This tests organizational skills, ability to work independently, and understanding of client priorities.
Describe a systematic method using filters, labels, and urgency criteria. Emphasize speed and accuracy, and show that you can distinguish between critical and routine correspondence.
Set up filters and labels in advance so email is pre-sorted by sender importance and topic, for example separating client-critical messages from vendor correspondence and newsletters. Triage using urgency and importance together: handle time-sensitive requests from the client or key stakeholders first, then important but non-urgent items, then routine or informational messages last. Use a quick two-minute rule for anything that can be answered in a couple of lines, so small items don't pile up. Flag anything that requires a decision only the client can make rather than guessing on their behalf. Set specific times to batch-process the rest of the inbox rather than reacting to every notification as it arrives, which keeps you both fast on priorities and thorough on everything else.
Some candidates might say in Taglish, 'Inuuna ko lang yung tingin kong importante,' which sounds vague and unprofessional. Instead, clearly describe your sorting method: by sender, deadline, or keyword.
Situation
In my previous role as a virtual assistant for a US-based real estate agent, I managed an inbox that often had over 100 unread emails after weekends.
Task
My task was to ensure urgent client inquiries and time-sensitive contract deadlines were addressed first, while keeping non-urgent items organized for later.
Action
I set up Gmail filters to label emails by sender (client, vendor, personal) and used color-coded stars for urgency. I scanned for keywords like 'offer', 'inspection', or 'urgent' and responded to those within the first hour. For routine newsletters, I archived them immediately. I also drafted template replies for common queries to save time.
Result
This system reduced our average response time to urgent emails from 4 hours to under 30 minutes, and the client praised me for never missing a contract deadline.
Proactive filtering and prioritization by urgency is key.
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