It doesn’t matter which industry you work in, there are going to be days when you feel overwhelmed by stress. That’s perfectly normal, the important thing is how you react to that workplace stress since your behaviour will affect you and the people around you.
Stress manifests itself in lots of different ways. Some people suffer physical health problems like headaches, upset stomachs or disrupted sleep. For others, it changes their behaviour. They become irritable and angry or quiet and withdrawn which can have a huge impact on the people around them both at work and home. When employers are interviewing for a new role they will ask quite specific questions to understand how you reduce and manage stress at work. The way you react can have a huge impact on your team and the overall work environment.
How to Show you Can Manage Stress at Work
Some of the best ways to show an interviewer you can manage stress at work is to make sure they understand that you are:
- Organised and Can Plan Effectively – It goes without saying that organised people who are good at planning projects and breaking them down into manageable tasks actually copy better at work and do not feel like the stress is killing them. The way you talk about your project management will clearly show the interviewer how organised you are.
See Post – How to Show You Can Prioritise Projects.
- Can Delegate Easily When Needed – Being able to delegate work tasks when you need to goes a long way to reducing your stress level especially for those who manage project teams and other staff. If you are applying for any role that involves leadership you need to prove you can delegate with ease.
See Post – How to Show you Can Delegate Tasks and Responsibilities
- Have a High Level of Emotional Intelligence – It may seem odd, but emotionally intelligent people suffer less stress bot physically and emotionally and maintain much better relationships at work. This is why emotional intelligence is regarded as one of the most important skills needed for great leadership.
See Post – Emotional Intelligence – The Most Important Leadership Skill
Specific Behavioral Interview Questions About Stress Management
Employers will ask very specific behavioural interview questions to understand exactly how you react to stress and if you are able to reduce it. The following are 6 behavioural interview questions about stress management that you may face. You can link through to each post, there is a prepared answer for every question which you can use.
The Secret of Looking Cool Under Pressure
What has been the most stressful situation you have ever found yourself in at work? How did you handle it?
How to Show You Can Reduce Stress & Help Your Team
What have you done in the past to prevent a situation from becoming too stressful for you or your colleagues to handle?
How to Reduce Stress When Your Job Keeps Changing
Can you give me an example of a time when the demands of your job were constantly changing. How did you manage the situation?
How to Show You Can Manage the Stress of Time Pressures
Everyone reactis differently to time pressures. Can you give me an example of when you have had to cope with constant time pressures in your current role?
How to Answer – What tasks Do You Find Most Stressful?
Which specific elements of your current role do you fine the most stressful?
3 Ways to Show You Can Handle Negative Feedback
Can you tell me about a time when you have received negative feedback from your manager or peers. How did you handle it?
See Also Related Post: When You Find Yourself Under a Tight Deadline, What Do You Do to Handle the Stress?