To prepare effectively for your next situational interview, think about different situations you’ve been in either at work/Uni in the past, to help respond to each of the questions below.
When you prepare your answer, try to follow the STAR method:
- Situation – describe the situation that you were in or the task you needed to complete and describe it as a specific event
- Task – what goal were you working towards?
- Action – describe the action you took to address the situation, what you were thinking and specifically explain what you did and what you contributed
- Result – describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about talking yourself up e.g. What was the result? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?
Write some ideas/brief notes next to each question. You can practice these in your next class.
- Can you describe a time when you have had to prepare clear and accurate records, reports or documentation?
- Tell me about a time when you have been in a difficult/stressful situation or had a problem you had to deal with. What steps did you follow?
- Tell me about a time when you faced conflicting priorities. How did you manage your time?
- Please give an example where you were required to manage a situation that involved cultural differences within a group environment.
- Do you have an example of a time when you have implemented new technology or a new process in your job? How did it help the company?
