Even if you have the job of your dreams, stress is inevitable. If an employer is asking this question they want to know how you perform under stress, but more importantly how you manage your stress.

Here is how I would answer this question:

I would explain that when I feel stress I usually notice it physically first. I get tense. The first thing I do is identify the source of the stress. Oftentimes what I think is stressing me out is just a symptom. Once I know what is stressing me – I write it down and then undergo ways to address it.

Here is an example:

[Situation] I was stressing out because I couldn’t get enough done during my work day. I was finding myself tense and short with some of my good friends at work because I didn’t have time to chat because I had work to do. I write a daily goal list out every morning and by the end of the day I only had half of the items done. I was disappointed in myself and quite stressed every day on my way home both because I didn’t get my work done and I was not being friendly.

[Actions] On my drive home I started running through my day in my head to try and understand why I have been failing to accomplish my daily goals. As I started to put a reasonable time frame to each of my daily goals for that day I realized I may have been a bit too ambitious with what I thought I could accomplish. The following day, instead of just writing down my daily goals for the day I put a reasonable amount of time I thought it would take to accomplish each goal. When I got close to 8 hours I prioritized my goals and made a good portion of them primary goals and the rest secondary goals. I would give myself slack about my secondary goals knowing that in an 8 hour day there are interruptions such as phone calls and an occasional break to talk with co-workers.

[Result] I was regularly able to accomplish my primary goals and I felt a sense of accomplishment every afternoon knowing I was getting my most important tasks completed each day because of prioritizing my tasks at the start of my day. I was also a much more relaxed and friendlier co-worker.

What's being sought here is keeping a level head while invoking problem solving in a group/collaborative environment. Speak to the need to remain calm, identifying root problems and addressing them directly through open communication (listening to understand, respecting points of view, collaborating on solutions, etc). Also speak about attacking the problem and not the individual involved publicly, if applicable.

If you have a routine to handle stress, such as exercise, meditation, or diet, now is the time to mention how well that activity seems to help you reduce stress on a macro level.