Becoming Interview STARs

1. Becoming InterviewSTARs Developing Workplace Competencies EGR 100

2. Application Initial Interview Second Interview and/or Trip Job Offer Why be an interviewing STAR? • Good interviews get you the job offer! A good resume and cover letter A good interview A good match

3. I need a volunteer from the audience!

4. TTYP – Turn to Your Partner Which interview style elicited more useful information? Why? • Think about your response. • Share your response with your partner. • Come to agreement between the two of you. • Be prepared to share your answers.

5. What you saw was BBI • BBI = Behavioral-based Interviewing • Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. • Focuses on demonstration of competencies. • Provides standard and objective assessment criteria. • Over 80% of companies interviewing for engineers at Iowa State use BBI.

6. Personal Traits Personal History Traditional Accomplishments Interviewer Confirmation BBI vs. Traditional Interviewing BBI Competencies Situation Action Validation

7. A reminder: ISU Competencies

8. STARs and BBI • Career specialists suggest applicants answer BBI-type questions using a STAR: • Situation or Task • Action • Result • You should go into interviews with your “A” game, confident and well-prepared. • STARs help you prepare for BBI interviewing.

9. An Example STAR • The Question: • “Tell about a time when you showed initiative.” • Situation or Task • "I was a member of the student organization, XYZ. We planned to have a float for VEISHEA. Our president stopped attending meetings or communicating with the other officers. Attendance dropped and nothing happened at meetings. Our organization had been on campus for a long time and had a great reputation.”

10. An Example STAR • Action • "Although I was not an elected leader, I asked two officers to meet me at the union to talk about the float.“ • Result • "At the meeting, I mentioned that XYZ had a great reputation and my Dad talked about XYZ when he was a student. The vice president agreed to meet with the president to clarify his role. We learned the president was having problems and was relieved that the vice president was willing to assume leadership. The three of us looked at the requirements in the by-laws and took the necessary steps to change the leadership to the vice president. I contacted the members who stopped attending. We got a late start, but we pulled together and had the float in the parade."

11. Initiative Competency • Definition • Taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive. * Interviewer may ask a follow-up question.

12. TTYP – Turn to Your Partner Question 1: Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas. What did you do? (Teamwork) Question 2: Tell about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. (Planning) • Each of you take a question. • Think about your response – jot down some notes in the form of a STAR. • Share your STAR with your partner. • Be prepared to share your STARs.

13. Create a Library of STARs • You should have at least one STAR for each of the 15 competencies. • Focus on the Key Actions. • This collection of STARs is a useful library. • It should change over time. • Use it for preparing for interviews.

14. Your Assignment • Complete the three STARs for the handout provided related to the competencies of Continuous Learning, Initiative, and Communication.