What are the most effective questions to ask when recruiting? This question has been asked by countless HR managers. And the STAR method would provide an effective answer. 

In this article we will talk about the STAR method, explain what it is and give you some useful tips on how to implement it in job interviews.

What is the STAR method?

The STAR method, also known as the STAR model, is an interview technique developed by Tom Janz, a Canadian psychologist specializing in human resources. It was designed to assess behaviors that show whether or not the candidate being interviewed has the competencies and skills being assessed. 

With this technique, recruiters can have information about the candidate’s past situations to know how he/she has developed in the workplace and also to verify his/her growth over time.

It basically consists of four elements: situation, task, action and result. 

These are detailed below.

The four key stages of the STAR method

As we mentioned, there are 4 main points of the STAR method, and we explain them here:

• Situation. This is when the recruiter or interviewer asks the candidate to describe a situation or challenge he/she has faced in the past. Why? To find out about past scenarios, experiences and contexts in which the interviewee has put his or her skills or knowledge to the test. 
• Task. This is mainly to find out about the specific task that the candidate had to perform in that situation and what was the objective to be achieved.  This is to understand the candidate’s responsibilities and expectations in that particular context. 
• Action. At this point the recruiter seeks to know the specific actions the interviewee took to address the situation, complete the task and achieve the objective. With this he/she can evaluate the candidate’s skills and competencies in action.
• Results. The last step seeks to know the specific results or achievements that the candidate obtained after his or her actions. With this information it is possible to evaluate and measure the candidate’s impact and success in previous situations.

Why should I use this technique? The importance and effectiveness of the STAR method

The STAR method has a number of advantages that highlight the importance of its application and effectiveness. For example, some of them are:

• It allows to standardize the selection processes by having a series of questions that are not open-ended but concrete according to the role to be performed by the candidate and the competencies required. 
• Candidates give more complete and structured answers to complex situational questions, helping recruiters to evaluate their skills and work experience in the right context.
• Reduces interview time by focusing on job-relevant questions and avoiding over-questioning.
• It allows to know how the candidate thinks and how he/she approaches work problems, which allows to determine if he/she will be the right employee for the required job.

How to implement the STAR method in selection interviews?

In order to implement the STAR method, it is important, first of all, to make a job description that includes the competencies needed to perform the tasks successfully.Once the competencies are clear, it is time to elaborate a series of questions that respond to the stages of situation, task, action and results, seen previously. This allows the analysis of each competency defined for the position.

When should the STAR method be applied?

In general, the STAR method is used or preferred when you need to know how the candidate has coped with past situations, especially task performance under pressure. And, as we said, this will allow you to know what the candidate’s reaction or performance would be like under similar circumstances.

Recommendations for applying the STAR methodology

Here are some useful tips and recommendations that can help you to apply the STAR method:

• Appeal to past and work-related experiences.

• Develop questions according to the competencies to be assessed. Be careful not to assess two competencies in the same question.
• Questions should cover the 4 stages of STAR.
• Re-ask the question when necessary, especially if the answer does not respond to what was requested. The question should also be repeated to comment on the results obtained or the specific tasks performed, in case the candidate has not done so. 

It is recommended to incorporate successive questions that allow the candidate to go through the STAR stages.

Examples of questions in the STAR method

The questions that you can use to follow the STAR method sequence are varied. Here are a few:

• Discuss a time when you had a very tight deadline to get a job done. How did you figure things out? 

• What are some of the professional accomplishments you are most proud of. 

• Have you ever had to develop a new skill on the job? If so, what was your approach?

• Please give me an example of an instance when you did not achieve the objectives. How did you respond to this?

• Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond what was expected of you at work. 

• Share a situation where you overcame a work challenge.

• Was there a time when you had to adapt to changes in your job? How did you deal with it?

• Share an example of a time when you were under a lot of pressure at work. How did you handle this situation?

• Tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision, how did you handle it and how did you feel about it?