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When originally founded in 2021, our CEO Amy Oviedo defined 4 core values to drive the mission of our business. Recruiting Experiences values Simplicity in process, Excellence in delivery of project work and customer service, delivering Reliability with data, and communicating with Kindness through the recruiting process. For the Recruiting Experiences team, Simplicity can be defined as the ability to create more efficiency through process or finding an easier route to a solution that moves a project forward.  

Read below for examples of how we live out the value of SIMPLICITY daily. 

When we first started creating data-tracking tools, we designed a master requisition excel spreadsheet to keep track of all our current open jobs. Over time, we realized that with our applicant tracking system in use, this was often creating double the work for our recruiters. We got rid of the master requisition list and this allows our team to move faster with a more centralized and sophisticated applicant tracking system.  

Originally, scheduling interviews with our recruiters involved the time and attention of our Recruiting Coordinator. Our Coordinator discovered a more efficient scheduling method by implementing Microsoft Bookings. This tool automates the interview scheduling process and frees up time for our team to do higher value work by eliminating the need to manually coordinate interviews. 

One of our veteran technical recruiters was working with a new software engineering team. They were implementing their first defined interview process. The Recruiter used recruiting expertise to recommend a three-step interview process which delivered more efficiency and improved the candidate experience. This project resulted in their team selecting three software engineering new hires!  

As part of supporting many of our clients’ growing Human Resources needs, we support various ad-hoc onboarding and offboarding HR (Human Resources) projects. We have implemented having a single point of contact with detailed process documentation.  Hiring teams can then use the documentation for each candidate to ensure each step of the onboarding and offboarding process is completed resulting in positive employee experiences.  

We often work with first-time hiring managers who do not know the best interview questions to ask to gauge candidate skillsets while remaining compliant and unbiased. We created an interview question creation model that hiring managers can use to easily produce questions to identify skills and behaviors ideal for the position. The simplicity of equipping a manager for their interviews is another way we bring value to our clients.  

During initial intake calls for new projects, we come prepared with real-time salary insights which help our hiring teams to make faster decisions in identifying the talent clients can bring to their company. Instead of delaying the process while waiting for approval on salary, the client can make an informed budget decision and we can immediately begin the recruiting project.  

Simplicity is one of the pillars of success when involved in a partnership with Recruiting Experiences. This core value allows us to drive more positive candidate experiences while delivering top talent efficiently to our hiring teams.  

If you want to hire and retain top talent in a more efficient way, we’d love to engage with you on a Recruiting assessment.  

If you are interested in our simplified recruiting processes, read this blog to learn more about our purposeful communication with candidates: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/thoughtful-communication-throughout-the-recruiting-funnel/

As if the previous couple of years have not been challenging enough, 2023 has been a difficult year for many companies and their employees in riding the economic turbulence and the ongoing technology sector layoffs.  Many tech companies are trying to right size their organization to navigate the unknown market turbulence going on now and possibly in the near future. Even though companies are not hiring at their earlier paces, they will need to backfill positions where needed and still hire for moderate growth. The question that many companies are facing is: should I try and hire the staff that have been laid off or should I go after passive employees who were not impacted by the recent layoffs? 

Should I Hire Employees who have been Laid Off by other Companies? 

Many employees have been caught up in the massive tech layoffs and it is difficult to navigate the surge in available talent.  You might have the opportunity to add talented individuals that might not be available to your company in the future. Some hiring managers have the belief that if someone was laid-off they must be a lesser value employee or have had some type of issue or deficiency or else why would they have been let go. This is a bias that could be preventing your organization from finding some fantastic talent who are eager to continue their career path. There could be people that are diamonds in the rough that could plug into your company and benefit from their years of experience and their excitement for joining your company. 

Should I Target Passive Candidates who are still employed by other Companies? 

