How Do You Work Under Pressure? Example Answer For Interviews

Job interviews often include the question: “How do you work under pressure?” This question tests how well you manage stress and tight deadlines.

Demonstrating your ability to handle such situations effectively can make you stand out as a candidate.

Understanding how to answer this question not only shows your competency but also highlights your approach to maintaining productivity and focus in challenging circumstances. 

If you’ve been offered an interview, well done! Employers receive lots of applications for every open role and according to the UK Careers Fair, only interview 6 candidates on average.

Here’s a guide on how to frame your response to this very common interview question: How do you work under pressure?

We’ll also provide a specific example answer tailored for interviews – including one for school leavers, apprentices, freshers and recent graduates.

Why interviewers ask this question

Employers ask about how you work under pressure to assess several crucial attributes that are vital for success in most job roles:

• Stress management: This aspect focuses on your ability to cope with high-stress situations. Jobs often involve tight deadlines, unexpected challenges, or high stakes, and employers need to know how you handle these pressures. Demonstrating effective stress management shows that you can maintain composure and perform well even when faced with demanding or urgent tasks. Employers are keen to see if you have developed strategies for staying calm, prioritising tasks, and ensuring that stress does not negatively impact your work quality.
• Problem-solving skills: Handling pressure typically requires rapid and effective problem-solving. When faced with a high-pressure situation, your ability to quickly identify issues, devise solutions, and implement them is critical. Employers look for evidence of your problem-solving capabilities, including how you approach complex challenges, make decisions under tight deadlines, and adapt to changing circumstances. Effective problem-solving under pressure not only demonstrates your analytical skills but also your creativity and resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles.
• Productivity and performance: Maintaining or even enhancing productivity and performance under pressure is another key focus. Employers want to be assured that you can continue to deliver high-quality results despite stressful conditions. This involves demonstrating your ability to stay focused, manage time effectively, and meet or exceed goals.

Being able to sustain or improve performance during challenging times reflects your resilience and commitment to achieving successful outcomes, regardless of the pressures you face.

Asking how well you work under pressure is a popular question for interviewers to ask. Here are some other common interview questions and how to answer them – our top 10.

Preparing your answer

For a compelling how do you work under pressure example answer, consider the following steps:

#1 Reflect on your experiences

Think about past situations where you faced significant pressure. These could be from previous jobs, internships, or even academic experiences. Reflect on how you handled these situations and what strategies you used.

#2 Identify key strategies

Determine what methods you used to manage pressure effectively. Common strategies might include prioritising tasks, breaking projects into smaller steps, staying organised, and seeking support when necessary.

#3 Use the STAR Method

The STAR method helps structure your answer clearly:

• Situation: Describe the context and the pressure you faced.
• Task: Explain your role and what needed to be accomplished.
• Action: Detail the specific actions you took to address the pressure.
• Result: Highlight the outcome and how your actions led to a successful resolution.

#4 Practise and refine your response

Make some notes then practise your answer several times to ensure clarity and confidence, but don’t let your response sound too rehearsed either! While we’re on the subject, find out – can you take notes into an interview?

Make sure your answer reflects your genuine experiences and provides a solid example of how you handle pressure.

How do you work under pressure example answer

Here is an example answer for professionals who already have lots of relevant experience working under pressure – look out for signs of the STAR method in use too!

“I thrive under pressure by focusing on organisation and clear communication. For instance, in my previous role as a project manager, I was tasked with delivering a complex project within a tight timeframe due to an unexpected change in client requirements.

I began by re-evaluating the project scope and breaking it down into smaller, manageable tasks. I created a detailed timeline and assigned responsibilities based on team members’ strengths.

To keep everyone aligned, I held brief daily check-ins to address any issues and adjust our approach as needed.

Despite the intense pressure, we completed the project on time and the client was highly satisfied with the results. This experience reinforced the importance of staying organised and proactive under pressure.”

How do you work under pressure example answer for freshers

As a school leaver, apprentice, fresher or recent graduate, you might not have extensive professional experience. But you can draw from academic projects, internships, or extracurricular activities.

“During my final year at university, I worked on a major group project that was crucial for my grade, but the project’s deadline was moved up unexpectedly due to a schedule change.

To handle this pressure, I first organised a meeting with my team to relocate tasks and set a new timeline.

I also took on additional responsibilities to ensure we covered all necessary aspects of the project. I maintained open communication with my team members and regularly checked in on their progress.

By staying focused and supportive, we managed to complete the project successfully and even received positive feedback from our professor. This experience taught me the value of quick adaptation and teamwork in high-pressure situations.”

Besides carefully thought-through answers, there are lots of ways you can prepare to stand out in interviews. Here are 10 ways to impress an interviewer.

Now for some things to keep in mind when answering this question.

Key points

When answering the question, whether you choose to use the STAR method or not, just make sure you address these points:

1. Specific actions: Clearly outline the steps you took to manage the pressure.
2. Results: Emphasise the positive outcomes of your actions.
3. Skills demonstrated: Highlight skills such as organisation, time management, and teamwork.

However, certain aspects of a response to this question can undermine your credibility including:

1. Denial of stress: Claiming you never feel pressure can appear unrealistic.
2. Delegation as a coping strategy: Over-reliance on delegating tasks might suggest you avoid responsibility.
3. Lack of improvement: Admitting you still struggle without showing progress or strategies can be a red flag.

Trying to work out post-interview how well you did? Here’s how to know if an interview went well with tell-tell signs!

Final tips: How do you work under pressure example answer

When answering this question in an interview, try to:

• Stay calm: After all, your demeanour during the interview can reflect your ability to handle pressure!
• Be honest: Authenticity resonates well with interviewers. If you have areas of improvement, acknowledge them and discuss your efforts to enhance your skills.
• Tailor your response: Adapt your answer to fit the job role and company culture and use relevant examples that showcase how your skills align with the position.

Preparing a well-structured answer to “How do you work under pressure?” can significantly impact your interview performance.

By preparing a clear and relevant example, whether you’re an experienced professional or a recent graduate, you can effectively demonstrate your ability to manage stress and deliver results under challenging conditions.

We hope you found this guide useful and for more interview advice, take a look at our blog – for example, recently we explored: How long does it take to hear back after an interview?

And if you need to line up more interviews, we can provide support with our professional CV writing service. Whether you think that CV can work harder for you or there’s just not enough time to write it, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!