Use the STAR Method to answer any interview question

Use the STAR Method to answer any interview question It’s interview day. You’ve worked on your handshake, your eye contact, your head-to-toe professional outfit. You know your resume backwards and forwards, and you’ve reviewed the job description so many times you can practically see it when you close your eyes. So, you’re ready. And then in the interview, you get a question you weren’t necessarily expecting: â€Å"Tell me about a time when you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Argh, the dreaded behavioral questions. Now what? First, don’t panic. You can answer any question an interviewer throws your way, without grinding the whole thing to a halt. It’s as simple as being a STAR.What’s the STAR Method  and  how  do  you  use  it?STAR is a method you can use to frame an answer quickly and efficiently. It’s an acronym for:Situation: Where/when did this example take place?Task: What was your level of responsibility in this example?Action: What steps did you take?Result: What was the outcome, and what did you learn or achieve?Let’s break down some strategies for using the STAR method in your next and future interviews.Find the right exampleUnless something comes to mind right away, this can be the hardest part. But think of it this way: the question is likely to be a situation that is tied to something on your resume or a task in the job description, so this is something you can think about in advance, even if you don’t know what will be asked specifically. Ahead of the interview, come up with examples or anecdotes for every experience bullet point and skill on your resume. That way, when you’re asked, â€Å"Tell me about at time you showed leadership,† you will already have a list of relevant points ready to go.Relevance is the key- you don’t want to start rambling about something that doesn’t really fit what the interviewer is asking. So the quick internal check should be, â€Å"I think this is the right story- does it answer what’s being asked?†And if you need a bit of time to think things over, say so- it’s okay to ask for a minute to think things over. â€Å"That’s a really great question; I’d like to think about it for a minute!† You don’t want your contemplation to go too long, but taking 30 seconds to gather your thoughts will lead to a better answer.Set the sceneThis doesn’t have to be an elaborate, cinematic story. However, you should be able to give a few quick details to show the interviewer what the context is for your story.I was the lead on a project, and 80% of my team had called in sick†¦We were on schedule and on budget, when the client changed his mind in the middle of the meeting†¦I took a call from an angry customer, who was not interested in hearing the company’s side of the story†¦You’ll want to make it conversational so that it doesn’t sound like you memorized a card. All you need are a few short sentences- no need to provide detailed backstory about everyone involved or a history of your employment. You want the details to be directly relevant to your story. And it’s okay to be humorous or light in your response, as long as you keep the tone professional.Talk about what you did to solve the problem or approach the issueOnce you’ve set the scene for the interviewer, talk about what you did to resolve the issue. Usually, when interviewers ask behavioral-style questions, they’re just as interested in the how as the what. And again, this doesn’t need to be a long-winded, detailed step-by-step. A few succinct bullet points about what you did in the situation will be just fine. If the interviewer has any follow-up questions, she’ll ask.Talk up your achievements- or lessons learnedWhen you’re talking about the results, don’t be afraid to talk about what you achieved- especially if it puts you in a positive light. You don’t want to come off like a braggart, but you should own your accomplishments.The project came in under budget thanks to my fix, and we broke sales records that year.Because I caught the order before it was processed, I was able to stop 5,000 widgets from being shipped accidentally. That was a great feeling.And if you picked an example that didn’t necessarily have a happy ending (because hey, sometimes that’s the only anecdote that fits), be sure to talk about what you did gain from the situation.Although it was difficult   while I worked to resolve the issue, it taught me that nothing is more important than providing a superior customer experience.It was definitely a learning experience, and having worked with such a demanding client, I know I can work with anyone to get the job done.Like with your other STAR points, a couple of sentences should be all you need to summarize and wrap up your story.Practice beforehandIf you’re not all that comfortable with storytelling, this is definitely a skill you can build before you’re in the interview hot seat. Just like with body language or your handshake, practice until it becomes second nature! Grab a trusted person who can ask you general behavioral questions, and apply the STAR method to your conversation. If you do this enough times in your everyday life, you won’t be sitting in the interview thinking, â€Å"Okay, time for S. What’s the situation?† You’ll already be searching through your mind’s archive for the relevant anecdote.   Ã‚  If you prep for interviews with the STAR method, you can tackle any question an interviewer throws your way, even if it seems like it comes out of nowhere. Quick, to-the-point answers will impress your interviewer and demonstrate that you have one of the most important skills- thinking on you r feet.