Each company’s hiring strategy should be consistent but not all positions will always require the level of effort to identify and invite passive candidates to apply to open positions.  Passive candidates can be great targets. Keep in mind, once you find them, you still need to convince them to consider a new position. Uncertainty in the economy can create fear among passive talent and may make this a more challenging pitch.  The advantage of multiple layoffs is there are some great candidates in the talent pool.  The key is always in the screening and interview process. How will you find the right skills, experience level, and culture add for your company? 

Some guiding principles for your future hires who may have been laid off: 

• Check your own personal bias and the bias of your hiring team. Ensure you are creating an equitable evaluation process. 
• Do your diligence in the screening process to understand the merits of each candidate. 
• Ask every candidate the same questions and train all hiring team members to do the same. 
• Show empathy in the hiring process. Being laid off can create lower confidence or accelerate imposter syndrome for candidates.  
• Give feedback to all candidates even when you do not select them so they can use this information to improve on future interviews. 

Want More Info?   

If you are having difficulties in creating a go-forward plan or are struggling with finding the right talent for your company, please feel free to reach out to us at Recruiting Experiences, and we can set up a time to understand your unique talent and business needs.  

 

Here is a link to one of our previous blog posts with great information on interview questions. 

 

I started Recruiting in 1998 so this year marks 25 years of matching people to roles. For my 25th anniversary, I’m sharing 25 of my favorite interview questions. An average interview will have 8-12 questions. Please don’t try to ask someone all of these. Pick and choose the applicable ones based on the needs for the role. Don’t be afraid to just use similar questions for various skills either. For example, you can simply insert any skill into a question like: Tell me about your experience using _____.  

My best advice: Choose the questions before your 1st interview for a specific role and then ask all the candidates the same questions.  

25 of Amy’s Favorite Questions:  

1. Why are you interested in this role? 
2. Which of your past experiences do you feel is most applicable to this role? 
3. What are your salary expectations for this position? 
4. Tell me about a goal you’ve set for yourself and how you achieved it? 
5. What feedback have you received previously that helped you improve? 
6. How do you like to be managed? 
7. Tell me about a successful team you’ve been part of. What worked/didn’t? 
8. What would your teammates tell me about the role you took within the team? 
9. What would your last manager say stood out about your performance? 
10. Can you share an example of how you’ve altered your communication style for multiple audiences? 
11. On a scale of 1-10, rate your skills on X tool? (Follow-up – what keeps you from saying 10?) 
12. What things do you do to keep up to date within your field? (Follow-up to books, podcasts, websites, email lists – what’s your favorite one?) 
13. If you were given a new software license to do your role, how would you approach learning it? 
14. In X role, how was your performance evaluated? 
15. What type of manager or management style do you work best with? 
16. How would you describe your leadership style? 
17. For new grads, What were your favorite courses within your major? 
18. How do you stay motivated when you have repetitive tasks to complete? 
19. For remote workers, how do you manage your day in a remote role? 
20. This role requires that you do xxx regularly, tell me about your experience leading/doing that function? 
21. How would you manage a situation in which you learned a teammate was sharing confidential information? 
22. What is your favorite/least favorite part of your current/last role? 
23. What factors, other than compensation, are important to you in your next position? 
24. When do you anticipate making an employment decision? 
25. If your next meeting goes well and the team offered you a position at $xx, would you accept? 

The last question is generally one that a Recruiter would use but a hiring manager could use a similar one to assess someone’s overall interest in the role and ensure alignment on compensation. As a bonus, when you make a verbal offer (which you should always do before sending it over in writing), ask the candidate, “Is there anything that might keep you from accepting our offer?”. In my experience, you’ll know with 95% accuracy whether they’ll sign based on how long of a pause comes next.  

What questions would you add to the list?  

 

 If you enjoyed this blog, here is another about interviewing from the job-seeker’s perspective: STAR interviews (recruitingexperiences.com)

 

I want to start this blog off with a disclaimer. Messaging can be tricky, what has worked in the past might not work now and what works now might not work in the future. Along with that, what works for one person might not work for the next. Just be yourself and don’t over think it! The most important thing is actually sending the message! Do not be afraid to try different things or ideas and see what works for you!

