What would you do if your manager gave you an urgent task while you were busy with another one?
Acknowledge it, quickly tell the manager what you are working on and its deadline, ask which takes priority, and then act on that decision, informing anyone affected by the change.
Explain it simply
This is common in the first job. The wrong moves are saying "I am busy" or silently dropping the first task.
The right move is a 30-second conversation: "Sure. I'm currently doing X, due today for Y. Should I pause it and do this first?" Your manager may know something you do not. Then inform whoever was expecting the first task.
Example
Situation: During her internship, Gayatri was halfway through test cases due that evening when her manager asked her to check a production bug report immediately.
Task: Handle both without letting anyone down.
Action: She told her manager she was finishing the test cases due at 6 p.m. and asked which should come first. He said the bug, since a client was waiting. She messaged the QA lead that the test cases would come next morning, worked on the bug, and finished the test cases by 10 a.m. the next day.
Result: The bug was confirmed and fixed the same day, and the QA lead was fine with the new time because she was told early.
What to say in the interview
"I'd tell my manager what I'm currently working on and its deadline, ask which comes first, then follow that and inform anyone waiting on the other task."
Common mistakes
- Refusing the new task.
- Dropping the first task without telling anyone.
- Trying to do both badly at the same time.