How to Write a Memoir Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps

How to Write a Memoir Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps How to Write a Memoir: Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps Learning how to write a memoir is like studying to be an archeologist. Not only do you have to dig deep and sift through the sands for fragments on the past, you then have to piece it all together and discover what the story is. To help you tell a compelling story based on your own life, we turned to bestselling ghostwriters on Reedsy to create our practical guide on how to write a memoir.  First, let's answer some of the big questions...What do traditional publishers look for in a memoir?In short, memoir publishers are looking for books with commercial appeal. If they don't think there's a strong market for your book, an editor will not likely take a change on you - regardless of your manuscript's quality. If a traditional book deal is something you have your heart set on, ask yourself the question: who does my book appeal to? Isolating a target readership will go a long way to convincing an agent or editor of your memoir's potential.Does your memoir belong to a specific category ?Before you start writing or even outlining your memoir, it’s important to figure out where your book fits within the existing market. Acclaimed ghostwriter Katy Weitz suggests researching titles from a number of popular categories to get an idea of the sheer variety of memoirs that have succeeded. Popular categories or genres includeNostalgia. Many people want books to transport them to another time and place and show them what life was like. Others enjoy recognizing their own experiences reflected back at them. Books that meet this requirement are often called nostalgia memoirs.Misery and Inspirational. Books that depict a difficult time in an author’s life aren’t intended to bum the reader out  - but to show triumph over adversity. The fact that the authors are writing a book about their experiences often serves as a redemptive final chapter in their personal story.Celebrity. Public figures have an inbuilt fanbase who just want to hear more about their adv entures doing the thing that they do. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of inventive celebrity memoirs.Sports. Sports stories often make for great books. After all, what's more dramatic than the thrill of victory or the crushing pain of defeat?Examples of successful memoirsTo give you an idea of the books that have sold well in each of those genres, here are just a few examplesNostalgia Memoirs While a book is often an opportunity to ‘tell your side of the story,’ don’t paint yourself as a complete hero or victim. Like any protagonist in a novel, it’s your strengths and weaknesses that will make you a compelling figure. Readers expect honesty and candor. If they sense that you’re stretching the truth or have an underlying agenda, they will quickly switch off.Mistake #2. Choosing a strictly linear narrative without considering the alternativesâ€Å"To help give order to the project, try to tell the story chronologically to start with,† says Andrew Crofts, the bestselling ghostwriter of over 80 books. â€Å"That way you can keep control of the narrative. If you jump about too much you will forget what you have already done and start repeating yourself. You can always change the chronology at the editing stage.†As Johnny Acton says, there are great reasons to chop-up the timeline:â€Å"A broadly chronological structure will make the book easier to follow but don't adhere to it too closely. Flashbacks and flash-forwards can be used to add interest.†Taking a cue from your favorite novels, you may find that playing with chronology helps to control the pace of your books and cut out ‘the boring bits’.For more advice, check out our guide to outlining a memoir.Mistake #3. Not getting an outside opinionAt some point, you might want to share a draft with a close friend or family member. Their feedback can be priceless, as they might remember events differently to how you've portrayed them in your book. Based on their reactions, you can choose to work in their suggestions or stick to your guns. However, it's also important that you get someone who doesn't know you to read your manuscript.â€Å"Always remember that the reader may not know what you take for granted,† says Johnny Acton. Beta readers who don’t know you that well can help you see when your stories need more background in formation (and when they’re not compelling or relevant enough).Professional editors are also an invaluable resource to tap into. On platforms like Reedsy, you can search for editors who have worked for major publishers on memoirs like yours. For those legacy project, a professional editor can help you focus in on the parts that matter; if you’re writing something with a commercial edge, they can make all the difference when it comes to selling your book.These are just a few tips that will help you get started. Along the way, you may encounter well-meaning and highly qualified people who will question why you think you should be writing a memoir. But if you have a story that you feel needs to be told, you shouldn’t let anyone stand in your way. Everybody has a story to tell: just make yours a good one, and the rest of us will come along for the ride.What are some of your favorite memoirs, written by both celebrities and non-celebrities? What about them makes them stand out in your memory?

Nursing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Theory - Essay Example As the report declares the Roy Adaptation Model has both scientific and philosophical aspects. The scientific aspect of the model Is systems of matter and energy progress to higher levels of complex self-organization. This discussion stresses that John B. Watson was a behaviorist and therefore he emphasized the study of observable behavior. His nursing model, rejected introspection &theories of the unconscious mind. The scientific and philosophical aspects of his nursing model were similar because of this. He described behavior in terms of terms of physiological responses to stimuli. Barone et al 1996. His theory and nursing model was primarily concerned with the increasing or decreasing of the likelihood of given response by manipulating the consequences of the response. Although Watson’s model is not very large on the philosophical tenets he did have a legitimate nursing model that is still implemented and taught in many schools of nursing to this day. Although both Roy’s and Watson’s models are widely accepted and taught there are some who argue that these models are not feasible. In regard to Roy’s model there are arguments that contend this model is in a sense to l iberal to work. By that it is meant that the model is too personalized and requires a one on one implementation of the model for it to work. Those who reject this model feel that it is not feasible for a nurse with other duties and obligations to have the time to render this type of aide to patients.