Let’s get started. Effective messaging can take you a long way in recruiting! It is the first thing candidates see about the position and company. A message can sway the prospect’s opinion positively or negatively. In this blog, I will go over some of the techniques I use to recruit top talent. 

Keep It Short 

No one wants to read a multiple paragraph message that might take up valuable time. I try to keep my messages to 3-4 sentences and get the most important information out there quickly. Getting to the point right away can go a long way. A catchy title is important to ensure that the recipient doesn’t scroll on by. My messages tend to follow a similar outline:  

• The company and what position they are looking for
• What the company does
• Call to action

Throwing too much detail at a person initially can lead to not reading the message at all. 

Don’t Think Too Much

This is a big one! I know it is not as easy as saying “don’t over think it” but try your best not to rack your brain coming up with messages. Chances are some of the people you are messaging won’t even read the message. The most important thing is to get the message out. If it sucks, that’s okay! You can always change it up and try a new message the next time. Play around with it. Be creative, but keep it short and concise… and don’t over think it! Try different messages and track to see what types get the most positive responses. 

Message People with Qualifications That Fit the Job 

This one may fall under sourcing more but it can really improve the effectiveness of your messages. If candidates think the position is a good fit for them as well, they are more likely to agree to a next step.

Taking a little extra time to make sure the people you are messaging fit the role can drastically improve positive response rates. 

Examples 

Below are examples of 2 different messages I use in my day-to-day recruiting. Depending on the position, I will change aspects of the messages to fit my targets better, but these two templates help me on 80% of my roles.  

Hey (Candidate Name),  

(Company Name) is looking for (Position Name). (Quick one liner about what the company does). Are you open to a quick chat?  

So for this template, if I was recruiting for a recruiter here at RecEx, it might look something like this: 

Hey John, 

Recruiting Experiences if looking to bring on a new Recruiter. We create positive experiences for candidates and hiring teams through proper recruiting practices. Are you open to a quick chat? 

 ******************************************************************************************

This next example is a bit longer and it is an older message that has been in use for a while! Our founder Amy Oviedo created this one.  

Dear {firstName}, 

I would take a daring bet and say you’ve never heard of (Company Name) before BUT if can swallow one more recruiter email and read this message all the way through, then consider that your good deed for today! 

(Company Name, followed by quick one liner about the company). We are looking to bring on a (Position Name) to our team. 

Would you be open to a brief call this week to learn more? 

******************************************************************************************

This templated message for a software engineer might look like this: 

Dear {firstName}, 

I would take a daring bet and say you’ve never heard of Engineering Experiences before BUT if you can swallow one more recruiter email and read this message all the way through, then consider that your good deed for the today! 

Engineering Experiences is a software services firm with a proven track record of creating retail solutions for small and scaling local retailers. We are looking to bring on a Lead Software Engineer to our team. 

Would you be open to a brief call this week to learn more? 

******************************************************************************************  

As I said in the beginning, messaging can be tricky. Play around with it and see what works. Just be yourself and send some messages! 

If you enjoyed this blog, you might like another blog we have about the recruiters influence on the hiring process: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/what-is-the-recruiters-influence-on-the-hiring-process/  

Who is responsible for the success of clients?  

The easiest answer is that the entire team is responsible for the success of our clients.   

The harder question to ask is: who is building the processes of accountability and feedback for the organization to prepare for scaling?   

These past six months, I have been heading the first and second iteration of Recruiting Experiences’ Client Success Journey with a team of five of my colleagues. Our CEO and Founder, Amy, gave me this chance to show off my project management skills only 3 months into my professional career which is a chance that very few have so early on.  This was the perfect opportunity for me to exercise the side of my brain that loves putting order to chaos. This project consists of many moving parts such as problem-solving, innovation, data collection, documentation, and implementation.  

