Deadline Interview Question Number 1: Tell Me How You Work Under the Pressure of Deadlines?

Imagine if you worked at a place without deadlines. A place that allowed you to work at your own pace and finish whenever you like. Imagine that they still paid you. How long do you think that company would last before it completely went under?

Every job has deadlines, otherwise nothing would get accomplished. Companies that often have tight and stressful deadlines like to ask their applicants how they handle pressure. They do this for two reasons:

1. To make sure you understand that if you take the job, there is going to be a lot of pressure.
2. To see if you can prove to them that you handle deadline pressure well.

Obviously you are going to claim you handle pressure well. Do so with confidence, otherwise the company may doubt your resolve. Yet you can also shine a little with this question if you answer it correctly, by saying something that gives the company confidence you know what you are doing.

Bad Answer

“I work really well under pressure. In fact, I thrive.”

This doesn’t really say much, though good on you to claim that pressure is great. If it was great, it wouldn’t be pressure.

Good Answer

“Deadlines have always been more of a motivational tool. When I worked for Company XYZ, we often had to work triple time to meet some of the strict deadlines in the field. In the beginning it was difficult, because it was a new experience, but the more I got used to deadlines and what they require, the easier they became, and I suspect I will feel the same way towards any deadlines I may experience in this new position.”

Everyone can claim they can handle deadlines, but why should the company believe you? The best thing you can do is “prove” it to them by discussing deadlines you had at a previous employer.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Yes, you can handle deadlines.
• See if you can discuss pressure at a previous employer and how you handled it.

Related posts:

1. Deadline Interview Question Number 2 – How Do You Handle Deadlines for Multiple Assignments
2. Deadline Interview Question Number 3 – How Do You Prioritize Multiple Projects with the Same Deadline?
3. Interview Question: How Well Do You Handle Pressure?
4. Why Do Companies Ask Questions About Deadlines?
5. Uncommon Interview Question: When You Find Yourself Under a Tight Deadline, What Do You Do to Handle the Stress