Odds are you aren’t the only one who gets the pre-interview jitters.  Most people do, but why?  Is it because you unsure what to expect or don’t know if you’re prepared enough?  Maybe you think the interviewer is going to make it tough just to make you fail.  The truth, however, is that you shouldn’t be nervous at all.  You have to think to yourself, “this company needs me just as much as I need them.”  That should be a confidence booster to help calm your nerves, but if not, just remind yourself of the skills you have; you got this interview for a reason, make the best out of it!

This video is just an example of something you will not have to be worry about. It will never happen… At least I hope it wont…

What is the “STAR” interview technique? You may have heard professors, employers, career advisers, etc. talk about it, but you can never remember it, right? Whether you know it, need a reminder, or have never heard of STAR before, here’s a quick review of the system.

First, what is STAR? STAR is an organized train of thought to answer behavior based questions (Behavioral Based Questions: Tell me about a time that you… “exemplified great leadership,” “were working with a particularly difficult person and what did you do about it,” “had a task/project due in a short time and what did you do to complete it.”).

S = Situation

Describe the situation you were in and why you were put in it (the club/group/job should probably already be on your resume):
e.g. “While in Project Green during my freshman year I participated on the Executive Board for the Final Event in which Project Green put on a day of redecorating, games, and health awareness.”

T = Task

Tell the employer the task YOU were responsible for in the Situation:
e.g. “I took the task of the Food Coordinator on the Executive Board to recruit local businesses to donate food so the 200 participants of the event could have lunch and snacks.”

A = Action

Explain what skills, highlighting the behavioral based question, you used to put your task into action.
e.g. “I used my communication and sales skills to pitch the benefits of supporting the community, promotion for the business, and how much the restaurant’s contribution would benefit the Final Event to all of 60 local businesses.”

R = Results

Paint the picture of your accomplishments from the work you did.
e.g. “I was able to get 40 businesses to donate over $400 worth of food and feed the 200 children, students, parents, and volunteers. Both the Final Event Coordinator and the principal of the elementary commended me for the extraordinary food and work that I had done.”

Be ready to answer any questions that could follow your STAR situation like, “What would you have done differently?” or “What kind of trouble with managers did you run into when you called the restaurants?” Typically, it’s good to prepare 6-10 STAR answers and adapt them for each job you’re hoping to land. Write them down and BRING THEM to the interview. It will show the employer that you really care about the position and are truly prepared.