The interview is the most critical part of the hiring process. It can make or break a company. The wrong hire can cause a company to lose thousands of dollars. Imagine spending time, effort, and money hiring and training someone. Then that employee leaves because they can’t handle the work.
Interviews are also crucial to applicants. It allows them to learn more about the job posting. It provides them with the chance to ask the hiring personnel questions about the company. The information they get can help applicants. They can decide if the job will further their career plans.
The challenge now is finding a way to make the most of an interview. One of the best ways to do this is to use the Star Interview Method.
What is the Star Method in Recruiting?
HR personnel and Seattle recruiters use interviews to get vital information about applicants. The candidate’s answers can help recruiters make hiring decisions. But was the information they got relevant? Can they be certain the candidate is a good fit?
The STAR Interview Method can help interviewers get the information they need. The acronym stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
This strategy gives the recruiting firm the chance to ask behavioral questions. These focus on the results of the candidate’s previous performance. The applicant will frame their answers to follow the acronym.
Interviewers will have an easier time identifying the value the applicant gave. Or even if they provided their employer with any value. It also gives a hint to the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. What’s more, the method streamlines the interview process. Interviewers won’t need to suffer from long-winded answers. It’s because applicants have to provide specifics.
Breaking Down the Acronym
The interviewer asks behavioral questions during a STAR Method interview. The candidate’s answers should include the method’s four components. This helps keep their answers short and sweet. A good candidate will only need 2 to 3 minutes to give a thorough answer.
Here’s how the four components work:
- Situation: The candidate would give a short background of the situation. This will provide much-needed context. It will help the interviewer understand the goal or challenge. The candidate should give enough relevant background information. They shouldn’t overload this part with unnecessary details.
- Task: The candidate will mention their specific task at this point. They will list what they want to achieve.
- Action: The applicant will explain what they did to achieve their goal. They will provide concrete examples of their actions. The right candidate will own the action and use “I” and not “we” or “my team.”
- Result: The applicant will wrap up their answer at this point. They will share the results of their actions and what happened to the situations. A good candidate will back up their answers with data and numbers. They can also share feedback or share an anecdote.
Finding the Right STAR Method Questions
There’s a common pattern or style to STAR interview questions. Recruiting companies will choose questions that provide them with a lot of insight. Most good questions would start with phrases like –
- Describe a situation/ time when (Ex. Describe a time when you had to deal with an irate client.)
- Give me one instance when (Ex. Give me an instance when you set a goal for your team. Did your team succeed?)
- Tell me about a situation/time when (Ex. Tell me about a time when you made a major mistake at your previous job? How did you handle the situation?)
A recruitment agency will bank on common questions but will tailor it to fit a specific company. They will think about the types of situations an employee will encounter. They will also make a list of skills the ideal candidate will need to fit a job posting. They can then gauge whether that applicant showed those skills in their answers.
Helping You Find the Best Talents
The right person can make a world of difference. Let Seattle Financial help you find that person. Our company is one of the premier niche Seattle recruiting agencies. We’ve been in the business for over two decades. We used that time to hone our search process and it shows. We have helped thousands of companies find top talents. We specialize in recruiting accounting and finance experts. We also help fill in positions in admin, HR, and marketing. Why don’t you give us a call at 206-343-8732 and tell us what you need? You can also send us a message here.
