Going through a job interview is often a stressful event. Many candidates go through challenging situations, especially when it comes to answering hard questions. While it is impossible to expect all the questions and prepare their answers, the drawing line between you and another candidate is overcoming stress job interview questions. What is special in these questions? Why do employers put you in stressful situations? Here is an article on stress-related questions and situations in a job interview and how to manage them.

What is a Stress Interview?

We all face stressful situations in life, among them a job interview. Although job interviews exist in various types and can employ different ways of communication, there is a type known as a stress job interview. The definition of this one is to test the candidates’ abilities to manage stress by putting them in extremely stressful situations. The aim of this interview is to see whether the candidate can work under pressure, bear conflicts, or overcome hinders. A stress interview is a key moment in your hiring process, as some professions require controlling your temper such as the field of customer service jobs, banking, traveling and consulting. Take a look at; 13 Best Way to get an Interview

Types of a Stress Interview:

Employers use various techniques to extract the monster out of you. Here is a list of the stress interview types that can be used in that specific meeting:

• Dismissive behavior: some interviewers use this technique by acting like ignoring you or less interested in what you say. This dismissive behavior is shown through the way they talk or their body language by avoiding eye contact.
• Intimidating or rude meeting: Interviewers use this method as an emotional torture to test your patience and reaction to any inappropriate manners, for example; your interviewer can interrupt your answers by saying what else? all the time or don’t proceed I know the rest. Interviewers can focus on your weaknesses as a way to show your inaptitude for the job. Take a look at; Confidence : A Healthy Instrument To Achieve your Goal Job
• Aggressive interviewing: this type is similar with investigating criminals. You will be put in merciless questioning situations, until you turn white pale. 
• Random Interviewing:  random questions are often expected in every job interview but some of them are illogical, challenging and hard to get such as; If you got access to my laptop, what would you see first and why? These are types that are meant to test your problem-solving skills as well as giving away a little of your personality at the same time.
• Difficult hypothetical questions: these are the type of the questions based on awkward situations such as, explaining the yellow color to a blind person. If you are asked such a question, you are supposed to demonstrate how you would deal to convince recruiters that you are able to manage weird situations. Keep in mind that whatever the hardship level of these questions, the interview is also a complicated meeting for the recruiter who receives you, as there is a tough moment to make the final hiring decision. Therefore, try to see this stress job interview as an exchange between two professionals. Here is how to pass a stress job interview:

1.Prepare for the Day

To ace the job, you need to go through the basic stages of the job interview preparation:

-Find out about the company, which is hosting you. Inquire about its business sector, number of employees, years of existence, etc…

-Reread the job offer you had applied for

-Prepare the questions you will ask at the end of the interview.

-Anticipate the common interview questions, and prepare their answers.

2. Improve your Confidence

A stress job interview always tests the employees’ self-esteem and confidence. Since you have been selected for this interview, you are definitely worthy of interest. Whatever is the stressful situation, you should trust in yourself: there is no perfect accurate answer. The best answer is the one that seems realistic and convinces recruiters of your skills and qualities.

3. Identify your Stressful Attitudes

First, know that there is a good stress and a bad one. A good stress will help you improve yourself by being ready to face danger, for example; your fear of the unknown that will gradually turn into a challenge.

A bad stress is the one that makes you lose your conscience. The one that will make you surrender and lose the challenge. Can Stress at Work Actually Be a Good Thing for Your Business? Let’s find out! 

Samples of Stress Interview Questions:

Like every interview meeting, you should be prepared for some challenging questions so that you will be able to answer them with confidence and comfort. The target of this interview is to show:

Fast reaction: you should not lose your time thinking and saying Euhhh  most of the time

Emotional balance; no yelling, no temper and no doubt

Creativity; thinking outside the box and having the ability to live the role employers made for you.

1. What makes you think that you are made for this job?

This question is very stressful for applicants with decent work experiences. Whatever your reasons for applying for this job, take this question to show your abilities and eligibility to the job. In this occasion, the recruiter is trying to find out if you are applying for this job with a confident determination or not. You should have a higher self-esteem to explain that you are looking for a greater opportunity.  In case you were fired from a previous job, avoid saying negative things about your former employers at any cost, even if you quit your job because of a personal conflict with. Here are the  Things You Should Never Do When You Get Fired

2. How do you deal with stress?

Questions about stress management are very common in job interviews, and yet many candidates answer depending on their own way. Here, the recruiter is looking at how well you can handle stress and how you deal with it, especially if the position is going through stressful situations. You will have , in return, to convince the recruiter of your method to manage stress. It is better to be very calm and explain that you can master all situations, even the most stressful ones, by being patient, confident and optimistic most of the time.

3. What are your salary expectations?

Asking about your future salary is a stressful question. It is very challenging to give a final number. But remember, you cannot bargain with your employer about your payment. After all, you should not drop your deserving salary to win the job. You can simply say that you want a motivating salary, without forgetting the advantages such as leaves, paid holidays, medical check-ups etc… Be careful, however, not to ask for a higher amount on the pretext that you are overqualified and you are going to negotiate. In this respect, you risk being out of the race and you will not win the job. What is Meant by a Competitive Salary?

4.  You are stuck in the elevator with your mom, a child and your manager at work and you have one rescuing pill. Who would you save and why?

This is a really tricky question, as it contains a type of a hypocritical situation with an emotional blackmail. Employers want to know your priorities, here, by asking you who would you save first?

1. Your mom; equivalent to your family and personal life:
2. Your manager at work: means your professional life
3. The child: means your social life

you have to give a diplomatic answer, such as I will split the pill between my mom and my manager ( as if you are saying I will save my personal and my professional life first) because if you choose the manager, you will look too superficial and too clinging to professional opportunities, which will not impress your interviewer, as you will look like a too opportunistic person. Concerning the child, fetch any saving solution such as; I will try to rescue the child by using my first aid rescuing techniques. Take a look at; Everything You Need to Know about an Exit Interview

5. Do you have any other interviews?

This question often turns out to be a dilemma for the candidate. Is it better not to talk about other opportunities so that the recruiter thinks this position is the only one you want. If you say yes, you cannot guarantee a positive impression by showing employers that you are a sought-after candidate. It’s better not to reveal about the other applications or interview and this will be the safest solution.

These were the top 5 stress related job interview questions with brief explanations and tips to structure your own answer.