Using the STAR Method to Evaluate Interviewee Answers

Applicant interviews are a vital component in the hiring process. In interviews, candidates need to demonstrate that they have the skills and experience required to perform the role and showcase their personality, character and interests.

In evaluating your candidates' answers, what standards can you use to effectively identify those who are qualified from those who aren't?

In a recent Inside Higher Ed opinion piece, senior associate director of career services at the University of Pennsylvania, Joseph Barber, shared advice for how interviewees can transform vague answers into structured stories that highlight relevant outcomes and their experience. To do this, he recommended using the STAR method to answer behavioral-based questions such as "Describe a time when…" and "Give an example when…". The STAR acronym stands for:

• Situation: An overview of an event with enough details to make it relatable and authentic.

• Task: A description of the candidate's responsibility in the case.

• Action: An explanation of the steps that the candidate took to address, manage or leverage it.

• Result: The specific outcomes that the candidate's efforts achieved.

Strong interviewees will utilize the STAR method or other strategies, but how can you tell if their answers are authentic and what can you do for those candidates who might be qualified but are not great interviewees? Here are some follow-up questions to ask so that you can better evaluate the candidate's qualifications and the veracity of their answers:

• Situation
  - How did you first discover the issue? What were the root causes of this situation?
  - Who were the primary and secondary stakeholders being impacted?
  - Why was this situation a priority to resolve?
  

• Task
  - What level of responsibility did you have to ensure a positive outcome?
  - What skills or experience made you qualified to lead the action plan?
  - What resources were you missing to resolve this matter and how did you close those gaps?
  

• Action
  - Can you tell me in more detail about what you specifically did to develop the plan?
  - How did you gain buy-in from your colleagues to implement the plan?
  - What pivots did you have to make as the situation evolved?
  

• Result
  - What metrics or benchmarks did you use to evaluate the plan's success?
  - What are some ways you would have further improved the results if you had more time and resources?
  - How could you or did you apply these findings to other efforts or projects?

While the article was written for applicants, it does provide a good reminder for hiring managers for what they should be looking for in their candidates' answers. By carefully listening and asking appropriate follow-up questions, you and your hiring team will be in a good position to select the best-fitting candidate.

To read the full opinion piece, click here.