Ace Your Next Job Interview Using the STAR Method
No matter how experienced you may be, job interviews can be intimidating.
Whether you’re walking into it brimming with confidence or stifled with anxiety, there’s really no telling how an interview will go.
And oftentimes, a weak response to hard-hitting questions can be a big enough mistake to ruin the entire interview– and your hopes of getting the job.
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. And as dreaded as some interview questions can be, you can use them to your advantage and showcase why you’re the best candidate for the role. Keep reading to learn more about one of the best techniques that you can use to ace your interview: the STAR method.
What is the STAR Method?
The STAR method is a simple format designed to help you eloquently and meaningfully answer some of the toughest questions in job interviews. This method gives you the opportunity to prove your professional skills through a well-communicated story of your own experience.
These questions, known as behavioral or situational interview questions, are important for employers to ask because they reveal how you will respond to situations and conflicts that arise in the role you’re interviewing for. By breaking down your example experience into four parts, the STAR technique will help you craft a response that is clearly articulated, professional, and meaningful, and showcase your competency in the workplace.
Choosing the Right Story
Before we jump into how to use the method, let’s get clear on the questions that you can use it for. Behavioral questions usually begin with something like:
Tell me about a time when…
Give me an example of…
What do you do when…
Because there are many ways behavioral questions can be asked, there are an infinite number of stories that you could use as examples. This gives you the freedom to cater the situation to your unique experience, but it can also make choosing a story difficult.
Luckily, there are a six categories of situational stories you can always fall back on:
- An example of something unique or interesting that you have done in your life
- An example of you problem solving
- An example of you remedying a mistake you made
- An example of your success as a teamplayer
- An example of you overcoming an obstacle
- An example of your success as a leader
Once you’ve thought of some stories, the STAR method will help you format them into a manageable response.
Using the STAR Method
The STAR method has four parts: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Each section of this technique contains a portion of your story. By breaking it down into four manageable parts, you will be able to craft an example certain to impress your interviewer.
Let’s break it down!
Situation
The first step is to set the scene.
Like any good narrative, your story needs context. Regardless of how applicable your example may be, failure to explain the setting can leave your interviewer confused. So, remember to be as clear and concise as possible. Who were the people involved? What events were occurring? What challenge or challenges were you facing?
Remember to only share relevant background information and work experience. As confusing as a lack of context can be, it can be equally as messy to bog your answer down with unnecessary detail.
Task
The second step is to explain the task.
This is where you will illustrate your role or responsibility in the story. What was your goal or task? Who assigned you this responsibility? What was the desired outcome?
This is your chance to explain your response to the situation so that your interviewer can understand what your goal was and why. Much like the Situation portion, this part of your answer should be brief. Only include enough information to make your point clear.
Action
The third step is to reveal the action you took to accomplish the task.
Your interviewer is aware of the situation and what your goal was to resolve it, now it’s time to explain how you went about getting the desired outcome. What steps did you take to achieve success?
This is the most crucial out of all the STAR method steps. Your actions will show the employer whether or not you are suitable for the role you are interviewing for. They will be looking for you to “display a high level of assertiveness, confidence, and good decision-making skills,” so it’s important to avoid a vague or lazy response. It’s important to remember that your interviewer is looking for specific characteristics, so they are less interested in your goal and more in how you approached it.
Result
The final step is to explain the outcome of your actions.
You’ve talked about the situation, your task, and what steps you took to accomplish it, now you need to reveal the final results. Was the situation resolved? Did you reach your goal? Did the final outcome meet your expectations? If not, how did it differ?
This is your time to truly make yourself stand out. Whether it was a lesson you learned, a catastrophe avoided, or a positive impact on the company, your story’s conclusion should be upbeat, meaningful, and a display of your skills. Be specific in your achievements– you’re aiming to impress!
Remember, behavioral questions, however tough, are a way for you to prove your skills and experience to the employer. Use the STAR method to show that you have what it takes to be successful in the position– and ace your job interview while you’re at it!
Ready to put the STAR method to practice? Check out our job board and start applying today!
Tips From an Expedia Group Recruiter: Prepare For Your Interview!
💎 Looking to apply for a position with Expedia Group? Here are some great tips to prepare for your interview!
📼 Watch this video for valuable insight from Audrey McGee, Talent Advisor at Expedia Group. These tips will help you get ready for your interview with the company, whether on-site or virtual!
📼 There are three main skills Expedia Group recruiters look for in candidates during their interview: #1: Communication skills. As Audrey shares, this is a skill that goes a long way and cuts across all industries, from HR to technology and even finance. Whether you're interviewing for an entry-level or executive-level role, you must have effective communication skills. #2: Problem-solving skills. The ability to articulate a problem or a challenge and the steps that you took to overcome those challenges will impress your interviewer. #3: Teamwork. Expedia Group has a diverse team across various geographies, time zones, and cultures, so they look for candidates who excel at collaboration!
📼 Probably, for the time being, Expedia Group will interview you over Zoom, so here are some great tips to keep in mind: Establish good eye contact with your interviewer. It indicates that you're engaged and interested, and it also exudes confidence. Make sure that your environment has good lighting, is free of distractions, and that noise is kept to a minimum. And last, but not least: Take a deep breath, relax, smile, and be yourself!
