6 Real-Life Examples "How do you deal with stress?" in an Interview

Stress can come from a variety of sources, but most commonly it's caused by the job search process. Whether you're like me and looking for your first job or you're in the midst of your fifth job search, the stress and anxiety can still be overwhelming.

When you are answering this question, pay attention to the following:

  • Give an example of how you have handled stress well in the past
  • Talk about a stressful situation that is related to the work
  • Walk the interview through how you managed stress previously

You should avoid doing the following:

  • Avoid talking about a stressful situation that is not related to the job,
  • Avoid talking too much about the stress rather than how you were able to manage it,
  • Avoid giving answers like this “I never feel stressed”.

Here are 6 real-life examples of what to say when asked “How do you deal with stress?” during an interview.

Focusing on breathing and posture during times of stress

I have always been able to deal with stress in a healthy manner. I like to focus on my breathing and my posture during times of stress. If I'm feeling stressed out, I'll take a moment to breathe deeply and make sure that my posture is straight. When I'm sitting down, I'll also try to sit up tall and lean back slightly so that my shoulders are not hunched forward. This helps me feel more relaxed and calm, even if the situation around me is stressful.

My most recent experience with stress was when I had an important presentation coming up and needed to prepare for it. There was so much information on the topic that it became overwhelming and hard for me to process everything at once. For this reason, I decided to break up the information into smaller chunks so that it would be easier for me to study each piece at a time instead of trying to learn everything all at once or having it all pile up together in one big mess (which doesn't really work).


Trying not to feel overwhelmed by work

I have always been a very calm person, so I don't find myself stressed out very often. However, when I do feel the need to manage my stress levels, I like to meditate, go for a run, or hit the gym.

I think it's important to always be honest with yourself about what is causing your stress and then figure out how you can fix it. For example, if you find yourself constantly feeling overwhelmed by work or other responsibilities outside of work, maybe it's time for you to prioritize your life and start saying no more often.

It's also important to stay active in your daily life because exercise releases endorphins which will help lift your mood and relieve stress.


Be able to deal with stress well

I have always been able to deal with stress well, but there is one situation that comes to mind in particular.

I was working at a job where I had a lot of responsibility, and I was responsible for leading a team of five people. One day, two of my team members were out sick and another two were on vacation. This left me alone with the tasks of six people—and that was just the beginning!

It was a stressful time for me because I wanted to get everything done before our deadline approached, but there were so many things that needed doing that it seemed impossible.

However, I knew that if I just focused on one thing at a time and got started on it immediately instead of worrying about everything else, then everything would work out perfectly in the end. So that's exactly what I did: I started working right away and never stopped until all the tasks were complete!


Breathing deeply and thinking about being grateful for

When I'm under stress, I like to take a moment to breathe and think about how much I have to be grateful for. This helps me focus on what's important in my life, rather than the things that are causing me stress.

I've worked in a variety of jobs in the past, but one thing that's stayed consistent is that there has always been something going on that caused me some level of stress. Whether it was a long-term project or an unexpected deadline, I've always been able to find ways to manage it well.

The most important thing is being able to recognize what's causing you stress and then coming up with a plan for how you'll handle it. You want to make sure your plan will work for both short-term and long-term problems so that you don't end up getting overwhelmed by everything at once!


Being a very organized person

I've always been a very organized person. This helps me deal with stress because it allows me to focus on the tasks at hand and not get bogged down by the little things.

For example, when I was working at [company name], we were under a lot of pressure from our clients to finish up our projects on time. Our team had grown so quickly that we didn't have enough resources in place to keep up with the demand, and we were having problems getting everyone on board with our new systems.

So what did I do? I sat down with each member of my team individually and asked them what they needed to help them be more productive and efficient at work. We then worked together to come up with solutions that would work for everyone.

This allowed me to stay calm under pressure while also ensuring that everyone was able to do their best work without feeling overwhelmed by an overwhelming workload.


Having some hobbies to handle with stress

I think I have dealt with stress in a variety of ways throughout my life.

I think one way that I have managed to handle stress well is by having a lot of hobbies that I can do outside of work. For example, when I was working at [company name], I would often play video games as a way to relax after a long day of work. This helped me because it gave me something to do that wasn't related to work and allowed me to unwind from the day.

Another thing that helped me manage stress was being able to talk about what was stressing me out with friends and family members who were close by. Being able to share my concerns with others helped me feel better because it allowed me to vent and get advice from people who cared about how I felt.