How to deal with stressful situations interview question

"Describe a stressful situation and how you handled it." It's a common interview question, especially if your dream job involves multitasking, customer service or decision making. The irony in this question is that much of the purpose of an interview is for the hiring manager to assess how you perform under pressure. To answer this common question, be prepared with examples that fit different versions of the question.

Sources of Stress

Some stress questions center on your temperament and common causes of stress, such as, "What factors normally cause you stress?" Often, the interviewer is trying to figure out how easily stressed you are and whether the job or organization ties closely to your stressors.

A short, honest list of typical stressors that are unrelated to the job works best. You give an answer without undermining your abilities to complete the job. Another technique is to add ways you deal with those stressors. This shows that you're aware of the situation and have a strategy to handle it.

Example:

"Uncertainty on completing a task sometimes causes me stress, but I typically focus on research and information-gathering to resolve this challenge."

Meeting Work Deadlines

Most jobs have some type of deadlines you must meet. Your potential employer wants to know you can meet those deadlines consistently. For positions requiring timely work, you might get the question, "How do you handle deadlines?" While noting that you work well under pressure is fine, a specific example of a process is best. You might talk about specific deadline requirements you've had at previous jobs and how you met them.

Example:

"I often had deadlines in my last job as a news reporter. I kept to a daily and weekly schedule, prioritized my work and typically tried to avoid last-minute work to ensure the best quality."

Stress Coping Techniques

Stress management is an important skill set when working in high-pressure jobs, especially with other employees or clients. For these positions, you might get a question like, "Describe some of the ways to deal with stress that work for you." Come prepared with two to three specific techniques and examples. Daily meditation, deep breathing, regular exercise, proper nutrition and a flexible attitude are common techniques. Emphasizing your flexibility is especially useful in a role where work varies, and you may not always get your way.

Example:

"I work really hard to eat right and exercise regularly to keep my overall stress low. At work, I find it's helpful to keep a flexible attitude so I can handle unexpected interruptions or changes when they happen. If I start feeling stressed, I breathe deeply and focus on breaking down the situation into actionable steps."

Teams and Service Conflicts

Some stress interview questions center on specific types of work stressors, such as teamwork and customer service conflicts. "How would you resolve a conflict with colleagues in a work team?" is a common question. Offer an example of a time when you and a colleague initially disagreed, but successfully navigated a compromise or agreeable resolution. For a sales or service job, you will likely get a question like "How did you handle a difficult customer." The manager typically wants to hear an example of how you go through a sequential process with the customer, such as listening, empathizing and resolving the problem.

Example:

"In my last position, I dealt with a client who was very upset about a billing issue. She was charged more than she should have been. She yelled and accused me of scamming her. I remained calm and let her share her frustrations. I then acknowledged how frustrating it is to have billing issues and apologized for the mistake. I assured her I would handle the billing issue immediately. Once she saw that the updated balance was correct, she thanked me and apologized for getting upset. I always try to stay calm and look at things from the other person's perspective. I find it's easier to handle upset clients."

Basem T.

Basem T.

Chief Executive Officer at Talalweh Consultancy

Published Aug 25, 2014

A typical interview question, asked to get a sense of how you handle on-the-job stress, is "How do you handle pressure?" Examples of good responses include:

  • Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive.
  • I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful.
  • I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment.
  • From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great stress reducer.
  • Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.
  • If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.
  • I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.
  • I'm not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I'm under pressure, I focus, and get the job done.
  • I find it exhilarating to be in a dynamic environment where the pressure is on.
  • I find a past pace to be invigorating, and thrive when the pressure is on.
  • I've done some of my best work under tight deadlines, where the atmosphere was very stressful.
  • I'm the kind of person who stays calm under pressure, and handles stress fairly easily.

It's a good idea to give examples of how you have handled stress to your interviewer. That way, they get a clear picture how well you can work in stressful situations.

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How do you handle stressful situations best answer?

Common stress management strategies include:.
Staying positive..
Using stress as a motivator..
Accepting what you can't control..
Practicing relaxation methods, like yoga or meditation..
Choosing healthy habits..
Learning how to manage time better..
Making time for your personal life..

How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations interview answer?

How Do You Handle Stress Interview Question and Answer.
Understand why the interviewer is asking this job interview question. ... .
Make a list of your soft skills. ... .
Add context to these skills with a relevant, impactful example. ... .
Focus on your positive actions, not your negative feelings. ... .
Don't deny your stress..

How do you answer tell me about a stressful situation?

You can follow these steps to answer interview questions about stress effectively:.
Think about how you usually handle stress. ... .
Use a story or specific examples. ... .
Focus on how you overcame the challenge. ... .
Talk about the results of your approach. ... .
Be prepared for additional questions..

How do you handle difficult situations interview question?

How to answer "Tell me how you handled a difficult situation".
Describe the situation. Explain the "situation" you handled in one or two sentences. ... .
Explain the problem. ... .
Detail the steps you took to rectify the issue. ... .
Describe the results you produced..