How to Handle Stress Interviews: Don’t Stress!

Occasionally, but increasingly, candidates are reporting back to their Recruitment Consultant post-interview to say that they have been asked difficult, aggressive, emotional or just plain ‘odd’ questions at interview, which have put them off-stride or even left them with the assumption that they have ‘blown’ the interview completely. It ain’t necessarily so…..

In reality, they have been dealt a ‘stress’ question or multiple ‘stress’ questions, designed to be unexpected, to interrupt flow and ultimately to see how you react to unusual and stressful situations. Why? Because you are interviewing for a role that will involve being faced with stressful conversations or situations on a daily basis. Naturally, the employer wants a taster at interview of how you would likely cope in this scenario. Like a swan, outwardly you should remain calm, unruffled and even though you may be feeling baffled, affronted or confused.

Here’s how:

• Expect The Unexpected

A stress question typically triggers an extreme and immediate emotion in you; learn to recognise this in yourself; do you suddenly feel a flush of anger, annoyance, panic etc as a result of the question just asked? Typical questions might be: ‘What’s the worst thing you’ve heard about us?’, ‘Is that the best example you can give me?’, See this pen I’m holding? Sell it to me…”, ‘How would you evaluate me as an interviewer?’, ‘Why did you switch degree / job / career path –are a quitter?’, ‘What made you stressed in your last job?’, ‘Tell me about your most annoying customer.’ – you get the drift…. Sometime stress questions are the same question asked repeatedly to try and exasperate you.

• Always Respond Positively

Stay diplomatic and professional, don’t be tempted to bad-mouth an individual or an organisation and instead be positive. Pause and take a few deep breaths while you think of an appropriate response. If asked to disparage another, don’t, instead revere that person’s many good qualities and perhaps highlight one area that they were working on developmentally.

• Be Concise

Do not try to make an issue of the questions (even though they may be irrelevant and feel borderline discriminatory). Make your answers concise and non-specific. If you are relaying a scenario where you were stressed, ill-prepared or a time when you failed at something etc; be sure to give more air-time to what positives and ‘learns’ you took away from that situation that you now build into your way-of-working.

• Seek Clarity

Clarify the question and the nature of the answer desired. This can buy you some time to think. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to get clarification; sometimes, this is exactly what’s expected of you. If you are faced with the silent treatment, make the best judgement call you can that retains dignity and professionalism eg; the ‘Sell me this pen’ question…. Think Features and Benefits – It’s a ball-point (won’t leak), retractable tip (won’t mark your clothes) etc and for sales roles remember, remember, remember to close!

Stress questions are designed to test your response. The answers are not really important. Hence just focus on the way in which you’re solving the problem. Don’t keep looking for the “right” answer. Do this and despite feeling like you’re ‘blowing’ the interview, in reality you are impressing the client with your magnanimity and ultimate professionalism. Above all else…. Don’t Stress!

Jane provides Division Support for all our consultants in Pharmaceutical, Scientific, Medical Devices, Animal Health and Dental recruitment. Whether you’re looking to explore your career options or expand your team contact Jane now to discuss your recruitment aspirations.