Employers want employees who can organize and plan their work well.

In job interviews, they will ask questions like: How do you decide which tasks to do first? How do you manage competing deadlines? Can you tell us about a time when you were late completing a task and why that happened?

You should always be prepared for time-management questions. But a better way to demonstrate that skill is to manage your time well during the interview.

You do this by answering questions in a concise, organized way.

To do this, you must first know how long the interview will be. You should always ask this question when someone from the company calls or emails you to book the interview. Once you know the interview length, you will be better able to gauge your timing and plan your answers accordingly.

You should always enter the interview with a plan in mind. One of the best ways to prepare for an interview is to anticipate the interview questions. A few days before the interview, sit down with the job posting or job description and prepare a list of questions you would ask if you were the interviewer. If done well, you can usually anticipate most of the questions you will be asked. This step will help your preparation immensely.

You should list the top three or four points you want to make during the interview and stick to those key messages. For example, let’s say you do not have related work experience to the job you are applying for, but you have transferrable skills that can be used in the new job. Make sure those skills are well identified and communicated during the interview. Hopefully, the interviewer will bring these out through their questions, but if they do not, ensure you weave them into your answers.

Lastly, you should also watch for signals from the interviewer that you might be going on too long. For example, if they put their pen down and stop writing, lose eye contact, or glaze over, you have gone on too long. Wrap up your answer quickly.