Heard of the STAR Technique?

When answering interview questions, the interviewer wants an answer that covers a specific situation in which you were directly involved. Because you aren’t given the questions in advance, you’ll have to think of a specific instance on the spot. BUT I encourage you to PREPARE; have a few situations in mind so you're not totally winging it. The situation-specific answer should include the challenge you encountered, how you worked through it, then the resolution or what you learned from it.

Preparation is key to truly nailing an interview. The more confidence you have due to preparation, the more you can allow your personality to show (because nerves won't get the best of you).

The STAR Technique is best used for in-person interviews in a behavioral interview assessment. This type of interview is common and seeks to determine the type of behavior an individual exhibits in a certain situation.

The reason behavioral interviewing is so common and effective is simply >> past behaviors is a good indicator of present and future behaviors.

So, what is the STAR Technique and how do I use it to give thriving answers? " Glad you asked! STAR is an acronym that stands for: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Your answer should include all sections to achieve a STAR. When answering the questions, be sure to highlight your skills used in the situation.

I've outlined some common behavioral interview questions you are likely to get asked in an on-site interview. As you read through the questions, think about specific situations you have encountered that would answer that question. Then, go through your story to be sure you have each stage of the STAR Technique covered.

Common Behavioral Questions you may get asked are:

1. We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a coworker or customer.
2. Describe a time when you had to interact with a difficult client. What was the situation, and how did you handle it?
3. Give me an example of a goal you reached and how you achieved it.
4. Tell me about a time when you had to motivate other team members in order to get the job done.
5. Change is inevitable. Tell me about a time at work in which you were asked to change the way you do something. What was the change and how did you respond?
6. Tell me about a time in which you disagreed with your boss? What was the disagreement and how did you handle it?
7. Over the last three months, what was the toughest decision you had to make at work and your process for getting to a decision.

‍

TIPS to giving thriving answers:

• Avoid rambling. Recruiters and hiring managers hate it. It's totally true that you can talk your way right OUT of the job. Stick to the main points and end it. They will likely ask you follow-up questions and you'll want to keep those short and sweet too. Think >>> QUALITY of your answer, NOT how much you say.
• You ever think about something that happened and you get mad allll over again just thinking about it?! (Me too! Don't do that in the interview). Don't bring back the emotion from the situation. Show that you have moved forward, you've learned what went wrong and how - and you've grown from it. Remain professional.
• Be positive! Never ever talk bad about your previous company. Period. >> Instead, you can share that the environment wasn't conducive to the values you hold yourself to. Don't say, my manager had it out for me. Instead say, "I did not agree with some of the tactics the manager was putting in place. While I still followed the processes, I found that it became more and more difficult for me to be there, so I resigned with proper notice".

‍

The interviewer is not a psychologist - no need to tell them all of your past work issues and how you felt about each one. Keep the conversation bright, lively, positive, and professional.

ONE LAST THING TO KEEP IN MIND >>>> You're going to the interview to talk about yourself. What better person to do that than YOU!?!

#ArriveandThrive so you can #BeUnapologeticallyThriving

‍

‍