How to handle pressure interview question

One common interview question is “How do you handle stress?” The interviewer does not want to hear that you

never get stressed; after all, everyone feels stress at one time or another at work. Instead, the employer wants to see if you

know how pressure affects you, and how you manage it.

How to Answer Interview Questions About Stress

The best way to answer this question is to give an example of how you have handled stress in a previous job.

That way, the interviewer can get a clear picture of how well you work in stressful situations.

Avoid mentioning a situation when you put yourself in a needlessly stressful situation. For example, do not share a story about a time when you were stressed because you procrastinated and had to finish a project quickly. Focus on a time that you were given a difficult task or a multiple assignments, and you rose to the occasion.

You also should not focus too much on how stressed out you felt. While you should certainly admit that stress happens, emphasize on how you deal with the stress, rather than how it bothered you.

• Examples of the Best Answers

• Pressure is very important to me. Good pressure, such as having a lot of assignments to work on, or an upcoming deadline, helps me to stay motivated and productive. Of course, there are times when too much pressure can lead to stress; however, I am very skilled at balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines, which prevents me from feeling stressed often. For example, I once had three large projects due in the same week, which was a lot of pressure. However, because I created a schedule that detailed how I would break down each project into small assignments, I completed all three projects ahead of time, and avoided unnecessary stress.

• I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful. For example, when I deal with an unsatisfied customer, rather than feeling stressed, I focus on the task at hand. I believe my ability to communicate effectively with customers during these moments helps reduce my own stress in these situations, and also reduces any stress the customer may feel.

• I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment. As a writer and editor, I thrive under quick deadlines and multiple projects. I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.

Avoid surprises — interviews need preparation. Some questions come up time and time again — usually about you, your experience and the job itself. We've gathered together the most common questions so you can get your preparation off to a flying start.

You also find all interview questions at link at the end of this post.

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