How to show your ability to work under pressure

The ability to work under pressure is a key skill. It helps you stay calm, maintain level-headedness, and solve problems effectively. Hiring managers may look for these soft skills, especially if the role you're applying for involves working in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrating this skill during your interview can help you stand out from the crowd and secure the role.

Here's what this article will cover:

• Understanding pressure in the workplace
• How to answer questions related to the ability to work under pressure
• Answering interview questions on the ability to work under pressure
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Understanding pressure in the workplace 

Here, we explore the definition of pressure and its signs:

Defining pressure and stress

Although people sometimes use the definitions of pressure and stress interchangeably, there are differences between them. Work pressure can be a positive motivator to help you focus on your tasks. It challenges you and can improve your productivity and teamwork. People often thrive when there's a sense of urgency to get something done. Workplace pressure involves dealing with tight deadlines, high-stakes projects, and other stressful situations.

Healthy work pressure can become work stress when it feels overwhelming and uncontrollable. When heavy workloads or tight deadlines become unmanageable or prolonged, they can lead to stress. Stress causes physical, mental, or emotional strain, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and other illnesses. The World Health Organization defines workplace stress as "the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope".

Here are some features of healthy work pressures:

• Clear expectations: You know what your employer requires you to do, and you have the resources to achieve it.
• Manageable workload: You have sufficient time and capacity to finish your tasks.
• Sense of control: You have some influence over your work schedule or the way you carry out tasks.
• Positive results: Healthy work pressures help you accomplish goals and feel satisfied.

Recognising signs of pressure

Learning to tell when work pressure has reached an unhealthy level is key to preventing burnout and stress-related illnesses. Here are some symptoms of stress to watch out for in your life:

• Physical symptoms: Physical symptoms can manifest as fatigue, muscle tension, headaches, heart palpitations, sleeping difficulties, digestive problems, or skin issues.
• Psychological symptoms: These include depression, anxiety, discouragement, irritability, pessimism, and a reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions.
• Behavioural symptoms: Behavioural symptoms of stress can include absenteeism, aggression, lower creativity, drop in work performance, mood swings and irritability, low tolerance for frustration, disinterest, and isolation.

Stress can hinder your ability to think clearly and affect decision-making. It also depletes your energy levels and causes you to lose productivity.

How to answer questions related to the ability to work under pressure 

Consider following these steps to help you answer interview questions on your ability to work under pressure.

1. Analyse job descriptions

When browsing job descriptions, identify keywords that hint at a high-pressure environment. Here are some terms you may come across:

• Fast-paced environment: This phrase often indicates a workplace where things move quickly, and adapting to change is crucial.
• Tight deadlines: References to deadlines suggest the need for effective time management and the ability to work efficiently under time constraints.
• High volume: This can imply a significant workload or a requirement to handle multiple tasks or projects simultaneously.
• Juggling multiple projects: This phrase suggests that the role involves managing several tasks, indicating a potentially high-pressure situation.
• High stakes: This wording can indicate that actions have significant consequences, adding to the pressure of decision-making and performance.

Prepare to answer questions tailored to the job's specific demands. Think of examples of your ability to work in each of these high-pressure situations.

2. Identify common pressure-related interview questions

Here are questions that potential employers may ask, sample answers, and tips on crafting your response.

How do you handle a tight deadline?

When preparing your answer, focus on how to showcase your time management skills. Discuss how you prioritise tasks and manage your time effectively. Provide a specific instance where you successfully met a tight deadline. Highlight the positive outcome, and share the lessons you learned from the experience.

Example answer: "On one occasion, a client had requested that we prepare a prototype, and our team only had one week to complete it. As the team lead, I created a list of tasks and organised them in sequence. I assigned deadlines and came up with a very detailed time management plan. I highlighted the most important tasks to complete by the end of each day to help us stay focused.

We completed the prototype within the deadline, and the client was very pleased with the outcome. I learned to remain calm in stressful situations and honed my organisational skills through this experience. I gained the confidence to face such situations without feeling overwhelmed."

Can you describe a time when you had to work under extreme pressure?

Reflect on your work experience and choose a situation that truly reflects high pressure and your response to it. It may be an unexpected event or an emergency situation. Explain the strategies you used to manage the pressure. For example, you can share that you write things down so that you avoid feeling overwhelmed by tasks and can break the cycle of overthinking.

You can also talk about breaking important tasks into smaller objectives and prioritising them. Explain how you avoid procrastination by putting away distractions or setting a time limit to complete each task. Share how this experience helped you develop or strengthen your pressure abilities.

Example answer: "My team had an important meeting with a potential client where my colleague would present the proposal we prepared. Just a few hours before our meeting, he called in sick as he was down with stomach flu. My boss asked me to do the presentation instead. As this was a high-value project and the client was prestigious, I knew how important it was to the company to secure this contract.

