Shine like a STAR in your Interview!

Mila Haase

Talented International

It is not only the applicants who need to prepare for an interview. Recruiters also make some preparations to structure their interview process and to get to know the applicant’s behaviour and personality even better. That is why most of them use the STAR method.

 

 

The STAR method is used to accurately assess the suitability of an applicant. By asking the recruiter structured questions about the applicant’s previous behaviour in professional situations, the recruiter can identify certain patterns of behaviour. Recruiters often repeat their questions until they get an authentic answer from the applicant. This makes it more difficult for the interviewee to hide or fake their own personality.

 

 

 

But what does STAR stand for and what kind of questions do recruiters ask?

 

 

S – Situation: Have you ever been in a situation where you had to adapt to a difficult or unfamiliar situation? Tell me about it.

 

T – Task: Have you ever reached your absolute limits? How did you deal with it?

 

A – Action: Have you ever had a problem with your team or even a staff member? What did you do?

 

R – Result: What was your last failure and what did you learn from it?

 

 

Maybe you now know what kind of questions may be asked during an interview with a recruiter, but you still have no idea how to answer these questions to shine like a STAR?

 

 

The answer is: Follow the STAR-method as well.

 

Describe your tasks and the general conditions under which you worked. State your professional goal(s) and explain how you intend to achieve it. Give examples of past situations from your professional or private life. Be honest and clear. Don’t try to hide anything that might put you in a good light, but don’t overdo it either. Try to be authentic and even if you have to answer as specifically as possible, keep it short and simple. The recruiter wants to know your skills and how you behave in different situations to determine whether you are suitable for the job or not.

 

Even before the interview think about challenging situations where you were able to success or if not explain what you did to find a new solution. Remember that you want to convince the recruiter that you are the one they have been looking for. That you are the perfect match. That you can be their STAR!

Sources

Martina Mangelsdorf, STAR-Methode: Fragen und Beispiele im Job-Interview, 11.11.2020

Jochen Seehusen, STAR-Methode: So funktioniert die Interviewtechnik, 20.06.2022

Thomas DUPORT

thomas.duport@talentedint.com

Talent Sales Account Manager

Talented International – Artificial Intelligence Recruiting

Barcelona – Berlin – Dublin – Paris

Phone : +33 1 84 88 97 97

 

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