At a job interview, you’ve already heard the STAR method question! That’s when the recruiter asks you to talk about a situation where you faced a major challenge in your previous corporate job and how you overcame it. Not always easy?

However, it’s not a trap, but rather a powerful tool for highlighting your skills and experience in a concrete way.

Adrien Berberian, consultant at HTI, gives you his 5 tips for answering the STAR method question:

1 – First of all, memorize the acronym itself, as it will help you build your pitch.

STAR: Situation – Task – Action – Reflection.

2 – Be prepared! Before the interview, identify the skills required for the position and

select a situation that highlights these skills.

3 – Be able to describe the experience you had to deal with, explain the context and give precise details. In the “Action” section of your answer, emphasize your personal actions and how you applied your skills to solve the problem.

4 – Don’t forget to explain the results of your actions. Don’t hesitate to give figures or performance measurements to back up your words.

5 – Finally, be authentic! Don’t be afraid to admit that you could have made certain improvements with the skills you’ve acquired since then. Avoid generic answers and be honest about what you’ve learned from the experience.

Recruitment consultants use the STAR method to get to know you better as a person, beyond your CV. It allows them to assess your soft skills, such as your ability to work in a team, your patience, your creativity and much more.

In conclusion, the STAR method is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and showcase your skills and achievements. Prepare yourself in advance, be authentic and use your examples to demonstrate your value to recruiters.

Any other questions about recruitment methods? Our team is here to help you succeed in your job interviews.