How do you work under pressure? There will be situations when you have to handle stress at work. It can’t be avoided. Hence, there’s a high probability that the interviewer may ask you this question.
While the answer to this question is obviously yes, be careful not to exaggerate the extent to which you can cope with pressure. Try to relate your answer to the demands that the job is likely to make on you. For example, if the job is likely to involve significant pressure, the following response may be fairly appropriate:
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“I positively thrive on pressure. My worst nightmare is a job that is entirely predictable and mundane. I really enjoy the fact that my job is different every day and you never know what new situations or challenges you may be facing.”
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If the job is more gently paced, saying that you love working under pressure may raise doubts in an interviewer’s mind as to whether you would be bored by the job. So try an answer along the lines of:
“I can cope with occasional bursts of having to work under pressure–for example, for a final couple of days every month it always gets a bit frantic. But for the most part, I enjoy the fact that this is a job that I can really learn and understand in detail and get good at.”
Can you work under pressure and how do you work under pressure? What happens when it’s not possible? We’d love to hear about more job interview tips from you that would be helpful in other interview questions as well.