Asian Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asian Culture - Assignment Example In China for example, there is extensive application of Chinese traditional medicine which comes in various forms like balms, powders, tincture, pills together with raw herbs. The Chinese medical practice is majorly used as protective mechanisms to common bodily disorders; it extends to countries like Japan and Tibet. More over, the application of Chinese medicine has also been widely adapted in the Western Countries especially the USA where a good number of the population currently considers the use of Chinese medicine (Carteret 2011). The other common traditional Asian culture is the aspect of martial arts which is considered to be an imperative stage that every member of the population has to undergo. Martial art is practiced in countries like China, Korea, Japan and even Tibet. In China, there is the practice of Karate, Taekwondo and Judo; they are means that ensure a person maintains good health through constant practice and also develop personal defense mechanisms in the process of physical attacks. Such kind martial art has not only been adapted in the Western Region but also in other parts of the world for military purposes, health purposes and for leisure. Consequently, there is also the dimension of religious beliefs; each of the Asian countries practices unique religious practices however; some religious activities are shared among some of these nations. In India, there is Hinduism as the dominant religious practice; although there are other religious practices such as Buddhism, Hellenism and Brahmanism. Some of these religious beliefs such as Buddhism are shared among the Asian countries like in China and Tibet. The practice of such religious beliefs has also been extended to the Western Region where a good number of the population tends to resort to the Asian religious practices in periods of psychological

Critical analyzing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical analyzing - Essay Example The main reasons are convenience for students, lower costs, and time saving. According to statistics maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), during the academic year 2006-07, nearly 4,200 U.S. institutions; approximately 66% of ‘degree-granting postsecondary institutions’ offered distance education courses involving over 12 million students. Of these, 77% were enrolled in online courses, 12% in hybrid courses, and 10% in other types of courses (ibid). In a matter of 3 years, the Nanyang Technological University (based in Singapore) has experienced remarkable growth in the last 3 years. They have introduced a myriad of applications. These include some professors-friendly e-learning applications as well. These applications have helped NTU achieve critical mass buy-in through the academic staff when the e-learning take up rate shot up to 85% of the overall existing course curriculum at NIT. This is the third running year of e-learning at NTU. Measures have been taken after a lot of careful consideration to infuse e-learning with interaction and collaboration. The more interactive this form of learning is the better and that has been the priority for this year. They want to humanize the existing e-learning form completely. They intend to so via active collaboration and student learning involvement. This includes, adding various new features to the current mechanisms and modes of e-learning at NYT. They are the use of video talking he ad format, live audio-video delivery, and text chat, document annotations of a lecture, presentations and delivery. The paper revolved around the processes that were adopted at NTU in adding the human touch to their routine e-learning projects. In a span of 3 years, almost 90 % courses at NTU have undergone the online learning process. Barriers for the completion of this process were very few. This was because, it was all carefully planned and only those technologies which were appropriate were

Employment information report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employment information report - Essay Example After much investigation, I have found that Akzonobel is a Dutch based multinational organization which is known for producing premium quality specialty chemicals, performance coatings and decorative paints. The company has its headquarter in Amsterdam and is divided into eleven business units. Akzonobel employees over more than forty thousand people in over eighty countries. The company is known to be making increasing profits each year and as of year 2014, the sales recorded were around fourteen billion. Akzonobel has a history of mergers and acquisitions. The recent merger took place with ICI paints in the year 2008. Akzonobel is a company where the growth of organization is as important as the growth of its employees. Here, people come from diverse backgrounds where they are allowed to perform freely based on their skills, experiences and talents. With extensive training, mentoring and coaching, the skills of employees are enhanced and the career development is given much signifi cance. Along with a handsome compensation package, the employees are offered a challenging yet comfortable environment where they could build up on their knowledge for present as well as future performance. As mentioned, I would like to apply for the position of HR manager in Akzonobel. After looking at the job responsibility listed on the web as well as interviewing one of the HR managers, I have made a summary of the job requirements and duties. Akzonobel has listed down the features which must be present in a candidates’ profile in order that his application be considered. He must have minimum of master’s degree in human resource, certification would be considered as a plus. The company will prefer someone who has been working in the same position with a multinational organization for at least five to ten years. The candidate is expected to be a local of the country so that he could understand and practice his knowledge as per the geographical

A concise report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

A concise report - Case Study Example Inasmuch as there seems to be so many opportunities in companies going global, businesses are expected to ensure that they develop effective business strategies and approaches that can enable them to keep pace with the great competition at this stage. In this regard, success in marketing seems to be among the best strategies that businesses operating globally can use as their competitive advantage. In deciding on the marketing approach, it is important that businesses understand the characteristics of the markets in which they are reaching in order to devise strategies that can appeal to the people in that market. With effective marketing, businesses can easily get their goods in shelves in wholesale and retail stores, which is necessary in order for them to be successful. Marketing strategies are not homogeneous, what may have been successful in the domestic market may not prove to be successful in the global market as well, which underpins the need for effective research and understanding of the global market before launching in the new market. This paper examines the different marketing approaches used by companies going global, focusing on the effectiveness of the relationship marketing approach as opposed to traditional/transactional approach in the global markets. The term â€Å"global marketing environment† is sometimes very complex to describe or explain since it encompasses various issues in the global business environment that are never constant, always changing. In order to have the best approach towards understanding what entails the global marketing environment, it is important that one examines some of the current literature and changes in the business environment. In the modern business world, the changing behavior and buying patterns of customers as the proliferation of many and new marketing channels have set up many new issues in the business environment