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A very common thing practiced by interviewers to test the temperament of the candidates and their ability to handle pressure is by conducting a stress interview. These interviews are conducted as a part of a set strategy by the interviewers that they would put tremendous pressure on the candidate by creating an uncomfortable condition for him and note how confidently he handles the questions and the situations or how fast he succumbs under the pressure of the stress interview.

Here are some ways that would let you get the clue that you are up for a stress interview and would also guide you on how to handle the stress interview and perform to satisfy the interviewers.

Tips to understand that the interview is going to be a stressed one

If you find that there are more than two interviewers sitting in the panel, you may want to set your gears to face a stress interview. In most cases, the interviewers sit in a group so that they can post random questions to the interviewee and put him under discomfort. Even before the candidate would be able to complete one answer, the next question gets shot and in all likelihood this question would not have any connection to the precious question.

Interviewers would tend to ask annoying, irritating and at time insulting questions or pass ridiculing comments that would tend to get the candidate uncomfortable and at times angry. At times, the interviewers would challenge the answer given by the candidate and they would not do so in a very friendly manner or tone.

Tips to handle the stress

The best way to handle a stress interview is to believe in the fact that all this is a setup and the interviewers are doing this on purpose. If you can believe in this simple but important thing, you would automatically get the confidences to face and handle the questions, no matter how annoying or ridiculous they may be.

You should not be submissive and accept to whatever the interviewer has to say during a stress interview. You can politely counter his statements and try to establish your points and your candidature. For example, if an interviewer ridicules you about your educational background, you can counter that by saying in a polite manner that possibly these degrees are not useful to the organization, but they have been serving you well over the years.

Do not forget to maintain a smile on your face, no matter how difficult a situation you are being put in during a stress interview. The constant smile would send the message back to the interviewer that you are not losing confidence and you have the abilities of handling pressure that they are looking for.