Get That Job at Expedia Group! Last Tip Before Your Interview
Be sure to send a follow-up note after your interview. While thank-you notes used to be very common, the trend has died down. So showing your appreciation will help you stand out! Plus, according to Audrey, this will also reiterate your interest in the role. Good luck!
🧑💼 Are you interested in joining Expedia Group? They have open positions! To learn more, click here:
Get to know Audrey
She's building a world-class team of technology professionals as a Recruiter for Expedia Group.
She spends her days finding, recruiting, and hiring the best talent who can help realize that mission. Audrey takes pride in providing the best recruiting experience possible for candidates and hiring managers. You can connect with her on LinkedIn!
More About Expedia Group
They are travelers and technologists. They work across time zones, hemispheres, cultures and languages. They're used to breaking things down and building them back up again, until they're even better. They know travel can be hard, but they also know that it's worth it, every time. And because they believe travel is a force for good, they take their roles seriously. They're here to build great products, and facilitate connections between travelers and their partners that truly bring good into the world. You'll discover a world of passionate people, all guided by an inclusive purpose: to strengthen connections, broaden horizons, and bridge divides.
5 Tips to Prepare for an Interview — and Tackle Anxiety — from Surescripts Senior Recruiter Shannon Clarke
In this digital age, job search best practices are a bit of a moving target and it's natural to have questions like: "Are one page resumes still a must?" and "What about post-interview thank-you notes or emails?"
We sat down with Shannon Clarke, Senior Recruiter at health information network organization Surescripts, to get some clarity on these questions and others to help you put your best foot forward in your next interview.
By the way, Shannon doesn't subscribe to the one-page resume rule—"Two pages are absolutely fine if you have the experience to fill them," she says—but she does love a good thank you note! "I think thank you's are great. You should do it and be thoughtful about it—don't write a novel, people are busy!" she says, laughing, "but they appreciate that sincere thank you and I often hear from hiring managers who are pleased when they receive one."
Read on for the other pieces of wisdom she's acquired in her 15+ years of recruiting and conducting interviews!
Five tips for preparing for your interview
- Start with the job description. "If you start with reviewing the job description, you'll be able to ground yourself in what they are looking for and how [you] fit in," explains Shannon. "Look at both the responsibilities and qualifications, because many times you can try to figure out what they might ask you based on that."
- Practice your pitch. "Be able to explain your career thus far and related career experience in a concise manner. Time in interviews goes by fast," Shannon says. "If you don't walk through it and you don't practice actually saying your answers out loud, you might just get tripped up in the interview."
- Be able to explain the company and what they do. Do your research to learn about the company's products and services, as well as its purpose. Start by checking the company's website to learn the ins and outs of the organization. "Then you can check out a company's presence on websites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, YouTube and gather a variety of perspectives or see if you have any connections at that company," Shannon suggests.
- Come up with questions that you care to know the answer to. "Take a few minutes before the interview and think about what you want to know," she advises. "It could be about the culture, it could be about the work, it could be about how the team works together. You want to ask in a genuine way, because it shows that you're invested in the opportunity."
- Bring examples of your achievements. Don't hesitate to reveal your accomplishments by using concrete examples. "If you can quantify your experience with numbers, great, but I think the biggest deal is to be able to give an example of when and how you did something," says Shannon. "Be sure to reference the company and details of the project, and talk about both soft and hard skills that you used and displayed."
How to combat nerves
Going into an interview can be stressful and anxiety inducing. Here are Shannon's tips for keeping calm during the interview:
- Give yourself a pep talk. Boost your confidence before an interview by reflecting on past successes. "Give yourself a pep talk before the interview. Think of all you have accomplished, whether it's at work or in your personal life. You got this. Be confident. Show them the best you."
- Be prepared. (See tips 1-5 above!) Proper preparation will also help ease your nerves. "If you review the job description, write down applicable skills and examples, and practice answering questions in a shorter time frame, you won't feel quite as nervous."
- Own your interview. "It's a candidate-driven market right now," Shannon says. "You're the one that's in charge of your next decision. Be sure to ask questions to get a sense of the company culture to validate that the company is a good fit for you."
Surescripts-Specific Advice
Working at Surescripts since 2016, Shannon has gained experience recruiting for all different types of roles and departments. "I recruit for all of our Customer Group, so anything sales or customer support related. I also recruit for our DevOps, Finance and Strategy teams" she explains. "I used to recruit for our Marketing and Legal teams too, but then we hired an additional recruiter to support our hiring efforts," she adds, smiling.
She has become an expert in scoping out individuals that fit within the Surescripts environment. Here's what she's looking for: "We like people that care about the work they do and about making a difference. We like people that want to contribute and want to continue to learn. This is a great place for that," she says.
Ready to put these tips to practice? Check out Surescripts open roles here!
Interviewing at Clyde - Prep for Your Next Interview with These Great Tips
Caitlyn Campbell, Director of Product at Clyde, shares a few tips to keep in mind when applying to Clyde.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the company's culture and values, and learn how you can make your application stand out!
To learn more about Clyde and their open roles, click here.
