Thursday, March 28, 2024

How Do You Answer the STAR Interview Method Questions?

Why do employers use the STAR method?

Job interviews may be nerve-wracking for job seekers, especially if they are presented with the dreaded behavioral-style interview. Star interview method questions are common in most interviews.

Behavioral interview questions are used by recruiters to learn how you have handled challenges and hurdles in the past.

Employers are also interested in knowing how you will act in the future. As you know behavioral questions help the hiring managers to determine whether you have the necessary abilities and knowledge.  

Read more: Interview Questions: How to Crack a Job Interview at Ease?

In reality, during the last 20 years, the number of companies employing behavioral interviews has expanded exponentially.

Behavioral interviews are now used by 65 percent of Fortune 500 organizations, compared to just approximately 5% in the 1990s.

These questions are designed to catch you off guard, and a single incorrect response might be the difference between being hired and being fired.

Don’t worry about it right now because we’ll show you how to use the STAR interview approach to answer behavioral questions in the best possible way. But, before we get into the core of the topic, Let’s have a sincere look at how do behavioral questions look?

Must Read: How to Impress in an Online Interview? (4 Tips)

  •  “Tell me about a time you failed at a task you were assigned.”
  • “Have you ever had to work with someone you didn’t like? How did you handle that?”
  • “How do you handle setting goals? Can you give an example?”
  • “Can you give me an example of when you have worked well in a team?”

Tough questions, right?

What is the STAR interview Method?

The acronym STAR stands for four key concepts. Each idea is a possible response to a behavioral interview question by a job candidate. Using all four methods, the job candidate provides a full solution. The following concepts are included in the acronym:

  • Situation
  • Task
  • Result
  • Action

It’s a framework for preparing for and answering competency-based interview questions.

Situation

In this step, you should describe a specific problem that you experienced in past. Don’t forget to establish a context for the interviewer.

Explain the work environment in which you performed in a faced difficulty. After all, the scenario might base on work experiences, volunteer tasks, or any other relevant experience you can relate to. Give as a thorough statement as possible.

Task

After you’ve given the recruiting manager some context, discuss your position in the scenario. Perhaps you had to help your team complete a project on time or resolve a conflict with a coworker. Here you can explain who was in charge and what your goals and duties were.

Action

This is the part in which you detail your actions. What strategy did you employ to complete the assignment you were given?

Remember to focus on your achievements and to highlight traits (qualities) that a hiring manager would find interesting (initiative, teamwork, leadership, dedication, etc.)

  • What did you do, and how did you explain it?
  • Explain how you overcome the obstacle in detail.
  • Make a list of the measures you took to remedy the problem.
  • Explain what you did, even if it was a group effort, and start with “I” rather than “us” to detail your approach.

Then explain how you finished the assignment or attempted to overcome the obstacle. Instead of focusing on what your team, employer, or coworker did, concentrate on what you did.

Result

Finally, this is the time to reflect the scenario that the activity produced. It may be beneficial to stress your accomplishments or lessons learnt.

Tell the employers how the scenario turned out or provide specific results. If possible, tell them facts, numbers or statistics that measure your achievement.

Thus, you can also talk about what you have learned and how you can use those lessons for future issues.

How do you prepare for start interview method questions?

The STAR interview method questions won’t be easy answers unless you use them to structure or frame the relevant anecdote.

So finding an appropriate scenario from your professional history can be effective here. Emma Flowers, a career coach at the Muse said,

“I’m always impressed when a candidate asks for a moment to think so that they can provide a good answer.”

Emma Flowers

With that in mind, it’s smart to have a few stories and examples ready to deliver so that you can tweak and adapt for different behavioral questions. Here are the best ways how you can do this?

  1. Struggling during an interview to come up with an example that fits your job description and required skills is always a challenge for every job candidate. Remember, these obstacles will not stay long if you can match your answer to the required skills. Be prepared for what sorts of challenges may arise?
  2. According to Lydia Bowers, a human resource professional, “Brainstorm a few examples of particular success in your previous job, and think through how to discuss that success using the STAR framework.” Whatever examples you select, make sure they are as closely related to the job you’re interviewing for as possible.  Don’t forget to repeat that exercise for a few types of questions.
  3. Behavioral questions are like creating tense situations. right! Hiring managers might ask “tell me a time you were under pressure” or they might ask how you handle stress?  Whatever the form of questions, the intention typically remains the same. It would be wise to keep in mind and prepare your answer. You can also make a list of all common behavioral questions. It will help you to get prepared.
  4. Now prepare each question using the STAR method framework. Write down various situations you handled in your professional life where you also demonstrated the sorts of strength. This is how you can visualize the situation and prepare yourself for the battle.
  5. Finally, practice, the practice I repeat the practice. Do it by talking through various answers. Make sure each answer is as concise and coherent as possible. Confidence is a key to everything. You can make it happen by practicing again and again. Hope your next interview will be the most successful one by using the STAR method.

How to use STAR Interview Technique (Sample)?

This strategy can be used to prepare responses to Star interview method questions as well as to respond to a question during a live interview. It enables you to guarantee that your responses to the questions are both specific and comprehensive.

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTION AND ANSWER USING STAR METHOD

Let’s give an example one of top behavioral interview questions:

“Can you give me an example when you have worked well in a team?”

Here’s a great answer to this question using the STAR technique

Step-1 SITUATION

At around 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, my line manager raced into the office and informed me that a stock delivery was on its way. The package was supposed to arrive the next Friday, but the courier firm confused up the dates, so it arrived a week sooner. This meant that we had to put everything on hold and be ready for the unexpected delivery.

Step-2 TASK

The problem was that most of us were scheduled to depart at 4:30 p.m. that day, so there weren’t many personnel available to unload and stock the cargo, which generally takes at least an hour.

Step-3 ACTION

I volunteered right away to remain late to assist the company in its moment of need. I began preparing for the delivery by assembling a small team of individuals I knew would assist me in completing the assignment fast and accurately. Then I assigned jobs to the group, which included handling items, checking them off as they passed through the warehouse. I briefed all of the team so that everyone knew their role within the task. Once the delivery arrived, we worked hard to achieve the end goal.

Step-4 RESULT

With the help of the crew, we were able to unload the delivery, stock the shelves, and cross-check everything, much to the delight of our line manager.

He thanked us, everyone, for offering to help perform the assignment in a timely, safe, and precise manner.

Don't Miss!

Md. Tota Miah
Md. Tota Miahhttps://totamiah.org
Md. Tota Miah is a career counseling expert and a faculty member at Varendra University. He has a master’s degree in Management from the University of Rajshahi and has been teaching academic subjects for more than 7 years. Mr. Tota has a passion for helping others win with their personal development and career and has been writing about self-growth and lifestyle matters for 3 years. Youth Rider is the result of his dream and passion to share the knowledge and information that would ultimately help people around the world.

6 Important Ethics of Life You Should Always Practice

What is the ethics of life? Ethics are the norms, and values that guide our decisions and behaviors so that we can have a good...

How to Earn Money Online in Bangladesh as a Student?

Understanding The Need for Money and The Future of Jobs Trends This article is for those who are looking for ways to earn money online...

Elon Musk Career Advice: Success Story, Tips for Students

Have you ever thought a man who bullied in school, a divorced parent would become the world's, second-richest man? Probably not. He is a...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.
Captcha verification failed!
CAPTCHA user score failed. Please contact us!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.