Using the STAR method to ace your interview

Posted on Tuesday, August 9th, 2016

0e07a57348cacaa3ed01eb3af1449af7Preparing answers for interview questions is important before your interview. But at the same, you have to prepare answers that set you apart from your competitors. You have to make it clear to the interviewer that you are suitable for the job. If you start talking about cliché skills such as’ hard-worker, punctual, and honest, you will not leave a memorable impression on the interviewer. The best way to answer behavioral interview questions are with professional stories.

Interviewers ask behavioral questions which aim at learning about your past behaviors in specific work situations. Examples include experience of working with a team, working as a team leader, problem-solving situation, or crisis at a former workplace. The best possible way to answer these questions is by using the method of STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Situation

Open your story with a brief description of the situation which eventually converts into a success story. This is a backstory to the entire situation and your response should start with a brief introduction, ‘When I was working as a Web Designer for ABC Group, there was a situation where I had to design a web page in only a few hours.’ This will inform the interviewer of your situation.

Task

Now you have to elaborate on the specific task you undertake. Describe what role you played in the situation and how you turned it into an opportunity. You can start by saying, ‘I was assigned the task of intricate graphic designing for a new logo of our company for the new webpage.’

Action

This part involves the steps you took in solving the problem and how you overcame any roadblocks. In addition, describe something unique about your action plan which can set you apart from other applicants. Keep the sequence of the action-steps chronological so that it makes sense to the interviewer. This is the longest part of the story because you have at keep your action-steps as detailed as possible, so that they appear credible to the interviewer. Paint a detailed picture to the interviewer by highlighting your contributions.

Result

This part sums up the entire story with a tangible result. For instance, how things got better because of your contribution, lessons you learned, positive outcome for the company. Make it detailed and include quantifiable metrics to prove your impact.

The STAR interview approach is an effective way to prove that you are a perfect fit for the company. Keep the job description in mind while preparing these answers to make them relatable to the interviewer.


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