Using the STAR method to ace interviews

The ultimate goal of the application process is, of course, to get an internship, fellowship, or job, depending on where you are in your career path. Not every opportunity will require a virtual or in-person interview but hopefully, after submitting your application, resume and cover letter, you’ve received an email or phone call asking to schedule this next step. Congratulations! It’s a crucial step in the process, but it’s also intimidating. Interviews aren’t like tests—there’s no study guide to prepare for them because you don’t know exactly what the interviewer is looking for. However, with the STAR method, you can at least put yourself in the correct mindset to answer behavioral questions about yourself.

The situation, task, action, result (or STAR) method is a format for answering behavioral-based interview questions. While some interview questions are about skills and education, others are meant to gauge how you react in certain situations. Here is an example of a skills-based question:

How long have you been using AutoCAD?

While these are examples of behavioral-based questions:

• Tell me about a time when you took initiative at work.
• What’s an accomplishment that you’re proud of?
• Do you have experience working in a group setting?
• Tell me about a time you failed.

On the surface, behavioral questions seem like they’re just meant to gauge what kind of intern or co-worker you’ll be. However, every second of an interview is a valuable opportunity to share your accomplishments, discuss your research interests, and leave a positive impression with the interviewer regarding your passion for science and excitement for the opportunity to learn and grow in your field. Fortunately, the STAR method will help with that, and with some practice, using it will feel like second nature.

• Situation: The situation is essentially the context of what you’re telling the interviewer.
• Task: Explain the task that you took responsibility for.
• Action: Describe your own actions which helped you accomplish your goal. This should take up the bulk of your response.
• Result: Explain the positive outcomes of your actions, highlighting quantifiable results. You could also emphasize learning or growth opportunities, especially if you are answering a question about a time that you failed or made a mistake.

Now that we’ve defined the parts of the STAR method, let’s use them in an example. A common interview question is “Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership,” so we’ll answer that question using the STAR format. Remember, you’re trying to show quantifiable results, so it’s in your best interest not to say something like “I was the captain of our robotics team in high school.”

• Situation: In high school, our robotics team placed last in the regional competition for three years straight.
• Task: When I became captain, it was my goal to improve our rankings.
• Action: Under my leadership, the team began meeting four times a week instead of two, and I arranged for professors from the local university to meet with us biweekly and mentor us on our work.
• Results: By the end of the first semester, our ranking had improved from last place to third, and we went on to compete in the state championship. This further cemented my passion for robotics and helped me decide to major in mechanical engineering.

Notice the opportunities to share some more personal information with the interviewer. Increasing the team’s regional ranking, leading the team to state championships, and the personal anecdote of majoring in mechanical engineering because of that experience are all details that the interviewer didn’t ask for. However, these are still valuable pieces of information to give to the interviewer because they demonstrate initiative, quantifiable results and passion for the field. Simply put, the STAR method makes you, the interviewee, look good. 

Remember, you are drawing from your own experiences, so it’s important to be honest, and to be yourself. Tell these stories in your own words, and with a smile on your face. If you are an ORISE participant, check with your mentor about what experience you’ve gained from your placement, and whether anything is or isn’t suitable for public release.

Before your interview, try and apply the STAR method to multiple experiences from your background, so that you’re well prepared. Remember, nobody knows your resume better than you, so as long as you’ve got the STAR method, you’re sure to be an interview star.

References:

• MIT.edu: Using the STAR method for your next behavioral interview
• The Muse: STAR Method: How to use this technique to ace your next job interview