Interview Strategies: The S.T.A.R Method
So you’ve made it to your big interview? Congrats! After sending dozens (if not hundreds) of resumes, you’re invited to one of the most important days of your career. You’ve put a LOT of work into your resume but here’s the thing….the real test is about to begin.
And that test is the interview!
There are many interview strategies but there’s only one S.T.A.R method. We trust interview strategies like S.T.A.R to deliver results. The S.T.A.R method is a simple technique to categorise and explain experiences in your interview. Remember that your interviewer won’t know anything about your former work experiences. They won’t know ANYTHING beyond your resume. So S.T.A.R creates a simple, easy-to-follow narrative that goes from A-to-Z. This technique will keep you on point and focused on a competency based answer.
So first things first.
What do the letters in the S.T.A.R Method mean?
Great question! S.T.A.R means Situation, Task, Action and Result.
Let’s break this down.
Situation.
Task.
Action.
Result.
- Situation comes first. The interviewer will ask about previous work experiences and this is where you want to start FIRST. Questions like “Share an example of a time when you faced a difficult problem at work.” are almost ALWAYS asked. This is THE easiest ball to knock out of the park. Reflect on your experiences. Just what WAS the last time you had a challenge at work? For example Ex “We needed to bring in new clients.”
- Task is second. What was your goal or task you had in that situation? You’ll want to describe your responsibilities during this situation. Keep the tasks brief because action is where the good stuff is. Ex “My responsibility during this time was ________ and _________.”
- Action is third. This is where you SHINE with your interview prep. Tell your interviewer HOW you accomplished your task. What did you do to solve this problem? Keep the focus on your accomplishments. You may have been part of a team but YOU’RE the one being interviewed. Explain your thought process that helped solved the situation. Go into detail about the little in’s and outs that other people might not know about. You want to go IN depth. You don’t want to waste your shot (Hamilton reference, sorry!) since you really have 1 interview.
- Results are last. Answer the question of “What happened as a result from your actions?” and “Did you successfully achieve your goal?” Make sure to finished up with answering “what did you learn from this experience?” Pick 2-3 key results and expand on them. Example (we recommend you actually say something like this) “The results were _______, we _______” Ultimately, the RESULTs are just showing your interviewer the proof in the pudding! And your interviewer wants to know that you’re a good investment to the company.
How Can I Practice the S.T.A.R Method?
- Grab a pen and paper and write out possible S.T.A.R responses.
- Practice these answers out loud.
- Use Post-Its around your screen during the interview
Yes, it’s homework but you want to arrive to that interview knowing your value. As recruiters ourselves, it’s so important that you show the interviewer that you came ready. If the interviewer thinks you’ve shown up with no prep, that puts you at the bottom of the candidate list.
When you use the S.T.A.R method as an interview strategy, you’ll give yourself a stronger footing as a fully prepared candidate!
Are there other interview strategies I can use?
Of course there are! There are several types of interview strategies but S.T.A.R is something we practice ourselves. As they say in sport, “you play the way you practice.” So don’t be afraid to invest a little time for some thoughtful meaningful responses. You’re worth it! We have a whole barnyard of interview prep blogs just for you. If you want more info, the Guardian recently had a excellent article on the S.T.A.R technique.
Have a great and safe week!