How do you answer how did you handle a difficult situation?
- Situation: Explain the event/situation in a few concise sentences.
- Task: Briefly describe the task/situation you handled, giving relevant details as needed.
- Action: Explain the actions you used to complete your task or solve your issue.
A huge project was assigned at the last minute. A colleague left the company and you had to take on all of their work. You had to lead a project that you knew little about or had never done before. There were miscommunications across teams and you had to figure out how to get everyone back on track.
The most important way to handle a difficult work situation is by staying positive. Remaining hopeful for the future and enjoying your work is crucial. Work situations must be solved logically and carefully. It's easy to get caught in the anger of the incident, but optimism will help smooth any challenges over.
During a shift, two angry customers approached me at the same time. One demanded a refund, and the other one was frustrated because someone gave them the wrong order. To resolve the situation, I apologised to both of them and explained that we're dealing with understaffing, which means one of the clients has to wait.
- Acknowledge it. Be careful for when you bring it up – don't bring it up in front of a large group of people, wait for some one-on-one time. ...
- Be practical.
- Ask how you can help. ...
- Acknowledge it.
- Be empathetic but not sympathetic. ...
- Don't approach it directly. ...
- How can I help?
Some examples of situations you can discuss include: A time when you dealt with a lot of customer complaints and how you rectified the issue. A time when you had to work long hours to meet a deadline. A time when you had to deal with a difficult colleague when working on a project.
Moving, divorce, a painful break-up, the death of someone close, difficult emotions, family conflict — these things can create stress that takes more time to resolve. It might seem like the feelings that come with these stressful situations will never go away.
In my last job, I worked with a colleague who was difficult to collaborate with. This person wasn't open to feedback or discussing their work at all, and they didn't seem interested in being a team player. I wasn't the only person they took this attitude with, either.
The many deadlines had caused me stress and anxiety. I immediately planned a system to manage my projects. This helped me sort them based on their urgency and assign each task a timeline I could handle. I focused on completing each task, I met my deadlines, and reduced my stress levels."
- Staying positive.
- Using stress as a motivator.
- Accepting what you can't control.
- Practicing relaxation methods, like yoga or meditation.
- Choosing healthy habits.
- Learning how to manage time better.
- Making time for your personal life.
What is an example of working under pressure?
Example answers
One time I was supposed to deliver a project to a client in five days. A colleague who was working with another client had the same deadline, but he had to take a leave of absence due to personal reasons. I was forced to take up both projects at the same time, but I did not let the stress affect me.
- Prepare before the conversation. Make sure you don't initiate suddenly or when you're angry with the person. ...
- Control your environment. ...
- Stay focused on the objective. ...
- Show support. ...
- Be as fair as possible. ...
- Know when to back out.

Situation: At my last job, a coworker and I had a disagreement about how to handle a customer complaint. Task: While we had differing opinions, we ultimately agreed the most important thing was to make sure the customer was happy.
- Avoid them if you can. Some people are best in small doses. ...
- Don't let them push your buttons. Figure out why your difficult coworker bothers you so much. ...
- Stay positive. Don't let a difficult coworker burn you out. ...
- Don't take it personally.
- Be objective and give context. The first thing you do not want to do in an interview setting after being asked this question is engage in a blame game. ...
- Detail how you resolved the situation. ...
- Explain what you learnt from the experience.
- Track your stressors. Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. ...
- Develop healthy responses. ...
- Establish boundaries. ...
- Take time to recharge. ...
- Learn how to relax. ...
- Talk to your supervisor. ...
- Get some support.
Examples of common positive stressors are starting a new job, taking a vacation and learning a new hobby. When you feel eustress, you are motivated to perform well in the situation.
For example, a person might feel under pressure if the demands of their job (such as hours or responsibilities) are greater than they can comfortably manage. Other sources of work-related stress include conflict with co-workers or bosses, constant change, and threats to job security, such as potential redundancy.
Your AC breaks on a sweltering day. Someone cuts you off on the interstate. Your boss or teacher hands you an assignment with a crazy deadline.
- Pause. Close your eyes and take five deep breaths, count to ten, or think through three different possible responses to a stressful situation before speaking or reacting.
- Excuse yourself. ...
- Be aware. ...
- Be calm. ...
- Be positive. ...
- Choose joy. ...
- Recite.
Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame?
Example Answer:
I had a very difficult situation where the company I was working for was having financial problems. Because of that, I had to fire one person from my team. I chose the team member we had hired most recently. She had great potential, but she still needed guidance to do her job.
Here are some possible examples: A difficult customer at work, or disagreement with a landlord. A student society you were involved in that was struggling financially. A team you were part of that wasn't doing well, or where there was a conflict that needed resolving.
A good example of problem-solving is when a candidate I was interviewing for a position told me about the situation in which he was working with a team, and he wanted to implement a new process, but the whole team was against it.
The many deadlines had caused me stress and anxiety. I immediately planned a system to manage my projects. This helped me sort them based on their urgency and assign each task a timeline I could handle. I focused on completing each task, I met my deadlines, and reduced my stress levels."
Avoid answers that jeopardize your integrity, but also refrain from telling the interviewer, "You're not allowed to ask me that" or "I don't have to answer that." Instead of confronting the question head-on, Russell Hansen of Quintessential Careers recommends focusing on what's behind the question, and respond along ...
For me the most difficult thing was to make a good connection with my supervisor. We weren't the same “blood group”, had different opinions on many important issues, which resulted in daily conflicts in the workplace. Now, I do not want to blame them, or even myself for the situation.
Using your time wisely
Deciding how you use your time is another example of critical thinking. Continually evaluating how you spend your time can help you discover tasks and activities that may change how you prioritize your duties.
Let us understand this with the help of an example. A problem situation could be as follows: Noise pollution from vehicular traffic is affecting the elderly and the sick, especially in hospitals. Patients are unable to take proper rest due to the constant noise arising from traffic on the nearby roads.
For example, in customer service, you might find a scenario like, “How would you handle an angry customer?” or “How do you respond when a customer asks for a refund?” Practicing how you might handle these or other scenarios common in your industry can help you call upon solutions quickly when they arise on the job.
A business unit builds new revenue after losing a major customer. | A carpenter fixes a flaw in a wall without having to tear it down and reconstruct it. |
---|---|
A manager who is able to push a team to improve their work. | A parent convinces their child to do their homework. |
Can you give an example of when you had to work under pressure?
Example answers
One time I was supposed to deliver a project to a client in five days. A colleague who was working with another client had the same deadline, but he had to take a leave of absence due to personal reasons. I was forced to take up both projects at the same time, but I did not let the stress affect me.
- Understand why the interviewer is asking this job interview question. ...
- 2. Make a list of your soft skills. ...
- Add context to these skills with a relevant, impactful example. ...
- Focus on your positive actions, not your negative feelings. ...
- Don't deny your stress.
References
- https://www.naukri.com/blog/a-few-good-answers-to-why-should-i-hire-you/
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