Hi there! It’s Richard McMunn here from the interview training company, PassMyInterview.com.
And in this presentation, I'm going to teach you how to use the STAR METHOD for answering
tough interview questions. So, if you have an interview coming up, please stay tuned,
watch it fully from beginning to end, because I promise to help make you the STANDOUT CANDIDATE.
Now, to achieve that goal, this is what I am going to cover. I am going to give you
a very concise explanation of what the STAR METHOD is, and why you must use it when answering
behavioral type interview questions. I will also give you sample answers to those interview
questions that use the STAR METHOD. I will also give you some brilliant tips on how to
easily memorize your answers. And then I will also give you advice on how to answer interview
questions if you have NO EXPERIENCE! People have been contacting me on LinkedIn and saying,
“Richard, I've got no experience. How do I answer these interview questions?” Well,
I will tell you! Before I get into the training, just very quickly, a very warm welcome to
the STAR METHOD interview training tutorial. My name is Richard McMunn. That is me there
in the center of the screen. I've been helping people for over 20 years now to pass their
interviews. And I always do that by giving you TOP SCORING ANSWERS you can't find anywhere
else. On that basis, please make sure you HIT THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON so you don't miss
out on any of the training tutorials I upload. Please do connect with me on LinkedIn. I've
put my LinkedIn.com link in the description below the video. Please also make sure you
GIVE THE VIDEO A LIKE, because then that tells me you enjoy the content and I will, therefore,
spend more time creating it for you. Okay, let's get into the training. So, what is the
STAR method? Well, the STAR method is a great way to structure your answers to behavioral
type interview questions. And I'll give you examples of behavioral interview questions
in a second. The STAR method is a brilliant structure, it ensures that your answers are
‘evidence-based’ and that they also follow a LOGICAL format. The interviewer wants to
hear of ‘evidence’ of how you match the requirements of the job you are applying for.
They also want to know that you can communicate your answers effectively, and the STAR method
enables you to do that. So, what is a behavioral type interview question? Well, an example
of one is this… Give me an example when you provided excellent customer service? Now,
the hiring manager is asking this question because they are assessing how you are likely
to perform in a given situation that is critical to the job you have applied for. If they ask
you this question: give me an example when you have provided excellent customer service,
you will be required to do that within the job that you are applying for. So it's important
that you can demonstrate you have those capabilities. How do we structure our answer to this interview
question using the STAR METHOD? Well, the STAR method is: Situation. Task. Action. Result.
When you respond to the interview question, you start off and you briefly outline the
SITUATION you were in. You then explain the TASK that needed to be done. You then provide
details of the ACTION you took and the action. That part of your answer will be the most
in-depth element. And then you finish off with the RESULTS of your actions. So, whenever
they give you a behavioral interview question: give me an example when you worked as part
of a team… give me an example of when you communicated effectively to a large group
of people, immediately think of the STAR technique and then choose a situation you were in, and
then go through that process. Situation. Task. Action. Result. And use the STAR METHOD as
a prompt to memorize your answers. Let's now take a look at a brilliant answer to this
interview question, give me an example when you provided excellent customer service, that
uses the STAR method. Here we go. “In my last job I was dealing with a customer on
the telephone. They were quite concerned my colleague had not called them back as they
had promised, and their query was urgent in nature. Although I had no history to refer
to regarding the customers query, I felt it was my task to spend the time helping them
so as to provide excellent customer service following their initial poor experience with
my work colleague. I started out by apologizing that my work colleague had not called them
back. I then asked a series of probing question to get to the bottom of their issue. After
I had gathered the information needed, I put them on hold whilst I tried to resolve the
situation with another department. After approximately 5 minutes of perseverance, I managed to come
up with a resolution for the customer. I then explained to them the action I had took to
resolve the problem, before thanking them for their patience and understanding.” So
you can see how effective the STAR method is for not only memorizing answers, but also
making sure that you provide EVIDENCE and also that you structure them concisely and
logically. But people have been saying to me, as I said, “Richard, I don't have any
experience of that type of situation. How do I answer it now? Should I lie? Should I
be dishonest?” Definitely not! Do not be dishonest! This is the best way to answer
behavioral interview questions if you have no experience. Give them a situation where
you were on the receiving end of brilliant customer service or the situation being asked.
This shows that you have brilliant ‘observational skills’ and you can see what's good, and
what isn't good, and you know the difference and you would know what to do when providing
brilliant customer service. Let's take a look at another suggested answer to this interview
question using STAR method when somebody has no experience. Here we go. “Although I have
never been in that type of situation, I have learned to understand the difference between
average and excellent customer service. My girlfriend and I recently stayed at a hotel.
When we arrived we were completely soaked due to the rain outside. We were immediately
met by the Hotel Manager who appeared to make it his duty to go out of his way to help us,
and to make us comfortable and feel welcomed. He started out by taking our jackets and he
quickly ordered some complimentary tea for us. He then took us over to where the fire
was located in the rest room area and told us not to move. He then came back a couple
of minutes later with warm towels before taking us through the check-in process whilst we
were sat down in comfort. His actions, although only small in nature, made a huge difference
to our stay at the hotel. Not only did we feel welcomed, but the Hotel Manager went
out of his way to help us when we really needed to just sit down after getting soaked by the
rain.” That's a brilliant example of how to use the STAR method to answer behavioral
interview questions if you have no experience. Let's take a look at a slightly harder behavioral
interview question this time, that again uses the STAR method. The question this time is,
tell me a time when you act to make a tough decision at work? Why would they ask this
kind of interview question? Well, this interview question gives the hiring manager an insight
into your DECISIVENESS as well as your levels of CONFIDENCE. Tell me a time when you had
to make a tough decision at work? Let's take a look at a sample answer. Here we go. “My
manager asked me to put together a small team to work on a very important time sensitive
project for a client. It was my job to choose the team carefully based on my work colleague's
strengths and their ability to work at speed and to a high standard. I started out considering
all of my work colleague’s strengths and weaknesses, with a clear eye on the project
objective. One particular work colleague and close friend of mine, Steven, desperately
wanted to be a part of the team, but whilst he was extremely well qualified and experienced,
I did not feel he possessed the urgency levels needed to get the project completed on time.
I decided not to choose Steven as part of my team, and whilst he was very disappointed,
this proved to be the right decision as the project was completed not only time, but we
also managed to surpass the expectations of the client, too!” That shows you can make
tough decisions when needed, and you are decisive in your actions. And again, using the STAR
method. it's a brilliant way to structure your answers carefully! Now, if you would
like MORE HELP with your interview and more examples of STAR answers to tough interview
questions, CLICK THAT LINK right now in the top right hand corner of the video. It will
take you through to my website, PassMyInterview.com, where you can download my full set of STAR
Method interview questions and top-scoring answers. All of them are of the same caliber
as the ones I've just gone through. I hope you've enjoyed that! Don't forget to LIKE
the video, because that tells me you enjoy it and that motivates me as well to do more
for you. Thank you very much. Please also SUBSCRIBE. We're building up a brilliant community
here on CareerVidz. Lots of you are passing your interviews as a result. Don't forget
to also connect with me on LinkedIn.com. Thank you for watching! And I wish you all the best
for being a STANDOUT CANDIDATE at your interview. Have a brilliant day!