Defining our Goals  

After a long brainstorming session, I identified three categories needing the most attention to build the foundation for our client journey.   

These categories were documentation, data collection, and internal data tracking. Each category was two-sided, spanning both internal and external facing aspects to be created. From there, I broke down what should be created in our first iteration based on the gaps seen by our CEO, our Director of Talent, and various client-facing team members.   

By the end of brainstorming and creation with the rest of our Client Journey team, we had managed to create 10 documents for our expanding internal document library. This consists of 5 surveys for feedback on our services under data collection, 4 new internal data points for internal tracking and business development conversations, and 1 presentation summarizing it all.   

First Results  

Some of the identifiable ways that these new deliverables have changed how we operate as an organization include:   

• Receiving our first formal client feedback on our various services – feedback which allowed us to pivot for future client work 
• Documenting processes to change common conversations with clients into an opportunity for growth 
• Involving all team members in the client success feedback process grew a level of excitement surrounding what comes next 

An example of a piece of feedback we received after the release of our first version was that our last offering of our Talent Acquisition Certification Course lacked information on a specific topic that we covered. Also, other topics were said to give too much information. From there we were able to edit the course materials to focus on topics that customers identified as those that they needed more time on. We also gained time back by decreasing the amount of material on topics where too much time was spent. This will help us improve the next offering of our course starting next month. 

Why focus on Client Success?  

There are many things that can come out of a client success plan depending on what your organization is focusing on at the time. Our plan focused on two key pieces: Feedback and Accountability. Our organization specifically needed to focus here in order to shape our processes as a service partner. Recruiting Experiences works as an extension of our client’s brand to provide great experiences for our candidates, our vision shapes the way we gather data.   

Feedback is necessary for our work to pivot and change as it is a relationship-based service. By asking for a client’s feedback, you are showing them that their voice is valued in deciding your organizational processes. You are also gaining insight into what their needs and expectations may be for future services.   

Accountability is more internal facing. Team accountability to standards for customer interactions is critical to creating manageable milestones for each client and project.  This allows for proper expectation-setting and sets the stage for what our clients can expect during our time working together. Accountability and documentation create the dual effect of solidifying a process for our recruiters to follow as well as creating a process to onboard new team members.   

So, What’s Next?  

As we move forward, we will be editing our processes as we find hiccups and or pivots based on our client’s feedback each quarter. We will also be starting the process of integrating our sales and client success data as each rely on one another as a continuous cycle.   

Want More Info?  

If you are thinking about building a client success program for your start-up, please feel free to reach out to us at Recruiting Experiences, and we can connect you with those that were instrumental in helping us shape our first version!  

If you enjoyed this blog, you might like another blog we have about the recruiters influence on the hiring process : https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/what-is-the-recruiters-influence-on-the-hiring-process/

Are you on the job search and looking to gain more job search knowledge to better prepare for your journey? Let’s walk through three key areas where recruiters can best influence the hiring process!   

Interview Timeline and Quantity   

Recruiters are strategizing with the hiring team to determine what the ideal number of interviews will be. The factors that usually go into consideration include job function, technical requirements, hierarchy within the company, if the role is an individual contributor versus a managerial role, is the role remote versus hybrid or on-site, etc. Typically, I encourage hiring teams to use a 2-3 step process depending on the role that includes a 1:1 hiring manager meeting and a team/combination meeting for the candidate to meet their future peers.   

Regarding timeline, I encourage my clients to adhere to a traditional 1.5-to-2-week interviewing schedule which helps candidates make time for the interview process and ultimately make a sound decision. 1 week may be too short of a timeline to make the best choice and anything over 2 weeks we start to see candidates lose interest and the hiring process begins to elongate. In a market where there are many options for candidates, speed kills!   

