Meanwhile, perhaps Candidate B went out and landed 10 new accounts and generated $1 million in new revenue from each of those accounts. Without the STAR method, both candidates would verbally confirm that “we increased sales by $10M that year.”īut with the STAR method, Candidate A might be forced to admit that he was part of a sales team that generated $10 million, and his role was to make sure everyone reported their daily sales statistics… and of course, this was generously translated into “we” growing sales by $10 million. On the surface, both candidates seem equal. While the STAR method benefits the interviewer, it also benefits the candidate who actually has strong career experiences that on the surface seem similar to other candidates.įor example, let’s assume we have two candidates – Candidate A and Candidate B.īoth candidates list on their resumes that they “grew sales by $10 million in 1 year.” It significantly reduces the number of follow-up questions an interviewer would typically ask to get the same answers. When a candidate answers resume-based questions in the STAR format, it gets the interviewer the precise facts he or she needs to make a factually informed hiring decision. What was your role, your contribution to achieving X? That‘s the useful stuff. There’s that word many interviewers hate… the dreaded “WE.”Īmongst very seasoned interviewers, the first question that pops into mind is: “Who exactly is ‘we’ ?”Īs an interviewer, I really don’t care if “we” accomplished X. If asked about this in an interview, the candidate might say, “WE increased sales by $10 million in a single year.” Quite often, candidates will list several accomplishments achieved with previous employers.
To appreciate this, let me explain a common scenario that many interviewers hate. Let’s provide some context as to why interviewers like candidates to answer questions using the STAR method as a template. * Results – What were the results of those actions? * Task – What tasks were involved in that situation? * Situation – What was the situation you / your previous employer faced? How to Succeed as a New Management Consultant.Getting the Consulting Job Offer Menu Toggle.How to Thrive in a Corporate Environment.Management Consulting Internship Interviews.Consulting Industry and Beyond Menu Toggle.Top Firms Case Interview Preparation Resources.BCG Case Interview Preparation Resources.Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Resources Menu Toggle.Bain Case Interview Preparation Resources.Personal Experience Interview – McKinsey PEI.McKinsey Case Interview Preparation Resources.Quantitative Analysis for Consulting Engagements.Insider Secrets – Roundtable Between Former Case Interviewers.
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