When you’re fresh out of university or seeking an internship, it can feel daunting to face the prospect of an interview. While many graduates are familiar with popular techniques like the STAR method, there’s another approach that is particularly suited for those early in their careers—the CIRCLE interview method. This guide will explain what it is, how it works, and why it’s valuable for internship and graduate job interviews.

What is the CIRCLE Interview Method?

The CIRCLE method is an approach to structuring interview responses, especially for behavioural or competency-based questions. It’s an acronym that stands for:

• C – Context: Set the scene by describing the situation you were in.
• I – Issue: Identify the problem or task that needed attention.
• R – Resolution: Explain what steps you took to solve the problem or address the issue.
• C – Contribution: Highlight your specific contribution, what role you played.
• L – Learning: Discuss the lessons you learned from the experience and how it helped you grow.
• E – Evaluation: Reflect on the result and how effective your actions were.

This approach is particularly beneficial for graduates and interns, as it helps them structure their answers even if they don’t have a wealth of professional experience to draw on.

Why is the CIRCLE Method Useful for Interns and Graduates?

1. Tailored for Limited Experience: As an intern or graduate, you may not have vast professional experiences. The CIRCLE method allows you to use academic projects, volunteer work, or even extracurricular activities as examples.
2. Focus on Learning: For graduates, employers are often more interested in your ability to learn and adapt rather than how much experience you have. The “Learning” and “Evaluation” steps of the CIRCLE method are critical here, showing that you can reflect on your actions and grow from them.
3. Showcasing Teamwork and Initiative: Many entry-level roles value collaboration. The “Contribution” step allows you to highlight how you worked as part of a team, demonstrating both initiative and collaboration.

How to Use CIRCLE Effectively

Let’s break down each step of the CIRCLE method with an example scenario relevant to graduates and interns:

Context:
Imagine you’re asked a question like, “Tell us about a time when you worked on a challenging project.” Start by setting the scene:
“During my final year at university, I worked on a group project where we had to design a marketing strategy for a local charity.”

Issue:
Next, explain the challenge or problem that needed addressing:
“The team struggled to agree on the key messaging, and we were approaching our deadline without a unified vision.”

Resolution:
Talk through how you approached solving the issue:
“I organised a meeting where everyone could voice their ideas, then led a brainstorming session to narrow down the key message.”

Contribution:
Highlight your specific role:
“I took the lead in summarising everyone’s input and drafting the initial proposal, which we then refined as a group.”

Learning:
What did you learn from the situation?
“I learned the importance of communication and how crucial it is to provide clear direction to ensure that everyone is aligned.”

Evaluation:
Reflect on the outcome:
“As a result, our team delivered a cohesive strategy, and the charity was able to use our plan to increase their social media engagement by 15%.”

When to Use the CIRCLE Method

The CIRCLE method is best suited for behavioural interview questions, where employers want to understand how you’ve handled past situations. Common questions might include:

• “Describe a time when you faced a challenge in a group.”
• “Tell us about a situation where you had to meet a tight deadline.”
• “How have you dealt with conflict in a team setting?”

By using the CIRCLE method, you’ll be able to provide clear, concise, and insightful answers that demonstrate your problem-solving skills, teamwork, and ability to reflect on your experiences.

Final Tips for Graduates and Interns

• Practice Makes Perfect: Familiarise yourself with the CIRCLE structure so it becomes second nature. Think about a range of experiences you can draw from—university projects, internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer work.
• Be Honest: You don’t need to pretend you have years of experience. The CIRCLE method allows you to focus on what you learned and how you’ve developed, which is what employers are most interested in for entry-level roles.
• Tailor Your Examples: Try to relate your examples to the specific skills required for the job you’re applying for. This shows employers you understand the role and have relevant experience, even if it’s from a different context.

Take the Next Step with Enna

At Enna, we specialise in helping neurodivergent graduates and professionals navigate the job market with confidence. If you’re looking to enhance your interview skills or explore neurodiversity training for your workplace, explore our recruitment and training packages today.

Hi, we’re Enna! We connect neurodivergent talent with inclusive employers, offering bespoke, expert neurodiversity training and tailored recruitment support. Want to learn how we can help your team? Email hello@enna.org today to find out more about how we can help you.