University of Arizona Campus Club ambassador Bristol Johnson shares three practical tips to help you stand out in your next internship interview, from mastering the STARR method to asking the right questions.
While passing exams and technical experience go a long way in internship applications, interviews are the best way to stand out as a unique and valuable candidate. This step can be daunting and unfamiliar, especially for college students pursuing their first actuarial/corporate position. In this post, I give three tips for internship interview preparation!
Tip 1: Brainstorming and the STARR Method
Many interview questions look for applicants to describe specific experiences. Oftentimes, interviewers are looking for a narrative response. One great way to practice answering these questions more naturally is to implement the STARR method.
STARR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Reflection. Hitting each of these points in your response helps formulate responses for behavioral questions. Look up lists of common behavioral questions and think about what experiences you could describe with this method! You only need 3–4 versatile responses that you can then adapt to a variety of questions.
You only need 3–4 versatile responses that you can then adapt to a variety of questions.
Tip 2: Demonstrate Interest in the Company
Interviewers are looking for enthusiastic, dedicated applicants, and one way to showcase this is to demonstrate interest in the company you are applying to. Do research on their website and find a few unique business practices/core values that resonate with you in order to demonstrate prior interest!
You can also show interest by asking targeted questions. Think of what interests you specifically about the position, and what you want to learn more about. Having follow-up questions ready makes this seem even more thoughtful!
Tip 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
With each interview, things get easier and easier, so start practicing before your interview! Have a family member or friend ask you common questions to help you become more comfortable with answering in front of another person. Practice speaking out loud and formulating your responses, and it will become more natural over time. Good luck!
With each interview, things get easier and easier, so start practicing before your interview!
About the Author
Bristol Johnson is a statistics and creative writing major at the University of Arizona. As of writing this, she has passed exams P and FM and plans to intern at UnitedHealth this summer in Minnesota. She has served as both President and Coaching Actuaries Ambassador of RiskRunners, the University of Arizona's actuarial club.