Do you like working under pressure?

When, as an interviewer I have asked this question, most interviewees will answer by simply saying: "Yes, I do. I can work under pressure. I don't mind."  

The interviewer will then usually wait for the interviewee to continue and elaborate on this claim - to prove that is, in fact, the case, but in most cases all we get is an uncomfortable SILENCE as the job applicant mumbles his earlier statement.  

But if you want to be successful and really stand out from the rest, it is NOT ENOUGH to CLAIM that you can work under pressure - you must be able to CONVINCE the interviewer during these select few minutes that this is indeed the case.  

How? 

By giving the interviewer ‘real-life’, ‘full-color’ examples and incidents from your past that  actually SHOW YOU  performing well under great pressure.  

If you have prepared well for your interview, you will now know that there is a good chance that this question will come up so you should have two or three examples at hand from your past that clearly show you coping with pressure.  

Also remember, they need not only come from your work-life.  

I remember one interview when I asked a young woman this question and she told me about the time when she was only about fifteen when a terrible fire broke out in her home ( her two younger brothers had been messing about) but she kept her head, managed to ring the Fire Brigade, drag her brothers out and even remember to throw her mother's bag that contained all the family's important  documents and stuff out the window. And she ended by adding:

 "So I think that if I had to work under sustained pressure I would perform well".  

I believed her.  

Why should I hire you? 

This question goes to the CORE of the interview.  

The gloves are off. As an interviewer, this is what I want to know and I want a    clear, straight forward, persuasive response.  

Before your interview, please spend a lot of time thinking about this question.  

Put yourself in the interviewer's shoes. Why should the company hire you?  

Get yourself a large blank sheet of paper and answer it. There is no short-cut to answering this question.  

At your actual interview, the first thing to do is to find out or to confirm that you are correct in your assessment of what the company is really looking for to solve the current problem it has.  

As you begin to answer the question, the first thing to do is to recap the interviewer's description of the job and the type of person they are seeking and then meet these requirements point-by-point.  

You might begin by :

"Well, this is the key question!  In your job description you clearly state that you are looking for someone who is………….and who can do…………………Is that an accurate description?’ 

Then go through each requirement point-by-point, each time clarifying what is required and then showing that you have the skills and experience to meet that requirement.  

You can then conclude by saying: 

" I definitely believe I have the skills and qualities you are looking for to be a success in this job. I'm a team player. I listen and am more than willing to learn from my superiors and I have the desire to do very well. Is there anything that I have left out that you would like me to EXPAND on?’

What can you do for us that someone else cannot do?

According to our research, this question is being asked more and more by interviewers straight AFTER the previous question.  

What is the best way to tackle it?  

Again how you will handle it will depend to a large extent, on how you feel the interview is going.  

If you feel it is going well and the interviewer is fairly well convinced of your skills, personal skills and suitability, you may want to adopt a 'humble approach'.  

For example, you might reply:

"Well I don't want to pretend to be superhuman or super confident so I can't say I could do or offer something more extraordinary than my other interviewees. 

However what I can offer are the skills, qualifications and strong personal qualities that I outlined earlier. I just believe I have the right combination of skills, work experience and temperament to be successful in this position."

If, however the interview is still on a even keel and you feel the interviewer is still trying to probe you in order to make a more complete judgment on your overall suitability then treat it in a very business-like manner.

‘That's a difficult question. To answer it may I refer back to your original job description and the skills and qualifications you outlined that you were looking for in a prospective employee. 

I just really believe that I have the right combination of skills, talents and relevant work-experience to specifically meet the requirements you outlined better than anybody else and that I can employ these skills and experience to the considerable benefit of your firm."

Now, at this stage USE the rest of this question as another opportunity to highlight and to re-emphasize the skills and talents you have and how they can benefit the organization.

What aspect of the job interests you the most?  

To answer this question in such a way as to STAND OUT from the other applicants, again you must know what the company is really looking for.  

When you can establish that - then use that information as the template for your answer.  

Let's look at our past examples.  

The local newspaper wanting to employ a journalist is really looking for a journalist with extensive local knowledge and contacts.  

The restaurant is not just looking for a good chef -they really want a chef who can cook for long hours and under pressure.  

And the accountancy firm is not just looking for an accountant - they really want someone who can also attract and bring in new business.  

So, for your interview, try to find out what your employer is really looking for - try to get the complete picture and then structure your answer around that need.  

For example, our accountant would say: 

" Well, what really attracted me was not only the opportunity to work in such a prestigious firm but also the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience of modern, professional sales techniques to help to build up the business. Tell me how do you see the business growing and do you believe that, we should always be striving to attract new clients to the firm?"  

However, how do you answer if you do not know, at this stage what the interviewer is specifically looking for?  

One approach which is always handy as it gives you not only more information to make an informed decision but also more time to think, is to ask questions.  

"Before I answer that, could you describe a typical day for me if I was to be successful at the interview? This would help me to give you a more accurate answer".  

Listen carefully as he describes what your main duties will be during an ordinary day.  

When he hits on something that you believe you are strong in and have a genuine interest in, use that to begin your answer.  

You then might conclude your answer on a more general level by adding: 

"I'm really looking forward to the whole job and to the many challenges it will offer. I like doing my job well and being able to make a positive contribution. 

My background in business demonstrates that but one quality I think I have above any other is the ability to see a project through from beginning to end and so one aspect of the job that will really interest me will be seeing a project that may have started off as just an hazy idea in a colleague's mind end up as a completed successful project ".

What are you looking for in our company? 

There is a great temptation to answer this question totally in terms of what YOU want?  

Try to avoid detailing what you want the company to give you - instead say what you want in terms of what you can GIVE TO your employers.  

For example, the safest response would be 'opportunity'. You want the opportunity to demonstrate all the skills and talents you have and to contribute to the continual success of their company. 

"I spent five years learning and perfecting my sales skills at X corporation. 

During my time there I increased sales levels nearly 25% each year I was there. I also have a talent for teaching and was able to introduce and train my sales staff in these new techniques and was able to help each of them to exceed their personal sale's targets. What I really want from your company is the opportunity to put these skills to work and to demonstrate them so that you can see the actual results in increased turnover and profits."