How to Answer: Talk about a time when you succeeded despite being under intense pressure.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Progressive job interview.
3. Talk about a time when you succeeded despite being under intense pressure.
The Goal
The hiring managers at Progressive want assurance that you can handle the pressure that comes from working in the high-pressure, ever-evolving insurance industry. The goal of your response is to provide evidence that you have the mindset and tenacity to behave professionally and appropriately while working under pressure.
Written by Rachelle Enns on October 21st, 2022
Pro Tip
This question presents the opportunity for you to be a storyteller. Using the STAR method, form an engaging story-based response that showcases your proudest accomplishment. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Use a solid and compelling example of your poise under pressure. Be as specific as you can while remaining concise and on topic. If possible, provide a story of a time when you were under a type of pressure related to this position's duties. Your response should come from a recent scenario.
Written by Rachelle Enns on October 21st, 2022
How to Answer
The expectations placed on you at Progressive might feel overwhelming at times. For this reason, the hiring managers are looking for evidence of your ability to face pressure while still ensuring that you deliver high-quality work.
Talk about a specific time when you were under a lot of pressure at work, yet you succeeded. Outline the situation, explain why you felt under pressure, and describe your actions. Spotlight that you made well-calculated decisions even though you felt some strain or conflict. If your actions made a measurable impact, discuss the results you generated.
Written by Rachelle Enns on October 21st, 2022
What You Need to Know
The average HireVue interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. This one-way video interview typically includes 3-5 questions. Depending on the HireVue parameters set by Progressive, the asynchronous interview platform will generally give you 30 seconds to prepare a response and up to 2 minutes to answer each question. It's important to note that HireVue stops recording as soon as your time limit is up, so it's better to run under time than overtime.
Written by Rachelle Enns on October 21st, 2022
Answer Example
"Throughout my career in the professional services sector, I have gained the skills required to deal with stress constructively. (Situation) Last year, one of our Insurance Managers retired, and she passed me one of her most important legacy accounts. I was thrilled to have the opportunity; however, this account was notorious for being complex. (Task) I knew that onboarding this client would be challenging. It would take a great deal of diligence, research, and time on my end. I felt overwhelmed, but I knew that serving this account to the best of my ability would help my department meet its goals, and it would be a valuable addition to my portfolio. (Action) I sought out a mentor with more industry experience to ensure my success. This individual taught me incredibly beneficial approaches and tools for managing my time, controlling stress, and regulating my mindset under pressure. (Result) As a result, I successfully onboarded this account and even received accolades from the client, which felt great. Now, when I feel immense pressure on the job or in my personal life, I lean on these mechanisms and techniques to get me to the finish line with focus and poise."
Written by Rachelle Enns on October 21st, 2022
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Challenges were:
The obvious increase in the volume of clients I saw,
I was tasked to prepare more complex returns,
Speed became as important as the quality
Although the first 8 weeks were intense I managed to keep up with demand and made consistent progress in speed and quality.
By the end of the season, I completed over 200 tax returns and became the go-to preparer in the office for business return-related questions."
Jaymie's Feedback