Congratulations! You've taken the first step in finding a new job by tailoring your CV and writing a killer covering letter. But now comes the dreaded interview process.
 
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially when you're trying to showcase your skills and experience to a potential employer. Don't let anxiety and sleepless nights get the best of you! The key to success is preparation, and the job description holds the clues to the competencies and experiences the recruiter is looking for.
 
In this blog, we'll walk you through the STAR technique, a well-known method for structuring your answers to competency-based questions in a clear and concise way.
 
Remember to keep your responses short, avoid jargon, and focus on your individual role and actions. By identifying work experiences and applying the STAR acronym (Situation, Task, Action, Result), you'll be well prepared for any interview form, confident in your ability to showcase your skills and experience and be able to impress the recruiter with specific and quantifiable results.
 
What is the STAR technique?
The STAR technique is a method of answering behavioural interview questions by providing specific examples of how you handled a particular situation in the past. Each letter in the acronym represents a different part of your response:
 
Situation: Describe the situation or problem you faced
Task: Explain the specific task or challenge you were given
Action: Describe the actions you took to address the situation or task
Result: Explain the outcome or results of your actions
The purpose of the STAR technique is to provide structured and detailed answers to interview questions, giving the interviewer a better understanding of your abilities and how you approach challenges.
 
How to use the STAR technique

• Listen carefully to the question and make sure you understand what the interviewer is asking.
• Identify a specific example from your past experience that relates to the question.
• Break down your response into the four parts of the STAR acronym: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
• Be specific and provide details, but also keep your answer concise and relevant to the question.

 
Let's use an example question to demonstrate how to use the STAR technique
 
Question: "Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer."
Listen carefully: The interviewer is asking for an example of how you handled a difficult customer in the past.
Identify a specific example: Think of a situation where you had to deal with a customer who was upset or difficult to work with.
 
So, you could respond as follows:-

• Situation: "I worked as a customer service representative for a large retail company."
• Task: "One day, a customer came into the store with a complaint about a defective product that they had purchased."
• Action: "I listened to the customer's complaint and apologized for the inconvenience. I then offered to replace the product or give them a refund. I also made sure to follow up with the customer after the issue was resolved to ensure their satisfaction."
• Result: "The customer was pleased with the resolution and thanked me for my help. They even left a positive review on our company's website."

 
Remember to provide specific details about the situation, your actions, and the results.
 
Here are my 4 tips for using the STAR technique effectively

1. Practice using the technique before the interview. Think of specific examples from your past experience that relate to common interview questions.
2. Use concrete examples and quantify the results whenever possible. For example, if you increased sales in your previous job, mention the exact percentage or dollar amount.
3. Tailor your answers to the job requirements and company culture. Make sure your examples demonstrate the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job you're applying for.
4. Be honest and don't exaggerate or make up stories. Interviewers can usually tell when you're not being truthful, so it's better to stick to real examples from your past experience.

 
In conclusion, the STAR technique is an effective method for answering behavioural interview questions and showcasing your skills and experience to potential employers.
 
By breaking down your responses into four key parts - Situation, Task, Action, and Result - you can provide structured and detailed answers that give interviewers a better understanding of your abilities.
 
Remember to practice using the STAR technique before your interview, tailor your answers to the job requirements and company culture, and be honest and specific in your responses.
 
By following these tips and using the STAR technique effectively, you'll be well on your way to interview success. Good luck with your next interview!

Congratulations if you have got an interview, be proud! Statistics today show that only about 2% of applicants  receive an interview and making it this far is impressive.   
 
Are you sat there worrying about how you will demonstrate your skills, capability and experience to the interviewers? This blog will give you some hints and tips on how to show that you are the right person for the role. 

​#1 Research the Company
Often you will be asked what you know about the company usually through a question such as “What do you know about the Company?”.  The interviewer is looking to see that you are you curious about the company, ask the right questions and know how to ask the right questions.

​#2 Research the Interviewer
Find out a little bit about the interviewer or hiring manager through LinkedIn.  Do you have any shared interests or connections?

#3 Review the Job Description prior to attending the interview
Look at the skills required – how do your skills align to these and think of some examples where you have excelled at this.

#4 The length of your responses – remember to be concise
A general rule is to speak for no less than 30 seconds and no more than 2 minutes per answer.

#5 How to handle the introductory questions often asked
1. Tell me about yourself
Rather than giving a long-winded answer and risk rambling when asked this question consider responding by saying “I’ve had a lot of different experiences in my career, where would you like me to start?”
 
2. Why did you apply for the role?
Remember your research on the company and job description. The interviewer wants to give you the opportunity to show your wisdom, insight and understanding about the job.  Ensure you show:-

• How you see the job
• What you see the job needs
• Something about yourself and your strengths
• A summary of the above

 
3. What are your goals over the next 5 years?
​Focus on the value this role has on your career: how it will help to develop your skills and how you are passionate about helping the company to achieve its objectives.

#6 Owning the Interview
Start the interview as you mean to.  You need to show the interviewer why you are the best person for the job.  

​1. Express your appreciation for the opportunityFor example, “I’ve been really looking forward to this meeting today.  I think that <insert company name> is doing great work in <insert particular field, work or project> and I am really excited by the prospect of being able to contribute”.
 
2. Prepare 3-5 key selling points in mind

• Why do you want the job?
• What interests you?
• What rewards does it offer that you find valuable?
• What abilities do you possess that would add value to the company?

3. Anticipate any questions around gaps in your knowledge or experienceFor example, “I know you may be thinking that I might not be the best fit for the position because (insert reservation) but you should know that (why they shouldn’t be overly concerned).
 
