Interview like a Star using the S.T.A.R. Method!

A potential employer will have many questions for you during an interview; including some based on skill set, some on experience, a few based on the company culture and some may be behavioral questions to see how you reacted in certain situations.  It is important for you to not only answer the questions factually and honestly but also correctly…The STAR method is a structured way of responding to not only behavioral based questions but all interview questions by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation and answer you are providing.

Situation: Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. Set the stage by painting the picture and telling the story of the specific event or situation you experienced.

You should discuss and describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job, from a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.

Task: What were you trying to accomplish or what was your goal?

Action: So, what did you do and how did you go about it?  Describe the actions and steps you took to address the situation with an appropriate amount of detail and keep the focus on YOU.

What specific steps did you take and what was your particular contribution? Be careful that you don’t describe what the team or group did when talking about a project, but what you actually did. Use the word “I,” not “we” when describing actions.

Result: Describe how you achieved your goal and accomplished the task at hand.  What was the outcome of the actions and steps you took to solve the problem? 

You should always end your answer with what happened.  How did the event end and what did you accomplish.  Make sure your answer contains multiple positive results.

Interviewing and answering interview question can be a very stressful situation. And like anything else – practice make us stronger.  Thisapplies to interviewing as well.  To use this method successfully, be sure to follow all parts of the STAR method. Be as specific as possible at all times, without rambling or including too much information. Oftentimes people have to be prompted to include their results, so try to include that without being asked.

Also, eliminate any examples that do not paint you in a positive light. However, keep in mind that some examples that have a negative result (such as “lost the game”) can highlight your strengths in the face of adversity.

Here are a few tips to remember and practice before you go to your next interview

• Recall recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions, especially involving course work, work experience, leadership, teamwork, initiative, planning, and customer service.

• Prepare short descriptions of each situation; be ready to give details if asked.

• Be sure each story has a beginning, middle, and an end, i.e., be ready to describe the situation, including the task at hand, your action, and the outcome or result.

• Be sure the outcome or result reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not favorable).

• Be honest. Don't embellish or skip any part of the story. The interviewer will find out if your story is built on a weak foundation.

• Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed accounting of one event.

• Vary your examples; don’t take them all from just one area of your life.

Best of luck in you next job interview.