STAR Methodology: everything you need to know about it!

Using the right techniques to secure a job is crucial! If you’ve never heard of the STAR Methodology, then read this article right now!

What is STAR methodology?

Let's go: if you're looking for an effective methodology to help you stand out in a job interview, give STAR a chance.

In this way, it provides concrete examples showing that you have the necessary/required experience and skills for the position in question.

The acronym STAR comes from the English words: Situation, Task, Action, Result. In Portuguese, the acronym is the same, and its translation is: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Mainly for interviews focused on competencies (or behavioral interviews) – those in which the recruiter asks for examples of situations that you have experienced professionally – The STAR method can be used to make responses more structured, providing the information the recruiter is asking for.

According to the recruitment company Michael Page International, more than 50% of candidates, who use this technique in an interview, are more successful than those who do not use it.

When is the STAR methodology used?

The recruiter will raise hypothetical situations that may occur in the organization's daily routine and will evaluate the feedback given by the candidate.

As mentioned previously, the STAR methodology is very efficient in structuring responses, thus facilitating the interviewer's analysis.

The answers to the questions asked by the recruiter will be like a situational preview regarding the candidate's behavior for the position. In other words, how he would behave in the situation in which he was placed.

Those responsible for the selection process combine these responses with the candidate's professional history.

After all, it is important not only to know whether the profile presented there aligns with the vacancy, but also to know a little more about the most dominant characteristics of the interviewee's profile, based on their corporate background.

How to use STAR Methodology techniques in job interviews?

In order for us to better understand how the STAR methodology works, it is necessary to have a basic question that will serve to guide the technique.

The answer to be given will take into account the four pillars we mentioned previously (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

In fact, there is no “right or wrong answer”. What is evaluated is what will be presented in this question, helping the company to find the candidate with the closest profile desired for that open position.

Exploring each letter of the acronym, we have:

S – SITUATION

The story must be based on true facts and use clear examples of how the candidate used their skills and knowledge acquired from their professional journey to solve a problem.

T – TASK

Having chosen the situation and shown it to the interviewer, at that moment, the candidate needs to pay more attention to the details of what his/her real duties were.

This way, it is possible to verify the person's level of commitment to solving the problem in question and their level of commitment to solving problems (whether common or major) that may appear in the company's routine.

A- ACTION

Here, solutions related to the problems discussed previously are presented.

For candidates, it is important to limit yourself to only those examples that have truly brought some positive impact to your story. And, consequently, the key to solving the problem presented.

The situation must be real, otherwise the recruiter will notice and you will not pass the selection process for the vacancy in question.

It is also important to be restrained: do not boast about every answer you give. Be as neutral as you can when telling your story.

Only count things that are actually relevant to the moment: what were your attitudes and the reasons that made you believe that this should be the path to be taken.

Do not comment on what other people did in this situation: Other people's attitudes don't matter (only yours, because recruiters want to know you).

R- RESULT

Final part of the unfolding of the story and closure of the situation presented.

Here, what the candidate must do is summarize the results obtained through the actions, showing, in a clear and concise manner, everything that was achieved with the strategies that he found to be efficient.

Tip: If you can use numbers to quantitatively show the results, this will sound even better. Data tends to generate even more credibility, since, after all, this is metric proof.

PREPARE TO SURPRISE AND NOT BE SURPRISED!

If you want to avoid the most common interview mistakes, giving generic/random answers, it's a good idea to study a few days before to better prepare.

Search online for the most frequently asked questions in behavioral interviews. The STAR methodology has some standardized questions, which makes it easier for you to prepare at home.

Candidates who are willing to do simulations, with reading these questions, tend to do better. So, if you want to have a better chance of doing well, do the simulation.

Another tip is have the version of the CV that was sent to recruiters on hand for analysis, reviewing all the skills mentioned there and thinking of questions for each one of them.

The answers should be given according to each letter of the acronym that we presented earlier in this article. If you want to confirm which experiences are most appropriate to be mentioned, look at the job advertisement and find out what professional profile the company is looking for.

Many HR experts consider the STAR methodology to be a tool that serves as an anchor for organizing responses, capable of exploring all relevant points of the resume more effectively.

Preparation always plays a crucial role, so study this technique so it can help you achieve success!

According to the MB Human Capital website, the questions most commonly asked using the STAR methodology are:

1) Tell me about a time when you had to deliver bad news to a manager or team member. How did you do it? What was the other person’s reaction?

2) Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult colleague. How did you communicate effectively?

3) How would you explain the industry term 'X' to someone from a different discipline?

4) How would you react if a leader encouraged competition among team members instead of collaboration?

5) Give me an example of when you made a process more efficient. How did you do it?

6) Have you ever missed a deadline? What happened? What would you do differently next time?

7) How do you prioritize work when there are multiple projects going on at the same time?

8) What was the most stressful situation you faced in your previous job? How did you deal with it?

9) What happened when you disagreed with a colleague about how to approach a project or deal with a problem at work?

10) Describe a time when you had to deal with a customer complaint. What happened and how did you manage to stay calm?

11) Tell me about a time when your team didn’t meet a goal. How did you provide feedback to your team members and present the situation to your manager?

12) Have you ever been assigned a task that you were unfamiliar with? How did you handle it? Did you ask for help or did you try to find a solution on your own?

On the same website, there is also a brief explanation about the purpose of the behavioral interview:

Basically, the questions tend to reveal how the candidate behaves in the following situations:

Teamwork;
How do you deal with problem solving;
What are leadership skills;
What are communication skills;
How you use your time management skills.

Points of attention for using this STAR Methodology technique

1) The story to be told must have a beginning, middle and end. Pay attention to the description of the facts, as this must also have a task, an action and a result.

2) Focus on what you accomplished, how you achieved results. Don't waste time criticizing former coworkers, badmouthing former leaders, and highlighting the negative points of each of them.

In addition to wasting precious time that you could be using to your advantage, acting like this will tarnish your professional image in front of the interviewer.

3) If the result was not favorable or not what you expected, reinforce that, within the possibilities, you did what you could, based on your common sense, experience and available resources.

Good things can always come out of adverse situations, and that's what you should remember and focus on during the interview. It's your moment, your opportunity, so make the most of it and show your best self!

Conclusion

Today, you saw that it is possible to prepare adequately using techniques from the STAR Methodology. Use these tips to make your presentation easier job interviews.

With that in mind, we know how difficult it is to find a new job and get an opportunity, especially during this pandemic. But don't give up!

There are still several opportunities emerging every day in the job market, no matter what niche it is. So, you can use this article to stand out in the interview and get your YES once and for all!

Also, always try to be honest, after all, lies cannot be sustained for long. It's not worth harming yourself, is it? So, ALWAYS tell the truth.

JOB INTERVIEW ➔

Content Team Theadmin September 9, 2021

Career