THE "STAR" APPROACH TO COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS

The best way of dealing with this type of question is by using the STAR approach. Star stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It helps you to structure your answer as a mini essay. The SITUATI ! and TAS" are usually combined to form an introduction, describing the scenario you faced. The A#TI ! forms the main body and should be the longest part. The R$SU%T is the conclusion, and, like the introduction, should be quite short. Situation &hen, where, with whom' Task (escribe the situation or the task you were faced with )ow' &hat action did * U take' Sometimes people focus on what the group did Action without mentioning their indi+idual contribution. &hat results did you achie+e,conclusions did you reach,what did you learn from the Result e-perience'

Example Questio !
.(escribe how your personal planning and organisation resulted in the successful achie+ement of a personal or group task./

Example A s"e#!
Situation &hilst employed at &ea+er 0ros. last summer Task I was gi+en the task of rationalising the stock control system I would look at factors such as when the stock was last ordered, what it was used for and how often it was used. I worked out a method of streamlining the paperwork Action in+ol+ed in this process and redesigned the rele+ant forms, which I then submitted to my manager. 1y ideas were accepted and implemented and a 234 reduction in stock le+els was Result achie+ed Try to gi+e quantifiable results if possible5 o 6during my time as chairman, membership rose by 786 o 6we raised 9788 for charity6 o 6my marks impro+ed from 334 to :346

You can't always do this, but it gives a much better impression of your achievement . If the result was negati+e, then say what you learned from the e-perience and what you would do differently ne-t time. The e-amples you gi+e can be from work, study or personal life ; but try to gi+e a +ariety. (on<t go into too much background detail = keep to the point> Think of the most rele+ant e-amples, rather than the most 6impressi+e6. If you are asked to describe a time when you had to gi+e a presentation in front of the public, a seminar paper which in+ol+ed research and planning will carry more weight than 6presenting a bouquet to the ?ueen when I was four years old6>