Do you want to excel in your next job interview? Well try out the STAR interview method.
Answering job interview questions in an unstructured, erratic and confusing way, leads to Job interview failure.
Transform from failure to success by providing answers which are: concise, organised, entertaining and understandable.
To achieve this use the STAR interview method, a way to structure interview answers effectively…
What is the STAR Interview Method?
This interview method is a structured approach to answering behavioural interview questions.
Example: Describe a situation where you had to deal with someone difficult. How did you handle it? What was the outcome?
This is a question designed to assess a candidate’s past behaviour and experiences – a way to predict suitability for the job.
Interviewers expect the questions to be answered in a structured way, STAR is a well-known method for this.
STAR is a great acronym, simple to remember and logical:
1#. Situation
Describe the context or situation, basically what you had to deal with.
2#. Task
Explain the task or objective you were given to do.
3#. Action
Describe the actions you took in the situation to accomplish the task.
4#. Result
Explain what happened as a result of your actions. What did you learn?
Here are a couple of great simple examples, easy to understand. Learn from how they’re structured, because interviews are stressful, don’t overcomplicate your own examples.
You can make use of these examples when constructing your own, but we discuss this later in the article, for now…
Why is the STAR interview method important?
The STAR interview method has a number of benefits to both candidate and interviewer, these include:
1#. Familiarity to help understanding
The interviewer will be familiar with this method and be able to follow along with the example, meaning they find it easily understandable.
Therefor making their life easier, they’ll be more relaxed and content with the process. This indirectly contributes to rapport building between interviewee and interviewer.
2#. Structure creates clarity
It provides a clear and structured way to answer questions, the candidate will avoid waffle and avoid losing track of what they’re saying, also the question will be answered thoroughly.
3#. Impacting emotionally
The examples provided within the STAR interview method have impact because they are taken from real events, making them compelling, memorable and give them emotional impact.
4#. Relevancy to future performance
From the perspective of the interviewer they provide a clear indication of future behaviour and performance.
5#. Ability to self-promote
Being a self-promotor for many people is unnatural, this approach enables the interviewee to break down the modesty barrier and promote themselves. Additionally work on your confidence to promote a positive image of yourself.
Furthermore, it allows the interviewer to break down the candidates barriers and reveal their true competencies or incompetencies.
6#. Consistency is key
It ensures that all candidates are evaluated objectively, an interviewer will interview many candidates, it gives them a structure by which to access each candidate.
How to Use the STAR interview method?
Let’s explore how you can use it during your job interview, essentially practice and preparation:
1#. Explore your experiences
Spend time thinking through your experiences and come up with examples to answer behavioural interview questions.
For example, think of all the times you had to problem solve or deal with conflict, make a note, providing as much detail as you can.
Don’t just focus on work examples, use examples from your personal life, volunteering or anything else you take part in, which you believe demonstrate skills.
Whilst carrying out this task other experiences and situations will be triggered, make a note of them for later use.
Note: Ensure your examples are real, if you start to make examples up or over-elaborate you will be caught out and your integrity will be questioned.
2#. Apply your experiences to STAR
Take the examples you’ve got and apply them to STAR, by noting them down you maintain a record to be able to perfect them and memorise them.
3#. Practice verbalising your examples
Request that someone asks you set questions related to your example and practise verbalising them.
Afterward ask them to randomly ask you practice interview questions, so you can practice answering them off the cuff. Utilise the STAR method even when you don’t have a pre practised STAR answer.
By practising answers off the cuff you will get your brain in gear for structuring all answers using the STAR interview method. Consequently it will become natural to you to structure all of your answers.
4#. Refine your examples
You’ve practised using STAR and have become adept at its use.
Now you have a number of examples, you need to adjust and refine these to the specific job. Accordingly make sure that they highlight your achievements and are relevant to the job role you applied for.
Remember you may be asked to elaborate further with your examples, so be prepared for follow-up questions. Which is why they must be real and not made up.
How to use the STAR interview method during the interview
It’s the day of the interview, you’re confident in your ability to structure your answers, you know that you’re going to ace the interview.
Answer the questions in a polite conversational way, and make sure to avoid these mistakes:
1#. Not listening to the question properly
We communicate with people all the time but often we hear but don’t listen. Listening is a skill, a skill which must be used in the interview.
Don’t worry it can be practised. Pay close attention to the interviewer’s questions, and really try to understand what answer they’re wanting.
2#. Going off on a tangent when answering questions
Remember to be concise and don’t let your response stray away from STAR. Indeed, provide a thorough response, but remain clear and to-the-point.
Accordingly, this benefits you, because your interview time slot will be used effectively.
3#. Not seeking question clarification
When a question is vague or unclear, don’t hesitate to seek clarification. If you don’t understand what the interviewer is asking for, ask them to clarify the question.
Resultingly this will make you look professional and demonstrate that you are conscientious. Also, the interview will flow, and any rapport will be strengthened.
So, the STAR interview method summarised…
In conclusion, the STAR interview method is a powerful tool. You’ll stand out from other candidates by effectively showcasing your skills and experiences in a structured and compelling way.
Whether you’re talking about a challenging project at work, a personal achievement at home, or a significant contribution from your voluntary work, the STAR method allows consistently structured answers.
So, the next time you’re preparing for a job interview, don’t forget the STAR interview method.
This method will transform your interviews from nerve-wracking experiences into opportunities to shine, build interview confidence and achieve job interview success.
Your past experiences and accomplishments are your best assets, make them work for you, don’t squander them, value them and use them to transform your job interviews. Good luck!