Tell me about a time when you handled the pressure well.

It's every interviewer’s pet peeve - candidates who go into detail about a time when things went wrong, not right!
This question requires a good example where you had to handle pressure well.
There are lots of ways you could answer the STAR interview question – you could focus on a recent work situation; the key is to focus on your actions and how they demonstrated that you handle pressure well.
We were having trouble getting our product to market on time
S - Our company was facing a serious problem, and we were unable to find a solution. We were having trouble getting our product to market on time, and the deadline was fast approaching.
T - My task was to help find a solution. I had to figure out what was wrong with our product and how we could address these problems before they impacted our deadline.
A - I went straight to the source of our issue and talked with the people who were working on it directly. I learned about what they were doing and how their work fits into the bigger picture of getting our product ready for market. I also asked some questions about how their current approach might be able to be improved since there were some things that didn't seem like they would work as well as possible before long-term use or over time (such as requiring extra maintenance).
R - As a result of my actions, we were able to come up with two solutions for this problem—one that would work better for short-term use but might not last as long and another one that would require more maintenance but would last longer than expected.
I was working not only with my team but also with other teams in the company
S - I was working on a project that required me to work with my team, as well as other teams within the company, to ensure that it was completed on time.
T - My role in this situation was to ensure that the project was completed on time and in the correct format. The format had already been set by our team and we needed to make sure that it was followed. We also needed to ensure that all other teams within the company were aware of what they needed to do and when they needed to do it.
A - I ensured that our team followed the format exactly so there would be no issues with our part of the project being completed on time or not. I also made sure that our team kept all other teams informed of what they needed from us and when they would need it so there would be no issue with them completing their parts either.
R - Our part of the project was completed on time and in accordance with our original plans for it. All other teams were aware of their responsibilities and completed them properly, meaning that all parties involved were happy with how things turned out.
We were in the middle of a huge product launch
S - We were in the middle of a huge product launch and there were multiple fires to put out.
T - I was responsible for managing the team that handled social media but also had to help with other areas as needed.
A - I made sure my team had everything they needed to do their jobs well. This included not only making sure they had all the resources they needed, but also making sure they knew how important their work was and how much it mattered to our success as a company.
R - We managed to handle all of our tasks without falling behind or letting any of our customers down—and we came out on top in terms of customer satisfaction and brand awareness!
I had to take over the role of a manager for a few weeks
S - When I was working at [company name], I had to take over the role of a manager for a few weeks. The previous manager had resigned and there was no one else in the department who could be promoted, so it fell on my shoulders.
T - The team had been growing rapidly, but there were no systems in place to manage them properly. We were losing some of our best people because they felt they weren't being properly valued or supported. We were also struggling with how to keep track of our client's needs and how they were progressing through their projects with us.
A - First, I created an online survey that allowed each member of my team to provide anonymous feedback on how they felt about their work environment and what changes could be made to improve it. Then, after reviewing all of this feedback, I organized an all-hands meeting where everyone could air their concerns and make suggestions for improvement together. Finally, we created a plan for implementing these new ideas over time (including setting up accountability measures for when things went wrong).
R - Overall morale improved significantly as soon as people felt like their voices mattered again and that they had some say in how things were run around here!
We had decided on a new design for implementation that require us to use new technology.
S - I was working with a team of five to build an app for a client. We had decided on the design but needed to implement it, which would require us to use new technology. This was something none of us had done before, so we were all nervous about how it would go.
T - Our task was to bring the design to life in a way that would enable our clients to run their businesses more efficiently. The app needed to be simple and intuitive enough for clients to use easily, but also complex enough for them to perform tasks like uploading photos, creating new events, and booking appointments through it.
A - We went through several iterations of the design until we got it right, then we worked together as a team to learn how this new technology worked so that each of us could build an app with it. We all contributed our own skillsets (designing for user experience; implementing code; doing research into what other companies have done) and learned from each other as we worked on our projects.
R - Our client is really happy with the results—the app has enabled them to save money by streamlining their processes and helping them manage their business better than ever before!
The project was delayed by two weeks due to an unexpected issue
S - I was working as a project manager for a small software development company. The project was delayed by two weeks due to an unexpected issue with the code.
T - My task was to oversee the development team and ensure that the project was completed on time and within budget.
A - I worked with my team to ensure that we were able to meet all of our deadlines by providing them with additional resources and support. We were able to complete the project on time and under budget, which allowed us to avoid any further delays in our release schedule
R - The product was released successfully and received positive feedback from our customers