Do you have a job interview coming up soon? Then you want to make a good impression. This is the time to show what you excel at! 🚀 But everyone can say they are good at something. How do you really show that you are a pro at what you do? The STARR method helps you explain your skills in concrete terms. How do you do that? Read it in this blog. 💪
What is the STARR method?
With the STARR method you explain your skills in a convincing way. This is useful during job interviews. The method consists of 5 steps that help you prove that you have mastered certain skills. The 5 steps are: Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection. Sometimes 'reflection' is omitted, then we refer to it as the 'STAR method'.
The STARR method is especially good to apply when you are going to answer questions about your previous work experience. What makes the method so valuable is that you explain with concrete examples how you actually applied a skill and what results it produced. This approach gives the interviewer a better idea of how you have used your skills in practice and what achievements you have made as a result.
How do you use the STARR method during a job interview?
Answer the questions about your experiences and competencies using the following steps:
1. Situation: Describe a specific situation or challenge in which you applied a particular skill.
2. Task: Explain what your task was in that specific situation and what was expected of you.
3. Action: Tell specifically what steps you took to accomplish the task. Emphasize the specific skill you applied.
4. Outcome: Describe the outcome and results of your actions. Here, focus on the positive results and emphasize what you accomplished.
5. Reflection: Explain what you have learned and how you can handle a similar situation differently or better in the future .
So, in short: You describe a concrete situation (S), you state what your role was (T), you explain exactly what you did (A), and what the result was (R), and you tell what you learned (R).
Practice with the STARR method
Applying the STARR method during job interviews requires some practice. To prepare for this, it’s important to review the vacancy once again.
Select three strong points or skills that align with the job profile. For each skill, think of a situation or successful project from your work history or studies and write it down using the STARR method. Then, read these examples aloud.
You won’t know what questions you’ll receive during your interview, but this approach trains you to apply the STARR method in the moment.
A few final tips
- Keep it relevant. Make sure you describe situations and examples that relate to the skills you want to highlight and fit the job profile.
- Avoid going too far back in time. Focus on recent experiences instead. It’s best not to reference experiences more than three years old.
- Be concise and impactful. Aim for three to five sentences for each step of the STARR method. This will help you stay clear and specific.
- Support your results with figures. This makes it tangible. For example, if you contributed to revenue growth, mention relevant figures such as a growth percentage.
- Be genuine and only use situations that actually occurred. Refrain from exaggerating your contribution to the achieved result.
Have a job interview scheduled? This blog teaches you how to best prepare for a job interview.