In a short time, I rehearsed my presentation and did some deep breathing to reduce stress levels. I also wrote down notes about the points I wanted to emphasise. My presentation impressed the client, and they went on to sign the contract. I strengthened my ability to work under pressure through this experience. I know I can maintain a calm demeanour in stressful situations and stay focused on the task."

How do you prioritise tasks in a high-pressure situation?

To answer this question, describe your method for deciding what tasks take precedence. For example, you may use the Eisenhower matrix, where you categorise tasks according to their level of importance and urgency. Alternatively, you could use a must-do, should do, could do, won't do analysis, known as the MoSCoW prioritisation method, where you assign every task on your to-do list to one of the four categories below:

• Must do: M tasks are things you absolutely have to do.
• Should do: S tasks are important but of lower priority than M tasks.
• Could do: C tasks are nice-to-dos. Even if you leave them out, there will only be a small impact.
• Won't do: W tasks aren't a priority for that specific time frame.

Emphasise that you're flexible and able to adapt priorities as situations change. Give a real-life example to illustrate your approach in action.

Example answer: "In a high-pressure situation, several tasks may require immediate attention. I use the Eisenhower matrix and categorise the tasks according to how important and urgent they are. I complete the most urgent and important tasks first. I also break down tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Additionally, I review how I've ranked the tasks according to the latest developments. I understand the importance of being flexible as there may be changes in external factors that we cannot foresee or prevent."

Tell us about when you had to adjust quickly to changes outside your control. How did you handle it?

The employer may ask this question to assess your adaptability. It's common to experience unforeseen changes at work, and knowing how to navigate these situations effectively can make you a productive individual. They may want to see if you can be flexible and react positively to sudden changes.

In your answer, highlight your emotional resilience. Show that you can stay calm and think clearly under pressure. Share some of your coping skills, such as mindfulness or meditation. Be outcome-focused and explain how your actions led to a successful result despite the challenges.

Example answer:"In my previous role, I led a project with a long-standing client. There was a sudden change in the leadership of the client's company, and the new CEO wanted to implement many major changes to the project. I kept cool and politely clarified all the changes they wanted to make. I then communicated these changes to my team and presented them in a positive way as a challenge that we could overcome.

I spearheaded a plan to reorganise the project in three days when it would have usually taken a week. My team managed to implement all the changes the client requested. They were pleased with the final result, strengthening the business relationship between the company and the client."

3. Reflect on past experiences

When selecting relevant stories, ensure you choose the most impactful experiences. Preferably, share a more recent experience to show that your skills are up to date. It's also good to choose an experience with a positive outcome instead of a negative one.

Frame your experiences in a compelling way to impress the interviewer. Highlight the urgency of the task or the business at stake. For example, you can share a rough figure or percentage of the revenue the company would gain from securing a contract.

Answering interview questions on the ability to work under pressure 

You can anticipate the questions that interviewers may ask and prepare ahead of time. When the interviewer asks the question, don't reply right away. Make sure you understand what they're asking and organise your thoughts. Balance being concise with including enough detail. Ideally, your examples should be four to five sentences long.

Observe the interviewer's body language. If their eyes are glazing over or if they're showing other signs of disinterest, it may be a sign that you're going into too much detail.

A great way to structure your interview responses is by using the STAR method, especially if they ask you behavioural questions. STAR is an acronym that stands for situation, task, action, and result. Start by describing the situation you experienced and your tasks or responsibilities. Share the actions you took and then explain the outcome.

Conclusion 

Regardless of whether the job you're applying for is highly stressful or not, you're likely to face situations that will test your ability to handle pressure. It's important to recognise the symptoms of stress and know how to manage your stress levels. Think about how you've handled challenging situations in the past and prepare to answer interview questions using the STAR method. Show your potential employer that you can work effectively despite tight deadlines and unexpected changes.

FAQs 

Here are answers to common questions on the ability to work under pressure.

1. How do you handle stress and pressure at work? Familiarise yourself with the symptoms of stress, and be aware of how high your stress levels are. Everyone deals with stress and pressure differently. Try different coping techniques, and use them once you know your stress is reaching unhealthy levels. For example, you could go for a long walk at a park during your lunch hour or do some deep breathing exercises at your desk. Eating healthily, getting enough sleep, and exercising can also help reduce stress levels.
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2. What is an example of being under pressure at work? Some signs include not being able to sleep at night as you're worried about work, having problems with your working memory, and having frequent negative thoughts. Being under too much pressure can also cause a lack of productivity. Friends and family may notice changes in your behaviour, such as isolation and irritability.