Be a STAR at your next interview

Preparation is key to any successful interview, and my best tip for landing that job is to be a STAR. The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavior-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result.

Situation:

Think of a situation similar to what the interviewer is asking you about that had a successful outcome. It doesn’t necessarily have to be work related as long as it’s relevant. Remember to include the who, what, where, when and how. 

Task:

Describe the task you were responsible for in that situation. Keep it specific but concise. Make sure to highlight any specific challenges you faced.

Action:

This is the part where you describe exactly what you did. How did you complete the task you were assigned? Remember to focus on what you did and highlight traits (qualities) that a hiring manager will find desirable (initiative, teamwork, leadership, dedication, etc.)

Result:

This is where you get to be introspective. Share what the outcome of the situation was and how you specifically contributed to that outcome. What did you accomplish? What did you learn? What were the results of your actions?

I often joke with my Northeast clients that it’s STAR not STA - we have a tendency to insert/delete the “r” to the end of words! You want to paint the picture of the process steps you took and, most importantly, what the results were!