How to Be a STAR in Job interviews

The STAR technique shows you how to respond to any type of interview question by explaining the Situation or Task, the Action, and the Results. Below are how-to steps that will help deliver the types of answers that interviewers are seeking. Anyone can be a STAR in a job interview - - no matter the interview type.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Self Knowledge
• A desire to succeed in interviews

1. Let's say that the interviewer would like you to explain how you solved a problem in the workplace. In response to the interview question, you should begin by describing the Situation or Task you faced. Provide a brief description of the situation: "One of my customers was unhappy with our XYZ widgets."
2. After describing the situation, then explain what specific Action steps you took to solve the problem or task. Provide one or two key action steps you took to handle the situation: "I contacted the customer directly and requested feedback. I authorized a refund or future discounts to this particular customer."
3. At this step, be prepared to detail the successful results you were able to achieve based on the actions undertaken. It's always a good idea to quantify your results (percentages, numbers, etc.) "As a result of the refund and discount, the customer increased their orders by 25%."
4. Then explain how you will be able to achieve similar results within the interviewer's company: "I understand that your company values customer satisfaction, and I believe that I have the necessary skills to succeed in your company. The situation that I just described provides a good picture of my customer service capabilities."
   The 4th step describes how the steps you've taken in your previous job will lead to success at the interviewer's company.