⭐ How To Improve Your Resume Using The STAR Method
What is the STAR Method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
The STAR Method is a structured format for responding to behavioral-based interview questions by describing the specific situation, task, action, and result of your example (could be a previous job, volunteer experience, school project, etc).
I believe concisely applying the STAR Method to your resume bullet points will improve your resume and better prepare you for interviews.
(S)ituation
Describe the challenge or task you needed to accomplish. Provide specific details for the interviewer to understand the level of complexity. Relevant details include time/location, role, and stakeholders.
(T)ask
Describe your goals and responsibilities. Highlight challenges you faced.
(A)ction
Describe the specific approach you took to solve the task. Dive deep into your specific steps and contributions.
(in my opinion, this is the most important part of the resume/interview because it signals how you think and how you solve problems).
(R)esult
Describe the outcome of your actions using data. What did you accomplish? How did it perform to expectations/benchmarks (numbers do not mean anything without context)? How did the outcome benefit your company?
Why is the STAR Method applicable to resumes?
(1) Controllable Input
Your resume is one of the inputs you control in the hiring process.
You do not control who the hiring manager is nor who is on the interviewing team.
You do not control the questions the interviewing team asks.
But, you can help steer the narrative with your resume by choosing what to highlight.
(2) Concise Structured Narrative
The STAR Method ensures your example (interview answer) has a beginning, middle, and end. This allows the resume reader and interviewer to more easily follow what you are describing.
Clarity > Complexity.
Do not ramble for 5 minutes. An effective interview answer is concise but detailed. This is difficult. Writing your example using STAR beforehand will help.
(3) Specific Details
Avoid generalizations — instead, focus on specific details.
Interviewers will dive deep into your experience and accomplishments to discern what is true and what is embellished. One way is for the interviewer to ask follow-up questions to gauge how much detail the candidate provides as a signal of domain expertise and facts.
Writing your resume is the time to nail down specific details.
(4) Prove It, Don’t Say It
Instead of saying you are an effective manager, give the interviewer evidence based on your past actions and accomplishments.
Instead of saying you are a rockstar product manager, clearly explain how you delighted customers with a new product by overcoming a complex problem involving multiple stakeholders.
What’s next?
Free Resources
Newsletter that shares resume recommendations and “Before & After” examples with the STAR Method in action.
Giveaways for 45 minute 1:1 resume reviews to dive into your specific use case. Giveaways will be announced on LinkedIn (see example here) or via the newsletter. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Paid Resources
1 hour 1:1 resume/interview review. Rate is $295 per hour. Message me on LinkedIn if interested.
Workshops (TBD).
👋 Click here to view my 7 slide deck (introduction, how I will help you, what is the STAR Method, resume resources).
P.S. forward this to a colleague/friend if you think this will help.
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, email me at starmethodresume@gmail.com