Tell a Story: Context, Action, Result

When given the opportunity during an interview to highlight a specific problem-solving experience, try telling a story. First frame the context of the situation and where you saw a need for improvement, then the actions that occurred, and finally the results of your efforts. This approach is often summarized by the acronym CAR (context, action, result). By doing this not only will you have shared an experience in an engaging way, but you’ll have demonstrated the ability to recognize challenges and develop improvement plans.  However, remember to stay on-track with your key points.  Narrating a story can be a pitfall for providing a long-winded answer, and you don’t want interviewers to become frustrated or bored if they had simply been looking for a more summative answer.