Okay, so you’ve made the right first impressions and have been asked to come for an interview. Congrats. Wait, are you anxious? After all, this evaluation—based entirely on what you say—will determine if you are starting a new career or continuing your job search. 

No pressure, right? 

In my role as a sales director for Nike, Inc. I’ve had lots of opportunities to both interview and be interviewed. One easy trick I’ve learned along the way is to use the S.T.A.R. method to format my responses. This trick can transform interviews from nerve-wrecking tests of oratory abilities into opportunities to showcase skills … and win the job. 

The trick is in the word S.T.A.R. Each letter represents a sequential step in interview responses:

Situation – Provide context to the interviewer about the circumstances surrounding  your response. 

Task – Based on the situation, what did you determine had to be achieved? 

Action – What do you do to achieve the task(s)?

Result – What were the outcomes of your actions? 

Here’s an example: 

Interviewer: I see you were in charge of your fraternity’s recruitment. Can you tell me about that?

You: Absolutely. (S) In Sigma Phi Epsilon, we define recruitment success a lot of ways; two key metrics are the number of men and their collective GPA. (T) This year, I set a goal to recruit 30 men with an average GPA of 3.5. (A) To reach that goal, I selected a recruitment committee, worked with them to identify and connect with potential members, and hosted events for them to get to know us and vice versa. (R) We ended up surpassing our goals, recruiting 33 men with an average GPA of 3.6. 

Is this exactly how you would respond in conversation? Probably not. But, you get the idea. 

At its best, the S.T.A.R. structure is invisible to the listener and it simply comes across as a well-articulated response. Rehearsing using a few job-relevant examples prior to the interview is a great way to prepare to shine in the interview room. 

John Schuyler is a Running Specialty Sales Director at Nike, Inc. Since graduating in 2000 he has served as an AVC president, a key volunteer and a Task Force Chairman for the SigEp National Recruitment Task Force. 

Want to learn more about preparing for your career? Check out SigEp’s new Life After College event at www.sigep.org/life-after-college.