Between the second half of 2021 and the first half of 2022 recruiters were the hottest commodity on the market. We supported a client who listened to our feedback about interview process timelines and implemented a 3-step interview process which they could complete in as short as 3 days, if the candidate had time. This allowed the client to successfully hire 2x recruiters in an ultra-competitive candidate market.   

Compensation  

Let me set the record straight… In MOST instances, recruiters do not have the final say in what the compensation will be for a given opportunity. What recruiters do have is real-time data on market compensation ranges and best practices for total compensation packages. During the first meeting, called an intake meeting, recruiters cover the compensation discussion with hiring teams and provide data from recent projects and compensation reports from sources like PayFactors. This helps the hiring team to set an appropriate budget for the role.    

Recruiters will also provide feedback to hiring teams during the offer stage and strategize with a hiring team what the best possible package will be for a candidate. I recommend setting your expectations early and being clear with the recruiter that you partner with to ensure you are not wasting your time in an interview process.   

I had a client who was hiring for a Senior Android Engineer in San Francisco, California. Originally their ideal base salary was 130K maximum. I provided the feedback that (at the time) the current market rates were between 160-180K base for Senior Android Engineers. They had two finalists who declined the offer because they received higher offers. This led to the client INCREASING their range to 160K and they were able to successfully hire a Senior Android Engineer because of the feedback I provided and their willingness to adjust compensation accordingly.   

Interview Questions   

Believe it or not- it is not uncommon for a hiring manager to not have sufficient training on how to interview a potential candidate. We provide training for hiring managers which helps them remain in compliance with employment law and determine if a candidate is qualified with as much bias removed as possible. During our initial intake meeting with a hiring team, recruiters will likely already have a set list of 7-10 questions that a hiring manager can ask a candidate. This helps to standardize the entire interviewing process and create an equal playing field for each candidate. Typically, the questions will include cultural fit questions, behavioral questions, motivational style questions, and technical questions as well.   

I was partnering with a first-time hiring manager who had never interviewed or hired for their team. I created a document with a list of 10 questions that they could ask to focus on cultural fit, behavioral assessment, and technical skill set of the candidate. The hiring manager used this document to guide interviews with 7 different candidates in our three-month project, and they successfully identified 3x candidates who were qualified offering their top candidate the role!  

Conclusion   

These are three of the main areas that recruiters have influence over during the hiring process. How will this help you as a candidate? This means that when working with a recruiter, you could potentially ask them about these nuances to gain further insight into your interviewing journey and experience. Partnering with a good recruiter who can share these insights will help you prepare to CRUSH your next round of interviews!   

 

If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like a blog we have about what it’s like to be an intern at Recruiting Experiences: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/whats-it-like-to-be-an-intern-at-recruiting-experiences/

 

At Recruiting Experiences, we want to train the next generation of recruiters and prepare them for the future. We want to leave a legacy of kinder and more efficient recruiting. This is why we offer internships. Our internship program gives people the knowledge they need to thrive in this industry and to ultimately leave their mark.

Here is our approach:

We Choose the Future with Care

When going through the selection process, we search for different things than a typical company might. We don’t look for the “perfect student”, but people who have passion and grit. We look for transferable skills, empathy, along with a desire to learn.

Our interns contribute immediately and are viewed as members of our team. 

Our goal is to take what people have learned in school and apply it in the real world.

Interns complete our Talent Acquisition Professionals Certification Program, which is designed to prepare new recruiters/job changers to recruit successfully. After completing this certificate, interns work as a cohesive recruiting team member.

The rest of this blog was prepared by the interns:

 Madyson Faigh- Recruiting Intern

I am currently a recruiting intern at Recruiting Experiences this Spring Semester. My internship experience with Recruiting Experiences has been such a fantastic opportunity. I have been very hands-on with everything this company has to offer to help me grow and understand the ropes of being a recruiter. From sourcing through LinkedIn, reaching out to candidates on my own, shadowing interviews/screens, and gaining tips from my peers on the recruiting team. This has been nothing less than an amazing experience.

