For the next few issues I will discuss some useful tips
on answering questions to make the right
impression. In this issue I will tell you about one of
the most popular interview marking systems used by
employers when interviewing potential employees
often known as STAR:
Situation
Task
Action
Result
Situation - here the interviewer is looking for
you to describe a particular situation where you are
drawing on your past experiences to set the scene.
You may be using an example when you worked
somewhere or on a particular project etc.
Task - next the interviewer is looking for
you to discuss the particular task. It might be you
had a deadline, customer service complaint etc. As
part of your preparation you would need to think of
your past and relevant experiences that show you in
a positive light.
Action - you need to follow up with the
steps you took and why. So you may have taken
some ownership, got everyone to pull together as a
team, empathised with a customer etc. If you can
demonstrate excellent skills and behaviours at the
interview the employer will perceive that you will use
these skills when you work for them too.
Result - At the end of your answer you need
to state what the result was. You increased sales
by 15%. You had a thank you letter from a
customer. By stating the end result your answer
becomes far more convincing.
Example
Situation - I was on work experience, I was
manning a reception area.
Task - Customer came in complaining
Action - listened, empathized, relayed issue
to manager sympathetically who was able to arrange
a refund.
Result - customer thanked me for being so
understanding and helpful and went away happy with
their refund. 1 week later I received a thank you
letter from the customer.
The best way to practice this technique is to get the
job description and/or person specification and list
the skills and behaviours the organisation is looking
for. Then list your best examples of your work
experiences that demonstrate these skills.
To get you started try writing out the answers in the
STAR style for each of the skills and behaviour you
have.
Try to make sure you have different examples for
each behaviour and skill. This will show the employer
that you are good at what you do all the time not
just occasionally.
Next week we will look at some more tips for handling
questions.
If you are keen to improve your interview technique
then why not consider one of my new interview skills
workshops contact me for more
information.
Over the next few issues I will be looking at how you
can improve your confidence in the workplace.
In my early days as both a Career and Life Coach I
was surprised to find just how much most people
suffer with low confidence and self esteem. Even
those individuals who you would think, expect or
would appear to be extremely confident were happy
to confide that underneath it all they were just
waiting to be found out.
We are all confident. Truly we are! Even if we are
confident at not being confident!
To gain the maximum impact I will discuss the 2 main
areas you need to look at to improve your
confidence:
Mindset - I will run through exercises for changing
the way you think about yourself. These principals
are just as valid in work as they are out of it. You
don't even need to believe in them but you will need
to follow the exercises with me.
Action - I will look at the sort of steps you can take
to build confidence over a period of time to improve
both your skills and other people's perception of you.
I will start off by looking at your mindset.
Before the next issue I want you to list all your
strengths in work and one outside of
work. I want you to place it somewhere prominent
where you can see it every day and read it at least
once a day. Read this everyday until the next issue.
After years of negatively programming your mind with
all the things you are no good at, I want you to re-
programme you mind to think about the good things
you do. Every day I want you to look at the list and
think is there anything missing and add to it when
something crops up.
Next come up with 3 positive statements about your
job or career. Something like I love my job, I am
good
at my job, I have a successful career. You choose
just ensure they are in the positive.
Once you have your 3 statements use them daily as
a positive self talk. This can be used to replace the
negative self talk you are likely to use when you put
yourself down. You know the voice in your head
that says you're no good. When he/she pipes up
flick
over to your positive statements to drown the voice
out.
Another useful technique is to give that negative
internal voice of yours a silly voice like Mickey
Mouse. Try it, its hard to take it seriously now.
Share your experience with me here over the next
few weeks. Let me know what statements you
choose and what difference they are making. Have
you made that list of strengths how is that going?
We will continue with improving your confidence next
week.
If you are struggling with your career right now and
would like some help, support and guidance to get it
moving in the right direction contact me to find out how my
services will help.
