A stress interview is a job interview where recruiters put candidates in stressful or uncomfortable situations to assess their behavior under pressure.

These interviews aren’t common in every industry; rather, they’re often used for positions that involve high levels of stress, such as customer service, sales, and management roles.

They can take different forms, including interruptions, unexpected questions, and simulations of high-pressure situations similar to those you can face on the job.

Naturally, it’s uncomfortable and requires special preparation, which is why, in this article, we’ll elaborate on the stress interview definition and walk you through different types that exist. Additionally, we’ll explain the reasons behind this type of job interview and offer several tips on how to prepare for it. Let’s start!

Key Takeaways

  • A stress interview is a job interview where hiring managers intentionally put candidates in uncomfortable and high-pressure situations.
  • The purpose of a stress interview is to test candidates’ behavior under pressure they can face on the job they’re interviewing for.
  • Stress interviews are common in sales, customer service, and management, as jobs in those fields generally require good performance under pressure.
  • Stress interview techniques employers use vary from hostile behavior to unexpected questions and simulations of stressful work situations.
  • Preparation for a stress interview involves researching the company and practicing stress management techniques.

What is a Stress Interview?

A stress interview is a specific type of job interview in which interviewers deliberately create uncomfortable and stressful situations for candidates—hence the name. The point of these interviews is to assess candidates’ behavior under pressure they can experience in the position they’re interviewing for.

“Behavior” is the operative word as, in a broader sense, stress interview questions are behavioral interview questions. They aim to assess candidates’ stress management skills and management style, which are important for roles that require employees to perform well under stress or manage a team.

Therefore, these interviews are common in fields such as sales, customer support, and management because these roles call for quick thinking and on-the-go decision-making, both of which can be highly stressful.

The questions asked during this interview can be direct, such as: “How do you handle stress?” However, they can be more subtle, too, taking the form of a simulated stressful situation a candidate needs to resolve. In that sense, they’re situational interview questions.

For example, an interviewer may present a candidate with a specific stress-inducing issue to determine how they will approach and resolve it.

Why Are Employers Using Stress Interviews?

Employers are using stress interviews to evaluate a wide variety of skills for jobs that imply high levels of stress and require candidates to perform well under pressure.

These jobs include high-responsibility positions, such as C-suite roles, and positions that involve direct contact with customers and clients in various industries, ranging from sales and customer service to the hospitality industry.

Why Are Employers Using Stress Interviews?

Let’s see which specific skills and traits that are needed for these jobs are assessed in a stress interview:

  • Problem-solving skills: An interviewer may simulate a job-related issue for a candidate to resolve, thus assessing their ability to solve a problem quickly and efficiently.
  • Critical-thinking skills: A stressful work situation requires a clear head and the ability to think straight, which is why employers use stress interviews to evaluate a candidate’s thinking and decision-making processes.
  • Leadership skills: For C-suite and management positions, employers conduct stress interviews to assess candidates’ leadership skills and styles, which are essential for these high-responsibility jobs.
  • Adaptability: An employer can determine how well a candidate adapts to unforeseen circumstances and whether they stay productive under them by conducting this type of interview.
  • Flexibility: Stressful jobs often involve last-minute changes and adjustments, which is why employers seek to assess candidates’ flexibility and ability to change the course of action and still perform well.
  • Level of interest: Employers appreciate genuine interest, and by putting a candidate in stressful situations, they can determine their level of interest and motivation for the job.

3 Stress Interview Advantages and Disadvantages

While it may be uncomfortable, a stress interview assesses some invaluable skills, such as problem-solving. Let’s define all of its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages Disadvantages
  • Demonstrates candidates’ ability to work under pressure.
  • Assesses candidates’ problem-solving, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
  • Evaluates candidates’ behavioral traits, such as flexibility and adaptability.
  • May be ethically problematic due to the emotional distress they can cause candidates.
  • May produce unreliable results, as people tend to act differently in stressful situations than they normally would.
  • Lacks standardization, which makes it difficult to rate different candidates objectively.

5 Stress Interview Techniques Employers Use

In this section, we’ll explore some common stress interview techniques employers use to evaluate candidates and select the one suitable for the job. Although stress interviews involve a surprise factor, we’ll try to minimize it by revealing what you can expect so that you can adequately prepare and remain calm.

Without further ado, let’s review the five stress interview examples.

#1. Aggressive Behavior

A stress interview may involve aggressive behavior on the interviewer’s part, designed to provoke your reaction and test your limits.

In the customer support and service-providing industry, for instance, employees are often subject to aggressive behavior from clients and customers. Yet they’re required to remain calm, professional, and polite, yet set firm boundaries.

These are the traits that aggressive behavior in a stress interview is supposed to assess. The interviewer may directly criticize your previous work accomplishments or demand to know why you would be the best person for the job.

You should respond respectfully yet assertively and concisely. Don’t let yourself be provoked to react impulsively; rather, answer the questions calmly while standing your ground on your qualifications.

#2. Being Disinterested

Being disinterested in what you have to say or dismissive of your accomplishments is an interviewer’s way to test your motivation and interest in the job. Their behavior can range from checking the time to interrupting you mid-sentence.

Think of Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada. She was dismissive of Andy, even going so far as to keep “forgetting” her name and hanging up on her. This behavior drove Andy crazy, but it also drove her to try harder and eventually succeed.

That’s how you should respond to an interviewer’s disinterest—let your experience speak for you by creating a story out of it instead of dryly listing facts. Moreover, and most importantly, keep your composure and confidence throughout the interview, regardless of how bored or absent the interviewer may seem.

