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Urban and Regional Planners Mock Interview

Question 5 of 30 for our Urban and Regional Planners Mock Interview

Urban and Regional Planners was updated by on March 27th, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 5 of 30

Describe a time where you worked well under pressure.

Performing well under pressure is both a personal and professional quality and can make a difference between an average employee and an excellent one. Many jobs involve moments when, for varied reasons, unexpected situations occur and quick decisions are needed. The ability to stay calm, think logically, and act appropriately in such a scenario is a major asset for any employee.

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How to Answer: Describe a time where you worked well under pressure.

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Urban and Regional Planners job interview.

  • 5. Describe a time where you worked well under pressure.

      What You Need to Know

      Performing well under pressure is both a personal and professional quality and can make a difference between an average employee and an excellent one. Many jobs involve moments when, for varied reasons, unexpected situations occur and quick decisions are needed. The ability to stay calm, think logically, and act appropriately in such a scenario is a major asset for any employee.

      Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022

      How to Answer

      This is your opportunity to show you are likely to perform well even under difficult circumstances. Be sure to use a recent and relatable example when you answer this question. Spend less time talking about the problem and more time talking about what you did to find a solution. Describe the outcome and what you learned and were able to apply on other projects.

      Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022

      Answer Example

      "Last week our client made some pretty significant changes to our plans just a few days before the submittal deadline. Everyone was really stressed during this time. I cleared my personal schedule and agreed to work several hours of overtime so that we could hit the deadline our client required. It's easy to freeze up in times like that, so I was sure to create milestones. I also made sure to utilize our technical staff and junior planners more than usual. We hit our deadline and our client was thrilled!"

      Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Writing my thesis paper for my MPA program while dealing with a big trust fund recovery penalty investigation. It challenged me quite a bit, but I was able to complete both with outstanding success."

      Stephanie's Feedback

      This sounds like a challenging time that you navigated--I am glad to hear that you had a great outcome! To develop your response, I suggest adding in an additional sentence that explicitly states your comfort and experience working under pressure. For example: "My past experiences have well prepared me to multitask and to perform under pressure; I am confident in my ability to navigate stressful situations as they arise."

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