Recruiter Reveals What Interviewers Really Want To Hear When They Ask How You Handle Stress

In the current job market — where opportunities are growing slim, and employer scams are running rampant — booking an interview can be both exciting and incredibly stressful for job seekers. And once you land that all-important interview, prepping can feel daunting, unaware of where to start or what to focus on.

According to Rita, a recruiter on TikTok, there’s one specific question that job seekers should prepare to answer: “How do you handle your stress?” 

The recruiter revealed what interviewers want to hear when they ask how you handle stress.

Especially in industries with high stakes, long hours, or intensive workloads, many employers weed out applicants simply based on their ability to persevere through stressful situations, making your response to this question that much more important.

Rita first shared how not to answer the question — don't say that you don't handle stress or that you never feel stress. 

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She then began crafting the perfect response.

“Stressful moments are sometimes inevitable, but they’ve never been an issue for me in the past,” Rita started. “I know stress management is an important skill, so I plan my work week ahead of time to account for problems early on.”

"This allows me more time to tackle the problems, prioritize my tasks, and delegate when possible," she continued.

Interviewers should then dive deeper into specific examples from previous jobs, including specific tactics they use to de-stress during the workday. The more independently you can manage conflicts and stress, the more attractive you’ll be to interviewers.

Interviewers look for employees who can acknowledge their stress, prioritize their work, and maintain a healthy balance of urgency. 

"Stress is OK," Rita added in the comments of her post, "You want to show the interviewer that you can work on your tasks despite the stress."

A healthy level of stress and urgency can actually be beneficial for employee productivity, but of course, an overwhelming amount isn’t sustainable. 

Sturti, Getty Images | CanvaPro

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Make sure to do your research ahead of time and ask pointed questions during an interview to ensure that you’re not diving head-first into an unsustainable and unhealthy career.

If you’re feeling confident about your success with the employer, ensure you’re also including “delegation and prioritization” in your answer about stress management.

Not only is individual task prioritization an attractive talent for employers, but it’ll also ensure that you’re creating a balanced workweek for yourself. So, don’t just say it in an interview to say it. 

Practice it alongside delegation in your professional and personal life so you don't get overwhelmed and burnout.

Not everything about a job interview is going to be easy, straightforward, or even comfortable, but your ability to read the room, expect the next question, and craft a well-rounded answer is critical to your success. Focus on crafting answers that highlight the best parts of your personality, identity, and resume.

Depending on the industry and role you’re interviewing for, there’s probably more to “winning them over” than a simple question about stress. At the end of the day, being your authentic self in interviews is the most important thing for your long-term success and happiness at work.

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Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.