‘Stress Interview’…The name is enough to send chills down the spine of the job seeker. The purpose of such interviews is to see how the candidate performs under stress. The interview panel wants to know whether the candidate is well equipped to handle stress. The employee may have to face similar situations on the job so stress interview is an indicator of how he will handle such situations. It is expected that the candidate handles such interviews with confidence and grace without losing the mental balance. Usually stress interview is conducted for such positions where the employee may require encountering situations which may put him under stress.
Stress Interview can take various forms. The interviewer will deliberately put the candidate under difficult or uncomfortable situation and very carefully observe his behavior. He may be asked intimidating questions such as why he was fired from the previous job? The candidate may encounter aggressive behaivour by the interviewer which he may find offensive or at times even humiliating. At times, in order to test the patience of the candidate he may be asked to wait for long hours at the lobby or waiting room before being called for the interview. There are instances where the interviewer deliberately ignores the candidate. During such interviews, the interviewer may also question, counter question and challenge each answer given by the candidate. The candidate may also be asked weird and/or trivial questions as to “how many steps did you climb to reach this floor?” Stress interview may also include constantly interrupting, sighing while the candidate is answering, avoiding eye contact, asking confusing questions, showing apathy towards the answers given by the candidate.
There is one school of thought which does not support stress interview method. It believes that it is an unnecessary tool of assessment which may embarrass and insult the candidate seeking job. There is also a fear that stress interview as an assessment tool may be at times misused by human resource professionals merely for satisfying their ego. There is often debate on the ethical aspects of stress interview.
There are certain jobs and profiles where stress interview would be a very good indicator of the future performance of the candidate. The problem solving and decision making skills of the candidate are unveiled. The best way to handle stress interview is primarily to keep your cool. It is very important that the candidate should not underestimate himself. Please remember that this is not the ultimate job and certainly not the end of the world. There are several other opportunities which will come your way. During such interviews, keep away from negative thoughts. Take it as a challenge and try to smile. It is going to be a great learning experience. Do not show anguish and frustration. The interviewer is not interested in the accuracy of the answer rather he is interested in comprehending your behavior under pressure. It is important that you take things in your own stride and stress interview is a part of the process. If you perform well there is a bright career waiting for you.
Source - Prof Sukhada Tambe
Assistant Professor
Dr VN BRIMS
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