An interview is the best way for an employer to get to know you.

While your resume conveys some professional skills, an interview is an opportunity to go deeper into your experiences, as well as show an employer who you really are. By going beyond the resume and sharing who you are, you can set yourself apart from the competition.

There are many ways to excel in an interview. One of the best ways to set yourself apart is to use the STAR technique. This acronym stands for situation, task, action, and result. It is a way to structure responses to interview questions that ensures you provide as much information as you can in your answer.

For example, if an employer asks what one of your greatest strengths is, you can go beyond simply stating something like “organization” by using the STAR technique. Here’s a quick sample of what that would look like in response to the above question:

Step 1

Briefly state your answer: “I would say my greatest strength is organization.”

Step 2

Begin the STAR technique with the “situation”: “One place I have exhibited this strength is in my programming classes. Our professor grades us on both the working of our programs and the way it is structured.”

Step 3

Continue with the “task”: “To meet the expectations of the coursework, I had to create a system that was both clear for me and my professor to understand without compromising my programs in the process.”

Step 4

Describe the “action”: “I started to accomplish this task by adding more comments to my programs to make them more readable. I then began to separate my programs into smaller sections, making it easier for readers to understand the various parts of my program. In essence, I was able to take my program and break it down like analyzing a paper.”

Step 5

State the “result”: “As a result of my organizational methods I have received high marks on my assignments, as well as committed an effective method of organization to habit. I have no doubt these skills will transfer to other skills in this job, from organizing client paperwork to better managing company assets.”

Notice a few things in this sample response

1. The STAR technique is not meant to be the complete answer to an interview question. There is some lead-in required by stating a clear answer to the original question. This gives an interviewer a simple answer to their question as opposed to having to find out for themselves what you are trying to say.
2. Note that the STAR technique is more so a storytelling strategy. It forces you to go beyond what could be found on a resume and allows you to speak in a more descriptive voice. Since an interview is ultimately a conversation, the STAR technique helps you provide a large amount of information without too much formality.
3. The STAR technique does not end with the result of the story, but rather it shows how your permanent skillset and/or your personality are impacted as a result. In the example, the result was a good grade in a class, but also that organizational skills were added to your professional toolbox.

While all of these tips are valuable, nothing is better than practicing! Feel free to schedule a mock interview with the Career Development Center or see sample interview questions using the Big Interview.