Do you work well under pressure?
This is a good question to answer with an example. It's important to talk about your ability to work well under pressure and reassure the interviewer that you can handle pressure situations, but it's equally important to show these skills in action. The STAR (situation, task, action, result) method will help you build a robust answer. Describe the situation that was high-pressure, the task you were asked to complete, what actions you took to accomplish it, and the result you reached.
"Yes, I am able to remain focused even when working in a pressured situation. Recently, at my current job, a number of my colleagues were forced to take time off because either they or someone in the family fell ill with COVID-19. I had to take on their duties temporarily and meet aggressive deadlines. It was definitely stressful, but because I am experienced and have good organization and prioritizing skills, I was able to remain focused and work through the situation without getting overwhelmed. I organized all the loans that were pending, identified and acted on next steps for each in order of priority, and communicated progress. In the end, all the deadlines were met, customers were satisfied, and when my colleagues came back to work, their workload was manageable."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Yes, I am able to multi-task and stay focused by being organized and being able to prioritize my loans and tasks daily. I was able to take on additional loans when we had another loan processor out with covid and short-staffed. I was able to process and close additional loans maintaining satisfactory customer service while being a bit stressed and under pressure. My manager informed me of the good job I completed and how much my hard work was appreciated.
Amanda's Feedback
Good job! Using a workplace example that highlights your ability to translate stress into action is the best way to answer this question and show that you can work successfully under pressure.