Even though it has only been a month since I joined this team, I feel that I have learned so much and grown through Recruiting Experiences. My favorite part of this journey so far has been the RecEx team. I have never been apart of a team/company that has been so organized, structured, welcoming, and overall supportive. Grateful in an understatement. I am pushed every day to be better, and without the help of this team I wouldn’t be learning as much as I have been the past month. I have not only gained knowledgeable experience, but great people that help me strive to be a greater recruiter.

 

 Isabel Ray- Sales Intern

My name is Isabel Ray and I am a current senior at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. I am studying Health Sciences with a minor in Health Administration, and I graduate in May 2023. I chose to pursue Recruiting Experiences’ internship program not only because of my interest in sales, but because they are extremely personable and communicative. They have a clear focus on upward mobility. The environment of the company is innovative and organized, as well as their employees. I was extremely impressed with their core values and transparent culture as well! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working and learning at this welcoming company. The enthusiasm each person at Recruiting Experiences has for their work and for the success of their clients is invaluable in creating a positive work environment. This allows me to focus on personal growth and understanding my experiences. I have been able to support Amy, our CEO, in outreach and business development leads. I have gained experience in prospecting clients and gaining persistence while doing so. Fulfilling tasks created by our CEO is one of the best aspects I have been able to do in order to learn technical skills related to the industry of recruiting and sales as well. The most important soft skill I have learned to develop throughout this role is confidence. I am willing to talk to people with my expanded understanding and knowledge in the field of sales. This has enabled me to make professional connections and to foster a communicative leadership style that allows me and the company to thrive!

 

If you enjoyed this blog, you might like another blog we have about common skills recruiters look for: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/what-common-skills-do-recruiters-look-for/

 

Searching for a new job can be stressful. It can be daunting trying to balance multiple companies and keeping track of all of the skills each one is looking for. Each position has its own variation of skill sets that recruiters are looking for. If you feel like you don’t meet those requirements, it may seem like you don’t have a chance of being considered. There are multiple skill sets a candidate brings which may make them more marketable in several industries. These aren’t just job-specific or technical skills either. I will outline some common skills candidates can discuss and grow to stand out among other job seekers for multiple positions.

 

Organization: Organization is a huge aspect of pretty much every role! Being able to organize your tasks and time successfully will help you expand your career. It is also important to be organized when working in groups. I have found that my organization style does not work well for other people all the time and being able to adjust your organization style in groups can be extremely helpful.

 

Work Ethic: Everyone likes a hard worker! Work ethic is more than just working hard, it is being able to push through obstacles and solve problems when they are difficult. Work ethic isn’t necessarily something that can be taught either, it is the willingness to do what you can to help your team succeed.

 

Learning Aptitude: Natural curiosity and learning go hand and hand. Whether it is learning new skills, a new company’s product, or a new way to solve a problem; learning can take you a long way. Also, fail fast. You will not be able to know everything and you will make mistakes, but it’s extremely beneficial to get back up quick, learn from them, and keep moving forward!

 

Leadership: This can look like leading people, projects, or even assignments during your schooling. Bringing multiple people together to complete a common goal is a great skill to have and should be practiced whenever possible!

 

Written Communication: I didn’t think I’d be writing blog posts as part of my role in a Recruiting organization yet here we are! In every role, in every industry, team members need to be able to communicate effectively in emails, chat messages, and other forms of communication such as presentations or written correspondence. The art of writing shouldn’t be left solely to ChatGPT – today’s workers need to be able to communicate clearly to all stakeholders for their assignments and workplaces.

 

While these skills alone won’t fulfill a recipe for finding a job, this list can provide a starting point to highlight some of the soft skills needed in many roles. The key is to never stop practicing them and learning new methods. Always have an open ear and be willing try new things that may seem uncomfortable. Growth comes from uncomfortable situations. Also, be able to speak to examples of these skills in your interviews. Being able to articulate yourself is a skill set in itself!

