Ace your job interview. Learn how to research, prepare, and use the STAR method. Get expert advice to boost your confidence and secure the job. Being invited to an interview is a great sign that the employer is impressed by your application and wants to know more about you. So, how do you make the most of this opportunity? Keep reading to find out.
Research and reflect
Thoroughly review the position description, job listing, and your own CV and cover letter you used to apply for the role. It’s likely the employers' questions will be loosely based on these things.
Do a little research into who will be interviewing you – their names, position title, and anything else that may stand out which could help you connect with them and find common ground.
Have a good look through the organisation's website and pay careful attention to any recent news stories or media releases they may have published. By understanding what’s front of mind for them right now, you’ll be able to come up with interesting questions to ask them when the time comes to do so (usually toward the end of the interview). This shows a level of research and interest which will help you stand out from the crowd.
Finally, make sure you know where you’re going for the interview, and organise yourself to get there with plenty of time to spare.
Prepare and practice
Prepare some answers for typical interview questions like: ‘tell us about yourself’, ‘what motivated you to apply for the role?’, ‘how do you feel your experience and skills are relevant to this job?’.
Practice your responses and ensure you have examples that support what you say. This will help boost your confidence before you head to the interview.
Spend some time thinking about how you would like to present during the interview and prepare anything you’ll need ahead of time. Choose an outfit that aligns with the company's dress code and culture. When in doubt, it's better to overdress than underdress.
During the interview
If you’re feeling nervous, take a few deep breaths.
Greet the interviewers warmly, using open body language, a smile, eye contact, and speaking with confidence. Non-verbal cues can convey confidence and professionalism.
Listen actively, paying attention to the interviewer's questions and responding thoughtfully. Again, if you’re feeling nervous, it’s perfectly fine to take a few deep breaths before responding.
Maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview, even if faced with challenging questions. Showcase your problem-solving skills and resilience.
The STAR method for responding to questions
Typically, you'll be asked some scenario-based questions, which are intended to help the employer understand the way you might approach different situations in a workplace. These questions often sound something like, “Can you tell us about a time when you were faced with a challenge, and how did you overcome it?”.
The best way to answer these types of questions is by following the ‘STAR’ method and closely as possible. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and is an easy way to remember how best to respond when asked situational and behavioural questions.
Situation – First, describe the situation you were in and what the challenge was.
Task – Next, explain the task you needed to achieve in this situation.
Action - describe the actions you took to overcome the challenge.
Result – Lastly, share results of your actions, including any measurable achievements or lessons learned.
“Can you tell me about a time when....”
Imagine an employer asks you the question, “can you tell me about a time when you had to manage a difficult customer or client?”
The example response below follows the STAR method.
Wrapping up the interview Once the interview comes to a close, be sure to thank your interviewers for their time. It’s also best practice to follow up afterwards with a brief email to thank them and reinforce your interest in the role. Feel free to ask feedback on how the interview went. If you’re unsuccessful this time, this gives you an opportunity to learn what you can do to improve. If you are successful, take the feedback and use it in the future!