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Do stress interviews still have a place in recruitment?

Most of us feel some level of stress when going for a new job, but what if sole the aim of the interview was to put you under extra pressure just to see how you react? That is the intention of a stress interview.  This particular recruitment tactic is usually adopted for roles that have high levels of stress as part of the day-to-day duties, but does this bring out the best in candidates?

What sets a stress interview apart is the antagonistic nature of the questions. Perhaps an air of arrogance or a dismissive attitude from the interview panel. In particularly intense scenarios, candidates can be interrupted in the middle of a sentence, asked unanswerable questions and even confronted on their opinions.

Is it a good idea?

The idea of putting candidates under additional pressure can seem counter productive and online recruitment trainer Interview Edge agrees. It thinks there is “no evidence that the ability to deal with a stressful interview situation is an accurate predictor of the ability to deal with job stress. In fact, the opposite may be true.” Rather than bringing out the fight or flight reaction employers are hoping for, candidates are more likely to raise their defences and shut down to protect themselves. Interviewees are more likely to show their best self when they are comfortable, giving you a better representation of what they can do and how they would fit into your team. 

Some see this aggressive practice as outdated including Forbes columnist Liz Ryan. “If you put people under stress in a job interview, you're saying that their comfort and well-being mean nothing to you. Why should a talented job applicant stick around in your recruiting pipeline once they've been bullied?”

Employer branding is essential to draw in new recruits and keep hold of them, so is it worth marking your company with such provocative tactics?

Here at GradLink, we think there are better ways to get results from those you are interviewing. Even the addition of one “stress” question to see how someone thinks on the spot can be appropriate but in order to find a good fit for your company- we advocate a more constructive approach.

Are there any industries where you think the stress method still holds its own?

 Register with us today to recruit the UK’s top educated international students, for free! No need for stress interviews and a database of thousands of CVs to choose from.