4. Pause before answeringWhat are they really looking for you to answer.  If you are not sure about a question it is perfectly fine to ask “did you mean?” or “could you rephrase the question”.

Tip 6 : You must sell yourself in creative ways and every answer you give should be tied with how it will benefit the company or the job.

#7 Shifting your answers from operational responses to more strategic thinking if applying for management roles
 
This is very much about showing your ability to look forward, encompassing both internal and external factors and setting a course of action for the business to yield the best results. 
 
1. Think strategically

• What is the environment like that the business operates in?
• How can the business maximise opportunities?
• Does it operate in a growing or shrinking market?
• Think beyond individual projects and deadlines and see larger connections between projects, teams and business units. This will allow you to generate better solutions and accelerate results.

 
2. Talking strategically

• How did you join the dots?
• Who did you get on board?
• What was the result?

Put more emphasis on the Action and Results aspects of your answers to show how you previously handled a situation and how you would handle it in the future.
 
3. Influence

• Who did you get onboard?
• How did you do it?
• How did you build key relationships?

 
4. Be open to criticism

• Be honest if things didn’t go well. 
• What did you change and overcome to get to the end goal?

#8 Follow-up after the interview
Many people fall into the trap of thinking that your work is done once you leave an interview.  In a highly competitive recruitment market that exists in some sectors, it is important to stand out and demonstrate that you serious about the role.  Send an email to the interviewers within 24 hours to re-iterate your passion for the role.

Tip 8 :  An example of what you could send can be found below:-
 
Dear<name>,
 
Subject: – Interview on <Date> at <Time>
 
Thank you for your time <yesterday / date of interview>. It was a pleasure speaking with you about <insert job title> role.  I am very excited about the opportunity to join <insert company> and making a difference in <insert details>.
 
I particularly enjoyed learning more about <insert any specifics or stand out from interview>. 
I'm convinced that the position is a perfect fit for this stage in my career and that my experience, qualifications and strengths will allow me to fulfil the job requirements effectively and support your company’s objectives.
 
I very much looking forward to receiving an update from you. Also, feel free to ask me any follow-up questions that may have come up since we last spoke.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you,
 
Kind regards
 
Name

You submitted your CV or application form and have now been invited to a job interview.  Help … what next? This blog will give you some pointers about what to expect and what you need to do to prepare for a Job Interview.
 
An Overview of Job Interviews
Job Interviews are an important part of any recruitment process. But what are interviewers actually looking for?

1. Can you do the job? Do you have what it takes?
2. Will you do the job? (or are you just going through the motions?)
3. Clarify any points you have raised in your CV.
4. Do you fit in with the other employees and the organisation as a whole?

 
Shining in a job interview is very much about preparation and planning beforehand and ensuring that your personality shines through. 
 
What are the different types of Job Interviews?

• Telephone interview

Initial chat to fully gauge your interest.  May ask you some competency based questions but often tends to be a general chat about you and your career to date.  Think of this as a chance to showcase your “elevator pitch” of your job history and skills.

• Webinar interview

Similar to the above but sometimes can involve you answering prepared questions and recording your responses to these.

• Group assessment

Often used for Graduate schemes or more senior appointments

• Face to face interview (one to one)

Used to ask competency based questions (probe your experience by asking questions that need you to demonstrate when you have previously experienced a situation).

• Face to face interview (panel)

Similar to above but you would be interviewed by more than one person

• Presentation

Given a specific topic to respond to such as how would you implement a particular project? What would you include in a specific policy?

• Work trial

Opportunity for you to show your skills in a real life situation.
 
How to prepare for a Job Interview
Should you just wing it or do you need to do some preparation? To be successful for a job interview it is important for you to complete the following:-

• Visit the organisation’s website – what is the purpose of the organisation?
• Review the job description – what skills are they looking for? What transferable skills do you have?
• Think of some examples that you can talk about to demonstrate those skills or behaviours
• Plan for the unexpected.  If you are doing a telephone interview, do you have somewhere quiet to go? If you are attending a face to face interview do you know where you are going? What is the dress code? Who are you meeting?

 
Tips for face to face interviews
Remember that first impressions count.  Wear something professional and appropriate but not uncomfortable.  Your handshake is important, so look the interviewer in the eye and shake firmly.  A smile will often help too!
 
Tips for telephone interviews
Just because someone can’t see you doesn’t mean that you can’t dress up or smile.  This might help put you in the right frame of mind to respond.
 
Tips for answering questions
Don’t panic and be yourself
 
Listen carefully to the question. If you are unsure of how to answer, or missed part, don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat it. Don’t try to fit your prepared answer to the question if it won’t work, take a second to think of a more appropriate reply.
 
Just remember the essentials of a good Job Interview
E          ENGAGE
B         BRAIN
B         BEFORE
O         OPENING
M         MOUTH

• Give examples but never exaggerate your abilities

 
Questions at the end of the Job Interview
Come prepared with some questions to ask at the end of the interview, such as:-

• What are the top priorities for my first 6 months in the job?
• How would you describe the team I will be working with?
• How would you describe the work culture here?
• What do you enjoy most about working here?
• In what ways is performance measured?
• What training and professional development opportunities will be available?
• When will a decision be made on the role?

 
It will show the interviewer that you are interested and help you to visualise what it would like to work there.
 
In summary, preparing for a Job Interview is as important as completing your CV or application form.  Preparation is key to demonstrate that you are the best person for the role. 
 
If you would like some support in preparing for a Job Interview email me today at [email protected] and I’ll help you get started.