STAR method - Questions you might encounter in a real-life situations
In a previous blog, we detailed why we use the STAR method during interviews, what advantages we see in it, and why we can identify with the technique. In this blog, we would like to present an example to show what questions candidates might encounter during a conversation with us!
But first, back to the basics! To understand the essence of the method, it’s important to break down the word into its key elements:
S: Situation
T: Task
A: Action
R: Results
This briefly means: we guide the candidate through a real, occurred example in order to get to know our interviewee and understand the basis on which they made certain decisions.
It's important to create an environment for the candidates where they feel safe enough to open up honestly about a particular situation.
STAR: Let’s break it down!
Situation
Ennél a résznél célunk, hogy segítsük a jelöltet abban, hogy részletesen körül tudja írni azt a helyzetet, melyben a felhozott példa történt.
“Mikor történt az eset?”
“Kik voltak még érintettek a szituációban?”
“Mi volt a konkrét helyzet/probléma?”
Például, a jelölt felidézheti a következő szituációt: “When I was working as a marketing manager, I was responsible for a small team. The CEO and the Sales leader expected too much work from us, with unrealistic goals and deadlines, which negatively affected my team’s morale and motivation.”
Task
The task now focuses on having our candidate demonstrate what their specific role/responsibilities were in the situation.
“What was your responsibility in this situation?”
“What challenges did you face?”
Continuing the previous example, the candidate might respond as follows: “As a manager, my task was to openly communicate with the CEO and the Sales leader, outlining my team’s limitations.”
Action
In this part, the candidate explains what steps they took to solve the task/problem. It’s important to emphasize that the candidate should focus on their own role (even in a team setting).
“What methods or tools did you use?”
“What specific steps did you take to solve the task/problem?”
“How did you decide what actions to take?”
“Using Slack, I created a communication channel for the sales and marketing teams. Through this channel, both departments could see each other’s projects, tasks, priorities, and coordinate deadlines to maintain a unified brand image. Additionally, I scheduled a weekly meeting with the CEO and the Sales leader to discuss expectations and developments.”
Result
Finally, the candidate presents the results achieved through their previously described efforts and the impact on the situation.
“What was the outcome?”
“How did you measure success?”
“What did you learn from the situation?”
The candidate might conclude the example as follows: “As active communication began between marketing, sales, and the CEO, we were able to narrow down the marketing responsibilities and prioritize our tasks. Additionally, we reviewed the expectations and deadlines, which allowed my team to complete their tasks within a quarter and focus on establishing efficient processes, thereby achieving the goals set for marketing.”
By walking through the situation, we were able to understand its exact circumstances, our interviewee’s tasks and individual decisions, helping us get closer to determining whether we would like to work together with the candidate in the future or not.
Would you be interested in interviewing at a place where the STAR method forms the backbone of the conversation?
For the blog, the example was provided by
