that you may be good at multitasking some things, but not other things.
Why is Multitasking Important?
Regardless if this is for a job or not, having the skill to multitask is important. Having the ability to focus on several things at once can be a good skill to have, albeit that you don’t overburden yourself!
But, in a lot of senses, at a job, as a student, a parent, or whatever, multitasking means that you are putting yourself responsible for the tasks that you have decided to take on. Honing this skill can be great because there are several ways you can expand on it.
For instance, perhaps you can juggle more tasks. Or, perhaps you can handle your time management better. Even then, doing well with multitasking means that you get more things done in less time.
Why Do Interviewers Ask About Multitasking?
To be fair, it’s a fair question. Almost any job you take will require you to multitask to some degree. Let’s take a look at some very different careers that require multitasking:
- Cook: Food needs prepped, clean workstations, and knowing and preparing dishes.
- Librarian: Making sure books are in their right places, answering questions, and keeping everything organized.
- Teacher: Educate students, grade papers, answer questions, and supervise other people’s children.
All three of these jobs require multitasking for different things, but can also overlap. So for a job, of course, the interviewer wants to know if you can handle multiple tasks. Depending on the job, you can have several things assigned to you. Mostly, however, it would be doing your own work, answering emails, and other somewhat mundane tasks.
But, the reason why they ask this question is that they want to know if you are an efficient person. As some advice, be sure you understand what kind of things you are going to be multitasking. Some things are not ideal to have partial attention to and need to be done at once. Understand what is expected of you so you know if you can handle it or not.
How to Answer the Question of Multitasking
Let’s say that you have found a job and will have an interview. You need to be prepared! Before the interview, go through your past work experiences to the best of your ability and think about what would be good anecdotes for you to use.
When they ask, tell them of the times that you handled multitasking, deadlines, and your efficiency. Hearing these things about you will give them a good indication of how fit you would be for the job.
Another way is to simply be honest with your skills. If you are not good at multitasking, that’s okay! No one expects you to be perfect. However, if you really want this job, then tell them that you want to prove yourself and yearn to better your skills. Your honesty can be well-received and they may give you a chance.
Conclusion
Multitasking is an important skill that nearly everyone uses to some degree. You may even be multitasking and not even realize it. Most likely you use it in both your personal and work time.
Jobs want to know how efficient you are so it is obvious that they want to know about your multitasking skills. Be sure to know how to answer interview questions about multitasking.
