How to use the STAR method to ace remote interviews

If you are an applicant searching for a job in a different country, you know that getting through the virtual selective process can be difficult. One of the biggest hurdles is the interview, where many candidates are nervous, feel intimidated by communicating in English, or don't know how to share their experiences effectively.

You can ace that virtual interview and land your dream remote job with the proper techniques and methods. We have curated a list of tips to help you.

How to prepare for an international remote interview: the STAR method

When landing a job, the interview process is critical, especially if you seek employment in a different country. But first, we need to remind you that the techniques for behavioral interviews generally follow the same pattern, whether here in Brazil or any company around the world. This is because recruiters are looking for specific information to understand if you have the right skills, experience, and attitude to succeed in the role. This is why you may repeatedly answer the same questions during interviews.

The STAR method is widely recognized by recruiters worldwide and is designed to help you clearly and concisely present your experiences, achievements, and problem-solving skills clearly and concisely.

It consists of four key steps: Situation, Task, Actions, and Results. By breaking down your experiences into these categories, you'll be able to provide a comprehensive and impactful answer to every question. You'll be better equipped to showcase your skills, experiences, and achievements to potential employers and increase your chances of landing the remote job you've dreamed of.

1. Situation 

The situation means contextualizing the moment you, the team, or the company were living. You need to describe the situation with details relevant to the problem. 

For example, "The company needed a CMS to manage its new blog, but it also needed to be compatible with other market integrations so that the data team could access public behavior information."

When you talk about the situation, you need to be specific. Make sure you're giving enough detail for the interviewer to understand.

2. Task

Then we set out for the task: using your knowledge and skill in the area, what solutions did you suggest to deliver the task? What were the tasks you received from your managers.

Task refers to the activities you had to do or the challenges you faced in the given situation. Therefore, clarifying what was expected of you and your role is essential. For example, in the case mentioned above, an effective response could be:

"I was responsible for creating a CMS that could meet the needs of both the content and data teams."

This answer shows precisely what your role in the situation was.

3. Action

Actions are steps you take to fulfill your task and solve the problem.

Explain how you solved the task and how you got involved in it. What steps have you taken? What ways did you find to improve the process?

It's essential to explain the strategies you employed to complete your objectives. This is when you showcase your skills and abilities, which is often the STAR method's most challenging part.

The tip here is to focus on the actions you did yourself. Even if you're talking about a project or group effort, describe what you did – not the team's efforts.

In our example, you could explain what you did step by step, in a high level of detail:

"This is how I solved it:

• Conducted research on various CMS systems and their compatibility with market integrations.

• Worked with the content team to understand their specific requirements for the blog management system.

• Collaborated with the data team to determine their needs for access to public behavior information.

• Integrated the necessary market integrations into the CMS.

• Tested the system to ensure it met the needs of both teams and that the data integration was working properly."

4. Results

Results refer to the outcome of your actions and what you achieved. This is the part of the answer that highlights the impact you made and the value you brought to the company.

Is the product better with the solution you created? You need as many metrics as possible to prove you had an impact.

In our example, you could answer that "The result was a CMS that met the needs of the content team for managing the blog and also provided the data team with the information they needed about public behavior. As a result, both teams received the solution well, and the company could effectively manage its blog and access valuable data insights."

The key is to practice!

The STAR method works because it provides everything the interviewer wants to hear: the background, the challenges, the processes for solving the problem, and the results achieved. You can structure your answers to be concise and demonstrate your skills and achievements.

Here are ten questions often asked in international job interviews:

1.  Share a time when you faced a complex problem at work. How did you solve this problem?

2. Describe your reaction when you were under pressure at work.

3. Tell me about a mistake you made. What happened when you realized it?

4. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.

5. At any point in your career, did you disagree with your boss? What did you do about it?

6. Tell me about a project you had to work on in partnership with another area of the company.

7. Describe a failure in your professional career. What lessons did you learn from that experience?

8. Describe the professional project you are most proud of.

9. Have you ever had problems with a co-worker?

10. Tell about something you disagreed with in the company you worked for, suggested changes, and was not heard.

And here's a final tip: recently, Google released a tool called "Interview Warmup." It is an exciting way to understand your points of improvement.