WOU CG 2024-25 DM Accessible - Flipbook - Page 25
STAR TECHNIQUE
(Situation Task Action Result)
S - Situation: Set the stage
Begin answering the question by giving your interviewer
context around the specific situation or challenge you faced.
“While I was a cashier at BiMart, a customer came into the store
to purchase a particular color of paint. The item was not in stock
and the customer became very upset.”
T - Task: Explain where you fit in
Describe the task you had to complete and what your
involvement was.
“As the cashier it was my responsibility to provide quality
customer service by greeting customers and helping them find the
products they are looking for in the store.”
A - Action: Describe each step
Explain what steps you took to overcome the challenge or
reach your goal. Be as specific as possible, describe each step in
detail, use “I” statements and talk about what you specifically
did, not what was accomplished as a team.
“I was able to assist the customer by acknowledging their
frustration and communicating with them when the product
would be coming into the store. I also, with the approval of the
manager, was able to offer them a discounted price due to the
inconvenience.”
R - Results: Impress with your
achievements
What positive impact were you able to achieve? How did
you resolve the situation? Make sure the outcome is always a
positive one, even if you’re asked to describe a time you made
a mistake, you should focus on what you learned from the
experience.
QUESTIONS TO BE PREPARED FOR
▶ Tell me about yourself? Keep this related to the job you
are interviewing for.
▶ Describe your strengths and weaknesses. Talk about
your weakness first, and address how you are
overcoming it, or how it will not affect your ability to
get the job done.
▶ How would you evaluate your ability to deal with
conflict? Think about what you learned as a result of
the conflict and talk about that.
▶ What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project
or job? Try not to list people, dig deeper, maybe it was
their work ethic, or passion to serve that inspires you.
▶ Do you have any hobbies? If you can tie your answer
in with the position, do it! Maybe you go hiking
regularly, how does it help you in this position? Is it a
stress reliever?
▶ Name one or two accomplishments that have given you
the most satisfaction. Why? Make sure to describe why
as the interviewer may not see your challenge as much
of a challenge. Set the stage and give them the full
picture.
▶ Do you have any questions for me? Always have
questions, but make sure they cannot be easily
answered by the job description, or their website. Do
not ask about salary, or benefits.
BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS TO BE
PREPARED FOR
▶ Tell me about the most difficult person you’ve had to
communicate with.
▶ Tell me about a group project you were involved in.
What was your role?
▶ What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in college
and how did you deal with it?
“As a result, the customer walked away happy and continued to
shop with us at BiMart.”
USE STAR FOR BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS, AND
ADD TO ANY ANSWER, INCLUDING “WHAT ARE
YOUR STRENGTHS”
Tip: Understanding what you “bring to the table” is
crucial. Think about what sets you apart from other
candidates with similar experiences and qualifications to
your own. Remember, it’s important to emphasize how
your skills will benefit their company/team.
Tip: Knowing why you are applying for the role and
with the given company is important. Spend some time
researching and thinking about what exactly would
make working for this organization and in this position
feel special to you.
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