Imagine 2 candidates. David and John, both of them specializing in cyber security, came for an interview.
David just explains his qualifications and years of experience and that makes him just another candidate with the same kind of approach. Whereas John is a charismatic storyteller, he tells his work experience by using a story. He was telling his experience of how hackers tried to penetrate into systems and try to steal sensitive data and how he prevented the cyber attack.
Which candidate will be more impressive from the perspective of the interviewer?
Obviously, it will be John, because he captured the attention of the interviewer with a captivating story from his professional experience.
Why is storytelling so persuasive?
Telling a story is a great way to strike an instant emotional chord with your listeners. They aid in convincing your audience to take action by making crucial points stick in their minds. This is true for any kind of narrative, whether it be spoken, written, or data-driven.
What is the STAR method?
The STAR method is an interview technique that gives you a straightforward format you can use to tell a story by laying out the Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
Situation: Imagine a situation you had in the past.
Task: What was your responsibility in that situation?
Action: How did you act?
Result: What was the outcome of your action?
Let’s take the previous example of John’s interview:
Situation: Hackers are trying to hack the system.
Task: John has to minimize the impact of damage from a cyber attack.
Action: John was taking immediate action to prevent hackers from accessing the data by working on the vulnerabilities.
Result: The hackers could not succeed in stealing sensitive information.
By building your interesting story around these four parts, it’s much easier to give a focused answer that gives the interviewer “a digestible but compelling story of what a candidate did.”
Here are some of the most common behavioral interview questions where you can use the STAR method:
Why should we hire you?
What is your greatest weakness?
Give me an example of a time when you had a disagreement with a coworker.
Tell me about a time when you messed up.
How do you deal with stress at work or school?
Tell me about your most proud professional achievement.
Describe a time when you failed and how you handled it.
Tell me about a time when you went the extra mile.
4 Tips on Getting the Most Out of the STAR Method:
1. Keep it relevant.
Keep your story relevant to the role you have applied for.
2. Prepare a few examples.
Prepare a few stories based on your previous work experience in your previous organization.
3. Provide Correct Context.
Make sure the story is relevant to the question. If the scenario is about cyber security, you cannot talk about a scenario where you resolved a conflict between co-workers.
4. Show your work.
Your story should showcase your talent and skills.
The STAR method is one of the most effective ways of personal branding in interviews, by branding yourself effectively you can ace any interview like a BOSS.
