Interviews can be daunting and it is natural to feel nervous. There are several ways that you can prepare to make sure that you present yourself and your responses in the best way.
During an interview, it is easy to ramble or to become distracted when answering a question. The STAR method is a useful technique that can help you stay on track when answering a competency-based question, and give a clear, concise answer that demonstrates what the interviewers are asking for.
A competency-based interview is a structured interview that assesses your skills, behaviours, and knowledge through questions about how you've used them in the past. The interviewer will compare your answers to pre-determined criteria and score them against these.
- Give me an example of a situation when…
- Describe a scenario when…
- Tell me about a time when...
STAR
- Situation – Describe the situation that you were in at the time
- Task – explain what you had to achieve/or the problem you were solving
- Action – tell them what you did to overcome the problem or achieve the objective
- Result – tell them what the outcome was, and what your evaluation of this is
When using STAR, remember to:
- use examples that work for you - these could be from work, home or volunteering
- keep examples short and to the point
- try to get your points across in a conversational way so as not to appear too rehearsed
- be prepared to answer follow-up questions about the examples you give
Tip: Don't be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you do not understand or did not hear properly. You are also free at any time during an interview to have a sip of water or take a moment before answering.
Tip: Be prepared for probing questions or follow on questions that explore your answers in more detail. These are designed to find out what you were thinking, and what your motivations were. Due to these additional questions, we advise not to use example answers as you will find it hard to explain yourself.
Tip: Be sure in your answers to give examples of what "you" did in these situations/scenarios. A common pitfall in interviews is to say "we" when discussing actions that were delivered as a part of a team. "We decided that..." "We implemented..." The interviewers want to hear about you as an employee. Even if it was a group/team effort, be clear on what you personally contributed.