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​The STAR method is a structured and highly effective approach to answering what can often be tricky questions in job interviews. Specifically, the STAR method will help you excel in answering behavioural interview questions. The STAR methodology is nothing new however we often see candidates when explaining their skills and experience falling into the same issues and we often feel the STAR methodology is a simple and effective way of quickly improving the way you answer interview questions. 

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So, what is the STAR method exactly and how can it help you? “STAR” stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results…and here’s how to apply each component in a behavioural job interview setting:

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STEP 1 – SITUATION 

When asked about how you dealt with a particular type of SAP related situation, be sure to keep your description of the situation concise and only focus on relevant details that you specifically were responsible for. As an example, an interviewer might ask if you ever dealt with a difficult stakeholder and how you handled the situation. In this instance, for step 1, you simply describe specifically the situation.

Ie. “In my last role I had a particularly difficult stakeholder who was a senior manager in the Supply Chain, he had some unrealistic expectations regarding the timeframes of an enhancement I was developing.”

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STEP 2 - TASK

Describe the problem & challenges and what goal you were working towards. Keep these specific to what you did. Do not say we or the team say I this builds confidence with the interviewer. The Task was to develop a new screen set of Fiori screens for our warehouse the manager expected this to be completed within one day. 

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STEP 3 – ACTION

In step 1 & 2, you set the context, and in step 3 you will tell a story highlighting your handling of the situation in a way that emphasises your best attributes, in relation to the SAP role you are being considered for.

This is the most important part of the STAR method as it is designed to give you the chance to demonstrate your skills, capabilities and experience.

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Here are some tactics to bear in mind:

• Be careful to focus as much as possible on you and your actions, instead of those of the team around you.

• You need to provide concrete detail, don’t expect your interviewers to fill in blanks and make presumptions.

• Explain what you did, how you did it, and why you did it (in that order).

Following on from the example above;

“I arranged to go for coffee with the manager and went through a high-level plan of the work that needed to be completed. I explained there were some integration issues that had been unforeseen that would require extra time to develop. I committed to working additional hours to help get the changes done as soon as possible. I also agreed to keep him updated immediately should there be any more unforeseen issues”

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STEP 3 – RESULT

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The last step is also crucial. What were the outcomes? What did you learn? How did all the parties, including the employer benefit out of your handling of the situation? What would you do differently, if anything, if you had your time again?

Interviewers want to see that you drew on a variety of skills and experience to achieve your objectives. As you tell your story it should become clear to them that you are deliberate in your actions, and do not leave things to chance.

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To finish our example;

“The result was that I completed the features within the two-week time frame we had previously agreed, thankfully there were no further delays, and the manager was happy that we had come to a negotiated agreement that we managed to achieve. 

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If you need further help understanding how best to prepare for a behavioural interview, feel free to leave your questions and comments below and we’ll be glad to respond. Remember, it’s an old cliché, but thorough preparation is the key to succeeding in any job interview.

Good luck!