 

If you liked this blog, you might like another blog we have about the STAR Method and how to use it in an interview: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/what-is-the-star-interview-model-and-how-to-use-it/

We are so excited to have a guest blog appearance on our page from Yalonda Brown.

“Yalonda Brown is a seasoned professional whose expertise spans over 20 years in both the private and public sectors. Her drive and self-determination has resulted in a myriad of demonstrable accomplishments as an intuitive leader, thought partner, and high functioning performer. Yalonda serves as the President of Diversity Initiatives for Engage Mentoring where she leads the national expansion of diversity-focused mentoring and leadership programs for companies, universities, and nonprofits.” (Yalonda Brown, 2023).

Below are the first two paragraphs from Yalonda’s blog:

“As companies redefine their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies to better meet the needs of workers and other stakeholders, many have begun reexamining the roles of their employee resource groups (ERGs), which are internal communities of workers with shared identities and interests.

Employee Resource Group (ERG) programs create an open forum for employees who share a common identity to meet and support one another in building their community and sense of belonging. ERG programs empower these groups by offering them financial support, organizational support and access to decision-makers” (Yalonda Brown, 2023).

Here is the link to her full blog below:

Leveraging Mentoring to Grow Your ERG

If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like a blog we have on our website about the STAR Interview method, and how to use it: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/what-is-the-star-interview-model-and-how-to-use-it/

Are you a candidate or job-seeker who is preparing for the next big interview? Today we are going to discuss a simple model to help candidates craft and articulate their skills and experiences. This model will help you to showcase the value that you can bring to your next employer. At Recruiting Experiences we interview roughly 300 candidates per month and the best interviewees have perfected their STAR story-telling abilities, and now you can too!

STAR INTERVIEW MODEL 

Situation- this is the PROBLEM that your team or your company was facing.  

• The situation sets the stage for your story 
• It provides relevant background based on the question asked  

Task- this can be one or multiple to-do items that you were responsible for to solve the problem 

• What was the mission at hand?  

Action- this is the literal execution of the task(s) that you completed to fix the problem 

• It is okay to highlight teamwork while emphasizing your specific contributions 

Result- this is the OUTCOME of the action that you took, so what happened?  

• If possible, you want your result to be quantifiable and/or measurable  

What types of questions are the STAR INTERVIEW MODEL used for?  

Typically, the star interview method is used for behavioral based interview questions. These are questions asked to determine your future behavior by looking at your past behavior. Most questions will be framed by starting off with, “Can you tell me about a time when…”, “How would you face…”, “Can you give me an example of…” or “Describe a time/situation when…”.  

Example of STAR INTERVIEW questions

Interviewer: “Can you tell me about a time where you figured out how to interview better?” 

Situation: Certainly! I was on the job market looking for roles when 2 months had gone by with no offers.  

Task: Based on my experience, only making it to the screening stage, and receiving feedback from colleagues, I learned that I needed to improve my interviewing skills.  

Action: I went online and researched how to develop stories to highlight my skills, and that is where I found the STAR method for job interviews.  

Result: After 10 hours of practicing the STAR INTERVIEW method, I have successfully made it through the recruiter’s screenings and am currently meeting with hiring managers for three new job opportunities!”  

This response takes about 20 seconds to share and successfully lays out the situation, task, action and results!  

Key Points to Remember: 

• Keep answers concise, if the interviewer wants to hear more, they will ask follow-up questions  
• The purpose of developing STAR INTERVIEW stories is to be prepared to sell your skills and experience  
• Incorporate the job description’s skills/qualities/requirements into your story  

If you enjoyed this blog, you might like another blog we have about why every company should volunteer and give back: https://www.recruitingexperiences.com/5-reasons-your-company-should-give-back/