Whether you are practicing your responses to prepare for your next interview or were caught off guard while meeting with the hiring manager, figuring out how to structure your answers can seem daunting. You need to share the right details if you are going to impress, so finding a reliable formula can make the entire process easier to handle.
Luckily, you don’t have to develop your own approach. Instead, you can use the STAR method. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the STAR Method?
Short for situation, task, action, result, the STAR method is a technique for answering behavioral interview questions thoroughly. Often, these inquiries are incredibly open-ended and ask you to provide an example that aligns with a particular point.
Essentially, the STAR method acts as a framework, ensuring you provide the right amount of information on the given topic and cover the right bases.
How to Answer a Question Using STAR
If you want to use the STAR method, your first step is to identify a relevant example based on the hiring manager’s question. Using an anecdote that doesn’t speak to the core point isn’t going to be effective, so you need to focus on this before anything else.
Next, you reflect on the example and describe the situation you were in at the time. Effectively, you are defining the scenario, giving the hiring manager context.
Then, it’s time to cover the task. This point covers your level of involvement in the situation, such as your core responsibilities in relation to the scenario and an expectation that was placed upon you based on your position.
After that, you need to share the action you took. Ideally, you want to go over each of the main steps you had to take, showcasing your contributions.
Finally, you can discuss the result, highlighting how you made a positive impact and what you achieved. Quantify as many details as you can, as numbers often make a stronger impression than words in these cases.
In most cases, your goal should be to be as thorough as possible. However, you don’t want to go overboard either. Try to limit your answer to just a handful of sentences altogether. Certain aspects of your response, like the situation, task, and result, may only need one sentence to cover. However, the action generally takes a few.
Practice Makes Perfect
Initially, the STAR method can feel awkward, so it’s wise to practice before your next interview. Look online for common behavioral interview questions and form responses using the STAR approach, rehearsing your replies until they feel natural. That way, when your interview time arrives, you will be comfortable with the material and the procedure.
Contact the Experts at Equis Staffing for Help With Your Job Search!
If you would like to learn more about effective interviewing, the skilled team at Equis Staffing can help. Contact us to discuss your questions with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our interview process expertise can benefit you.
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