Once you have your story bank ready to go, you can tap into it when you’re asked a relevant question. To make sure you don’t miss anything important, you can rely on the STAR method to keep you on track.
The STAR method provides a simple framework for structuring your answers when faced with behavioral interview questions.
STAR stands for situation, task, action, and result. Let’s look at each of these below:
Situation
Set the context and mention the important details from your example. You don’t need to go too deep unless it’s actually relevant to the answer. You do, however, need to elaborate on the complexities of the problem.
Task
Explain what your main responsibility was. How did you fit into this scenario, and what was expected of you?
Action
Describe what you did to address it. This is where you can make sure you stand out. It’s best to give details to showcase your contribution and what attitude you approached the problem with.
Result
Explain your achievements and what the outcome was. You have to end on a positive note. Even if it’s a story about how you dealt with failure, you need to showcase how you came out on top, having learned a valuable lesson and growing as a team player.
Of course, you don’t have to stick to the STAR method religiously, but when your nerves get the best of you during an interview, it’s a very helpful tool to follow.
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