The STAR interview technique allows the candidate to tell a linear story while answering a question in an interview. This technique is becoming a standardised way for candidates to answer question. But what does ‘STAR’ stand for? Its stands for situation, task, action and result.
What does ‘STAR’ stand for:
Situation:
This describes the situation that you are in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from previous jobs either from a volunteer role or relevant event. For example, reaching a deadline for a task that needs to be completed.
Task:
What goal were you working towards? ‘Task’ and ‘Situation’ are easily confused. The main difference is that here you should state the work expected of you because of the situation. Such as ‘my goal was to generate …”
Action:
”What specific steps did you take and what particular contributions?” Describe the action you took to address the situation with an appropriate amount of detail. The key focus should be on you. Be careful that you do not describe what the team or group did when talking about projects, but when you actually did.
Result:
”What happened? How did the event end?” Describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Always be truthful.
Make sure that you follow all parts of the STAR method. Be specific as possible at all times without rambling or including too much information. Therefore, candidates have to be prompted to include their results, so try to include that without having to be asked.
Sample STAR responses:
Here are some sample answers that you could give at an interview:
Situation: ”advertising revenue was falling off for my college newspaper and large numbers of long term advertisers were not renewing contracts”
Task: ”My target was to approach new ideas, materials and incentives that would result in…”
Action: ” I designed a new promotional packet to go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits with other media areas”
Result: ”We signed contracts with 15 former advertisers for daily ads…”
How to prepare for a behavioural interview:
Behavioural interview questions are asked to assess whether a candidate is the right fit. Here are some examples:
- Recall recent situations that show favourable behaviours or actions involving the course.
- Prepare short descriptions of each situation.
- Be ready to give details when asked.
- Make sure the outcome or result reflects positively on you.
- Honesty is key – the interviewer will find out if the story is built on a weak foundation.
Sample behavioural interview questions:
Practice using the Star Method on these common behavioural interviewing questions:
- ”Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritise your tasks?”
- ”Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split-second decision?”
- ”Give me a time when you had to motivate others?”
- ”Tell me about a time when you had to delegate a project effectively?”
- ”Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete?”
Here are more behavioural interviews to try out.
Interview tips for you:
Want to make a good impression on your job interview? By researching and practising your answers, you can make the right impression.
To find out more about interview tips, please click on the link below.
At Carrington Blake Recruitment, we like to help our candidates prepare for their interviews so that they are ready to go.
If you are nervous or not sure how to answer questions, contact us today on 0207 537 6607 or emails visit our contact page and we can help you with your interview preparation.