Landing Jobs and Internships

Interview Preparation

The interviewing process can be scary if you don’t know what to expect. Here are some tips to help guide you.

Interviews

Virtual Interviews

Star Method

You will likely encounter behavioral questions during your interview. These go beyond the standard “What are your 3 greatest strengths?” into questions like, “Tell me when you applied your 3 greatest strengths during a project.” In fact, “Give me an example when...” or “Tell me about a time when…” are the most common ways to start behavioral interview questions.

Why do interviewers ask these questions? Because the best way a hiring manager can know how you’re going to do in your future job is to inquire how you performed in a past experience. Your answers to these types of questions show credibility and thoroughly convey your skills and capabilities to the interviewer.

Sound intimidating? It shouldn't, because you are simply telling a story about an experience! The best way to answer these kinds of questions and impress recruiters is to apply the STAR method. Each letter represents a step, as explained below.

S: SITUATION

First, describe the setting in which your example takes place. What were you doing? Who were you working with? What project were you working on? Example answer: “During my role as an Event Planning Intern this past summer, I supervised a group of five in order to host monthly events.”

T: TASK

Second, explain how the situation changed and how you were expected to address that change. What was the goal you were striving to accomplish, or the problem you were trying to solve? Example answer: “Upon reviewing annual reports, I noticed attendance had dropped 30% and I wanted to find a solution to this problem."

A: ACTION

Next, clarify the specific steps you took in order to address the task at hand and demonstrate skills you utilized in each of those steps. What did you do to solve the problem or reach the goal? Example answer: “I distributed surveys to gather feedback on our events and used this research to design a new, more effective promotional package using Software X.”

R: RESULT

Finally, explain how your actions contributed to the overall end product. How did the situation end? (Quantify results if possible.) What did you learn? Example answer: "The company was able to utilize the promotional packet I created for future events. After implementing some of the new strategies developed from the feedback I gathered, we raised event attendance by 20% within the first year. I learned it’s important to continually adapt to strategies through marketing and research.”

Master the elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief verbal communication given to employers intended to focus on the candidate’s education, skill set, background and interests. It should last no longer than an elevator ride (hence the name) and should fall somewhere between 30 seconds to 1 minute in length. Krannert students can use the elevator pitch as a way of introducing themselves to employers at career fairs, national conferences, professional receptions, and other social gatherings. It provides students with a more structured method for presenting themselves to potential employers and minimizes the possibility of engaging in awkward casual conversation with recruiters.