Take a deep but not obvious breath. Pause, smile slightly—if only to show that you now know the game—and, in an evenly modulated voice, say, "You seem to be trying to see how I handle situations. Is that a fair guess?" Then remain silent until you receive an answer.
Notice that you said "seem to" and followed up your statement with a question designed to have the interviewer deny or verify your appraisal or clarify his intention. He might have one of three responses:
1. Total silence coupled with staring, designed to cause you to blurt out another response. Simply respond in kind, with silence. The game is on. If no one speaks after a given period of time, you can thank the interviewer for his time, let him know you might consider participating in a more productive interview at another time, and leave. The interviewer will either break off the gambit or let you go. If it's the latter, you may be glad you left.
However, the interviewer may choose instead to break the silence with a badgering reply, such as, ''What's the matter? Can't you just answer the question?" If this happens, ask them to repeat the question. On the second go-round, it usually loses some steam. Your reply at that point might go like this: "If I understand correctly, what you're asking is whether my qualifications meet the requirements. Perhaps you'd like to tell me more about the position. Apparently there is reason for me to want to know more."
2. Instead of responding to your initial query with silence, the interviewer may try to poke holes in some of the information presented in your resume. It might go like this: "Why, just look here. It says you directed an inventory computerization. I suppose you're going to tell me you did that all by yourself."
Your reply (still remaining in control): "On the contrary, several people participated in that project. It was a tough one, and it took a real team effort to get it done. Is it the kind of project that I would be doing in the job we are talking about?"
At this point, he may choose to drop the challenging approach and get down to a more fruitful discussion. You may still want to keep your guard up a little, however. Stay in charge of your attitude and emotions. No one can do anything to you that you are not willing to have done. If the tactics continue and you begin to feel too intimidated, you can simply say so, excuse yourself from the interview, and leave. Again, you probably wouldn't want to work there anyhow.
3. Finally, the interviewer might give up the gambit right away upon hearing you handle your initial response to the stress question so well. He may explain why it seemed necessary to test you in that way, and then proceed to tell you more about the position. At that point, the interview may switch to one of the other formats.
If the interviewer opens with stressful but is a rank amateur, you can probably break up the game quickly and get down to business. He may not have realized the impact of the question, or he may have been trying to be clever. Your professionalism will channel things in a better direction.
There are, of course, other ways in which an interview can be stressful. Stress can result from such environmental elements as uncomfortable seating, bright lights, and noise. It can be brought about by disruptions or even by erratic pacing. Sometimes interview stress is created through the selection of open-ended questions designed to embarrass the candidate or create uneasiness.
