I'm a S.T.A.R.!

For the past week I’ve been in full interview mode. As many of you know, it’s that time of the year for summer internship interviews. As part of my program I am required to do at least one 300 hour internship. So, I threw my application out into the sea of higher education and hoped for a few bites. So far, I’ve heard from two of the positions, so I’m feeling like I’m doing pretty well so far (Much better than when I actually fish…apparently I tend to stand on the wrong side of the sun).

Now, I have been on a few interviews in the past couple of years for positions at various universities. However, perhaps it’s because my program requires and internship or I just wasn’t that interested in the positions that I did interview for, I was much more nervous and anxious for these two interviews I just completed this week for round one for each internship position than any positions I’ve interviewed for in the past couple of years.

Now, I really wanted to do well on these interviews, so I did a few things to make sure I was successful. Note, that they were phone interviews, so I was able to really prepare myself for the first round. Now, I thought I did well, so I’m passing my wisdom on to you, my blogees J

My Prep List:

1) Nice big cup of coffee

2) Write several thoughts about the positions I am interviewing for, including past interactions with the respective functional areas

3) Research the websites and programs of the universities and have them on my laptop screen during the phone interview

4) Practice Behavioral Interview techniques

Now, if you are not aware of the Behavioral Interview, you are now. J (And don't worry, I never heard of it until my professor walked our Intro to SA class through it last term). It’s a growing type of interview strategy. I had encountered it before, but never knew there was a whole strategy behind it. Basically, the questions during the interview ask about past situations and how you handled them. Over the course of the questioning the interviewer can map a brief habitual pattern of your work, professionalism, and so forth. To get through the questions efficiently and successfully there is the STAR Method which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

Situation: What was the situation?

Task: What was the specific goal or task that you had to achieve within the context of the situation

Action: What was(were) the specific action(s) you took to accomplish the task at hand?

Results: What was(were) the result(s) of your actions and did it accomplish the task? Also what would you do differently if you were put into that situation again?

Let me tell you, if you practice your answers in STAR format, it totally makes you feel comfortable and confident. Also it allows you to be efficient and timely with your answers.

Now, I’m excited to hear back and hoping to reach the next round of interviews so I can work more on my interview skills and try and get that ever important internship so I can graduate! J