Ability to work under pressure

Q. When have you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline?

Q. How do you react under pressure?

When deadlines are tight or things go wrong, City careers can involve working under immense pressure to meet client expectations, so firms will likely want to know that you’re able to stay composed and productive when you’re up against it.

How can you demonstrate your ability to work under pressure?

Think about times where you’ve really been up against it. This might have been because of a tight deadline and the sheer magnitude of what you needed to do. Or perhaps you were particularly challenged by the complexity of your role and had to deliver something to an incredibly high standard with no room for error. 

The experiences you could draw from might include, for example, working on a group project or academic assignment, or preparing for, delivering or participating in a large event, performance, debate, mock trial or pitch. When discussing examples, explain how you managed to succeed despite the pressure you were under. For example, did you make time to exercise or take short breaks to help with your composure? Or do you naturally get an adrenaline kick from working with others towards a common goal with a deadline looming?