Describe a time when you had to work under pressure? I actually prefer to work under
pressure because that's when I feel I am at my best, so I can really get stuck in with
a team and get things done on time and to the right standard! One particular situation
springs to mind when I was working in a previous role with other team members working on a
project for a really important client. Now, we only had about two weeks to complete this
project. It was going to be tight, but I felt if we worked hard, if we all played to our
strengths, we could get this project completed on time. Unfortunately, halfway through the
project, the client contacted us, and he changed a large portion of the specification for the
project. So, he wanted things changing. Now, two people in the team suggested that we go
back to the client and say there is no way that we can complete this project within the
two-week period. We would need another two-week extension. However, being somebody who enjoys
the challenge of working under pressure and getting things done, I said, let's sit down
and let's have a look at our plan and let's try and change it to see if we can deliver
for the client. Because the positive thing would be, if we could change the specification
and still complete it on time, then that client would be happy, and he would then stay with
our company moving forward. So, a couple of us in the team decided to stay behind two
hours each late every night after work to get this new specification completed and get
the project over the finishing line within the two-week period. And thankfully, I'm pleased
to say we managed to achieve that goal to complete it. The client, as I mentioned, actually
did end up becoming a long-term customer of ours, and he was really grateful that we managed
to complete it for him to the right specification and on time. Thanks. Thank you. Now, that
was a brilliant answer to the difficult interview question, tell me about a time you worked
under pressure? And before I give you the exact script to use when answering this tough
interview question, here are three really important tips to help you. TIP NUMBER ONE:
When you answer the question, tell me about a time you worked under pressure, make sure
you give a SPECIFIC SITUATION you were in where you had to work hard to complete a task
within a set time frame. It's really important that you show the interviewer that you have
the ability to complete tasks under pressure within a given time frame. And it's also good
to say that you prefer to work under pressure because that's when you are AT YOUR BEST.
And again, in a second, I will give you the exact script to use. Now, TIP NUMBER TWO,
when you answer the question, tell me about a time you worked under pressure, make sure
you show you are prepared to go out of your way to help your team or your employer. And
that might mean staying behind late after work to complete the task. TIP NUMBER THREE:
show that you remained calm, committed and focused whilst working under pressure. This
is very important. The interviewer wants to hear the, you know, the importance of remaining
calm and being totally focused on your task. So, here are THREE BRILLIANT ANSWERS to use
when answering the question: Tell me about a time you worked under pressure. Here's the
first answer. This is the one that I covered at the start of the video. And I will then
give you two more example answers. Here we go. “I actually prefer to work under pressure
because this is when I feel I am at my best. In a previous role, I was working as part
of a team on an important project for a client. Unfortunately, part way through the project
the client changed the specification, but he still wanted us to get the project finished
within a two-week time period. Some members of the team complained that we should go back
to the client to request an extension, but I suggested we work hard to meet the clients
demands as this would hopefully mean they would come back and use us again in the future.
To get the project finished on time, myself and another team member decided to stay behind
late after work each evening. At the end of the two-week period we managed to complete
the project successfully, and as predicted, the client went on to become a regular customer
of ours, which was great news for the company.” That's a rock-solid answer to that difficult
interview question: Tell me about the time you worked under pressure. Here is the second
example answer to help you. Tell me about a time you worked under pressure. “It was
late on a Friday afternoon and my supervisor came into the work area to inform the team
that an impromptu inspection was going to take place by Head Office first thing Monday
morning. To get ready for the inspection, we had eleven important tasks we needed to
complete. The tasks included a thorough clean of the working areas; making sure all equipment
was serviceable and stowed away correctly; undertaking a stock check and making sure
all staff training records were updated. Although we always kept on top of things as a team,
we wanted the workplace to be to the highest standard possible before the inspection, so
we set to work completing the tasks. To make sure each task got completed before the end
of the working day, we allocated tasks based on team strengths. My job was to carry out
a thorough stock check because my attention to detail skills are very good. I remained
calm, I followed company procedures and I worked as quickly and accurately as possible.
I managed to finish my task in super-fast time, so I then went and helped another team
member to finish off cleaning the work areas. By the time 5pm came around, all tasks had
been completed on time and to the necessary standard.” So that answer again shows that
you can work under pressure; you are not afraid to get stuck in, get things done properly
and also following company rules and procedures. So, it's a great example answer to that question:
Tell me about the time you worked on the pressure. Here we go. “An important team member went
off sick at short notice which meant we were short-staffed for a period of time. My manager
came into the office to ask for a volunteer to take on the extra work my colleague was
not able to do due to being off sick. I immediately put my hand up to help. Once my manager had
briefed me on the work that needed doing, I created a plan of action to get both my
own work and my colleagues work completed on time. I knew I would need to work diligently,
professionally and in an organized manner to get everything completed, and so I created
a priority list of tasks that needed my urgent attention. A couple of times during that week
I arrived at work an hour earlier than usual to catchup, so I didn’t fall behind. By
remaining calm and focused, and by prioritizing tasks based on urgency levels, I was able
to complete both my own work and my colleagues work on time and to the necessary standard.”
So, that's a really good answer because it shows you are not afraid to go above and beyond
what is required to get all of your work completed whilst under pressure. Now, here's another
question that they may ask you that is similar to tell me about a time when you worked under
pressure, and that is: HOW DO YOU HANDLE PRESSURE? Here's a great way to answer this difficult
interview question. Here we go. “I handle pressure by BEING ORGANIZED, by FOCUSING INTENTLY
ON THE TASK IN HAND, and by ensuring I PLAN AHEAD FOR ALL TASKS by considering what resources
I will need and what issues I may have to contend with. I am somebody who enjoys the
challenge of working under pressure, so I feel confident in my ability to complete pressurized
tasks on time and to the right standard. Whenever I need to work under pressure, I will assess
the task in hand, I will consider what needs to be done and I will put a plan of action
in place for getting things completed on time. At the end of every situation where I must
work under pressure, I will review my performance to see if I can improve for next time.”
That is a great example answer to that common interview question: How do you handle pressure?
Now, the next thing to do is make sure you CLICK THAT LINK right now at the top of the
video, go through to my other interview questions and answers video right here on YouTube. It's
a full mock interview. So, I go into an interview room and I answer 12 questions in a live interview
setting! It's a great video. Make sure you watch it, because it will help you to pass
your interview. And then once you watch that video, make sure you CLICK THE LINK in the
top right-hand corner of the video and go through to my website, PassMyInterview.com.
And you can DOWNLOAD my full set of 21 Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions! It is
a brilliant guide. It will make a big difference to your performance at your interview. I hope
you've enjoyed that. Please don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the channel. Lots of you are
passing your interviews as a result of the videos I am uploading, and I don't want you
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just tells me you find the content useful. Thank you very much for watching and I wish
you all the best for passing your interview. Have a brilliant day.