“How Do You Handle Stress And Pressure?”: Suggestions 2023

In layman’s terms, each job is accompanied by its own set of obstacles that may stress out everyone involved. Consequently, in the eyes of employers, an ideal employee is someone who can navigate through obstacles and keep stress under control at all times. To ensure that they get the right person for the right job, interviewers usually ask interviewees the question: “How do you handle stress and pressure?”. If you struggle to answer that question, spare a bit of time and check out my article. 

An Overview Of The Question

Interviewers always keep an eye out for the best candidates and one of the common criteria is pressure and stress management. After all, the last thing that company owners want to do is to hire employees that quickly succumb to stressful conditions. Also, you should know that signing up in the ever-changing industries nowadays is equal to signing up for pressure and stress. As a result, if you want to land a job, learn to manage stress and pressure then communicate what you have learned to interviewers. 

“How Do You Handle Stress And Pressure?”: Compilation 

Source Of Motivation

Although it sounds odd, a number of people actually rely on stress and pressure to keep them moving. If you use that approach, let the interviewer know that stress and pressure act as your source of motivation. For instance, you may bring up how you deliver the best result whenever you handle projects that have tight deadlines. 

“In my previous role in a bookkeeping company, most of our clients throw in a bulk of work when the month is coming to an end. Everything must be processed at the start of the next month which is the time when pressure and eventually stress kicks in. I usually divide my workload into small tasks, organize them according to priority and create a sensible schedule. By doing so, I stay motivated and the results tend to outmatch my expectations” 

Skills And Lessons 

For your information, you always have something to learn from each pg your successes and failures in your life. If you reveal skills and lessons you learned after resolving stressful situations to interviewers, you can portray yourself as an individual who is constantly improving. 

“Stress and pressure appear in every work environment so I see them as chances to grow professionally. In my previous role, I had a chance to work with a company where there were changes in clients’ demands every now and then. This has taught me to try and look ahead by predicting the changes that could occur in the future. Eventually, changes no longer come as a surprise to me and I’m able to adjust on the fly.” 

Coping Techniques

Once it comes to handling pressure and stress, it won’t hurt to include personal habits, on as well as off-work. It’s highly likely that interviewers will want to know whether you have healthy coping techniques so show them what you have in store.

“Over the years, I have developed routine habits that help me stop stress from affecting my performance. By exercising in the gym every day, I manage to improve my mood and come to work in a relaxed state. I also love taking a weekend break to pursue my hobbies which remove built-up tension. Other stress-coping techniques in my arsenal include healthy eating, meditation, disconnecting from digital devices and so on”

What To Avoid While Talking About Stress And Pressure

• Denying stress: Telling the interviewer that you do not get stressed may seem like a good answer but it is not. Every job comes with its taste of stress, hence, it is unrealistic to say you do not experience it at all. Upon hearing your denial, interviewers may conclude that either you have no idea of what stress is or you are being dishonest.
• How much you were stressed: Admitting that you got stressed after a specific event is good but overemphasizing it is ill-advised. It’s best to concentrate on how you dealt with stress by highlighting your stress management skills.
• Stress you created on your own: It’s ok to be honest but for good measure, do not mention stressful situations you created by yourself. Here is an example: do not say that you delayed a project till its deadline is around the corner. That kind of answer is going to give an impression of someone who stresses himself/herself as well as his/her colleagues. 

How Can I Answer “How Do You Handle Stress And Pressure” If I Have No Experience?

If you have no work experience, you can answer this interview question by explaining how you handled an event during your internship or volunteer work. If you have none of these, you can highlight how you managed stress in personal or academic situations.