#3. Asking Intimidating Questions

Asking Intimidating Questions in an Interview

Intimidation is a tried and true method for raising stress levels, and so are intimidating interview questions. Their purpose is to assess your resolve and stress management skills while also challenging you to assert yourself as the perfect candidate for the job.

Some examples of these questions are the following:

  • “Why were you laid off from your previous job?”
  • “How would you rate my interviewing style and why?”
  • “How do you explain the employment gap in your resume?”

As you can see, all of these questions are rather direct and even somewhat intrusive. Instead of trying to justify yourself, take accountability for your mistakes and point out your accomplishments. Additionally, display your decision-making skills by rationalizing your responses to add credibility to them.

#4. Being Random or Arbitrary

Recruiters ask random or arbitrary questions to create an uncomfortable situation for candidates. By observing their reactions and responses, they assess their critical thinking skills and flexibility.

These questions can range from imaginary scenarios to hypothetical possibilities, encompassing all the nuances in between. Here are a few examples:

  • “What kind of animal would you be and why?”
  • “If you woke up with a million dollars in cash, what would you do?”
  • “If you were to redesign a kitchen appliance, which one would you choose, and how would you redesign it?”

It’s noteworthy that all of these questions require out-of-the-box thinking to be answered. The same goes for high-stress jobs—they involve out-of-ordinary situations that need to be approached creatively.

#5. Asking Brain Teasers

Brain-teasing interview questions allow hiring managers to get insight into your thoughts and deduction process. They also assess your problem-solving skills, as they require creativity and big-picture thinking to answer.

Brain teasers are not surprising, given how often employees in high-stress positions face unforeseen circumstances that require them to seek creative solutions and make adjustments mid-work.

When answering these questions, think logically and create causal links between the information you’re provided. Moreover, walk the interviewer through your thinking process and explain how you reached your conclusion.

Whether it’s the one they had in mind or not, sharing your perspective is a good way to showcase your inventiveness and creative thinking skills.

5 Tips on How to Prepare for a Stress Interview

Wooden tiles that spell practice makes perfect

Given how uncomfortable stress interviews are, they require special preparation. From researching the company and hiring managers to practicing your answers, several techniques can help you prepare by boosting your confidence and highlighting your expertise and values.

Let’s explore the top five tips for preparing for a stress interview:

#1. Research the Company

Researching the company is the number one step in preparing for a stress interview or any other job interview. Not only does it provide invaluable information about the organization, but it also helps you come across as enthusiastic about the prospect of working there.

You can start your research on the company’s website, where you’ll familiarize yourself with its mission and culture. Then, broaden it to include company review platforms and forums, where you can read about the interview experiences of others.

Lastly, check the organization’s LinkedIn profile and use the opportunity to learn more about its practices and, more importantly, its hiring recruiters. That way, you can assume a more personable stance during the interview to connect with them and leave a positive impression.

#2. Practice Stress Management Techniques

While a certain level of nervousness during job interviews is normal, this particular type of interview seeks to assess your composure, skills, and behavior under pressure. Therefore, you need to remain calm and collected during it to prove you can perform well in stressful situations.

These are some of the stress management techniques that can help you stay level-headed and deliver comprehensive answers at a stress interview:

  • Breathing exercises: Take deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your mouth, focusing only on those actions.
  • Meditation: Try guided meditation to enter a state of relaxation and clear your head of intrusive thoughts.
  • Progressive muscle relaxation: Flex groups of muscles, one at a time, and then relax them, focusing on the sensation of tension leaving your body.
  • Guided imagery: Assume a comfortable position and picture yourself in your favorite place, remembering how it looks, sounds, and feels.

#3. Do a Mock Interview

A mock interview is an integral stage of any interview preparation process, but especially when it comes to a stress interview. It’s designed to help you practice your potential answers and self-evaluate in order to show yourself in the best light during the actual interview.

You can record your mock interview or do it in front of a mirror or someone close to you. They can play the interviewer to help you simulate a real conversation and offer constructive feedback so that you can correct any mistakes in time.

Hearing (or seeing) yourself speak can provide a new perspective on your answers—you’ll be able to evaluate their comprehensiveness and your delivery, including body language and tone of voice.

#4. Remember Self-Care

Before a stressful occasion like a stress interview, it’s important not to disregard your self-care routine. However time-consuming it is, stick to it and practice some healthy habits that can help you compose yourself and enhance your delivery during the interview.

For example, have a good night’s sleep before the interview so that you’re well-rested and able to concentrate. Additionally, it’s important to have regular meals to retain energy, as stress interviews are highly energy-consuming.

Lastly, set some time apart to dress nicely, style your hair, do your makeup, or whatever it is in your self-care routine. You’ll feel much more confident in your favorite clothes, and confidence may be critical in a situation such as this.

#5. Use the STAR Method

Since many stress interview questions are situational, you should use the STAR method to answer them.

According to this method, you should structure your response in the following order:

  • Situation: Describe the work-related situation you’re recounting to contextualize your answer.
  • Task: Explain which task you had and what your responsibilities were.
  • Action: Recount the action you took to address a particular issue or make an improvement.
  • Result: Conclude with the positive results of your action.

Final Thoughts

Stress interviews assess candidates’ behavior and performance under pressure. They can take various forms, including aggressive behavior, arbitrary questions, and brain teasers.

Stress interviews are common for positions that imply high levels of stress and require problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership skills, flexibility, and adaptability. These include sales, customer support, the service industry, and so on.

The keys to a successful stress interview are preparation and stress management. Research the company and practice your answers, but also take some time for self-care, rest, and relaxation before the interview. That way, you’ll enhance your delivery and leave the impression of a confident and competent candidate!