How to Use the SAR Format to Respond to Behavioral Interview Questions

​The SAR format is a simple, effective way to respond to behavioral interview questions. It helps you structure your answer so that you clearly demonstrate how you approach and solve problems.
 
SAR stands for:
 
Situation
Action
Results
 
Situation: Briefly present a challenge you encountered at work that relates to the employer’s question.
 
Actions: What did you do to resolve the problem?
 
Results: What was the outcome of your actions? 
 
Here’s an example of how to use the SAR format:
 
Interviewer: “Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager.”
 
Interviewee: “My manager and I disagreed about how many times a month I should call on Dr. Smith to promote Product X. My manager thought I should call on Dr. Smith twice a month, while I believed I should call on him four times a month. (Situation)
 
Here is how I approached the situation. I analyzed my sales data for the last six months. The data showed that as long as I was calling on Dr. Smith four times a month, his sales were increasing by 3 percent monthly. At a meeting with my manager, I showed him my findings. He acknowledged that calling on Dr. Smith four times a month resulted in a 3 percent increase in sales and agreed that I should call on Dr. Smith four times a month. (Actions)
 
The result of my conversation with my manager was that I continued to call on Dr. Smith four times a month, and I achieved 3 percent increases in sales over time.” (Results)
 
So, you can see how the SAR format helps you structure your answers and demonstrate how you approach and solve problems. Practice using the SAR format, and you’ll feel confident that you can respond successfully to all behavioral interview questions.