Ever walk into an interview not really knowing what to expect?
Interviewing is a high-stakes game. Present yourself well and say the right thing, and you could land your dream job. Say the wrong thing, look nervous and unprepared, and you’ll miss a lucrative opportunity.
So what do you do? You prepare, you research, and you get ready to meet someone new, hoping to make a strong first impression.
And when you don’t know the person you’re meeting, or much about their interview style, you can use this tested formula with confidence. It gives your responses structure and keeps you focused on tangible results and achievements.
It’s called SAR: an acronym for Situation, Action, Results.
It Goes Something Like This
Hiring Manager’s Question: Tell me about a time when you won a huge deal you didn’t think you would?
(Situation) I had just started at my current company and was assigned an account we couldn’t seem to crack. The rep before me called on the prospect with no success.
I heard through the grapevine they were still looking for accounting software that could handle reporting requirements around several new compliance issues, and I managed to set up an appointment with the CFO. They had considered my company in the past, but there were no notes in our system about the interaction.
(Action) I took it as a personal challenge to be extraordinarily attentive and responsive, because they’d already met with someone from my company and didn’t purchase. We’d obviously lost the deal once, and I didn’t want that to happen again.
I worked hard to gain stakeholder buy-in across the accounting and finance departments, and eventually developed an internal champion who loved our product and gave me all the information I needed to win the business.
(Results) Long story short, building relationships with key stakeholders helped me win the biggest deal the company had all quarter. In just 45 days, the deal closed for $285K.
Hiring Manager’s Question: Why did you leave ABC Software?
(Situation) I maxed out my compensation plan two years in a row, my territory kept getting smaller, and I felt it was time for a change.
(Action) I researched the financial technology space and put in a call to my favorite sales recruiter.
(Results) Within four weeks, I found the opportunity with XYZ Software. They had an aggressive comp plan, and I did well there, exceeding my $1.3M quota two years in a row.
Hiring Manager’s Question: How do you win new business in your current role?
(Situation) Every year we receive a list of target accounts. My list has 250 prospect names, covering financial services, insurance, and banking. The people on my list haven’t purchased software from my company before.
(Action) When I started, I spent the first nine months in heavy prospecting mode: trade shows, email, phone calls, handwritten notes, and LinkedIn. My goal was to talk to three people at every company on my list within the first six months.
(Results) I persisted with singular focus on my prospecting goals. It took some time, but I closed Umpqua Bank and the second largest insurance firm in the United States, with another substantial deal pending at AXA. I expect to exceed this year’s quota by 60% to 100%.
SAR Is a Winning Interview Formula
Next time you find yourself walking into an interview cold, don’t let it get to you. Remember the tried-and-true SAR formula, and you’ll strengthen the flow of the interview while proving your capabilities with quantifiable results.
Notice what every example above has in common: numbers. $285K in 45 days, $1.3M quota exceeded twice, 250 accounts worked. SAR only lands when the R is specific, so have your sales math ready before you build your stories.
SAR is easy to remember and gives you a focused method for answering any interview question. Hiring managers and recruiters love it because it keeps applicants focused, provides the necessary information, and highlights tangible results.
Now that you have the formula, all you need to do is follow it. Your new sales job awaits. SAR is one tool from the full sales interview preparation guide.
