Getting that top job is never easy, and there are lots of interview techniques suggested to help you to achieve the success you desire. There are countless kinds of interview, from highly formal to free flowing and the common competency based job interview.
This type of interview makes the process of applying for a job objective, thus removing subconscious (or conscious) bias on the interviewer’s behalf by only asking each candidate identical questions. While many people are of the opinion that interviewing in this way restricts the candidate’s opportunity to build up a good rapport with the employer’s team, they are nevertheless extremely common, especially with public sector and large organisation roles. Therefore, refining and honing your interview technique is key to your success.
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STAR Technique for Job Interviews
Usually, the interview will begin with questions such as “can you give me an example of a time that…” While this sounds easy to handle, when you’re actually in the interview room. You are much more likely to waffle and miss out details. You can avoid this problem by using what we call the Star technique to develop a structured response.
Outline of Interview Questions
Here is an example of ways to use this technique:
Imagine that an applicant for a position as a marketing executive is asked to tell the panel about an occasion when they were able to solve a problem within a narrow timescale. Here is an overview of the responses:
Situation
Begin by setting up your story’s context. “We had to deliver a presentation about our newest product to 20 key players in our industry but Dave, whose job it was to deliver the presentation was delayed due to a train breakdown”.
Task
Explain the Task, objectives and expectations. “I had to find a suitable alternative so that the company didn’t look unprofessional and so the opportunity wasn’t wasted.”
Activity
The next step is to say what you did to resolve the problem. “I talk to the organisers of the event and asked if it would be possible to rearrange the order in which the presentations were due to be held. This bought us enough time for me to contact another team member, Carrie, who was able to step in.”
Result
This is where you emphasise the success of your action. “Although the original presenter didn’t arrive on time, the problems was explained to the attendees and his replacement was able to effectively carry out the presentation on his behalf. It was received well and we made some excellent contacts and converted two of them into clients”.
Competency Based Job Interviews
When using the Star technique you must be specific. Don’t be too general. You must quantify the success achieved. Add details such as the names of people, numbers of delegates, and the number of people. This is all important in making your story interesting. Omitting details like this will make your answer appear unconvincing.
Another point to note is that you responses should be brief and concise since there are lots of questions to answer and you won’t want to exhaust the interview panel’s concentration span. Finally, ending on a positive note is key. To find out more about Human Resources, you can take HR Courses in London here.
When you use the Star technique well, the listener will be unaware of what you are doing. Now you appear well-articulated and with a well-constructed response to their questions. Devise a number of answers using this format before your interview so you won’t be struggling on the interview day. You can other articles about Job Interviews on this LINK.
