October 30, 2023

The STAR Method: What’s it all about?

The STAR method is a popular CV writing technique. It helps you highlight your skills and experience in a clear, concise, and persuasive way.

What does it stand for?

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It is a structured way of describing your wins and how you have contributed in your previous roles.

Why use the STAR method?

There are several benefits to using the STAR method in your CV:

It helps you to focus on your most relevant skills and experience.
It makes sure you include specific examples of your achievements.
It makes it easy for hiring managers to see your value and how you can contribute to their company.
It helps you to stand out from other candidates.

How to use the STAR method

It’s easy! You can use this when creating your Redeployable profile, or if you need to create a CV. Follow these steps:

Situation: What was the situation or challenge that you faced?
Task: What task were you given to do? What were your responsibilities and goals?
Action: What actions did you specifically take to achieve the task? How did you contribute to your team's efforts?
Result: What was the outcome of your actions? How did it benefit your company?

You can use the STAR method to describe your work and military experience, education, and even volunteer experience. When writing your STAR bullet points, be sure to be specific and quantify your results whenever possible.

Here is an example of a STAR bullet point:

Situation: Our team was tasked with developing and launching a new product within a tight deadline.

Task: I was responsible for leading the team of designers and developers in creating the user interface for the product.

Action: I worked closely with the team to understand the needs of our users and develop a user interface that was both intuitive and visually appealing. I also managed the development process and ensured that we met the deadline.

Result: The product was launched on time and was well-received by our users. It generated over £1 million in revenue in its first year.

Tips for using the STAR method

Here are a few tips for using the STAR method effectively in your CV:

Make sure the experiences you champion are relevant. Not all of your achievements will be relevant to the job type or industry that you are applying for. Focus on the achievements that demonstrate the skills and experience that the employer is looking for.
Be specific and quantify your results whenever possible. This will help the employer to see the value that you can add to their company.
Use strong action verbs. When describing your actions, use strong action verbs to show what you did and achieved.
Tailor your CV to the specific job that you are applying for. Read the job description carefully and identify the skills and experience that the employer is looking for. Then, use the STAR method to describe your achievements that match those skills and experience.