When it comes to working on projects, it is important to demonstrate that you know how to manage competing priorities in your workload. This is not just a soft skill, it is also a good way to ensure that you’re managing stress levels within the work. Australian government jobs can often have many competing priorities, therefore, having this soft skill can be a great way to demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate for the role.
In this article, we talk about managing competing priorities and how you can demonstrate this in an application for any government position.
If work were simply a list of tasks to be completed in a first-in, first-out manner, our lives would be much simpler. However, this is rarely the case. Most roles involve juggling multiple demands and managing various priorities. Employees need to balance these tasks efficiently to meet the expectations of both management and clients.
Competing priorities can take many forms. For example, you might receive various tasks from different people—perhaps a senior leader wants a report completed, while your team leader needs you to cover the phones or run a meeting while they meet with a client. Additionally, you might need to review and respond to documents from suppliers or customers. All of this is often complicated by limited resources, with time being one of the most critical constraints. Deciding which task to prioritise often hinges on how much time is available.
Effectively managing competing priorities is crucial for success for several reasons. First, resources are always limited. Even if you have sufficient funds or physical assets, you might have constraints on time or access to key individuals within your team. This requires careful consideration of how to best utilise these resources to achieve your goals.
Additionally, balancing priorities often means trying to satisfy as many stakeholders as possible. While it’s not always feasible to please everyone, understanding how to prioritise tasks can help you navigate these challenges. There may be times when you have to disappoint someone because you can’t meet their timeline, but there may be valid reasons for this decision.
Learning to set priorities and adhere to a schedule that maximises your chances of success is essential. Managing competing priorities also relies heavily on soft skills, such as effective communication, organisation, resource management, time management, leadership, persuasion, and data analysis. These skills help you identify what is most important and develop a plan to work efficiently.
By effectively managing your priorities, you can minimise stress and ensure that tasks are completed in the most appropriate order.
Learning how to manage competing priorities begins with establishing a clear process for identifying and sorting these priorities. By doing so, you can make informed decisions about what needs to be done next. Here is a quick guide to help you get started.
The first step is to list all the tasks that need to be completed. For each task, note the required resources and estimate how long it will take to finish. It’s also important to consider any dependencies between tasks. For example, if you need to present a survey report to the board of trustees, the data analysis and report preparation must be completed beforehand. By mapping out these tasks and their requirements, you can better understand the order in which they should be tackled.
Next, review the deadlines for each task, noting them down and organising your list based on which tasks need to be completed first. Remember to consider any dependencies between tasks; for example, if you need to write a report but are still waiting for data without a specific deadline, you’ll need to create a timeline that includes the estimated time required to write the report once the data is available. This will help ensure that all tasks are completed in the appropriate order.
Every organisation faces resource limitations, with time often being the most constrained. However, there may also be limitations related to money, materials, and other resources. If a task requires using all the available resources and replacements will take three days to arrive, it’s crucial to factor this into your planning. You may need to adjust the timeline of other tasks that depend on those resources to account for the delay.
One advantage of working in a team is the ability to delegate tasks to others in the department. This can enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness, especially if team members have specific skills better suited to certain tasks. Delegating not only helps distribute the workload but also allows you to leverage your colleagues’ strengths, leading to faster and more effective task completion. Additionally, delegation is a great way to build stronger relationships and a network with your peers.
Some tasks may come with flexible deadlines that haven’t been explicitly communicated. If you’re struggling to fit everything into your schedule, consider discussing your workload with your management team. Provide them with a list of your tasks and their respective priorities. Ask if any deadlines can be extended by a couple of days to ensure you can dedicate the proper attention to each task. This approach allows you to manage your time more effectively while still meeting the needs of the organisation.
Effectively managing competing priorities is a crucial skill to showcase on your resume and in job applications, but it can be challenging to illustrate. The experience section of your resume is an excellent place to highlight this ability.
In this section, you can describe how you managed multiple projects simultaneously and prioritised your workload according to the organisation’s goals and stakeholders’ needs. Provide examples of how you successfully completed a significant portion of your assigned tasks and how you handled tasks that were still pending.
For example, you might write: “Managed three concurrent marketing campaigns while prioritising tasks based on deadlines and impact. Successfully delivered two campaigns ahead of schedule and effectively communicated with stakeholders to adjust timelines for the third project, ensuring all objectives were met without compromising quality.”
Another example could be: “Coordinated the development of five software updates while balancing the priorities of different departments. Identified critical tasks and delegated responsibilities to team members, leading to a 20% increase in efficiency and on-time delivery of all updates. Effectively negotiated deadline extensions for lower-priority updates, allowing the team to focus on high-impact tasks.”
This approach allows you to demonstrate several soft skills within a single experience, such as time management, organisation, and adaptability.
Competing priorities can be challenging, but they are manageable. Demonstrating your ability to handle these priorities effectively can be a key factor in securing your dream role in the Australian government.
Public Service Careers Coach, PS Careers Practice Manager
