Answering Questions Interviewers Ask About Your Past Behaviour. Prepare your answers to these common interview questions using the STAR method and respond to questions about your past behaviour.
Prepare Answers to Questions Interviewers Ask
Recruiters ask questions about your past behaviour to assess your suitability for a position based on your past experiences and actions. Use this ultimate guide to answering questions interviewers ask.
This approach is called behavioural interviewing and is based on the assumption that past behaviour is a good predictor of future behaviour.
By asking specific questions about how a candidate handled certain situations in the past, recruiters can evaluate a candidate’s skills, competencies, and values, and determine whether they would be a good fit for the role and the company culture. This approach also helps to minimize bias and subjectivity in the hiring process by focusing on concrete examples of a candidate’s behaviour, rather than relying on generalizations or assumptions.
Answering Questions Interviewers Ask: Using The STAR Method
Preparing for a job interview can be nerve-wracking, but one way to reduce your stress is to have a structured approach to answering interview questions. The STAR method is a helpful framework to use when answering behavioural interview questions. Behavioural interview questions are those that ask you to describe an experience and explain how you handled a situation. The STAR method provides a structure to your answers, making them clear, concise, and relevant to the question.
The acronym stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. The STAR method is often used in behavioural interviews, where the interviewer wants to assess the candidate’s ability to handle specific situations or tasks. Using this approach can help you provide a structured and clear response that demonstrates your skills and experience.
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Answering Questions Interviewers Ask: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
By following this method, you can provide a clear and structured response to behavioural interview questions. Here’s how to use the STAR method in your next interview:
Situation:
- Start by describing the situation or the context in which the experience occurred.
- Be specific and provide enough detail so the interviewer can understand the scenario.
- For example, “In my previous job, I was responsible for managing a team of ten employees.”
Task:
- Next, explain the task or the goal that you were working towards.
- What did you need to achieve in that situation?
- For example, “One of our main goals was to increase sales by 10% within the next quarter.
Action:
- This is the most important part of the STAR method.
- Describe the action you took to achieve the goal or complete the task.
- Be specific and explain the steps you took, your thought process, and any challenges you faced. Use “I” statements and describe your personal contribution to the situation.
- For example, “To achieve this goal, I analyzed our sales data to identify areas for improvement. I then led a team brainstorming session to generate new marketing ideas, which we implemented through a targeted email campaign. I monitored the results of the campaign closely and made adjustments as necessary to ensure we were on track to meet our goal.”
Result:
- Finally, describe the outcome of the situation.
- What was the result of your actions? Be sure to emphasize the positive impact you had, but also be honest about any challenges or limitations.
- For example, “As a result of our efforts, we not only met our sales target but exceeded it by 15%. Our team was recognized for our success by upper management, and we were able to secure additional funding for future marketing initiatives.”
Using the STAR method in your interview answers will not only help you to provide a clear and concise response but also demonstrate your ability to think critically and solve problems effectively.
Answering Questions Interviewers Ask: using the STAR Method
Here are some examples of how to use the STAR method to answer common interview questions:
Q: Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult colleague.
- A: Situation: In my previous job, I worked on a team with a colleague who often disagreed with my ideas.
- Task: Our task was to develop a marketing strategy for a new product launch.
- Action: I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with my colleague to better understand their perspective and concerns. We discussed our ideas and came up with a compromise solution that incorporated both of our ideas.
- Result: Our marketing strategy was successful, and our team was praised for our collaboration and creativity.
Q: Give an example of a time when you demonstrated leadership skills.
- A: Situation: In my previous job, I was asked to lead a team on a high-profile project.
- Task: Our task was to design and implement a new software system for our client.
- Action: I delegated tasks to team members based on their strengths and skills, and I held regular check-in meetings to ensure everyone was on track. I also provided regular feedback and coaching to team members to help them improve.
- Result: The project was completed on time and within budget, and our client was very happy with the results. My team members also reported feeling motivated and supported throughout the project.
In summary, the STAR method is a useful framework for answering behavioural interview questions.
