Be a STAR in your interview and get the job today

The acronym STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result but what does that translate to when you are at a job interview and how do you use it?

Today we will cover all four parts of what the acronym means and share bonus plans on how to put it into practice so you perfect your next interview and get the job.

Nervous and wide-eyed, once you understand how to use the STAR method you’ll shine.

So you’ve already written a winning resume using SMART goals and other prize winning tactics and you now have your first (in-person, phone, or web facing) interview? Here’s what you need to do next.

Reading your resume is not the next step. Proving how you/your resume helps the business is your next step.

The (not so) basic intro.

The interviewer makes an assessments from your first impression within the first 20 seconds. It is up to you to either change their view (if it is negative) or hold that view (if it is a positive impression).

Interviews tend to ask behavioral questions. These are meant to test your EQ or EI (emotional quotient or emotional intelligence). People often ask open-ended questions to see how you work through team problems, communicate with others, or complete tasks. Questions like: “Describe a time when…” and “Share an example of a situation where….” answer how you use your EQ/IQ. Prepare and listen to the interviewer to think of an applicable event.

1. Situation

Share a specific example of a challenge or conflict.

Describe a challenge or a conflict you had on a project or with a coworker. It could also pertain to a job or volunteer experience listed on your resume or even a group school project. Keep the content relevant to something that might overlap what the employer needs. Remember to hint at things within your resume so they have a connection to remember you.*

* If you can relate your life or job event to a need or opportunity that you see at your potential new employer, they will see the direct correlation without having to think. The more you can relate to them the more this shows that you possess good communication AND that you have looked at the job/company needs to see where they struggle. It helps to show that you’ve done your research and that you want to work with THEIR team.Tell a story, don’t re-read your resume.

In the Situation phase you will share a challenge or a conflict you had on a project or with a coworker.

2. Task

Explain your responsibility with that task

Now that you’ve laid out the (brief) details of your situation, explain your responsibility within it. Was your task to complete something within a tight deadline, help resolve a conflict, or reach a certain sales goal or output?

If you were responsible for the task alone it still affected a larger team, group, or outcome which we get into in number 3.

What were you tasked to do in the situation you shared?

3. Action

After you explain the task describe what YOU did

This is your one moment of “me-ness.” This is the action that ultimately was taken by YOU towards a win or loss with the task you explained. If it was a loss then spin it into a learning moment or an opportunity which led toward your eventual success in a later project. Sharing your failure and then explaining how you learned from it is a great way to be both humble and bold.

Although you are speaking about your actions be sure to share this task in the context of how you worked within a team or how what you did led to the full team’s results.

This you moment you share what YOU did to help with or resolve your task

4. Result

Explain the outcomes or results generated by your actions.

Here you emphasize not only what you accomplished (or how you spun that failure into a learning moment), you also tie in the buzzwords from your resume and the job posting. Your learns should tie into their future needs. Close by sharing the results of your efforts.

Failure can be a learn. Address how the failure or accomplishments help that future business.

4 bonus plans

1. Think of examples for how to share the STAR method well before the interview. Practice but don’t memorize what you will say to the point where you sound robotic or over-rehearsed because then you won’t be authentic and natural.
2. Pausing or being quiet to internalize and think about how to answer a question is perfectly okay. It is also okay to tell the interviewer that you’d like to think about a question and then come back to it later. This shows that you want to give a good answer and you care.
3. Give examples that show your problem solving skills. It’s important, when you pause, to think through a problem and a process. They may even ask you a hypothetical (or real) problem they face.
4. Things like smiling or leaning in (slightly) when you listen to a question or as you learn more about your future role shows that you are really interested in what the interviewer is asking or saying. Avoiding crossing your arms or closing off your body to the interviewer as this can signify that you don’t care or that you are not listening.

Good body language helps show you are personable.

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