The STAR method is a well-known technique used by many people to answer health safety interview questions. It stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and is used to provide an organised and detailed response to an interviewer’s question.
When answering a health safety interview question using the STAR method, the Situation is first identified. This involves providing background information about the context in which the question takes place, the context in which you acted, the stakeholders involved and the resources you had at your disposal. For example, if you were asked about how you had managed a previous health incident, the situation would involve a description of the incident in question, the physical environment, the people involved and the resources you had to work with.
The second part of the STAR approach is to identify the Task. This is the activity which you faced and involved your actions. This should provide the interviewer with an understanding of why you thought it was important to take action and what the consequences of inaction might have been. Again, returning to the example of a health incident, this might involve a detailed description of the safety protocols you employed to ensure the safety of other people and the environment.
The third component of the STAR approach is Action. This is the part of the response which focuses on what YOU did. Here, you should explain the action you took and why it was the best response to the situation. This should be detailed, outlining the steps you took to tackle the problem as well as any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Going back to the health incident example, you might state the steps you took to ensure the safety of the people involved, such as evacuating the area, providing medical support and employing the relevant safety protocols.
Finally, the fourth part of the STAR method is Result. This section is used to answer the question, ‘what happened as a result of my actions?’ The purpose of this section is to demonstrate the outcome or effect of your actions and how these affected the situation. You should therefore provide a thorough evaluation and share how each of your actions impacted on the incident. For example, you might state how the evacuation of the area enabled a swift response to the issue while medical support ensured the safety of the people involved.
In conclusion, the STAR method is an effective approach for answering health safety interview questions. It involves providing the interviewer with a Situation, Task, Action and Result, each of which should be detailed and offer an in-depth response to the question. Using this approach makes it easier for the interviewer to assess your fallowing of relevant health and safety protocols and your ability to handle a difficult situation.