The Importance of Providing Robust Answers in Job Interviews: A Reflection on Feedback
The job interview process can be an intimidating experience, particularly if you're me. As someone who struggles with a fear of rambling during interviews(and honestly, in general), I've always had a tendency to give short and concise answers, hoping to get my point across as quickly as possible. However, much appreciated feedback from a recent job interview taught me that this approach can actually be detrimental to my chances of landing the job.
The interviewer explained that they wanted to hear more detailed examples of my skills and experiences, particularly ones that demonstrated my ability to overcome challenges and achieve results. She mentioned the STAR method. If you don’t know, I love looking into new approaches and methods. I went to Google right away.
The STAR method is a framework for answering behavioral interview questions that stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Using this approach, you can structure your answers in a way that provides a detailed and compelling narrative of your experiences and achievements.
Here's how the STAR method works:
Situation: Start by describing the situation or context in which you were working. This should set the stage for your answer and provide the interviewer with the necessary background information.
Task: Describe the task or goal that you were working towards. This should be specific and measurable, and should clearly demonstrate the skills and qualities that you were bringing to the table.
Action: Describe the actions that you took to achieve the task or goal. This should include the steps that you took, the resources that you used, and any challenges that you faced along the way.
Result: Finally, describe the results that you achieved, using specific metrics wherever possible. This should demonstrate the impact that your actions had on the situation or task, and should provide evidence of your abilities and achievements.
Using the STAR method can help you to structure your answers in a way that is both detailed and concise, allowing you to provide the interviewer with the information that they need without rambling or going off-topic. It also ensures that you are providing evidence of your abilities and achievements, rather than just making general statements about your skills and experiences.
Personally, I am excited to start using the STAR method in my next job interview. I feel more confident knowing that I have a framework to structure my answers and provide more robust examples of my skills and experiences. It will HOPEFULLY help me to overcome my fear of rambling and to better communicate my achievements to potential employers. If you're also struggling with interviews, give the STAR method a try and see if it works for you!
