Re: how to answer interview question: how do you deal with stress ?

Logan Shaw wrote:
surf wrote:
I am a software developer lookingfor a job. This is a question I have
been asked in an interview a few times, which is "how do you deal with
stess?"
:
:
Pyshcologists and other have been studying and debating all these for
years and it is a very complex topic.

All that is true, but that sort of analysis isn't what they're looking
for in an interview. I think you may have just been saying all that to
illustrate that it is an open-ended question with no right answer

But there are plenty of wrong ones!

"If someone's giving me the shits, I ask them to step outside.
Problem solved."

[Saying that you carry a tape recorder around isn't likely to be viewed
as particularly positive either.]

(which is frustrating in an interview situation), but that kind of detail isn't
really the point.

Basically, a whole lot of interview questions are meant to assess how well
you will fit in and work within the organization. I have been asked this
question before, and as near as I can tell, they are basically looking for
a positive feel from you about this. They want you to say something
reasonable and sound confident saying it. They don't necessarily care
what it is you say... <snip>

In Australia, they generally they do care, because all employers have
obligations under occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation.
Not only are employers obligated to uphold safe working environments,
so are employees. Safe environments include mental as well as physical.

Bullying and harrassment has been shown to have significant impacts
on productivity and profitability. Even private sector organisations
recognise the benefits of proactive preventative measures against
such behaviour.

Organisations can also be fined for the careless actions of
individuals,
so they generally desire employees who are not only capable of
understanding OH&S, but who can implement it willingly as part of their
working role.

Of course, stress is just one example of a whole range of human
behaviour and traits that impact on OH&S.

--
Peter

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