What is a stress interview?

[Ladyluck]

I had not heard of a stress interview until recently, do you know what it is?

Here is some info -

Stress interviews are still common in many companies. One type of stress interview is where the employer lines up a bunch of interviewers (one at a time or en masse) whose mission is to intimidate you. The ostensible purpose of this interview: to find out how you handle the stress. Stress interview might involve testing applicant's behavior in a busy environment. Questions about handling work overload and dealing with multiple projects are typical.

Another type of stress interview may involve only a single interviewer who may behave in a disinterested or hostile style. For example, the interviewer may not give eye contact, may roll their eyes or sigh at your answers, may interrupt you, turn his back to you as you speak, take phone calls during the interview, and ask questions in a demeaning or challenging style. The goal is to assess how the interviewee handles pressure or to purposely evoke emotional responses. This technique was also used in research protocols studying Stress and Type A (coronary-prone) Behavior because it would evoke hostility and even changes in blood pressure and heart-rate in study subjects.

[Simon]

I've had one of those. I guess I didn't handle it very well because I was not hired :) to be honest I didn't like the way they did the interview because they gave me a feeling that everybody in this company is mean and hate each other. The atmosphere was very bad. If I was offered the job most likely, I would decline or in the worst case I would get the job and continue looking for something else to come up. I think sometimes this tactic can backfire.

[lookingforjob]

I wouldn't care to work for somebody stress-testing me :). There are plenty of jobs out there.

[Simon]

I wouldn't care to work for somebody stress-testing me :). There are plenty of jobs out there.


My thought exactly!